First the good:
I have been on the fast800 for 6 days and I have lost 3.7 kg and 4cm around my waist. Obviously that is spectacular. I can deal with the hunger pangs mostly.
The bad:
I am suffering, badly.

I had to explain to a friend I was fasting, because we often share 300-400 kcal together with a latte, so she had to know. She is also overweight, so she reacted defensively and passive-aggressively. I burst into tears! At that point I was about to break a 14 or 16 hour fast. I felt better immediately after eating something.

I used to be a long distance cyclist. I currently have a habit of cycling 50-60km on a Sunday, alone or with company. Yesterday, lucky I was alone, because I felt terrible. I literally had to stop 5km in because I had no energy. I felt like I was cycling through treacle. I kept stopping to check if my brakes were rubbing. I felt generally rotten. Keto flu is a good name, because the last time I felt this bad cycling, a couple of hours later my temperature shot through the roof and I was diagnosed with influenza. Breakfast was berries, chia and yogurt followed by a whole avocado and a fried egg after a 14 (?) hour fast. I snacked on the ride with 10g of nuts and 5 olives, and a slice of mortadella. Also 2 black coffees. Nothing really helped, but I wasn’t dying so tried not to break the diet. I eventually managed 35 very flat km, but it took all day, and I was spent when I got home.

I’ve also experienced a bit of nausea during the week.

So – any suggestions to help me get through. I am lucky and only need to lose another 10kg to hit my ideal goal, and about 6kg to my I-can-live-with-this target, so I could stop the diet now and switch to 5:2, but I would like to persevere.

So, lesson 1 I have learnt is “don’t socialise while fasted”. Any other tips you can share to help me survive?

(And kudos to those of you that are sticking on this diet for weeks or months. Reading your stories has helped me get this far!)

First of all welcome, second well done with the successful weight loss. Briefly, as I am on my way out, giving up carbs, food, anything you enjoy is like going into mourning and you can feel really down and genuinely depressed. It doesn’t last for long so dont give up right now, you dont have too far to go. You are right not to socialise until you are used to it or if it doesn’t involve food or drink. Dont know about your friends reaction but sometimes people dont want to have to look at themselves. Keep on keeping on…

When we eat a high carb diet our body stores water, when we cut out the carbs our body releases that water. But with the water our kidneys also releases electrolytes. You need to increase the amount of salt in your diet to make up the different to reduce the keto flu symptoms.

With regard to running out of energy on the cycle ride. It does take time for our bodies to adapt to using fat as its main fuel source. Our muscles need a different cell structure to be efficient at burning fat for fuel. The number of mitochondria in each cell will increase from 2 to 5 when we are fat adapted. It takes some time for that adaption to occur. The usual recommendation is to allow upto 13 weeks.

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Thanks. That’s helpful.

I’ve posted an introduction https://thebloodsugardiet.com/forums/topic/hello-i-am-here-under-false-pretenses-may-i-stay/ So I am not mourning carbs because I haven’t given them up! Maybe I will, but it’s not a decision I have made yet. My snappiness and tears felt biological, not psychological. I have experienced mood swings and nausea in the past due to inadvertent fasting. I had always put it down low blood sugar.

My friend definitely did not want to look at herself. We are close to the same BMI (she’s much taller) and her immediate reaction to me saying I was experimenting with intermittent fasting was to say “I don’t have time for that”, which was a low blow. My crying was inappropriate, but she was trying to hurt me. She took my dieting as an affront. She followed up with “why” questions, and dismissed my reasons with responses like “everyone’s blood sugar goes up as they get older”. Her father has poorly managed Type II, so she should know better.

The stuff about salt is interesting. So processed meat and olives should be perfect ride food. I am not sure I can wait 13 weeks to feel better riding; I may just start with a big bowl of oatmeal if I have a big ride planned for the day.

Thanks again for the input. It really helps.

Sorry I got it so wrong. You want to use the site for support but are quite abrupt when someone tries to give that to you. Hey ho, whatever.

I have re-read my post, but I still have no idea how I have offended you. Not knowing who I am is not a criticism. I thought explaining more might be helpful. I reflected on you saying “Dont know about your friends reaction but sometimes people dont want to have to look at themselves.” And my thanks were heartfelt.

I am very sorry I made you feel that way.

When we are fasting or eating low carb we are starving the “bad” bacteria which can only feed on sugars. Interestingly those bacteria have the ability to send signals to our brain. So they can trigger H-anger, or emotional desire to eat without us realising why we feel like that.

I would suggest reading more about our bodies response to insulin, when you have done that you will understand why so many of us cut out carbs to a level to be eating keto. When I started this way of eating I fully expected that in time I could return to eating some carbs, but now I realise that whenever I eat carbs it makes me feel bloated and uncomfortable so I prefer to eat keto.

I have read the thread a few times, and I can’t see the issue? I just came on to wish everyone a Happy Christmas…It is a shame Esnecca no longer posts; I can only vaguely recall the last thread she posted on, and what might have prompted her to sign out. Angry badger, you will find all JGwen’s posts in the archives – they are very informative and well supported. At the same time, we are a varied bunch on here. And all the better for it being such a diverse forum. May 2020 be good and rewarding for all.