Sleep deprivation? Exercise? Whatever, bad!

This topic contains 5 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Iwillbe12st 11 years, 2 months ago.

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sflyte120

7:39 pm
27 Sep 13
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Hi all,

I’m most of the way through day 2 and just feeling absolutely shattered. Not so much hungry as queasy and wobbly and headachey and tired – distinctly bad, anyhow. The first day went perfectly fine, and I’m trying to think what’s different this time. I didn’t get a great night of sleep last night, which might be part of it, and we did a strength-training workout before breakfast this morning (which we usually do, but didn’t on our first fast day).

Thoughts? I’ll get through the rest of today (I might put a few calories into myself before dinner to see if that helps) but I’d rather have this happen again because seriously, ooff! Dehydration is always a possibility, I suppose, but I have been putting away plenty of water and herb tea so I think I’m pretty humid.

Thanks!

Tobias Karlsson

3:05 pm
30 Sep 13
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Hello,

how long have you been on the diet? The first weeks are really tough but then, it seems from most people, including myself, that those initials problems will pass and you will feel much better. If that is really the case, that you just started on the diet, then I think there is no better advice than to hold on to it and be strong… it will pass! Whether your body reacts well to exercising while fasting (or before fasting) appears from what I see on the forum to be very individual. I would not exercise on a fasting day; it just does not really work for me and I would exercise only on a feast day. So that could be a variable. Many people experience sleeping problems especially on the second fast day of the week – including myself. The first night is typically OK but the second can be quite bad, I guess because your body is more drained at this time. As for the fluid, we get a huge amount of water from the food we eat so we should not underestimate the importance of the fluid we do not get when we almost only drink. Yes, leaving protein as part of the calories you can consume seems to work for many and also myself. It fills you up better and leaves you less hungry and hence it is easier to sleep etc. In the end, if your body does not react well to the diet, you may consider not following it… we are all different! However, I would say that you should try to manage the first two weeks at least and then decide because it IS tough in the beginning, likely because our bodies are used to sugary foods – but your brain gets used to having less food and you will not feel bad later; just hungry, but that is the kind of hunger you can cope with. Good luck and hope that this gives some help!

rockyromero

4:00 pm
30 Sep 13
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@sflyte120
“we did a strength-training workout before breakfast this morning (which we usually do, but didn’t on our first fast day).”

Skip strength training on the second consecutive of fasting, the body needs to recover from the fast day. I always strength train the first day and relax the second.

That may also take care of sleeping better at night. Naps also help.

➰

sflyte120

11:30 pm
3 Oct 13
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Thanks, folks! We’ve gotten to day 2 of week 2, and despite fasting Tuesday/Thursday this week (scheduling madness of graduate school) we’re doing fine. Skipping the strength training and upping the fluids seems to have taken care of it. And since we eat vegetarian anyway, a lot of our favorite quick weeknight dinners (like this one, for tonight! http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/health/nutrition/19recipehealth.html) are easy to adapt to fasting meals. So no more strength training on fast days for us; we’ll see how we handle running, or if we should just try to avoid doing anything more than riding our bikes to and from work.

Thanks again!

dotdotcom

8:38 am
4 Oct 13
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I have just started and had a horrible first day. I think the dehydration point is so important as the second fast day was much better as I drank more water regularly through the day. Also I am hoping it all gets easier, friends warned me that the beginning would be tough

Iwillbe12st

9:31 pm
6 Oct 13
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It does get easier … much easier.. drink lots and lots of water… ensure the day before you fast you eat healthily.. with good protein levels.

I found cutting potatoes, pasta (white carbs generally) completely out really helped ..

I now seem unable to eat a carby diet food without burning feverishly and being unable to sleep… see my new thread.

I think the important bit is the re-education of your system to burning body fat for its energy requirements and not using digested carbs..

so be patient keep at it .. if you have a bad fast day don’t worry about it .. just make sure you are prepared (mentally and nutritionally) for the next.