So I’ve been doing fasting for some months now- more as a way to maintain my weight than fully lose, since I was very stagnant since last autumn. I recently joined training for a 200 mile relay, and I’m excited to start running again! I was hoping to keep my schedule of firm 24 hour fast on Mondays, and then OMPD Tuesday through Thursday.
But I’m starting to get these moments where everything is fine, and then my body is just like ‘FOOD NOW’ and I tear through the kitchen with crazy desperation for anything available. My running hasn’t been anything more than running a mile and walking two miles a day (starting slow, I’ll work up into longer as the season warms up).
Has anyone else had this? Is it a decreased electrolyte issue? What can I do to stop the sudden ‘NEED FOOD NOW’; once it hits, I can’t ignore it. I’ve tried, and it only makes the fallout worse. Before I started training, I was pretty zen during my fasting periods. :(
Is it a carb issue? Are you craving carbs after a reasonable amount of training? It might be a case of pushing through and becoming more fat adapted. But that probably doesn’t apply if you’re already relatively fat adapted.
Try consuming more fat, protein and fibre! I always end up having crazy cravings if my meal is not balanced with the above 3! And if required and you aren’t doing keto have small amount of carbs too as that gives energy for your training! But definitely add more protein, fat and fibre!
This may sound funny but I think you are not eating enough and are falling into a diet mentality. If that is correct the solution is to overhaul your relationship with food.
One problem with serial dieters (a lifelong affliction in some) is that they are perpetually pursuing a skinnier self through ‘dieting’, which I like to define the word as an unsustainable eating habit more akin to an eating disorder. Diet (no quotes) is everything you eat, good or bad. ‘Dieting’ (with quotes) is the unsustainable approach that has one common result; the ‘what the heck’ effect (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/17/well/eat/intuitive-eating-diet-cycle.html for the long version). Never ever ever ever (really, never) ‘diet’; always strive to improve your diet to support you and your goals.
If you clean your diet and you get hungry, you should be set to gorge yourself on something that is actually good for you.