The Science of Fasting (7 Viewers)

[CajunInVA]

Did a 21 hour fast today. Wanted to go for 42 hours, but didn't feel right. I haven't been eating well lately and I think the hard switch was a little much for me. Will stick with 16-8 for the next couple of days and go for a 42 hour on Wednesday/Thursday. The longer fasts intrigue me, but I don't quite have what it takes yet to try and pull that off.

 

[Madmarsha]

Before Thanksgiving I told myself, after leftovers are gone I’m going to fast. So I started last night.

My goal is to do 10 days. I’ll drink black coffee, tea, and water with electrolytes, do some light jogging/walking, light weights. I also like the occasional nicotine lozenge to curb appetite and improve alertness/focus. I hope to lose 20 pounds in 10 days.

I’m using the Reddit r/fasting guide https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/wiki/fasting_in_a_nutshell/you_need_electrolytes/help to help me get about the right amount of electrolytes (sodium/potassium/magnesium). Will also probably take some water soluble vitamins. With that I figure I can keep my energy levels up enough to exercise and really drop the weight.

My previous long fast was 6 days. I regularly do ~24 hr fasts.

Wow, 10 days. Do multiple 24s help build up to it? I hope to make my 3 days later on; but from what I've been researching based on what I hope to achieve, 72 hours is my outside till I start to get diminishing returns on autophagy. Still I'd love for mutiple days to be as easy as 18 hours is both mentally and physically. At least I already know a fast doesn't make me want to binge and eat ALL the food.

 

[mjcouvi]

Wow, 10 days. Do multiple 24s help build up to it? I hope to make my 3 days later on; but from what I've been researching based on what I hope to achieve, 72 hours is my outside till I start to get diminishing returns on autophagy. Still I'd love for mutiple days to be as easy as 18 hours is both mentally and physically. At least I already know a fast doesn't make me want to binge and eat ALL the food.

It’s purely psychological. I find what helps me more than anything is reading/watching so many examples of people going for 20 days or 40 days or more. Consider something so much more difficult and then half of that doesn’t seem so bad.

 

[SaintInBucLand]

I have been steady 16-8 now for a month and a half and love the weight loss, just wish I wasn't dealing with long covid crap to enjoy being so healty. I want to give a 48 hour fast a try soon.

By the way, all of my size 36 waist shorts and jeans fall off me without a belt. Need to shop but going to wait because I want to hit my goal weight of 175. 20lbs to go!

 

[SaintInBucLand]

It’s purely psychological. I find what helps me more than anything is reading/watching so many examples of people going for 20 days or 40 days or more. Consider something so much more difficult and then half of that doesn’t seem so bad.

Been a lot of people profess that 7 day plus fasts can do things like reverse some cancers and heal badly damaged organs like the liver and kidneys. Good luck with it.

 

[mjcouvi]

Been a lot of people profess that 7 day plus fasts can do things like reverse some cancers and heal badly damaged organs like the liver and kidneys. Good luck with it.

Yes, I can always use a good liver renewal. And it is pretty amazing the potential benefits for some cancers. I always figure, who knows, what are the chances I have cancer in my body right now? 1 in 3 men have (diagnosed) cancer in their lifetimes.

The benefit to those things in my body that I don't know about, that I don't know are going wrong, I hope fasting has some healing power there, in addition to the more immediately noticeable physical and mental improvements.

The hardest part for me is dinnertime. I regularly go all day without eating, looking forward to a big meal at night. Just have to keep looking further into the future to how great I'll feel the next morning and how great I'll feel days or a week from now. Just have to keep reminding myself, it's only 10 days.

 

[mjcouvi]

About 40 hrs in now, no problem with physical hunger at all as long as I drink lots of fluids.

Here’s what I’ve started using as my main fasting drink:

1L water
3/4 tsp Morton’s Lite Salt (870mg sodium, 1050mg potassium)
.3 cc pure stevia powder (a pinch)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Squeeze of a bit of lemon or lime juice to taste

Then I take 200mg magnesium glycinate (tablet) twice a day, along with a b-complex.

