The Overeating Confession
Day two of my refeed. Energy’s been steady, mood’s been good, but I made a mistake last night: I overate. Badly.
13 stone 7 this morning. Measurements unchanged. But bloated. Uncomfortable. And annoyed with myself.
The thing is, I know better. Portion control has always been my Achilles’ heel. After a long fast, your gut’s not ready for big meals. Digestive enzymes need time to ramp back up. Gut flora’s still adjusting. And yet — fork to mouth, plate cleared, bloated belly.
This is the refeed lesson I’m still learning.
The Day’s Stats
Let’s get the numbers out first:
- Weight: 13 stone 7 (holding steady from yesterday)
- Sleep: 4.5 hours (poor)
- Energy: Fine all day despite the lack of sleep
- Mood: 8/10, steady and calm
- Hunger: None
- Bowel movements: Normal, just the one
- Hydration: Not enough (knew it, didn’t fix it)
- Movement: Short walk
No cravings. No stress triggers. Nothing external threw me off. Just me, a dinner plate, and a lack of self-control.
What I Ate (And Where It Went Wrong)
Breakfast/Lunch:
- Bottle of Dash water
- Black coffee
- Spinach soup
- Beetroot soup
- A couple of crackers and cheese (the first cheat)
Dinner:
- Cod fillet
- Mashed potato (homemade, frozen, reheated)
- Mashed carrot and onion (same process)
The mash was deliberate. When you freeze and reheat mashed veg, you create resistant starch. Slower carb release. Less insulin spike. Better for refeed stability.
But here’s where I went wrong: I ate too much of it.
Bloated. Uncomfortable. Classic overeating.
The Refeed Science (Why Overeating Hurts More Now)
In the early refeed days, your digestive system isn’t back to full capacity yet. Enzymes are rebuilding. Gut bacteria are adjusting to food again.
When you overeat during this window, it hits harder. Your body can’t process the volume efficiently. You feel bloated, sluggish, uncomfortable.
Smaller portions. Slower bites. Mindful eating. That’s what I should’ve done.
That’s what I didn’t do.
The Fork-Down Strategy
Here’s a tip I use (when I remember to): Put your fork down between bites.
Sounds stupidly simple. But it works.
It forces you to slow down. Chew properly. Let your gut catch up. Notice fullness cues before you’ve cleared the plate.
Today? I didn’t do it. Tomorrow? I will.
A Note to Future Neil
You’ve just done the hard work of the fast. Don’t ruin it now by overeating and rushing the refeed.
Smaller portions. Slower eating. More water. Better sleep.
The weight will stabilise. The energy will return. But only if you let your gut adjust at its own pace.
🎯 Key Takeaways
Awareness ≠ Action — Knowing what to do doesn’t stop you doing the opposite
Refeed overeating is real — Your digestive system isn’t ready for big portions yet
Resistant starch works — Freezing and reheating mashed veg slows carb release
Fork-down strategy — Put your fork down between bites to slow eating pace
Portion control matters more during refeed — Gut enzymes and flora are still adjusting
Sleep affects discipline — 4.5 hours left me vulnerable to poor food choices
Ready to Start Your Own Rhythm Reset?
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🔽 Read the Video Transcript
0:00Hey everyone, welcome to day 21 of my
0:02fasting and health journey. Physically
0:05today, sleep was 5 hours. Uh then
0:08another two later, more manageable than
0:10it’s been for the last 5 days plus.
0:14Hunger’s been loud all day, but my
0:15mood’s been okay and my emotional state
0:18steady. Cravings have been there.
0:22I’ve been mentally dreaming of comfort
0:23food most of the day, but I’ve handled
0:26it. To support the fast, I did my 30
0:28minute walk. Stayed hydrated with water
0:30equal libra um black coffee electrolytes
0:34D3 K2. My weight is exactly the same as
0:37it was yesterday, 12 stone, 13 3/4, but
0:41my waist and nip uh down both an inch,
0:43which is nice.
0:46The big moment today um for me was
0:49getting my haircut of all places. And
0:53for the first time in over 25 years, sat
0:56looking in the mirror. I didn’t sit
0:58there tearing myself apart.
1:02I was kind to myself.
1:05That was a huge thing for me. I was
1:08really pleased with how I felt when I
1:10looked forward rather than
1:14in truth the shame, the double chin, the
1:17heavy neck, the
1:22rest of the things that go with all the
1:24excess weight that I was carrying.
1:29Originally, this was supposed to be a
1:3042-day fast and a 21-day refeed, but I
1:34have decided to stop now and not push to
1:3742 days. From the very start, I knew I’d
1:41never recommend fast longer than 21
1:43days. That’s the maximum you see in
1:45proper clinical studies. Um, and having
1:48done a 21-day fast now, plus a 17-day
1:52and several 10 10day fasts before,
1:56I’d honestly say that I’d rarely
1:58recommend anyone going beyond 14 days,
2:02unless they’re seriously determined and
2:04have a really good reason.
2:06The benefits drop off quite fast after
2:0814 days and after 21 even faster still,
2:11they ramp up quite tremendously. the
2:14risks go up and it stops being about
2:18protective health
2:21as much potentially and maybe starts
2:23becoming about ego or endurance heroics
2:26and that’s not who I am. This isn’t
2:29about being a masochist. My sleep’s been
2:31rough. My mental sharpness has dipped
2:35significantly this last seven days and
2:37that’s started to affect my work. So
2:40that’s my sign. I look better physically
2:44than I have in 25 years.
2:46In my previous fasts, I had already
2:49reversed before I started this asthma,
2:51allergies,
2:53potential um heart issues, pre-diabetes,
3:00and now if there were any hidden warning
3:02shots for cancer, I’ve spent the last 21
3:04days eating them internally with
3:06autophagy.
3:08Now it’s about the refeed, doing it
3:10right so the gains stick and the heels
3:14even deeper than the previous fasts over
3:16the last 18 months. I’m not done with
3:19fasting. I’ll keep going doing longer
3:21ones when they truly serve me. Um, but
3:2510 days at a time is likely my sweet
3:28spot for maintenance.
3:30Um,
3:32on that you get a lot of good benefits
3:35from autophagy. It’s certainly one that
3:37started to heal my allergies. Um, and
3:42you get the best bang for your buck on
3:45weight control. So, it feels like a good
3:48place for future fast for me as it as it
3:52stands now.
3:56If something hinous like cancer was ever
3:59to
4:01turn up,
4:03I’d go along again to self-heal and
4:05probably do a 21, possibly even longer
4:08if needed fast, but certainly not for
4:10headlines. It would be purely for
4:12health. As it is, I don’t feel the need.
4:18The real lesson, I guess, listen to your
4:20body. If you’re fasting for protective
4:23health,
4:25don’t break yourself to fix yourself.
4:28Be real health. That’s what we’re
4:30looking for. Long-term good quality
4:33health.
4:37If you like this video, please hit like
4:38and subscribe. It really helps to get
4:41the message out to more people.
4:43Tomorrow, day 22,
4:45and for the next 7 to 10 days, we’ll all
4:48be about the refeed process. and I’ll
4:50give you the measurements, show you the
4:51journey.
⚠️ Important: This is educational content based on evidence and personal experience. It is not medical advice. Speak to your GP before making changes to your fasting pattern, diet, or medication.
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