Beginning a new fast and reporting daily on YouTube

(Mike Ratcliffe) #1

On 20 April 2019 I stood on the scales and was shocked to realize that my weight is 144 kilos… that is over 317 lbs or over 22 1/2 stone. My ideal weight is around 176 lbs so I am almost double my ideal weight.

I knew I was overweight but have avoided the scales for the past year or so. I suffer from chronic pain in my back due to a car accident around 20 years ago that left me unable to walk for a few months. I also suffer from a very serious form of chronic migraine called Hemiplegic Migraines.

These health problems aside, I tend to carry my fat on my stomach. It sticks out like I am some kind of pot-bellied pig. This makes my condition much worse because it is as if I am carrying a second adult around strapped to my stomach.

Imaging having somebody you know strapped to your stomach and how much pain that would put on your back. Just walking across the room can cause me intense pain.

Interestingly, I don’t eat a huge amount of food. At one point I was documenting and weighing everything I eat and drink and I very rarely go over 1500 calories. If I ate the expected 3500 calories for my size I would be very much larger.

I don’t know if people will be willing to help but I have twin 5-year-olds and a six year old. I need to be around for them as they grow up.

What do I want from this page? Honestly, I consider this page a lifeline because I know that if I can’t lose my extra weight my young kids will be growing up without their father.

To begin this experiment I will be going on an extended water fast. This means eating nothing and drinking only water (with a little flavoring, vitamins and minerals).

There is plenty of fuel for my body to draw from and I did a 38 day fast a few years back.

I plan on broadcasting my progress daily on my ​YouTube channel. It may seem a little extreme to give daily updates on YouTube when doing a water fast but it will also put me under more pressure to stick with my diet.

Honestly, the more subscribers I can get on my YouTube channel the more pressure is on me to succeed so it would be fantastic if people could subscribe and encourage me.

My ideal goal would be to get down to between 175 - 180 lbs, which is a little over half my weight so this will probably take multiple extended fasts… no matter what, I plan on tracking it all on YouTube and reporting daily.

I really feel like doing things publicly like this can save my life so thanks for being part of this!

(Jody) #2

Good luck! Kids really are the BEST motivation to get healthy…but do it for you too. :grinning:

(Karim Wassef) #3

Best of luck!

I would recommend that you take a little time to get fat adapted first with some keto and IF/OMAD. Give it 10 days to reset? Get into the rhythm of taking salts and electrolytes… It will dramatically improve the ratio of fat to lean mass you lose. It will also keep your metabolism up compared to going all in without prepping.

I know the “snake diet” guy says just do it… but a little patience and planning can go a long way.

My longest fast was 19 days and I plan to exceed it again in the fall.

(Alec) #4

Mike
I love your reason. No better reason possible.

Now, you did a 38 day fast a few years ago, and you did a long fast last June as well (I remember!). You are now at 144kg and starting again. After your last fast, what was it that got in the way of you continuing a healthy path? Your strategy of doing a long fast to lose weight and get healthy doesn’t seem to have worked long term. What is your strategy for the long term?

Why not have a more consistent strategy and fast for a few days, have a decent few feast days, and then fast again. And keep doing it consistently until you get to your target weight… I mean for months, not a solid fast for 1 month and then ???

Please excuse my challenge to you, but your reason resonates with me, I know how important your reason is. So it matters… how do you make this work long term, and succeed long term?

(Mike Ratcliffe) #5

Now, you did a 38 day fast a few years ago, and you did a long fast last June as well (I remember!).

The second fast was only for a few days because I became sick and had too much pressure from work because I was underperforming due to health issues… it was just not the right time.

After your last fast, what was it that got in the way of you continuing a healthy path?

I kept my weight off for a couple of years after my extended fast by eating keto. I think I assumed that as long as I stayed keto I wouldn’t gain weight but it turns out that it is easy to overeat protein… this is 100% something I need to be on guard against in the future.

Carbs also started to creep in over the last year… keto had worked so well for me that I thought eating a few carbs wouldn’t make much difference but it turns out I was completely wrong.

Your strategy of doing a long fast to lose weight and get healthy doesn’t seem to have worked long term. What is your strategy for the long term?

Eating keto and exercise. As I say, it worked fine for about 2 years but health issues and work pressure got the better of me. I just need to make sure I stick to keto after this fast and make sure my portion sizes are appropriate.

The kids are old enough now that my wife doesn’t need quite as much support as she did so I have time to exercise but need to be in good enough shape to do it.

Why not have a more consistent strategy and fast for a few days, have a decent few feast days, and then fast again. And keep doing it consistently until you get to your target weight… I mean for months, not a solid fast for 1 month and then ???

I’ve tried that a number of times and it just doesn’t work for me. I find it easy once I start fasting but getting the motivation to start is a problem, which means I would probably do one short fast and then take years before doing another one.

I am not saying I want to lose all my weight in one go although that would be nice… there will be multiple extended fasts with re-feeds in between.

The YouTube channel also adds an extra dimension for me and I believe it will add the extra pressure I need to reach my goal weight.

(Mike Ratcliffe) #6

I would recommend that you take a little time to get fat adapted first with some keto and IF/OMAD.

Yes, I have done this and am no stranger to keto, fasting or intermittent fasting.

Get into the rhythm of taking salts and electrolytes.

I have a 3 litre bottle that I fill with water, 1 - 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp magnesium citrate and 1 tsp potassium citrate. Because the potassium citrate makes the water taste like plant food I add a tiny squirt of calorie free concentrate to make it palatable.

I know from my extended fast that my glucose levels stay flat when drinking this mixture, which has no calories.

It will dramatically improve the ratio of fat to lean mass you lose. It will also keep your metabolism up compared to going all in without prepping.

Agreed… this is why I made a point of being 100% keto before starting this fast.

I know the “snake diet” guy says just do it… but a little patience and planning can go a long way.

Yep, which is why I have planned this strategy including the YouTube channel. Like I say, this isn’t my first rodeo.

(Mike Ratcliffe) #7

Yup, definitely.