SW: 188, CW: 178, GW: 165
After failing to cut much weight with daily caloric restriction last year, I switched over to extended fasts at the beginning of the month, first beginning with alternate-day fasting. In the first week, I lost 7lbs, but then I hit a plateau and began breaking my fasts at night, only 24-26 hours in. I caved into stress from worsened insomnia, weight loss plateau, hunger pains, and external issues like job searching and school.
Then, I began to follow the recommendations about supplementing with electrolytes, and they made a world of difference for me. Taking a few swigs of water with sodium and potassium throughout the day has helped me get back on track and even extend my fasts from 36 to 40+ hours, with 48 being my longest ever. My hunger isn’t as pronounced with electrolytes, and I have way more energy and drive to exercise and study.
The issue now is my refeeds. I track my calories during my refeeds and eat all my food within a one-hour window. However, after eating one nutrient-dense meal consisting of meat, veggies, and fruit, I usually feel like I’m going to explode after eating 800-1,000 calories. From that point onward, I just force-feed calorie-dense foods like milk, heavy cream with fruit, peanut butter, and junk like cake and brownies (still need to work on cutting out the sugar) to hit maintenance. I do resistance training (weights and calisthenics) and cardio (usually treadmill walking on 12% incline but occasionally HIIT) 3-4 times a week and aim to eat 2,500 calories when I break my fast. However, I was wondering if only eating until I’m full, say 1,000 calories, will slow my metabolism?
Aside from achieving and maintaining my goal weight, my hope is that this method will eliminate the excuse to eat so much junk food and stop me from looking like a glutton when eating in front of others like my family and roommates. In any case, I want to commit to prolonged fasts for life, as all other weight loss methods like caloric restriction and even intermittent fasting for 16 to 23 hours haven’t been as effective for me. I’ve been either obese or overweight my entire life and want to finally put an end to being fat.
Not necessarily so. Eat until you are full and don’t worry about it. Actually do worry about eating junk. Don’t do that, stick to healthy choices.
It may sound weird but when you are fasting you are not quite restricting calories; your body is just switching to an alternate source of calories (your fat). When you are eating on that one hour window you are temporarily switching back but you are not there for long. Just take the opportunity to eat nutritionally dense food, a multivitamin, and a tablespoon or two of flaxseed oil. As long as you are eating to satisfaction you should be fine.
Don’t force yourself to eat if you are too full. If you can’t bring yourself to keep eating, then don’t continue. This way, you develop a healthy habit of eating to satisfaction instead of feeling the need to eat more than you can stomach. Fasting helps you to naturally eat less on refeed days than you normally would if you were eating everyday. :)
No. I do OMAD and I ALWAYS eat under what is “supposedly” required. I honestly don’t have much of an appetite and I eat my small portion and end up getting full shortly after. You would think I had gastric bypass surgery, but fasting has flat out decreased my overall appetite and hunger levels lol. I also run on the treadmill mixed in with high incline walking. You know when you’re full and what works for your body, so don’t ever force yourself to eat extra to get in your “supposed” recommended calories. Everyone’s body and metabolism is different. I see people posting pictures with what they’re breaking their fast with. Like a large baked chicken breast,baked sweet potato, flavored rice, and a drink that’s like 100 calories. That person’s plan works for them which is awesome, but for my body that would be overkill with a portion that big lol. When you’re feeling full step away even when your meal isn’t finished. You’re fasting and kicking butt 😃