you wouldn't like me when I'm hungryThe Intermittent Fasting Experiment has been going on for 2 weeks or so. It's intermittent, so it's hard to say!
All the slow times, the boredom, the random thoughts, watching the days and the clock tick by...
All that was fine and good. I watched my simple and sometimes silly thoughts come and go. Kinda like watching those big puffy clouds roll by on a lazy summer day.
But then came a thunderstorm. Only it wasn't thunder, it was my stomach rumbling! And for the first time in a very long time, I was hungry. Very hungry. The kind of hunger that's hard to ignore.
I drank water, hoping it was just thirst, or some other mixed signal. Nope, this was the real thing. The wolf at the door, so to speak. How bad could it be, I remember asking myself. Well, pretty freakin' bad. Luckily, I have read the Atkins books and put in place little safeguards. I filled the fridge with low-carb snacks and easy access high-fat munchies.
I knew this day would come. I just didn't think it would be today.
So I ate. Cubes of cheese, a little bacon, a few macadamia nuts. I had actually eaten a little lunch today, so I really couldn't be that hungry. Blood sugar was 90 - I'm such a "nerd" I took my blood sugar so I could rule out hypoglycemia...all in the name of research!
I finally settled down after making a big steamy cup of bullion/broth. I mixed chicken and beef flavor. I figured the broth was a good choice because by now I was more sick than hungry.
What was this phenomenon? It could have just as easily been the end of a low-carb era for me.
I know now this weight loss agenda will require more work and diligence than I ever thought. I told this twisted story to a fellow Atkineer who said "welcome to my world!"
In the past, I have yielded to just about any craving my body had. It seemed like a good idea at the time! But now, watching my body's reactions and waiting for the cravings to pass... it's hard, to say the least. Wow!
my main hunger issues came during the first two months (i could actually feel the hunger ache in my HANDS it seemed at times),,, then it leveled off for a couple of months. over the last couple of months, as i narrowed my eating window down from a 4-6hr window to a 2-3hr window, the harsh pains reared up occasionally, but nothing like those first few months. i actually think the carb cycling/cheat days help, but then they probably slow my progress as well. hang in, you're doing great.
ReplyDeleteWow for sure! And thanks for your encouragement.
ReplyDeleteYou handled this potential crisis like a pro, Anne. Very well done.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I still feel hunger sensations even while LCing. They're manageable but still present at times.
In short, this is all part of the experience that many LCers appear to go through. You're not alone in feeling this way.
Keep on feeling what needs to be felt and learning what lessons need to be understood. You're on the right path, I do believe. :-)
Harry, again thank you for your kind words. Hunger is just transitional noise, yes, but it's very LOUD at times!
ReplyDeleteWay to plan ahead. It's more about the feelings behind eating, then the food itself.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Keep it up