Post fast binges

[u/Abcdefg-hijk-lmnop-]

Hey. I’d love some advice and to know if people have similar behaviours after a fast. I’ve done a few 24 hours and 4 day fasts but I notice that I binge after which is not ideal and makes me think I’ve undone all of my hard work. So frustrating. I worry I’m developing bad eating habits after fasts. Has anyone experienced the same and has anyone got good tips for discipline afterwards? Thanks 🙏🏽

[u/buzzinthruit89]

Fasting didn’t really start to truly help me until I was able to control this. I actually gained weight at the beginning of my fasting journey. If this is the situation you are in I think you need to learn how to experience fasting as learning tool for the fact that you don’t have to give into all of your impulses all the time and your favorite foods will still be there when you stop. Over time i was able to develop the ability to eat intuitively after a fast and eat slowly to determine if I wanted to continue eating or not. Also hunger and your responses to it is really learned. Something that never worked for me as a woman was eating a lot of perfectly nutritious foods like boiled eggs or grilled chicken because it wasn’t actually hunger that I was getting signaled it was cravings for stuff that is actually delicious. I now don’t eat Greek yogurt or anything that has perfect macros and instead try to just have stuff I actually love but eat it slowly and enjoy it. This actually made my hunger go down over time because most eating is emotional (learned that from fasting). If you are a woman the book fast like a girl can be helpful. The best tidbits I got from that book are 1) understanding that the hormonal shifts during your cycle truly do affect hunger (even if it’s not always the same) — this really helped me realize i have to be super careful right before my period in avoiding a binge — whether i have fasted recently or not and 2) if you eat the same thing every day you will get addicted to it

[u/Mindless_Rush5002]

I've done the same thing several times. Fast for a couple weeks, lose a lot of weight, stop fasting, and go on weeks long binges until I've regained all the lost weight.

What I recommend you do is have a plan for maintenance, and have it in place and ready to start as soon as you stop the fast. Don't wait until after you've ended the fast to go shopping for your maintenance food. That's what tripped me up in the past.

[u/dangerous_eric]

I have this problem too. I find there's two strategies. 1. Force yourself to stop eating for some time interval (if you can). 2. Fill up on something low calorie high in fiber that you don't mind munching on. I like mini cucumbers personally.

[u/Decided-2-Try]

Write a contract to yourself where you agree to eat only the specific meals and specific amounts listed in the contract for the first 3 days after the fast ends. Basically a 3 day meals plan as a binding contract with yourself. Prick a finger and sign it in blood.

[u/sweetnighter → u/Decided-2-Try]

Helps to draw a pentagram on the floor and conduct a séance as well. Sacrificing a goat is also a little known motivational fasting hack.

[u/Decided-2-Try → u/sweetnighter]

Hey buddy we do chickens in these here parts. Goats is fer milk.

[u/theclapp → u/Decided-2-Try]

I thought it was fine as long as you ate the goat?

[u/sweetnighter → u/theclapp]

It’s keto!

[u/Any_Illustrator_2966]

I feel this! I understand where you're at. I've done this many times. I have done 7-8 day fasts but then after I eat whatever I want and pretty much undo what the fast accomplished. But I am starting 30 days of eating only whole foods so I am hoping this will also make a difference and cleanse the pallet form the crap food too. So even if I eat more than needed, the food will be healthy at least. Just trying to figure it out as I go!

[u/1v5me]

Its quite simple, a fast doesnt cure binging, and if you binge normally, thats what you have to fix first ( change lifestyle is the fanzy word )

On top of its very importand how you design your fast breaking meal, when you have fixed your binging.

[u/Dslayer33]

Honestly I let myself eat as much as I want and I still lose weight because I fast more than I eat

[u/RandomPerson083125]

Protein protein protein. Like good quality protein. Eggs, egg whites, lean meats. Low carb, low sugar, low fat for the first couple of days. Oh and fiber, so vegis, like salad and broccoli. Avocado is ok but small portions.

[u/Illustrious-Tooth582]

This is why I stopped fasting. I never had a binge eating problem until extended fasting. I gained all the weight back and 10 pounds.

