30 Extended Fast

fasting
(Tammy) #1

Started a 30 day extended fast on Jan. 23,2023. I’m on day 22!!! Down 24 lbs and getting mentally back on track with my food consumption and exercise routine. Let myself get really, REALLY lazy since last year after becoming a full time caregiver to my husband, with newly diagnosed Lewy Body dementia. :pensive:

The last 22 days have been relatively easy. I’m shocked at how easy!

My concern is safely breaking the fast. Thinking of green smoothies for a couple of days before trying the only thing I’ve been craving this whole time…. Eggs.

Before anybody tells me I’m crazy for going on an extended fast of this length, I’ve been fasting on a semi-schedule for over 12 years. My longest was 21 days. So this next week is all bonus and uncharted territory for me.

Thanks for listening! Any ideas about successfully breaking this fast and staying ketogenic are appreciated.

(Robin) #2

Hi, welcome back!
Can you please explain what you mean by a 21 day fast? You must be eating something, right?

(KCKO, KCFO) #3

Welcome back to the forums.

A green salad would be good. Megan Ramos talks about breaking fasts of any length with that. My longest was 5 days, and the salad worked great.

A smoothy might be better after you have some thing solid in there, otherwise you might get the runs?

(Michael) #4

Bone broth is another good way. You definitely want to get some phosphorous/potassium into your system while still being mindful of electrolyte rebalancing after such a long fast. I hope you have already read up on refeeding syndrome https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2440847/#:~:text=Refeeding%20syndrome%20can%20be%20defined,may%20cause%20serious%20clinical%20complications. I have not gone as long as you, but on my longer fasts I created electrolyte drinks to maintain phosphorous and potassium (and zinc/thiamine/sodium/magnesium/calcium) … have you been doing that at all? If not, slow and careful regardless of broth or vegetable refeed. As I do not eat veggies, I would imagine bone broth and wait 2-3 hours, then a few nibbles of salmon with bone broth, then maybe a few more nibbles of salmon again a few hours later. On the second day I might consider eating a real meal once I am sure my electrolytes rebalanced sufficiently from whatever very small amounts of liquid/food I did ingest. Regardless, I would consider 30 days to be an impressive feat.

#5

It one eats, it’s not a fast… 21 day fast is 21 days without eating, not a super uncommon thing. Though on the longer side, indeed.

#6

Broth sounds good… I would add eggs to it too, being me, carefully after 30 days but as I never went further than 5 days and felt no need to educate myself, I don’t really know. But broth sounds a superb idea :slight_smile: Along with other liquid nice stuff like soft eggs. Broth always makes me hungry… Well I don’t know after about a long fast but probably a very small, liquid and nutritious meal would be the best.

(Tammy) #7

Thanks everybody! I really appreciate the input. Beings this is my first 30 day fast, I guess I’m just super hyper sensitive and a bit nervous about refeeding syndrome. Want to make sure I break this fast right. I have always managed to successfully get back on track with past fasting, to tell the truth… it feels so awesome to know the body can go 30, 40, even 90+ days without food!!! I’m just super stoked that I’m gonna make it to the 30 days fasting club!! LoL Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d got even a few days without food, much less 30 WHOLE DAYS!!!:heart:
Also, I have been making a mix of electrolytes abt twice a day of pink sea salt, cream of tartar (potassium), and a magnesium supplement. I learned several years ago that without keeping the electrolytes balanced I’d spend the whole time fasting in bed and feeling like garbage. I learned this concoction from a Matt Lauer video on YouTube. Tried it once and it’s worked for me ever since.
So, day 22 is in the books in just a couple hours. On to day 23! AND BEYOND!
Thanks again everyone for the input. Will definitely use all the info to have a successful break to my extended fasting.

(Tammy) #8

Totally NOTHING but distilled water for 22 days so far.

(Tammy) #9

Robin, absolutely NOTHING but distilled water. Abt a half gallon a day.

(Bob M) #10

I liked bone broth, too, then an egg maybe, then a smaller meal. This seemed to help me “land” better than just eating a meal, though the max I ever went was 5.5 days.

#11

I am very sure my body can do it… I still don’t wish to try it. I like my tiny muscles too much. And eating, first of all… :wink:

I do understand something of it. But still, the muscle loss overpowers everything else for me. And it’s completely inavoidable on such a long fast, of course, we need protein.

Oh yep, electrolytes! I never need them on a fast as mine are short (and my body is fine with that, I am aware some people need to supplement it even on IF or even without IF) but I am curious how much sodium did you take…

Oh my. Why distilled water?

(Tammy) #12

Distilled water has had all the chemicals and impurities removed thru heating and condensing. It’s the cleanest form of water you can give your body while you are going thru the cleansing process. And fasting for me, in part, is all about cleaning up all the damage we do to ourselves thru wrong eating habits and environmental conditions. And don’t forget! The weight loss!!!

(Kirk Wolak) #13

I would break that fast with broth.
then maybe a couple of eggs. (Eggdrop soup came to mind).

Simple, easy to digest stuff.

Since you fasted before, you know to watch the sudden intake of large quantities of food.

Good Luck! And GREAT JOB!

#14

After reading the article on refeeding syndrome, my level of interest in exploring fasting has dropped to zero…

(Michael) #15

You need to fast for at least 14 days before worrying about refeeding syndrome, but I get it :grinning:

(Tammy) #16

Today is day 26! I’m so near the finish line I can smell it!:rofl:
It’s been an awesome experience.
I realize fasting isn’t a concept that everyone can wrap their heads around. I’ve been doing regular fasts at least twice a year (and usually 6-8 times a year) for more than a dozen years now. Even tho’ I’ve completed many other shorter extended fasts (10-14, even a 21 day) fast, this is the first 30 day. It’s gone really effortlessly. I’m sure some of that comes with the previous experiences I’ve had.
My biggest concern was just out of an abundance of caution. It’s always best to be safe, and not sorry.
I will more than likely be breaking my fast on Friday morning with a small amount of ACV to get the digestive track jump started again. Then probably green smoothies thru the day. Followed by bone broth and eggs, or steamed broccoli on Saturday morning, and go slowly from there. I plan on taking at least a week before I try to eat anything solid.
Thanks again for all the input. It has been greatly appreciated.

(Tammy) #17

@Wendy198, fasting definitely isn’t something everyone should jump into without lots and lots of reading and investigation.

(Tammy) #18

@Naghite, I’m on day 26. Going for 30…so that’s the reason I am working out my plan for ending my fast.

(KCKO, KCFO) #19

I used to feel that way but once I tried fasting, I not only lost down to my goal weight, but have stayed at or very near it for about 6 yrs. now.

It isn’t for everyone, but for some of us, it works a treat. I’m healthier and happiers than ever in my 70s now.

(Rossi Luo) #20

That’s quite quite impressive! May we know your weight before the fasting? I was thinking if it’s possible for a relatively lean person to fast so long.