Feast and famine

On my normal intermittent fasting schedule I eat two meals a day--one at 12:30, my work-mandated lunch, and then around 6:30-7:00. When I first started, I tried to do a 24/24. I did, but I felt kind of tired and blah and decided the 18/6 would work better for me.

Today I was lazy and ran late, so I decided not to pack a lunch as a result. "Fuck it," I thought. "If I'm dying of hunger at lunchtime I'll go get a salad, no big deal." 12:30 came and went ... not hungry. A little tired, but I did hard cardio today so that contributed.

But then came two o'clock. And I hit the Wall of Low Blood Sugar Level so hard I'm surprised I didn't bounce. I had my first true experience of ketone breath--to me it tasted like blood without the salt. I felt nauseous. I had the beginnings of a headache. When I stood up, I literally swayed back and forth because I got such a head rush. The floor vending machine sells only one low-carb item--peanuts. Once I was able to regain my equilibrium, I bought a pack and downed them ... and felt better almost immediately. I made it home and had a fat and (for me) carb fest--chicken thighs (ate two, ate the skin off two more) and a steamed "garden medley" (broccoli, cauliflower and baby carrots) topped with a cup of cream seasoned with salt and pepper and thickened with xanthan gum. No doubt my body's going "Dude, what the fuck, make up your mind!"

It occurs to me, though, that that was literally the first time I'd experienced the stuff that's your body's way of yelling FEED ME SEYMOUR. I still feel a little strange, but hopefully digestion and a good night's sleep will take care of that.

And I WILL bring lunch tomorrow.