Hey everybody,
I have given a lot of thought to IF. I know there are 2 approaches...(24 hour fasts 2x a week, and assigned fasting/feeding windows per every day).
Wondering if anybody follows a plan like this.
If so, what do you eat? How has it helped/hindered your diabetes control and weight?
And do the different approaches have different results, if any results at all.
THANKS!
Hi Andrea - I've used a 24 hour fast one day per week for a few months. Travel and vacation interrupted that routine but I intend to resume intermittent fasting soon. I'm on a reduced carb (50-70 grams/day) way of eating and only eat two meals per day, late morning breakfast and early evening dinner. I often have a small snack late afternoon or in the evening. My habit was to skip an evening snack on Tuesday evenings and breakfast on Wednesdays. That enables a 24 hour fast.
My "lowered carb" way of eating includes eggs, cream, sausage, bacon, onions, tomatoes, avocados, cheese, greek yogurt, salsa, coffee, salmon, pork chops, steaks, beef and pork jerky, broccoli, french onion cream veggie dip, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, almonds, cashews, walnuts, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, and high % cacao dark chocolate.
I found that the fast helped me maintain good BG numbers and also keep my weight stable. I felt like it was a nice metabolic reset. During the fast my BGs were actually easier to control and did not often have to eat any Dex4s to treat lows.
I think that human biology is well suited to missing a meal once in awhile and I like the way the fast makes me feel. There's also a cognitive clarity that occurs. My stomach "growls" a little bit but I don't feel overly hungry. My basal rates are pretty close to where they need to be so fasting doesn't create BG problems by itself.
I could easily do this fast 2x/week. Are you aware of some additional benefit to doing that?
I have been struggling with not being able to lose weight. Despite eating clean and exercising 5 days per week, the weight simply will not come off. I’m wondering if IF once or twice a week might help kickstart my metabolism.
No harm with doing the experiment. Just keep a close eye on your BGs.
What do you mean by "eating clean?"
I've often heard about people on weight loss diets that plateau but then restart losing weight when the "change up" something. The body seems to have an uncanny ability to stop shedding pounds when it has found a comfortable balance point.
Damn, that's a horrible sounding choice of foods. No Raisinettes or Dots? How do you go to the movies?
J/K... :-)
I would love to try that, but I think it is ultimately impossible for a type 1 without a pump. You will need to eat carbs at some point as basal rates are so inaccurate.
While basal rates can not be perfect they can be approximated close enough for most corrections to be minor. When I fast, my blood glucose control tends to get easier with more flatline BGs and few lows. I will correct with a Dex4 if my BG goes below 70 but I don't consider that a break in the fast. Not perfect, but better.
Fasting provides a good opportunity to examine basal doses and make any needed adjustments. MDI basal insulin doses, like pump basal rates, were never meant to be set once and then forgotten.
Whenever I don't eat enough, my weight seems to freeze in place as the alleged starvation reflex or whatever it is kicks in. I've been tracking it again pretty tightly to try to buzz off a few lbs I got back this year during two forced layoffs from exercise and eating potato chips b/c I was depressed I wasn't exercised and, when I've done that, I try to eat the # of calories that are recommended. I don't think there's a big advantage to trying to lose weight that way.