![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
darkemeraldsIntermittent fasting, which I began on January 21, is still working out very well for me, but it hasn't been without some weird rough patches.
After two weeks of fairly strict adherence, last Friday night I found myself in an uncomfortable--not to say alarming--state of activation. There was no emotional content, no external trigger, just a racing heart and shaking hands, which came on suddenly and worsened for about an hour.
Thyroid is, apparently, amped up in some individuals by intermittent fasting. There's some evidence that the effect is an evolved response to signs of starvation: female rats become alert, "masculinized" food-seeking light sleepers on the regimen.
I overfed myself that night and for a couple of days. My heart rate quickly returned to 55, my hands stilled, and I soon felt solid again.
But I wasn't ready to abandon intermittent fasting. The alertness, mental clarity, and physical energy are too valuable to me. They're quickly becoming The Whole Point.
So I set out to examine the starvation question. I'm eating enough, but something about the 16-hour gap between feedings was creating problems. Perhaps the macronutrient mix needed adjusting. Research led me to make some meal adjustments (like, don't start the day with carbs. At all.)
Then I discovered buttered coffee.
Yup. Buttered coffee. It's delicious. You bung a chunk of grass-fed butter or coconut oil into a hot cup o' joe, and...surprise! Total satisfaction.
Apparently fat (by itself) in the morning doesn't interrupt the 16-hour fast. So you get a shot of calories to stave off the starvation effect, but you're still getting fasting's benefits.
It's been smooth sailing all week. No more shakes, decent sleep, weight trending downward as planned. Think I'll stick with if for a while.
After two weeks of fairly strict adherence, last Friday night I found myself in an uncomfortable--not to say alarming--state of activation. There was no emotional content, no external trigger, just a racing heart and shaking hands, which came on suddenly and worsened for about an hour.
Thyroid is, apparently, amped up in some individuals by intermittent fasting. There's some evidence that the effect is an evolved response to signs of starvation: female rats become alert, "masculinized" food-seeking light sleepers on the regimen.
I overfed myself that night and for a couple of days. My heart rate quickly returned to 55, my hands stilled, and I soon felt solid again.
But I wasn't ready to abandon intermittent fasting. The alertness, mental clarity, and physical energy are too valuable to me. They're quickly becoming The Whole Point.
So I set out to examine the starvation question. I'm eating enough, but something about the 16-hour gap between feedings was creating problems. Perhaps the macronutrient mix needed adjusting. Research led me to make some meal adjustments (like, don't start the day with carbs. At all.)
Then I discovered buttered coffee.
Yup. Buttered coffee. It's delicious. You bung a chunk of grass-fed butter or coconut oil into a hot cup o' joe, and...surprise! Total satisfaction.
Apparently fat (by itself) in the morning doesn't interrupt the 16-hour fast. So you get a shot of calories to stave off the starvation effect, but you're still getting fasting's benefits.
It's been smooth sailing all week. No more shakes, decent sleep, weight trending downward as planned. Think I'll stick with if for a while.
Tags: