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 June 27 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! 

[Bob]

On 6/27/2024 at 5:42 PM, computerwiz said:

Did you spice it up with salt and/or pepper?

Yes, I would add a little salt. It was the Swanson (?) broth that comes in a cardboard jug that you just open and pour out.

On 6/27/2024 at 5:42 PM, computerwiz said:

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!  

Yes, I've read about him. He didn't eat a thing for over a year, but was given vitamins and minerals during that time, which makes sense.

[Scott F.]

Again, I didn't read any of the instructions. LOL

I have somewhat adjusted to the carnivore diet (and hopefully this time next year it will be a lifestyle) and have found I am not hungry eating once per day. I just did a 48 hour fast and did not have any hunger or craving issues at all. I drank only water with a cheap store brand mixer (no sugar just a tad of sodium). I think I could have done another 12, maybe 24. I felt good and energetic on nightshift all thru the 48 hours. Weird as there has been a lot of days I was eating something every 48 minutes much less 48 hours. 

I am thinking the water, or the drinking curbs a lot of hunger/craving issues. And then I imagine at times there is some will power involved to get it done and then at the same time maybe the end goal focus helps.

Reading the instructions is starting to become both interesting and exciting. 

Scott

[Another Meat Head]

In my car on a break and have not read the thread if mentioned previously... possibly the most significant step when fasting is getting past the first night of sleep. A lot happens by the time you wake up the next day. You acclimate, your stomach shrinks, you have broken a routine of not fueling the cycle of repetition. By doing so you are more ready to establish a different pattern/routine. A lot of the very beginning is just habit as your body has been trained to expect things a certain way. Recognizing this isn't based on need as much as it is just the body following your training. The body and mind would like us to turn things over to unconscious preservation. We can participate as disciplined or indulgent as we care to be. I have been through periods of both. I personally find health is preferable to comfort.  

Edited August 9 by Another Meat Head

[Bob]

1 hour ago, Another Meat Head said:

your body has been trained to expect things a certain way

This makes me think of how the dog somehow knows that either my wife or I is going to pull in the driveway any moment now, even though they can't tell time and have no idea it's 5pm. Internal body clock.

Likewise, we may have an internal body clock programmed to eat at certain times, not out of hunger or need, but out of mere routine. We just need to break the cycle.

[XaqNautilus]

Priming can help in this regard.  If you are deficient in nutrients it can lead to cravings.

Avoid trigger foods.  Sweet or artificially sweet foods and dairy (butter excepted) can often trigger someone to over-consume.  Myself I cannot buy dairy because I can't just have a glass of milk, a piece of cheese or a portion of yoghurt.  I will consume the whole package.

I've never actually primed myself, aside from some boredom binges.  However I've been carnivore long enough that I doubt I am deficient in any nutrients.  I am able to do OMAD and even extended 48-90 hour fasts and not feel hungry, even with the crazy amount of walking that I am currently doing.

Do not be discouraged.  Fasting becomes easier.

Edited August 9 by XaqNautilus

[Another Meat Head]

On 8/9/2024 at 1:03 PM, Bob said:

This makes me think of how the dog somehow knows that either my wife or I is going to pull in the driveway any moment now, even though they can't tell time and have no idea it's 5pm. Internal body clock.

Likewise, we may have an internal body clock programmed to eat at certain times, not out of hunger or need, but out of mere routine. We just need to break the cycle.

Speaking of natural abilities, some people have a set of them that work together but there isn't a need to match it too. I used to regularly encounter a guy who had a knack for finding new ways to make things more difficult. The calling might be to put a label on a box. He would place it over an edge forcing you to have to shift the box to read everything, bar codes could not be scanned bent over a corner and you would have to manually type the data in, the label would be wrinkled sometimes with portions overlapping, and this bunched up blob was vulnerable to snagging something and getting torn off.

It was unconscious. He was knowledgeable and intelligent far beyond average, impressive range and vocabulary. But labeling a box he would make a square peg for a round hole.

Speaking of dogs, some don't comprehend they are in the path of a car and only think as far as getting attention. Walking in front of something moving works until it doesn't. 

 

Edited August 11 by Another Meat Head