Age and fasting 3-5 days

#1

Comments about, advice for and questions about fasting in senior years:

Many of the posts I read here are from women ages 30-50 and men of about the same. Fewer are in their late 50s to 70.

I’m a 68-year-old w/m, fat but fairly fit. At 5-foot-7, I started LCHF on April 8 at 255 and lost the first 20 pretty fast then l bogged down at 234-235 for a month or so.

Then I found this forum after reading Dr. Fung’s Obesity Code and Guide to Fasting books, and it has served me well.

Since going to IF (18/6 and OMAD) and one 48- and one 70-hour fast, I blasted a hole in my plateau and today weighed in at 221.0 — a loss of about 14 pounds since reading Dr. Fung’s books on Aug. 18.

Right now I am precisely at hour 41 of a 3-4 day water, black coffee fast. About right in the middle. Am feeling OK, I have not given up my meds and supplements. But all signs are good, FBG 70 today and blood pressure normal. Have pounding heart rate and PVCs (skipped beats) but I have those regularly and take meds for that. Indeed the meds (beta blocker, anti arrhythmia, cholesterol, full-strength aspirin) combine to keep my damaged heart under control. I had an Agent Orange-related heart attack at age 53.

Last night I got up and washed down several ounces of 0-carb, 0-cal electrolyte water and it seemed to tell me I was dehydrating a bit.

My goal is to complete a solid three-day water fast and then perhaps push for a 4-day fast. Unsure.

My questions include;

— considering my age and cardio health is it advisable to under take fasts beyond 2 or 3 days? My cardiologist is on board with LCHF and fasting but he doesn’t know I’m shooting for 3-4 days.

— I will not abandon my meds, my fantastic doc says fast but stay on meds. But what about the supplements? I take Vitamins E, B1, B2, magnesium malate, CoQ10, alpha lipoic acid and serrepeptase.

— are the supplements really affecting my fasting benefits? Particularly the insulin resistance factor.

— I hate green tea. I do add a tablespoon of ACV to my water once or twice a day. Any other options to get me over hunger humps? This is not a fat fast.

One of the reasons I am on this particular fast is because my wife is on her annual girls’ only beach trip to Gulf Shores. She Follows a HCHFHPHSHSwHF (well you get it) and is still fit but getting softer in the middle. She says I am either crazy or stupid, and sometimes both. I get literally zero support from family concerning fasting.

Any recommendations for age related fasting would be appreciated.

#2

Also, I am not diabetic but most assuredly highly insulin resistant. Normal FBG is =<93. Drops a lot when I fast. — mid 80s. Today it was 70 after 36 hours of fasting.

#3

Can y’all suggest a good multivitamin brand that might replace most of my supplements?

I have a good homemade beef, vegetable, bone broth available but want hold off on sipping that until hunger gets intolerable. Want to keep this water based. But it is available to me.

#4

By the way, it didn’t take long for the fasting poops to set in does this mean I am getting more ready for the benefits of fasting?

I gotta a lot of questions.

#5

Well into Day 3 (65 hours) feeling ok. Will probably wind it up at 72 hours with a big salad and some homemade vegetable soup.

May go to 84-88 hours if all is well. Had a little heart thumping last night but not high rate. Took some B1 at bedtime and had cut my Ambien in half. Probably some insomnia.

Bowels surely flushed today. So all is going according to script.

Strict water fast with only two cups of black coffee total and twice daily use of ACV.

Today — Fasting BC 64. Weight 220.2. Weight loss while fasting -3.4 pounds. Total lost, 35 pounds since April 8. 21 pounds to go.

#6

Ketone test strip: 40+ moderate

(KCKO, KCFO) #7

Not all the fasters are younger, I’m older than you, started fasting about 1.5 yrs. ago. I reached maintenance over a year ago. I had been a yoyer. I am not diabetic either in fact, my NMR lipo test shows IR too, mine is now under the number the lab counts as the start of low, so I guess I am lower than low now. LOL.

Sounds like you are doing good. Your FBS number is good and so are the fasting BS nos.

Taking supplements is a personal thing, I take mine without issue but others can’t. Missing them for a couple of days is not going to have a high impact if you can’t tolerate them while fasting.

Some bone broth is a good thing if it helps you to continue the fast. I’ve done that many many times. I now use macadamia nuts since I don’t have the extra fat I need to add some when fasting.

It is best to just fast when you can and eat when you can’t. Fasting breaks habits like late night and between meals snacking. One of the best fasting protocols are simply intermittent fasting or time restricted eating. Use the search on this site to get all kinds of good info on both of these, they are not the samething. This vidoe is a good one about that:

As for your wife, just eat the way you feel good eating and allow her to do the same, if she sees changes in you, she may become curious. I suggest you don’t talk to her a lot about it.

You might want to join in on the group fasting theads, the monthly Zornfast and the ongoing support group for fasting, here is a link to Sept’s thread

Any fasting protocol can help for health and weight loss was my experience. I have done over 100+ hrs. and just IF 14/10 they all helped me get to my goals.

Keep Calm, Keto On and Keep Calm, Fast On

(Heather~KWOL for life!) #8

I am an RN, and while I worked on my units at the hospital, the multivitamins that doctors prescribed for patients 50 and up, was the same or equal to Centrum, of course always the generic if available. But, that is what our doctors prescribed! Hope that helps. Congratulations on the success you have had! I’m new here, ending the 3rd week of keto. Love it. Shared it with my doc today, he’s happy about it, and the non scale victories have been great even in this short period. KCKO

#9

I Expect to get flamed here. And part of me say’s don’t bother replying. But trying to help, my advice for whats worth and I am no physician goes against the above comments.

