How do people handle freezing when fasting?!

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UnemployedVillain

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So I've been trying some intermittent fasting, mainly for curiosity and partially to lose some weight, and I've found out it's mostly psychological. So basically only eating around dinner time, but drinking water throughout the day of course.

The feeling of "hunger" is something I was quickly able to ignore, especially when my mind was kept occupied which it usually is during the work day. But the one thing that's been making it especially difficult is that I feel like I'm freezing cold! I start shivering like crazy after a while even when I know I shouldn't be cold. Even when outside where the temperature is in the upper 70s F I feel cold.

I started reading up on it and it seems it might be related to low blood sugar from not eating? But I didn't think that would affect me so quickly. I'm only "skipping" 2 meals after all (as in not eating during these periods)

So, because a lot of people don't seem to know what intermittent fasting is, here's a handy guide:
http://jamesclear.com/the-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting

Intermittent fasting is not a diet, it’s a pattern of eating. It’s a way of scheduling your meals so that you get the most out of them. Intermittent fasting doesn’t change what you eat, it changes when you eat.
Click to expand...

To understand how intermittent fasting leads to fat loss we first need to understand the difference between the fed state and the fasted state.

Your body is in the fed state when it is digesting and absorbing food. Typically, the fed state starts when you begin eating and lasts for three to five hours as your body digests and absorbs the food you just ate. When you are in the fed state, it’s very hard for your body to burn fat because your insulin levels are high.

After that timespan, your body goes into what is known as the post–absorptive state, which is just a fancy way of saying that your body isn’t processing a meal. The post–absorptive state lasts until 8 to 12 hours after your last meal, which is when you enter the fasted state. It is much easier for you body to burn fat in the fasted state because your insulin levels are low.

When you’re in the fasted state your body can burn fat that has been inaccessible during the fed state.

Because we don’t enter the fasted state until 12 hours after our last meal, it’s rare that our bodies are in this fat burning state. This is one of the reasons why many people who start intermittent fasting will lose fat without changing what they eat, how much they eat, or how often they exercise. Fasting puts your body in a fat burning state that you rarely make it to during a normal eating schedule.
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So, to reiterate, it's not about eating significantly less, it's about changing when you eat, to maximize the fat loss. I'm still getting my roughly 1500 calories a day. I say roughly, because my BMR is probably around 1900, so I'm doing BMR - 500, which is a fairly easy, sustainable level of dieting.
 
UnemployedVillain said:
So I've been trying some intermittent fasting, mainly for curiosity and partially to lose some weight, and I've found out it's mostly psychological. So basically only eating around dinner time, but drinking water throughout the day of course.

The feeling of "hunger" is something I was quickly able to ignore, especially when my mind was kept occupied which it usually is during the work day. But the one thing that's been making it especially difficult is that I feel like I'm freezing cold! I start shivering like crazy after a while even when I know I shouldn't be cold. Even when outside where the temperature is in the upper 70s F I feel cold.

I started reading up on it and it seems it might be related to low blood sugar from not eating? But I didn't think that would affect me so quickly. I'm only "skipping" 2 meals after all
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You're ONLY skipping 2/3 of your intake for the day? Do you see the issue with this statement?
 
It gets easier when your body adapts better I find. Maybe burns fat better, more efficiently. I can go for days now, at the start skipping breakfast left me cold and starving.
 
Are you purposefully trying for keto? you'll have to change what you eat as well.

I've heard of fasting, say, once a week, but I don't think such a drastic calorie restriction overall is going to turn out well.

Also, you'll have to maintain it forever, your body goes into starvation mode and once you do start eating again you'll put it all back on and then some.

How many calories are you eating and of what?

edit: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26374764 first pubmed result. Why choose intermittant over whole or alternate day?
 
thespot84 said:
Are you purposefully trying for keto? you'll have to change what you eat as well.

I've heard of fasting, say, once a week, but I don't think such a drastic calorie restriction overall is going to turn out well.

Also, you'll have to maintain it forever, your body goes into starvation mode and once you do start eating again you'll put it all back on and then some.

How many calories are you eating and of what?
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Your body burns more calories when you fast not less. That can happen with lengthy periods of calorie restriction though.
 
Never had an issue with freezing and I intermittent fast daily. My guess is your calories are low. Eat the same calories, just in a smaller window.
 
That would only happen to me if I went too long. Like past 16 hours.

