The FastDay Forum

This is a sad post for me. I've been doing 4:3 for the past few weeks because of metabolic problems and also to reap the health benefits - I have very painful osteo arthritis in my knees and had hoped IF would be the answer to this as all else has failed and the next stop is knee replacement surgery.

Just a guess...Try 5:2 instead. My reasoning is simply that fasting is more of a shock to the system than we realize, and maybe 4:3 is too much of a shock to start with. For some, 5:2 may be too much at first.

I'm thinking in terms of analogy with exercise. If you haven't exercised in a long time, you can't jump in and do a lot. It's too much stress, and stress triggers inflammation. Fasting is a stress too. Ultimately we expect positive effects but if you're getting an inflammatory response that's probably a signal to throttle back.

As I say, I'm just guessing.

marlathome wrote:This is a sad post for me. I've been doing 4:3 for the past few weeks because of metabolic problems and also to reap the health benefits - I have very painful osteo arthritis in my knees and had hoped IF would be the answer to this as all else has failed and the next stop is knee replacement surgery.


Hi Marlathome, I am new to the 5:2, but I am a Remedial Therapist so have a professional interest in your OA and recent worsening of symptoms. Looking from another angle, it may be your muscle cramps are causing the increased pain in your knee and heel. Cramping muscles may overload/unbalance joints to the extent that significant pain is felt. It's always worth seeing your medical practitioner especially if you are going to take supplements and are on medication. However, I would try ensuring you remain hydrated, particularly when fasting, and take a supplement (on non-fasting days)with calcium (500mg) and magnesium (300mg). Cramps are usually due to an imbalance in these 2 minerals. Also, glucosamine sulphate, apple cider vinegar (yes, really!) and food rich in omega 3 and 6 can really help OA. And finally, I was diagnosed with OA in my left knee with considerable associated pain, and my tutor used neuromuscular techniques to fix the problem and remove the pain. So I would try finding a practitioner in your area as your pain may not be wholly linked to your OA.

Hi all,

I've been doing 5:2 for about 8 weeks, i'm a large guy 6ft 4in big build started off at 20St 7lbs.

8 weeks later down to 17st 4lb. But I've not done the 600 calories on my fast days and instead done a complete 24hr Fast normally Mondays and Thursdays.

My only issue i'm having is i keep getting sweaty hands, I've always been a hot person, and sweat alot never really been smelly, I've always put it down to being over weight. But since losing some weight i'm still having issues with sweating and now my hands are constantly clammy which never happen before.

Keith

Hi Keith

I had a quick look around the internet and it seems that excessive sweating is a known effect of low blood sugar, and also in cases of excessive insulin secretion (causing low blood sugar). Do you get the sweaty hands on feed days as well as fast days? Do you get any other symptoms of low blood sugar? (dizziness, blurry vision, shaking, weakness etc)? Or perhaps it is worse after eating?

If you are getting the sweating all the time and it does not improve over the next week or so I think it might be worth a trip to the doctor as you should not be getting these symptoms all the time.

Thanks for the response. Nah sweaty hands is only really on FAST day and abit into the following day. No other other symptoms, i have done some easy 3-5mile runs on FAST and FEED days don't have any issue's, a little more achy the days after a run on FAST day, but i put that down to lack of protein on that day, so have just stopped running on FAST days and instead walk about 5miles a days (well walk to and from work which is 5miles)

Keith

[carorees]

Ok, I expect it will get better then as do the other low blood sugar symptoms people get early on in their fasting journey!

Ok, thanks for your help

It is the day after our second fast and my husband feels like a champ (he's also eating like one, which makes it hard for me to eat as healthfully as I'd like, to be honest, because he wants such serious FOOD), but I feel pretty awful again. Fasting itself doesn't seem to trouble me. I've been having two cups of Miso during the afternoon when I experience my daily slump (between 3-5pm) and the bulk of my calories as dinner, followed by air popped popcorn. I feel hungry, but not worried about it. I drink water, I sleep fine. I wake up the next morning feeling great until I get out of bed. As soon as the day starts I feel like I'm getting the flu! This enormous ball of pressure swells up behind my eyes, I get five minute sweats, and a grump-inducing lethargy nearly sends me back to bed. I find myself in a fog, unable to make small decisions or handle little complications without feeling beleaguered by the world. This is so unlike me!! Unfortunately, eating breakfast doesn't solve the problem. In fact, it seems to increase the lethargy. Both days this has continued through late afternoon, into the evening. I managed to workout on the elliptical and lift some weights after my first fast day, but today I'm so beat it's hard to really imagine it.

I've had blood sugar related problems most of my life, my sister too. We grew up with hippy parents and were never seen by a doctor for our symptoms, but both of us have learned to keep small snacks on us at all times, an apple, nuts, protein bars, etc., because if we get hungry we get GRUMPY.

