37 Day EF - Low Energy - Solutions?

fasting
extendedfast
#1

Hello All. First time posting – joined primarily for advice on extended fasting and keto dieting.

Currently hitting a low energy issue on an extended fast.

I’m on day 37 of a Fung style modified fast (a few cups of marrow bone broth a day with added sea salt, sometimes with a bite or two of meat). I have been supplementing regularly with vitamin C, D, K and b12. I’ve also been taking a digestive enzyme.

Tried adding magnesium but don’t seem to need it. Calcium levels are fine. Not able to take a multivitamin because I seem to react badly to most b vitamins.

I came into this with chronic fatigue, hashimotos and about 20kg of extra weight.

Day 1 – 10 was bumpy. Day 11 – 30 I kicked into fat burning and things were good – steady energy and focus. Did have a week of keto rash that passed.

Since day 30, however, my energy seems to be dropping off. Blood tests indicated low potassium, so I started supplementing with that. Blood ketones are good, at around 3.5 – 4.5. But I am just not getting any energy like I was before. It’s hard to focus or do things.

Going to add Coq10 and Thiamine (b1) as supplements to see if it helps.

Was planning to go for 60 days. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated, especially from long-term fasters.

Would love to hear from you!

@cgwwilson, @JorgePasada

(Allie) #2

Maybe time to call it a day and try again in a few weeks?

#3

Yup, time to eat.
And please, before you do, read up carefully on how to end a fast.

#4

Try adding some salt and see how you feel.

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #5

My doctor told me “If you don’t feel good, eat!”

You have quite a few things going on that could be causing some issues. Using a product like Lite Salt which has a good amount of potassium may help with that deficiency.

I would suggest you go back to feeding for a week or two and then experiment with some fasts that can help you test specific supplements along the way. Set up the fasts as N=1 where you only change 1 thing each time, fast for 7 to 10 days, and see how you feel.

BTW, I might suggest you snack on good fat like butter, coconut oil, bacon drippings, or tallow instead of meat. The pure fat will do more for your energy than protein.

#6

Wow that’s awesome you can fast that long. So I’m confused. I thought that when doing a fast you could only have water cause anything else will break the fast. Also I guess I missed something on how to end a fast cause all I got from it was don’t eat carbs and eat 50% of what you were use to. I’m not fasting yet just the normal 23-1 and have low energy have difficulty concentrating for very long. Have you found anything to help you?

(Lonnie Hedley) #7

Definition of a fast is abstaining from “some or all foods”. Because the definition is so loose, most anything constitutes a fast. I’m currently on day 64 of a hostess cake fast.

If you have low energy, try increasing your salt intake during the day or increasing the amount of calories you eat during your window.

(KCKO, KCFO) #8

Soo that is what happened to her :scream:

(Donna ) #9

Sounds like it’s time to end your EF and do a good re-feed for a couple of weeks. I would worry about eating ‘just a bit of meat’ during such a long fast, because, really, it’s breaking your fast, and then by eating such a small amount of calories daily turn into a reduced calorie diet instead of an EF and you risk lowering your metabolism.

Go ahead and EAT. Do a great re-feed and in a couple weeks try a shorter EF, 2-5 days, with no meat to break your fast. In between EF’s you can still do daily 18-24 hour fasts and it will continue to be beneficial.

(Lonnie Hedley) #10

This was from January 2018, and he hasn’t been on the forum since May.

#11

Yeah, I didn’t look at that just searched low energy and went with it.

(Mike W.) #12

He didn’t make it? RIP

(Lonnie Hedley) #13

This post wasn’t to you, it was to @pugsdigmusic.

My post to you was the one with suggestions about how to increase energy levels.

#14

So, I should start eating cupcakes. Yes my dream diet. Thank you!

(Carpe salata!) #15

Only if you call it a fast. :crazy_face:

(Jeanne Wagner) #16

Me too but it makes me feel too bad!! lol Never will I eat those “foods” again.

(Carpe salata!) #17

THIS