Basically I would suggest trying some shorter times if you can. But yeah intermittent fasting helped me lose a ton of weight easily. I think it's a great tool but definitely not for everyone.
 
First off, stop skipping meals.

If you only want to eat 1/3rd of your normal intake, then take 3x 1/3rd meals.

or 2x 1/2 meals.
 
It is normal because you are losing weight and your metabolism is stabilizing. Years and years of having your heart overworking 24/7 and your arteries pumping blood at max pressure mean that you will feel a sudden cool off when you finally lose the weight. You will get used to it, keep up the good work.
 
Oxn said:
Then your process is even worse than i imagined.

Same calories as always and in less meals?

Dude, do some research for gods sake.
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You're right now that I read it. OP if you're eating the same calories you're not going to lose weight just because you're intermittent fasting. The idea is to find a reasonable deficit and use intermittent fasting to make the deficit easier. If you're not doing it to lose weight then you're just experimenting with a different style of eating I guess.
 
I've never had that issue when I've done intermittent fasting but did you all of a sudden switch to a 8 hour window? Perhaps ease into it a little bit first but I don't know enough to say that freezing isn't some other bigger issue. Black coffee in the morning helps me when I've done it.
 
Fasting can be good for weight loss, but you have to do a little research it before starting and if possible, check with a doctor or nutrionist first. Most people I know who do fast usually do it intermittently anyway and not every day.

Edit: nm
 
daveo42 said:
Fasting can be good for weight loss, but you have to do a little research it before starting and if possible, check with a doctor or nutrionist first. Most people I know who do fast usually do it intermittently anyway and not every day.

I don't think that's actually considered fasting.
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Fasting just means not eating anything for a set period of time. Typically it means 24 hours but can be 16 hrs or 36 hrs - there's leeway for it.

edit: just saw you removed the last part.
 
You don't lose weight ideally by fasting. What happens when you get hungry is your body goes into starvation mode and it starts burning muscle instead of fat. Of course if you don't eat for a week or so it will eventually start taking the fat but if you want to lose weight, you can eat 3-5 times a day, just don't eat healthy and exercise
 
mkenyon said:
People in this thread are clueless about IF.

Before you post, click this: http://jamesclear.com/the-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting
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Thanks for posting this. People's concepts of nutrition are too muddled the food industry (and also the "natural" health industry). Fasting has been a norm all throughout history (whether by choice or not). Millions of Muslims fast every year - they surely aren't dying off despite what Trump voters might wish.
 
You are doing this wrong. Intermittent fasting is about eating the same, normal amount of calories but in a shorter timespan. If you want to cut caloric intake, um, spread your meals out throughout the day. If you want to try intermittent fasting, then eat the same amount. Doing both is called starving to death.
 
I've done IF on and off for a few years and yes I feel cold on fast days too. Same applies to my mum and sister who do it also. Just put on an extra layer.
 
Spoiled Milk said:
You are doing this wrong. Intermittent fasting is about eating the same, normal amount of calories but in a shorter timespan. If you want to cut caloric intake, um, spread your meals out throughout the day. If you want to try intermittent fasting, then eat the same amount. Doing both is called starving to death.
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Should I bold my OP? Make it in red? I honestly don't know what to do about people not reading it at this point
 
I am doing intermittent fasting right now also. My eating window is 12pm to 8pm.

I still eat like 1500-1700 calories daily.

I've lost about 10 pounds in the last 3 weeks.
 
Spoiled Milk said:
You are doing this wrong. Intermittent fasting is about eating the same, normal amount of calories but in a shorter timespan. If you want to cut caloric intake, um, spread your meals out throughout the day. If you want to try intermittent fasting, then eat the same amount. Doing both is called starving to death.
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That just isn't true. It can be that but it be lots of other things as well.
 
I've been doing IF for a couple of years now (~1PM - 7PM feeding window) and I have never had that problem. Have you tried supplementing BCAAs during your fasting period?
 
SlickShoesRUCrazy said:
I am doing intermittent fasting right now also. My eating window is 12pm to 8pm.

I still eat like 1500-1700 calories daily.

I've lost about 10 pounds in the last 3 weeks.
Click to expand...

Apparently I am also doing this because I generally never eat breakfast, and only eat between about noon to 7pm. Never knew that it was considered to be intermittent fasting.

Not really losing weight though but I've also not really gained any weight in months.
 
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