Lucylemonpip
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I was reading up on Keto diets, where it was mentioned doing a 36 hour fast? Has anyone done this or similar? Were you starving hungry?
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Has anyone done “fasting”?
- Thread starter Lucylemonpip
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The longest time for which I have fasted is 60hrs.
But this has been for a Colonoscopy, so there were more pressing concerns than hunger, especially after I started taking the Bowel clearing medication.
Having said that, my most recent fasting for colonoscopy (the only one since I went Low carb) has been the easiest so far as lack of hunger was concerned.
Having said all that I suggest that people wanting to reverse T2 Diabetes or just to lose weight and keep it off, should not start out hard by calorie restricted crash diets or pby fasts ov more than 24hrs. This is because such attempts are likely to reduce the metabolism, meaning that your body is then consuming fewer calories for you to just stay alive, which in turn means you need to cut the calories even further in future in order to maintain a desired weight than was needed before.
This is why many crash diets fail and why many people find themselves Yoyo dieting while their weight (or Blood Sugar) is trending upwards.
Instead I suggest cutting Carbs not Calories as part of a Low Carb High(er) Fat 'Way of Eating'. Eating decent sized meals so as not to go hungry and thus avoid snacking.
Eating Carbs and eating frequently means that the only time that Insulin is low will be when you're asleep. Since high Insulin prevents body fat loss, Insulin is the fat storage hormone, you want to have longer periods of low Insulin in order for your body to use all that surplus fuel you are carrying around - even if like me you were never considered fat in the first place!
But this has been for a Colonoscopy, so there were more pressing concerns than hunger, especially after I started taking the Bowel clearing medication.
Having said that, my most recent fasting for colonoscopy (the only one since I went Low carb) has been the easiest so far as lack of hunger was concerned.
Having said all that I suggest that people wanting to reverse T2 Diabetes or just to lose weight and keep it off, should not start out hard by calorie restricted crash diets or pby fasts ov more than 24hrs. This is because such attempts are likely to reduce the metabolism, meaning that your body is then consuming fewer calories for you to just stay alive, which in turn means you need to cut the calories even further in future in order to maintain a desired weight than was needed before.
This is why many crash diets fail and why many people find themselves Yoyo dieting while their weight (or Blood Sugar) is trending upwards.
Instead I suggest cutting Carbs not Calories as part of a Low Carb High(er) Fat 'Way of Eating'. Eating decent sized meals so as not to go hungry and thus avoid snacking.
Eating Carbs and eating frequently means that the only time that Insulin is low will be when you're asleep. Since high Insulin prevents body fat loss, Insulin is the fat storage hormone, you want to have longer periods of low Insulin in order for your body to use all that surplus fuel you are carrying around - even if like me you were never considered fat in the first place!
Lucylemonpip
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Thank you for the info Ian. I am doing the Keto diet and having a max. of 30g carbs a day. I had read that doing the low carb and fasting, was the best way to lose weight. It’s just that I’m sure I’d be starving hungry if I tried it! Lol.
Drummer
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
But you are type two diabetic, that really should be dealt with first - I'd advise starting to test your blood glucose and see how that responds to various foods before going after weightloss - though 'The Keto Diet' seems very ill defined - if you look at the rules and advice on doing the Atkins way of eating, for instance there is so much information about how to do it properly and well.
I found that fasting more than 12 hours was not a good idea, eating early and late in the day seemed to be the best option for me - but testing is the way to see how your blood glucose is responding to any changes.
Do be aware though that the essential macronutrients are protein and fat - avoid anything marked low fat, and eating meat with its natural fat, cooking in fats (It doesn't have to be huge amounts) are all ways to ensure that you are properly nourished and have enough energy when carbs are no longer available to use for energy.
I found that fasting more than 12 hours was not a good idea, eating early and late in the day seemed to be the best option for me - but testing is the way to see how your blood glucose is responding to any changes.
Do be aware though that the essential macronutrients are protein and fat - avoid anything marked low fat, and eating meat with its natural fat, cooking in fats (It doesn't have to be huge amounts) are all ways to ensure that you are properly nourished and have enough energy when carbs are no longer available to use for energy.
