How do you control the urge to eat when you're fasting/dieting?

[Heatman]

For someone who's new to fasting/dieting, it's always very difficult dealing with the urge to eat when they are not supposed to. This is what makes some to quit no so long when they started. 

If you have been very good with your fasting/dieting, what are your best techniques to control your hunger and urge to eat? 

[Bob]

Diet

Well with a keto or carnivore diet, there really isn't any 'not eating when you are not supposed to. As a general rule of thumb, you want to eat 2 or 3 meals a day without snacking in-between. But if you're truly hungry, then eat. If you are eating nutrient dense foods like you should, then you will notice that you are just not as hungry as often as you used to be when you ate the standard American/Western junk diet. Your urges and cravings to have something in your mouth will become far less frequent. Eating nutrient dense foods almost naturally leads to fasting.

Fasting

Now if you are intentionally fasting this can be a different story. For example, I do one extended fast per week from Friday dinner to Saturday dinner (minimum). I do get hungry throughout the day on Saturday, but drinking tea, water, etc can help with this. I usually find things to distract myself too. But hunger pangs are temporary, and if you don't respond to them, they actually go away. That's why once people get past the 18-24 mark they find that they can easily keep going for 2-5 days straight without eating.

[Geezy]

First off, I’m not dieting. I’m eating carnivore which for me is a lifestyle.
I eat when I get hungry and only when I get hungry and that usually only happens once a day. The times vary though. Being fully fat adapted there just isn’t any hunger in between meals.
So eating ONAD, I’m intermittently fasting but I just finished my first 48 hour fast. I got hungry enough several times to the point that I felt like quitting but I’m pretty resilient. I’m able to push through adversity to reach my goal so what I did was drink some ice water and then found something to occupy my mind. You just have to set your priorities and choose not to waver.


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[Debashis]

I think drinking water, distracting yourself by staying busy doing something you like, chewing sugar-free gum, practicing mindful eating, eating high-fiber foods, avoiding triggers, planning meals and snacks, and seeking support from friends, family or professionals who have been successful in their dieting journey might really help.

[Henrywrites]

On 11/16/2023 at 3:10 PM, Debashis said:

I think drinking water, distracting yourself by staying busy doing something you like, chewing sugar-free gum, practicing mindful eating, eating high-fiber foods, avoiding triggers, planning meals and snacks, and seeking support from friends, family or professionals who have been successful in their dieting journey might really help.

Drinking lots of water has been helpful to me as well. I like to stick to the agreement that not eating when I am fasting and taking water helps to keep me going no matter the temptations that come with having food around me.

[computerwiz]

On 10/28/2023 at 1:56 AM, Heatman said:

If you have been very good with your fasting/dieting, what are your best techniques to control your hunger and urge to eat?

You have to eat/drink a certain amount of calories to "break" a fast.  I think it was 70.  Don't quote me...

That being the case, when I did my 8-day fast, I "cheated" with some chicken broth & salt.  It would satisfy me for a couple of hours before I would need either more or some tea.

Once you make it to day 3, fasting becomes super easy.  It's just getting there that's the hard part.  And too much water can flush out too much electrolytes.  So the chicken broth & salt helps with that.  Sometimes I would even spice it up with black pepper.  They also make electrolyte drops to enhance your water during your fast.  I didn't try or have that with my 8-day fast.  But I'll be getting that for my next one....whenever I decide to hunker down & do it.

Edited Thursday at 09:34 PM by computerwiz

[Bob]

I would drink tea also. This would help me get deal with the hunger. Broth would help but it wore off quickly and my tummy would growl at me, lol.

What's neat is you get past the point of hunger, and then you don't feel hungry anymore. You can go on and on and on and never feel the urge to eat. That's cool, imo.

[computerwiz]

1 minute ago, Bob said:

Broth would help but it wore off quickly and my tummy would growl at me, lol.

Did you spice it up with salt and/or pepper?  I might have even put some cajun spices in mine....I don't remember.  That was back in 2017. 

2 hours technically isn't long.  But I just needed it to get through the work day.

 

Did you ever read about the guy who fasted for 383 days (give or take a few days)?  He was like 500 pounds.  And it was a doctor-supervised fast, of course.  But that was an amazing & encouraging experience!  

[Miranda]

One scoop of unflavored Re-lyte in hot water. Black coffee/decaf or plain tea. "Clean fasting" is easier. Cephalic phase insulin response can drop your blood sugar and make you feel ravenous.

[Orweller]

12 hours ago, computerwiz said:

Don't quote me...

Oh, I quoted you! 

[Miranda]

18 minutes ago, Orweller said:

Oh, I quoted you!