At your age and I am 65 years young, you should eat more protein as you get older. Regardless of anything else. I really can’t see any benefits from extended fasting at my age or yours.
See Phinney and Volek before everyone shouts of show me the science, I can find their quote if insisted upon, but just now replying to OP and trying to help.

Don’t bother fasting eat more protein. Myself, 65 years young, Height 164 CM, (not tall) Weight varies 126 - 133 pounds . For over a year. Mostly 133. Feel great. (Trying to put on muscle gone carnivore. Might be working)
If you have a little time watch this Dr Ted Naiman vid, linked below, " Too much protein is better than too little"

https://player.vimeo.com/video/273508045

I have posted this link lot’s of times on this forum and know one has knocked it down as far as I can see.
Good luck.

(KCKO, KCFO) #10

They are ok with one day fasting. Not so much multiple days.

ETA: I lost the most stubborn of my weight during a month of spaced out 24-108 hr fasts, cycling through them. I was age 67 when I did this, those lbs had won every single time in the past, so I yoyoed up and down for over 35 yrs. of my life. And I was not against eating protein at any point. Here is a graph of how my weight behaved:

downward%20graph

#11

Thank you. For the very quote. My quote "I really can’t see any benefits from extended fasting " was referring to that quote.

#12

The more I learn about Ketogenic philosophy the more I tend to agree with you about protein. The older we get the more our needs differ — such as lost muscle. Also men vs. women. I think just increasing protein by a modest amount can make a difference for us. Thanks for video link, will definitely check it out.

#13

At 8 pm tonight (Friday) I reached my 72-hour goal. But guess what? I’m not hungry like I was earlier today. Also so much energy. I can feel the Adrenalin. Didn’t sleep well last night but ran around like the Energizer Bunny today. Kinda scary almost.

Will keep it going to about 10 am tomorrow and have a nice cheese omelet and bacon. That will be 86 hours. Probably enough but who knows. It is really just a challenge of will right now. Marine Corps discipline just might kick in. Who knows? Maybe not.

Saturday I will be a couch potato while watching college football. Geaux Tigers!

#14

9pm. 73 hours of water-only fast.

Blood Glucose: 65
Ketones: Moderate at 40+

Taking my supplements early tonight. I’m a night owl. Bedtime not till midnight.

(Heather~KWOL for life!) #15

Don’t let your glucose go below 60, please, for your health and safety. Good job on the fasting!

#16

Thanks for the note. FBC this morning was 64 and steady, weight was down another 2 pounds so it’s time to back off. Lost -5.2 in nearly four days.

At 90 hours now and will be eating some homemade vegetable soup soon with some cheese. No need to push myself any further this go around. Though I do feel I could make 5 days. But at my age I don’t think there is a need to put my health in jeopardy. I’ve proven the point and science to myself.

Look forward to some bacon later tonight.

(Heather~KWOL for life!) #17

Wow! That’s very inspiring! I’m proud of you for your success! I haven’t taken on a long fast, I’m not sure that I would, or would not, be better to do it. Waiting for my labs to come back to see how my cholesterol looks. I take BP medicine too and my pressure was lower yesterday than it has been since I have been on it. I’m 48 and really would like to come off the cholesterol and bp meds…although it may turn out to be familial and something I will have to deal with. But, you inspire me, and thank you for sharing! :grin:

#18

As planned, I ate a big bowl of beef/vegetable soup with no/low carb vegetables; 10 olives and very little cheese. BG two hours later was at 76.

I wish I could test to see how my insulin levels were involved during this fast. Seeing how I didn’t eat for 90 hours, I’d have to guess they were OK.

I’m now going to look into fat fasts. I also think the longest water fast I will take on now is probably 48 hours — maybe 72 but I doubt it right now. I’m leaning toward numerous 24-36 hours water fasts.

#19

Go figure this one. Almost makes one want to cheat. Just kidding. But what’s happening?

I water fasted for 4 days until late Saturday. At end my FBG 62; ketones 40+ moderate; weight lost 4+ pounds. Felt great.

Re-feeding late Saturday vegetable soup and salad. Sunday fasted 22 hours then a large salad with pepperonies and regular mayonaise. This all maintained moderate ketones and BG in upper 60s. Weight gain less than 2 pounds.

Then come Monday I fasted 16 hours and then I had a cup of coffee with a little half/half and 2 packs of Splenda with three strips of bacon. BG only spiked from 64 to 93 (+29) after 40 minutes.

Sorry for the long prologue, tonight my wife said we had to go out to eat so we went to Outback Steakhouse. Knowing that I am planning another 2-3 day fast this week I figured what the heck but kept it in check. (this was 7 and a half hours after noon brunch).

Ate four grilled shrimp, wedge salad with blue cheese (and they added balsamic vinegar w/o me knowing), 10oz ribeye (I ate about 7 oz of it), AND A LOADED BAKED POTATO. Drank 1 tea with two packs of Splenda.

Went home and expected the worse. Before heading to Outback I tested my BG (64) and ketones we’re still 40+ moderate. Both had moderated nicely during the day.

30 minutes after this big meal my BG was 79 (+15) and my ketones almost blacked out the pee strip at 60+ large. Is this normal? Or my numbers to get better after a nice meal? Or was my fast and re-feed doing their thing of keeping me in Ketosis. Does this suggest I am fat adapted?

Will report back after 2 hours.

I’m encouraged to fast on.

#20

Two hour check. BG 67; ketones 40+ moderate.

BG pre-meal 64; T30 79; T120 67. Looks pretty good. Don’t see any big insulin spikes or severe drops. Ketones dropped a bit but still moderate and “colored up” quickly.

After my 4-day fast my weight was 218.2. Today it was 220.0. Will be interesting to check tomorrow morning now that I am storing up some colon bulk.

By the way, a new 36-hour fast began after my big meal. :slight_smile: