2018 Lenten Fasting

fasting
lent
#81

As of a few minutes ago, I am 62 hours into this final practice fast and totally content. Not the least bit hungry and am about to have some coffee. I do put 2 oz of very diluted coconut milk into 16 oz of coffee, so I suppose not a complete “water only” fast.

I’m supposed to break Sunday morning at breakfast, but if I still feel this good I might just continue fasting. I’m also calculating how much money I’m saving by not eating, and I’ll donate that to a local food-related charity at the end of Lent. I won’t ever say how much I donate (after all, that’s not the point.) But it will be someplace that really needs the money, like Meals-On-Wheels. My local group apparently has a huge waiting list, and I know what it feels like to be isolated and hungry (due to the stroke and lack of support from anyone) so it will probably be them. That’s one of my "why"s for this Lenten fast. What’s yours if you want to post it?

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #82

Michelle, welcome to the crowd! Take your time and don’t feel you HAVE to fast the entire 3 days: different people are doing different lengths even for these 7 weeks.

Take your nervous energy and redirect it to listening to your body to understand what it is saying as you begin your fast. There may be some cravings but you may also find that they are more mental than physical!

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #83

Virginia, You sound like me last year when I completed by 46 days of fasting: on Easter Sunday when I was breaking my fast I was thinking “Why stop now?” as I felt great and could have gone on longer. If you want to go an extra day or longer then let it happen.

Listen to your body and remember what my doctor told me “If you don’t feel good then eat!”

#84

That’s how I usually do my fasts - just go “til I don’t wanna anymore.” It has always worked best that way for me, sometime just 24 hours, sometimes longer, sometimes many days. I just let my system tell me when it’s enough.

I used to be afraid of being hungry several years ago. I mean, sometimes it was so bad that if I could see any empty space in the refrigerator or cabinets I just HAD to go to the store THAT VERY DAY. I wasn’t a food addict. I didn’t eat it all up right away. I was just deathly afraid of the empty spaces. I’m sure there’s an official name for that, but I simply call it “just f’in nuts”, lol. Now, of course, I’m not afraid of empty cabinets or refrigerator shelves. Now I embrace the empty spaces. That’s a gift not only from keto but from faith as well. Being able to tell myself, “I can just fast. It’s no problem or big deal” has become one of the most empowering things in my life. It’s like “shaking the dust off my feet” of any power over me that food or cravings ever had.

I don’t know if I have sufficient body fat left to fast all the way through the 46 days of Lent. Although I would love to attempt it. I am just over 5 lbs from the top end of “normal” bmi and 25 lbs from my first goal weight. But I think I’ll just stick at least somewhat closely to my planned schedule and keep listening to my system. I think that’s probably the most practical way to do any long fast.

(Robert Hollinger) #85

Keep in mind, if keeping to Catholic doctrine, fasting is not permissible on Sundays during Lent (that may be perhaps all year also?) but I don’t think that would apply if it’s therapeutic. Since fasting isn’t required by those in poor health, I would think that if that was a treatment for poor health it would be allowed?

#86

I’m not Catholic. I’m Episcopalian (aka “Catholic Light” or “All the Fun, Half the Guilt”, lol.) Epscopalians have a fasting calendar too.

But mostly at this point in life, I’m just respectful of faith itself, any faith, and not so much concerned for myself about any particular doctrine. But that’s just me, not to be taken as an intolerance toward or criticism of anyone else. Sorry for the hijack. Back to fasting now. :smile:

I think you make a very good point about therapeutic fasting vs regular fasting. Most faiths that include fasting omit children, elderly, pregnant/nursing women, and illess from fasting requirements/doctrines. Thanks for including that!

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #87

Carboholic!

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #88

Virginia, I was actually raised Episcopalian and converted to Catholicism when I was about 40.

I do remember back in the '60s and '70s that we did fasting and abstinence just like the local Catholics. Lots of rules and we attended the fish fries every Friday as, back then, we abstained from meat on Fridays throughout the year.

#89

I’m sure some of our very tiny congregation (services were high church, but it was considered a mission because it was so small) followed the fasting calendar, and I was aware of it, but my family and most families at that church, didnt fast. We did fish sticks on Friday nights when I was little. No Friday events at church. Once I became a teenager, even the fish sticks stopped. I didn’t experience any real fasting until I got out on my own as an adult. You were lucky. I think you and I might be close to the same age, Ron.

#90

I joined you! Started after mass this past Sunday. Water, tea, coffee, salt, multivitamin. I will end it at this mass coming up. I’ve been on a plateau, I think I broke through it:

image
0B8BAF70-7C08-4102-AC79-C3E8E58D5B73.jpeg750×599 111 KB

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #91

Welcome @powertrix!