I'm fairly fit at 32: 5'4, 136 lbs (which is my average winter weight when on birth control; summers I hover at 130 when I am able to be more active outdoors). I eat healthfully most of the time and exercise regularly. My BMI is ridiculous, just to keep from gaining weight I eat between 1200-1500 calories a day, so 500 is barely cutting by a third. I don't feel like I should be having such an intense response to the fast!

It sounds like some folks are experiencing lethargy the day after fasting, but is anyone else feeling such intense yuckiness? I very much would like to experience the benefits of healthful fasting, but I can't afford to lose two productive days a week to being grumpy and ill feeling. Is this a matter of not getting those ketones up and running during my fast? If I need to adjust my fasting routine, which direction do I go?

Thanks for any help you can give, ladies and gents.

Keema

I am in my fourth week of 5:2 fasting. I always fast on work days which entails 7 hours a day working in a Computer Aided Design
tool, very intense and we are very busy. Hunger pangs come and go as quickly as they came, and I drink large amounts of water. I eat at lunch some miso soup, crispbread, and some fruit. The minor side effect I have noticed is an occasional headache.

The major side effect however is constipation and it is becoming a constant companion. I have reverted to using a spoonful of daily granules which I used years ago when I lived in Sydney, but I find their impact is sporadic, they may be out of date, and I will replace them with fibrogel or something similar this weekend.

I have read that this is a common side effect, but leaves one feeling full and bloated, although the weight loss is continuing regardless so it compensates for the discomfort.

I threaten to go back to my daily beer, but we have succesfully given up all alcohol, Monday thru Thursday. My partner is also on the diet and has lost 4 kilos in the same time and she acts as a very efficient alcohol policeman. I know of course that is not the answer and am happy with the new regime, but do wish my digestive system would return to its pre-diet normality.

[carorees]

Good hydration helps with a sluggish gut. Also fruit and veg. I found having just vegetables and a small amount of meat/fish on fast days had rather the opposite effect tbh!

I have the very same problem despite eating lots of veg, fruit and drinking plenty, but have had this problem for ever! Probably due to my thyroid being under active.
I found some purely natural tablets in the chemist. Usually one a week is enough to get things moving with no cramps or pains.

I've been on this way of eating I would say roughly 3 weeks or so, and the biggest negative side effect for me would my inability to fall asleep.

I have a serious case of insomnia. I find myself on fast days not being able to sleep, and when I do fall asleep find myself waking up frequently.

It's really annoying, but hopefully I can get past it several weeks down the road. It's no fun sleeping at 4am in the morning only to wake up again soon after.

But the upside is despite my inability to get adequate sleep, i'm not tired or cranky the morning of. My mood swings have finally lifted as well.

Like you I used to carry snacks around with me in case my next meal was delayed and I got weak, shaky, grumpy. I told people I sometimes felt I just wanted to lie down in the gutter ! This stopped being as much of problem eventually and I surmised that was because I started eating more healthily - lower GI, though in those days GI hadn't been invented. I still thought I would suffer if I missed a meal. I've been amazed it hasn't happened on 5:2.

Negatives --

COLD. mostly I get cold on fast days, so I have to wear a lot more clothes and keep the heat going. I take hot baths to get my core body temperature up.

LOSS OF CONCENTRATION. I find it hard to concentrate toward the end of the day.

TIRED. I get tired on fast days. I don't feel like falling asleep, but I find I am happy to just take it easy and watch TV in the evening. The more I fast, the easier it gets, so I find I am tired less.

STOMACH. On feast days, my stomach feels more sensitive to heavy foods. I crave berries and melon and end up making a lot of smoothies, which feel good in my stomach. I eat more early in the day and in the evening, I often skip dinner because I'm not hungry.

INSOMNIA. No insomnia for me. I sleep better than ever since I started fasting. I used the have a terrible time sleeping, but my insomnia is GONE now.

Two side effects for me so far: being really cold on my fast days (but I'm normally always cold anyway, so it's not much of a major difference). But the weirdest one is how lethargic I feel the day AFTER my fast. I feel very very low-energy. And no matter what I eat, or when I eat on my feast day I have very low energy. Strangely, during my fast day I don't feel as low-energy as the next day. Anyone know what that might be about?

I had a really scary episode the other day. I was getting really hungry but wasn't due to eat as I was on a fast day and then suddenly I became very shaky, dizzy, very anxious and a bit confused. I realised it was low blood sugar and had a bowl of porridge with a teaspoon of sugar and then had to go and lay down. I felt a lot better quite soon after. That episode really scared me though, I felt really sick.

I've only had two fast days so far. I was fine on the first one, but really cold the second day. I didn't connect it to fasting, but now I am. I will have to remember to wear warmer clothes on the next fast day to see if that makes a difference.