Lucylemonpip
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Thank you Drummer. Good advice. I’ll carry on with BG numbers and doing low carbs. 🙂
Neens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Very good advice.
Neens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
@Lucylemonpip I started to lose weight by counting carbs. I just dropped them gradually.
I have been using BG tests for the past 3 weeks and have found all food choices to be suitable- it helped identify what fruit/fructose was doing - so sadly (I was a fruit beast before diagnosis) I now restrict the number of bananas I have (a couple a month) and I buy very small ones - I used to choose the biggest ones! Also apples (which I love) I can only eat half an apple. Again you learn that food combinations are important too so having half an apple with a small allowance of cheese works even better, or if you like peanut butter - you can slice the apple and spread some peanut butter on it for a very satisfying snack.
As for those carbs I started with a target of 130g a day (each meal less than 40g and then some allowance for snacks around 10g), some days (Christmas) this number was much higher. In the 1st 2 weeks eating between 100 - 150g I lost 4lbs (I increased exercise and tried to do the 150 mins a week) then I had a week where I dropped to a range of 80-130g carbs and lost no weight. From being a slimmer I know that there are many reasons this can happen so I wasn't worried, the next week was Christmas - I kept the food diary up and following DN advice ate what I wanted with portion control - I didn't have so much choice on Christmas day as we were catered for but I made sure Christmas lasted 2 days and not the fortnight of indulgence I used to enjoy! Sadly some of the weight went back on. Again nothing compared to previous years where the holidays could result in half a stone weight gain.
January came and I dropped carbs - I was always worried I would be hungry but I never have been. Started with under 100g target and then some days managed on 60g, then realised with clever food choices I could get to 40g a day. Sometimes I do around 30g - I have started Keto without realising I have started keto.
In January I have lost 9lbs so far. So I am nearly at 1 stone weight loss (7 weeks) with the same to go again.
So you could choose to drop those carbs gradually.
It amazes me that sometimes I have a whole plate meal under 10g carbs. Most of my carbs come from vegetables and I limit fruit to berries or fun size mandarins or a handful of strawberries.
I have been using BG tests for the past 3 weeks and have found all food choices to be suitable- it helped identify what fruit/fructose was doing - so sadly (I was a fruit beast before diagnosis) I now restrict the number of bananas I have (a couple a month) and I buy very small ones - I used to choose the biggest ones! Also apples (which I love) I can only eat half an apple. Again you learn that food combinations are important too so having half an apple with a small allowance of cheese works even better, or if you like peanut butter - you can slice the apple and spread some peanut butter on it for a very satisfying snack.
As for those carbs I started with a target of 130g a day (each meal less than 40g and then some allowance for snacks around 10g), some days (Christmas) this number was much higher. In the 1st 2 weeks eating between 100 - 150g I lost 4lbs (I increased exercise and tried to do the 150 mins a week) then I had a week where I dropped to a range of 80-130g carbs and lost no weight. From being a slimmer I know that there are many reasons this can happen so I wasn't worried, the next week was Christmas - I kept the food diary up and following DN advice ate what I wanted with portion control - I didn't have so much choice on Christmas day as we were catered for but I made sure Christmas lasted 2 days and not the fortnight of indulgence I used to enjoy! Sadly some of the weight went back on. Again nothing compared to previous years where the holidays could result in half a stone weight gain.
January came and I dropped carbs - I was always worried I would be hungry but I never have been. Started with under 100g target and then some days managed on 60g, then realised with clever food choices I could get to 40g a day. Sometimes I do around 30g - I have started Keto without realising I have started keto.
In January I have lost 9lbs so far. So I am nearly at 1 stone weight loss (7 weeks) with the same to go again.
So you could choose to drop those carbs gradually.
It amazes me that sometimes I have a whole plate meal under 10g carbs. Most of my carbs come from vegetables and I limit fruit to berries or fun size mandarins or a handful of strawberries.
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