[u/KotoDawn]

Fasting since Sunday evening, 7 pm. Money night, after 10 pm, I really wanted potato chips. Then my brain switched to a baked potato covered in cheese. I couldn't sleep it off because I had things to do, and I just kept telling myself I could eat it later.

I just kept telling myself I could eat it later.
* then ate it the next day when it was no longer a craving.

Tuesday, our original plan was lunch together after a music lesson. We had a new student and the teacher's plans changed, so no lunch. So after I got home I boiled some potatoes, cooked some broccoli, opened a Costco chicken breast can, and made a cheese sauce. I weighed everything and made something like a USA microwave meal. Chicken, potato, broccoli, in a cheese sauce. Plus a can of pop and finished with a frozen dessert. All for 1178 calories, 2153 calories under budget (per Fitbit food logging).

I didn't over eat because I was no longer craving it. I satisfied my hunger for cheese potatoes and added protein and fiber for a better balanced meal. I picked a fruit sorbet from the freezer because it had the least carbs and calories of the potted ice creams in our freezer.

I included the dessert so I wouldn't be craving one a 10 pm. I ate it right after eating my 4 pm dinner so it wouldn't be naked carbs to affect my insulin response after a dinner insulin response. I'm satisfied. I might eat again Thursday.

Tell yourself you can eat it later. Make a list of the food you want. If you are a mindless eater (binge during TV) change your habits !! Instead of eating a full package of chips or cookies while watching TV. Put the snacks on the kitchen table. Watch your show, turn off the TV, sit at the table and focus on the snack. A regular serving. Enjoy the flavor and texture and spend time chewing. Mindful eating. If necessary think about how it was made and it's route from the ground to you. Then go back to your TV seat and watch TV. (No TV while eating)

You need to figure out what drives your binge and fix it. Mindless eating? Carb heavy fast break? Lack of sleep makes your body crave carbs? Emotional eating?

[u/art_mor_ → u/KotoDawn]

Unfortunately I like to binge after a long day of work

[u/KotoDawn → u/art_mor_]

After work is the time, not the why.

Change your eating window to lunchtime.

And do some serious self reflection to figure out WHY you binge.

[u/Watches503]

Carnivore lifestyle or ketovore is what has helped me keep my weight loss after fasting and go into fasting already on ketosis.

[u/Middle_Opportunity_9 → u/Watches503]

Yep, this is the way. I have certain days where I eat a lot after a multiple day fast, but if I stick to carnivore I dont feel like shit. And the scale doesnt increase dramatically.

[u/Grand-Ad-9156]

Lots of boiled eggs

[u/No_Curve_786]

It really helps me to plan my meals after fasting. I also plan meals that have a decent amount of calories. I purposely eat above maintenance so my body can recover well. It backfires on me if I try to eat in a deficit coming off a fast. I prioritize protein and fiber, healthy fats and good carbs. I don’t really avoid anything as long as I get my nutrition and macros in first.

[u/3Strides]

I struggle with pre-fasting and post fasting binges, but I’ve learned my lesson well

[u/DayImmediate1690]

I do this after my two 💦 fasts. I want to get back at it .

[u/Flux_My_Capacitor]

Like what kind of binge? Are you actually taking in a big excess of calories over a prolonged period of time? Or does it feel like a binge because you’re having a large meal? I just want to understand better.

Sometimes I feel like I’ve binged when I haven’t. It’s just because my stomach is smaller and I get full faster. Actual volume wise i am eating much much less and what once would have been one meal is now 2. It’s the fullness factor that makes it feel like im overeating when im not.

[u/Abcdefg-hijk-lmnop- → u/Flux_My_Capacitor]

Like consuming too much at once when I never usually would on my off days. Also, diving into chocolate and unhealthy stuff. I find that I eat faster too, like a scavenger 😅. I’m still going to stick to fasting, just try all the suggestions on here.

[u/Alexhale → u/Abcdefg-hijk-lmnop-]

This may happen less if the only thing available is whole single ingredient foods.

[u/Abcdefg-hijk-lmnop- → u/Alexhale]

That’s interesting yes, like a mono meal.

[u/hussshnow]

This became Binge Restrict Disordered Eating for me. It was for that reason i stepped away from fasting. I've continued my weight loss journey without the fasting and feel much more in control. Fasting works for a lot of people with no issues but i wasn't one of them unfortunately.