I have black coffee in the morning, and drink tea and sparkling water throughout the day whenever I feel like it.

Jogged 4.5 miles yesterday. If I’m going to keep up on daily exercise/sweating I’ll probably need to up the sodium a bit. Once in ketosis the body should get all necessary energy from body fat. From my understanding it’s mostly a lack of sodium that can lead to lightheadedness and lack of energy.

 

[mjcouvi]

Almost 88 hours in now. I’m really doubting my ability to last 10 days. I always make something for a game, hummus or guacamole or nachos, I’m torturing myself just thinking about it. And I almost never eat junk food but I find myself fantasizing about pizza and burgers or a cheesy beefy burrito.

 

[Dago]

Before Thanksgiving I told myself, after leftovers are gone I’m going to fast. So I started last night.

My goal is to do 10 days. I’ll drink black coffee, tea, and water with electrolytes, do some light jogging/walking, light weights. I also like the occasional nicotine lozenge to curb appetite and improve alertness/focus. I hope to lose 20 pounds in 10 days.

I’m using the Reddit r/fasting guide https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/wiki/fasting_in_a_nutshell/you_need_electrolytes/help to help me get about the right amount of electrolytes (sodium/potassium/magnesium). Will also probably take some water soluble vitamins. With that I figure I can keep my energy levels up enough to exercise and really drop the weight.

My previous long fast was 6 days. I regularly do ~24 hr fasts.

My longest was like 4.5 days I think. I have the same goal as you and had my last meal at 5pm yesterday. Going for 10 days. Thanks for the reddit link

 

[Dago]

Almost 88 hours in now. I’m really doubting my ability to last 10 days. I always make something for a game, hummus or guacamole or nachos, I’m torturing myself just thinking about it. And I almost never eat junk food but I find myself fantasizing about pizza and burgers or a cheesy beefy burrito.

How are you doing?

 

[mjcouvi]

How are you doing?

I broke during the game honestly. I said **** and I ordered a pizza. And I drank some wine. Could hardly eat any of it. I don’t recommend breaking a fast with red wine and pizza. It’s not a problem for me because I seem to have an iron stomach, but not a good idea generally. Made it 4 days and lost 12 pounds so trying to focus on the positive. I’ll get back at it soon.

I blame the Saints for my failure.

 

[Dago]

I broke during the game honestly. I said **** and I ordered a pizza. And I drank some wine. Could hardly eat any of it. I don’t recommend breaking a fast with red wine and pizza. It’s not a problem for me because I seem to have an iron stomach, but not a good idea generally. Made it 4 days and lost 12 pounds so trying to focus on the positive. I’ll get back at it soon.

I blame the Saints for my failure.

4 days is solid....thats about what I have been able to do. I am 38 hous in on a strict one. Just water, mineral water, coffee, and green tea

 

[Zack Lee]

4 days is solid....thats about what I have been able to do. I am 38 hous in on a strict one. Just water, mineral water, coffee, and green tea

Dago, I am assuming you skip the Delta 8 during fast? They aren't as bad as smokeable but they do increase appetite for me.

 

[SaintInBucLand]

I broke during the game honestly. I said **** and I ordered a pizza. And I drank some wine. Could hardly eat any of it. I don’t recommend breaking a fast with red wine and pizza. It’s not a problem for me because I seem to have an iron stomach, but not a good idea generally. Made it 4 days and lost 12 pounds so trying to focus on the positive. I’ll get back at it soon.

I blame the Saints for my failure.

Oooof yeah never break a fast like that. Hope you are ok. Need to eat foods high in vitamins and minerals when breaking a long fast. I'm sure you knew that though.

And yes blame the Saints.

 

[mjcouvi]

4 days is solid....thats about what I have been able to do. I am 38 hous in on a strict one. Just water, mineral water, coffee, and green tea

What kind of mineral water do you drink? Cramps can be a problem because of mineral deficiency. I had some foot cramps. I measured everything but actually found it hard to drink 2-3 grams of sodium and potassium per day. The electrolyte drink that I loved on the first day eventually became repulsive.