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Questions regarding exercise before fast breaking, and sleeping to avoid eating

For the past week I have been doing 16:8 (8pm to 12pm) with a daily allotment of 1,200 calories.

It has been going well, but the following issues have come up so far.

  1. I like to swim for an hour a day, and normally go at around 7:00am, but the thought of trying to swim for an hour and then waiting four more hours to eat sounds awful. Since the pool has specific times available for lap swimming, I don’t have a whole lot of wiggle room of when to swim. Does it sound doable to wake up, swim, and wait for four hours to break my fast, or should I just aim for evening swims (at the expense of evening plans like seeing shows, etc.)?
  2. The last few days I found it easier to just sleep through the hunger, so I have been going to sleep much earlier than normal, and then napping for an hour or two after I am awake to get to noon quicker. I am thinking that is not a very healthy mindset to have, but feedback is appreciated.

While I am able to track calories and follow health plans pretty well (last time I did this, I had a 250 day streak and dropped 60 lbs which unfortunately all came back with a vengeance), the sheer amount of food I can consume if left to my own devices is pretty epic. Like, at 5’2”, I can eat my 6’5” husband under the table, so my hunger pangs are pretty constant. The only thing I have been able to do quell the hunger, besides eating of course, is to nap/sleep, but I would love any suggestions to help with this.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and any info 😊

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Answer

I prefer working out fasted, as I find I get nauseous working out with food even if I eat an hour ahead (I can eat at noon and workout at 4pm no issues tho).

Give it a try. See how you feel keeping up your swimming. Make sure you’re hydrating.

Perhaps you can move your eating window up on days you swim, so you have a meal soon after your workout.

Answer

I like the nap idea to make the noon meal come quicker…. Swimming is a great way to go.

Key for you is to clearly not be left to your own devises. If you have anyone, could be your husband, bff, or whoever, you team up with to help keep you accountable, I’m betting that would help a lot. If they like to swim, walk or anything similar, even better !

Evaluate how those ‘vengeful’ 60 crept back on and avoid those issues.

Best of luck and keep going !

Answer

So the idea about fasting is that it becomes your way of life and you should be able to control (if not forget) your old ways of eating.

So with this in mind, do things that are sustainable and don’t fast (or do things) with the expectations of being able to eat whatever and how much ever you want later (even if it’s many months later).

So in my experience, I just don’t feel the cravings (for chips) that I used to anymore. I don’t respect my hunger these days and put in food when I want to (as opposed to when my stomach asks for it). I haven’t felt hungry or starved for a long time now. I’ve been doing OMAD for 5 or so months now with 300-600 calorie deficit per day. Before that I used to do do 16-8 without counting calories.

Answer

You’ve done great so far! You shouldn’t pass out after swimming, before lunch. I wouldn’t give up your evening plans to swim because in the long run, that wouldn’t be sustainable for you. Maybe have a flavored water drink (propel packets?) after swimming to make you feel like you’ve gotten something special.

If taking a nap is a short term solution, I would think it’s ok. But, after a while, your body will adjust and you won’t get the hunger pains. My (adult) kid asked me this week how I’m not hungry at lunchtime (he works with me) and I said “I just don’t feel hungry anymore” and I don’t even remember when that started happening.

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