Fasting and carbs

[repsakv]

Hi guys,

Nowadays you here so much about intermittent fasting and all the proven benefits.
To be honest, it doesn't sound hard at all: 8 hour window to eat => eating from 12 to 20 for example, I'm not really hungry in the morning anyways.

That being said. Most people(not all) who talk about intermittent fasting say you should limit carbs to a minimum, almost keto. Now my question is: is it useless to start intermittent fasting if you dont cut your carbs?

grtz

 

[Pope Leo VII]

what.. why would you cut carbs

going to make it even harder without them

 

[7even]

what.. why would you cut carbs

going to make it even harder without them

Actually intermittent fasting is much, much easier when you’re fat adapted. You’re depleting your glycogen stores each time you fast if you’re filled with it. You don’t want to go through a Keto flu each time you do it. The headaches suck. So I recommend to be in ketosis when you fast.

 

[Pope Leo VII]

Actually intermittent fasting is much, much easier when you’re fat adapted. You’re depleting your glycogen stores each time you fast if you’re filled with it. You don’t want to go through a Keto flu each time you do it. The headaches suck. So I recommend to be in ketosis when you fast.

Ive been doing IF for years now, and usually throw in a 24+ hour fast each week.. no issues whatsoever with headaches/etc, so dont know what youre talking about

if anything, find it easier when you load up on carbs *shrugs shoulders*

 

[7even]

Ive been doing IF for years now, and usually throw in a 24+ hour fast each week.. no issues whatsoever with headaches/etc, so dont know what youre talking about

if anything, find it easier when you load up on carbs *shrugs shoulders*

I been fasting for over a year, and each time I load up on carbs I get fucking headaches and become hungry as hell after I start the fast. I do omad (one meal a day) almost every day and do 48 hour fasts twice a month.

 

[tekkenfan]

i have to least have 100g of carbs daily and if training least 150 or more

 

[Frederick Burns]

Not useless at all, I would recommend it in fact. First change when you eat, not what. After some time following the 16:8, then trend low-carb.

 

[Saint Of The K]

I'm not sure who says you should limit carbs to a minimum when fasting. Most likely not experts.
If you want you can have a look at the strategy suggested by Leangains, ie. cycle your carbs based on whether it's training day or not.

 

[Pope Leo VII]

I'm not sure who says you should limit carbs to a minimum when fasting. Most likely not experts.
If you want you can have a look at the strategy suggested by Leangains, ie. cycle your carbs based on whether it's training day or not.

crucial intel here, usually what I try and do.. though the longer fasts are easier following destroying a large pizza/ton of carbs

 

[7even]

Why would you guys load up on carbs before you start a fast? Doesn’t that kind of beat the purpose? You’re depleting your glycogen stores when you fast. If you’re trying to burn fat, then you should be in ketosis prior to the fast, or use the fast to get to ketosis. Doesn’t your body need to be using ketones to get all the health benefits from fasting? Isn’t your insulin not on baseline when you’re using carbohydrates for fuel?

 

[Myprotein]

You’re already limiting the amount of time you have to eat. Why limit carbs too?

Although I don’t see IF making a massive difference. Total calories in for the day are most important. IF just seems to be useful if your schedule doesn’t allow for eating every 2/3 hours. Just IMO.

 

[Saint Of The K]

Actually intermittent fasting is much, much easier when you’re fat adapted. You’re depleting your glycogen stores each time you fast if you’re filled with it. You don’t want to go through a Keto flu each time you do it. The headaches suck. So I recommend to be in ketosis when you fast.

Not sure what kind of IF you're practicing (16/8, 1 meal a day, ...), but there's no way you're in ketosis if you're not limiting your carbs intake.
The improved fat mobilization you get with IF does not mean you're in ketosis. You can lose fat with a regular diet (or eating window) with carbs as people have been doing for decades. IF seems to increase the process efficiency, but that's it (apart from the health benefits you'd attribute to IF which would then take it a notch higher due to your body "generally working better").

I did get some headaches initially when I switched to 16/8, nothing horrible but it happened. Drinking a lot of water helps with that. It stops after a few days so just hang on. And, they are not similar to what I understand as "keto flu".
Unless I'm at a hotel during vacations or something and there's a great buffet (I'm a sucker for that), I don't eat in the morning as I'm not feeling too well afterwards. If I eat mostly protein and fat I'm good, but if I start eating pastries and stuff then I get some kind of strange buzz for a few hours. I then need to go crash back to bed or do some kind of activity, walking, cleaning, anything but being seated behind my desk or doing nothing.
So all in all I now prefer the 16/8 schedule.

Gorging on carbs in the evening, although sometimes pleasant (ex fatty here), makes it harder for me in the morning. I get some kind of "carbs crash" which makes me hungry earlier than usual. It usually disappears after 30 minutes or so, but it kinda makes me crave for some bad food so not great.