The Science of Fasting (2 Viewers)

[Tapxe]

I'm an hour ahead of you. I started on 5pm on Sunday and just hit 72 hours. Going to continue through the rest of Ash Wednesday into the morning, for sure. Haven't decided how long I'll go after that.

Water only, so far. May try to do just raw celery, broccoli and celery if it helps me stretch if for a while longer.

If you are feeling good, and haven’t done it before, I say go for triple digits! It’s fun to be able to say you did over 100 hours.

I've done 7, 8 and 11 days. Brutal but incredible how long the body can go.

Refeeding syndrome: what it is, and how to prevent and treat it - PMC

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Please be careful.

 

[SaintInBucLand]

Refeeding syndrome: what it is, and how to prevent and treat it - PMC

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Please be careful.

I was just thinking this too as I was reading this. If you go further than a 3 day fast you do have to be careful when it comes to refeeding syndrome, it is no joke. I would honestly talk with your doctor and plan if you want to do more than a 3 day fast.

 

[DaveXA]

I was just thinking this too as I was reading this. If you go further than a 3 day fast you do have to be careful when it comes to refeeding syndrome, it is no joke. I would honestly talk with your doctor and plan if you want to do more than a 3 day fast.

Absolutely. It's a different world beyond 3 days. I wouldn't do it without having done a lot of homework ahead of time.

 

[Wisco Steve]

Hmmmm, some (bad pun) good food for thought...
I am admittedly a novice but have tried to read everything that has been posted here and just other general research. My wife and friends think I am crazy and can't fathom fasting.
I've done 80-90 hours a few times and I am again in that range currently.
I feel really good and think I could keep going for several more days, I was a little tired after shoveling/clearing 5-6" of overnight snow this morning. The pangs are quite minimal and my energy is still very strong. I am noticing that I get cold/chilly much easier, that's about it.

 

[Tapxe]

Hmmmm, some (bad pun) good food for thought...
I am admittedly a novice but have tried to read everything that has been posted here and just other general research. My wife and friends think I am crazy and can't fathom fasting.
I've done 80-90 hours a few times and I am again in that range currently.
I feel really good and think I could keep going for several more days, I was a little tired after shoveling/clearing 5-6" of overnight snow this morning. The pangs are quite minimal and my energy is still very strong. I am noticing that I get cold/chilly much easier, that's about it.

I'm not sure I'd go past 7 days. The upside is too limited as you increase your downside chances.

7 day fasts a couple times a year especially if you have health issues aided by fasting seem entirely sufficient to reduce cancer risk >70%. I have heard no reason to go further. I have heard reason not to go past 5 days tho.

And please read that article from the NIH. You'll want to make certain you have the right food to break a long fast. Just because it went well before doesn't mean it will again. We're talking about elements of the body which regulate very complex systems. If it gets too far out of synch, things might go very badly.

 

[SoggyBottomBoy]

Just ended it at 3pm. Just drove into Houston and had a late, late lunch with friends. A couple of hours shy of 4 days.

And thanks for the article, expat.

 

[Icon]

Started the Lenten fast on Ash Wednesday.

The general gist of it is avoiding sugary products, along with 16/8 fasting, with the eating window stopping at 4 PM.....although this particular weekend I'd like to attempt a full weekend fast.

 

[mjcouvi]

I was just thinking this too as I was reading this. If you go further than a 3 day fast you do have to be careful when it comes to refeeding syndrome, it is no joke. I would honestly talk with your doctor and plan if you want to do more than a 3 day fast.

Only problem with that is you may have a dr that just tells you not to do it and won't really help you figure it out. You can find a dr who will help you though if yours doesn't want to.

I find that people often carry the attitude of "my Dr knows best", now this attitude is waning with the availability of infinite information, but still the attitude persists, understandably, because it is well-ingrained. My attitude is more "a dr probably knows best" -- but not necessarily my dr -- he's just one guy amongst millions of drs, -- information, education, opinions, and practical experience varies greatly among them.

My advice is to find a dr who makes sense to you and listen to her or him. The world is full of access to drs who will help you. Now there my be a price to pay if you want personal attention, but it may be worth it. You can still keep your dr too. I suppose my point is that advice from many drs is better than advice from one dr -- the thing is it is a personal decision determining who to listen to, it takes time and effort to figure it out for yourself when there're so much different guidance to choose from.

 

[SaintInBucLand]

If cereal companies were honest.

 

[Zack Lee]

I did 4 days IF this week with 3 hour eating windows and lost 4 pounds. Just have a couple more # to get to ideal weight before vacation. Its roughly a month away but I had been yearning to get back in a regular rhythm. Id like to keep 2-3 days/week of fasting in my routine to maintain.

 

[Zack Lee]

Hmmmm, some (bad pun) good food for thought...
I am admittedly a novice but have tried to read everything that has been posted here and just other general research. My wife and friends think I am crazy and can't fathom fasting.
I've done 80-90 hours a few times and I am again in that range currently.
I feel really good and think I could keep going for several more days, I was a little tired after shoveling/clearing 5-6" of overnight snow this morning. The pangs are quite minimal and my energy is still very strong. I am noticing that I get cold/chilly much easier, that's about it.

I have learned that you cannot adequately explain how easy it is to anyone that has never tried it. I just don't talk about it often but it invariably comes up when you have to turn down a food offer.

 

[Wisco Steve]

I have learned that you cannot adequately explain how easy it is to anyone that has never tried it. I just don't talk about it often but it invariably comes up when you have to turn down a food offer.

Yeah my wife is sorta getting it more, as she has done some research now too...but she is a creature of habit when it comes to food and loves her smaller meals.
Friends, yup, I don't like talking about it...unless I am forced to. It seems like 99% of them just think it is strange. Though shockingly not as strange as when I am just drinking water, sports drink or diet soda at parties/dinners--but that is just Wisconsin culture. I've had a few of my good friends ask why on earth I would 'starve' myself?!? I am 6'2" and fluctuate from 215/220 lbs on the highest side to around 192 lbs--which I am right now...I have always maintained a 'nice' build from my work and some lifting, and they all think fasting=simply to drop weight, so I try to dispel that and explain all the other benefits. It just seems like they don't 'buy it'...which is fine. I get that it's not for everyone. For me now, the weight loss is just a peripheral benefit. Though I am trying to get near my early 20s weight of around 185 pounds.

 

[Icon]

although this particular weekend I'd like to attempt a full weekend fast.

This was a thing that ended up happening. Consumed nothing but water on Saturday and Sunday.

 

[UncleTrvlingJim]

The only time I tried a multi day fast, I started getting jaundice. My eyes started turning yellow around the 60 hour mark, I kept it up until the 72 hour mark and then called it quits . I have Gilbert's syndrome which isn't anything serious but I have a naturally high bilirubin count, and my body does not process it that well. After my eyes started turning yellow I read up and found that it could happen and that it's best to discontinue the fast.... eyes cleared up in a day. So no super long fasts for me.

 

[Tapxe]

I have learned that you cannot adequately explain how easy it is to anyone that has never tried it. I just don't talk about it often but it invariably comes up when you have to turn down a food offer.

Holidays can be difficult. There's a serious emphasis on emotional eating with guilt trip from well meaning loved ones.

When u can stand firm at Thanksgiving-Chistmas, its the fasting equivalent of Buddhist reaching nirvana.