#92

About 38 hour into my fast (some HWC in coffee). Will break in about 24 hours. Looking forward to it. Seems not too hard at the moment. Only one more sleep. Slept with a heating blanket on the lowest level. Having a little extra heat helps me physically and psychologically. Will supplement with some salt today.

Definitely thinking about food and anticipating what I will be making tomorrow. Probably eggs in the morning and I have taken out of the freezer some lamb shanks which I will prepare in the instant pot with cauliflower mash and some greens. And probably some delicious chia dessert (cocoa, espresso, HWC, chia concoction). Yum!

Am curious to see how I can cycle through fasting/feasting cycles. That will be my focus. Listening to my body/brain.

(Victoria Mc Coy) #93

Love the idea! Will build a Friday Lenten fast into my IF plan!

#94

I’ve just passed 87 hours continuous. Still not hungry. Having the last of my first big cup of coffee (16 oz) for the day. Will start the other 16 oz cup sometime between 1 and 2.

I’m supposed to break in the morning for breakfast at about 108 hours. But honestly if I continue to feel this good throughout today and into tomorrow I’m just going to keep fasting. I’ve had that long plateau since October, and during the last six months I’ve had some rather heinous fasts that I could never get any real length on. This time I just feel so dang good that I don’t want to deal with the 2-3 day discomfort that comes with starting a fast every week. I’m an experienced faster, completely fat-adapted, am in ketosis, and never cheat or exceed macros. But day 2-3 (usually one or the other - almost never both days) are such a pain in the rear that they have become a DISincentive for me to stop and restart a fast. That may make me a “very special snowflake,” I dunno. I just know that when a fast feels good, I don’t want to stop just because a clock or calendar has a plan for that. Guess that makes me a “very special REBEL snowflake”! Lol!

How is everyone else doing?

#95

Glad to have you!

#96

You’re doing great! It’s rainy and chilly here, and I got cold last night and turned on the heated mattress pad and added an extra blanket. Slept wonderfully. I know what you mean about how that little bit of heat helps. When I get chilled, my stroke side cramps up, especially my arm, and only warmth over time will relax it.

The lamb sounds fantastic! We rarely get lamb in the local stores here, and when we do, it’s chops and sometimes ground, never shanks. And prices dearer than diamonds! I’m rather jelly here, let me tell ya! Enjoy several dozen bites for me, ok?

#97

Victoria, that’s awesome!

#98

Just passed 116 hours. I stayed all snuggled up in bed this morning, and when I finally decided to get up, I just (kinda reluctantly) wanted coffee, so I went ahead and made some.

Whenever I do a long (over 5 days) fast, I make sure to have a small amount of high phosphorous something once a week. I’m really concerned about refeeding syndrome, so I’ve always done this. Usually I have a little plain high fat yogurt. Again, just once a week. (I should post in the questions thread and ask Jason and Megan if this actually helps or not.)

But I’m still not driving yet (still waiting on the accommodations to be installed in the car) and right now everyone is honestly too busy to take me to the store. (They also won’t buy the high fat products I ask for if they go for me but instead will buy the low fat high sugar crap that THEY want me to have! So annoying!) Anyway, so shopping is out right now. (PLEASE don’t hijack the thread by suggesting grocery delivery services or meals-on-wheels etc ok? Please just accept what I say as the truth. Thanks.) I’ve researched high phosphorous foods before and I could swear on that proverbial stack that pumpkin seeds are one of the high phosphorous foods, so for awhile now I’ve added them to yogurt for my post-fast first meals. Decided to look up the phosphorous after I ate an ounce of them today. Major V-8 moment. Its SUNFLOWER seeds that are high phosphorous. Lawsy. Felt like an idiot. I refuse to count that mistake as a break in my fast. Only had an ounce, and it was intended as a therapeutic measure, to gently keep phosphorous where it should be and avoid the major body shock that is refeeding syndrome when I finally do break the fast. Still feeling excellent though so I’m KCFO. (From now on, gonna avoid this confusion by post-fasting on the small amount of yogurt and a microwave muffin - the baking powder in the muffin is high phosphorous. Off to post my question for Jason and Megan.)

How is everyone else doing?

#99

Thanks! Looks like you’re doing great re fast! I did one 7 day fast last year but then became gunshy. So I’m trying to work my way up again. 2 day, 3 night fast and rinse and repeat. Let’s see what the body and brain thinks/does. I am thinking of doing another 2 day 3 night fast starting tomorrow night. I feasted today and will feast tomorrow. I posted the lamb dinner picture in the main keto food thread.

#100

I think your fasting schedule is awesome! It seems to be working great for you! Now off to see the awesome lamb picture…drooling a little bit in anticipation, lol.