December IF/EF chat - all welcome!

(Liz ) #41

@Elle79 I hear you on planning vs. falling naturally into a fast. I try to plan mine because I’m the cook in the family, but I always tell myself I can bail and try again another time if it turns out to be bad timing.

@OldDoug I love how you are so honest about the realities of changing to a keto lifestyle, with days that are stricter than others. I live a super regimented keto life but I’m guessing your experience is likely more common.

@PugsDigMusic I also don’t take a calcium supplement anymore, instead I’m taking K2 because I read that it pulls calcium out of your arteries where you really don’t want it, and puts it back into your bones where you do!

I do believe we are fortifying our bodies with this way of eating because of the nutrient dense food and the sufficient caloric intake as opposed to traditional CICO dieting. I’m hoping a boost of HGH every fast is helpful in that regard as well.

Happy anniversary! So glad your husband has joined in and is taking well to LCHF, lol, it really is good food :smile: My husband eats pretty low carb for a sugar burner lol, but he does love my keto cooking.

Haha! I got my hearts back! It’s a holiday miracle! :heart:

@Darcy I know exactly what you mean about the way time acts weird while fasting!! But congrats on fasting together, you have such a nice looking family and I’m glad you could have fun together that wasn’t centered on food like seems so common. It gets dark so early here in Massachusetts too, I hate it! Got our Christmas tree today, we’ll love having the lights on in the evenings. And when Hanukkah comes around we’ll enjoy the candles on the menorah as well! Bring on all the light!

#42

In. Warrior fast today. I was all set last Friday to extend my warrior fast to a 36 hour fast but then I didn’t. I had some dead time between my real job and my side gig, and I ate. Life is full of disappointment.

I have not gone beyond 36 hours but I am thinking about doing a 3 or 5 day after the first of the year.

(Liz ) #43

Have you not gone beyond 36 ever? Or just recently?

#44

Not ever. Back in the March / April timeframe I would do 3 36-hour fasts per week.

(Donna ) #45

I’m going to research K2 right now and order some. Thanks!

#46

Hoping to have time to catch up on reading this thread! I’m just letting you all know I support your IF/EF efforts this month, which is a month full of temptation for so many of us!

I attended a potluck last night and stood in the room where the carb-laden table was situated…cookies, fudge, you name it! I was fasting…I was drinking coffee.

I started this fast Saturday evening and I’m going to jump off to break it in about 10 minutes. So, I’ve started December with a 44 hour fast. That feels good for now, but I will likely, or hopefully take another longer fast later this week or early into the next. Meanwhile, it will be 20:4…I guess?

MY FBG was 92 this morning about 20 minutes post strength training (super-slow…killer!) :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#47

Hi Helewisa! Great to hear from you!

Amazing super powers! Great going.

I love how having fasting as a tool changes the whole experience of holiday overindulgence. It really can help offset any times of over-doing it, but more importantly it empowers you to take control over the food situations. Just cuz someone offers it or it’s the traditional thing does not mean we have to put our health in jeopardy over it.

#48

Hahaha, it didn’t feel amazing, I wanted to live in an alternate universe where cookies and fudge are the best options for optimum health!!! But, thank you for your cheerleading. :wink:

Your family looks so fine Darcy, thank you for sharing their smiles!

(Doug) #49

Liz, no point in being anything other than honest. I can do very well when on my own - I work away from home most of the time. With my wife, it’s a different story, as we tend to reinforce each other’s bad habits. We know this and have made a lot of improvements, but there’s still a way to go. She likes the idea of losing weight, and really wants to lose, but giving up sugary sweets is as yet too large a hurdle for her.

Going out to eat with my co-workers is another deal. Decades of having a good many drinks before supper and then eating is behind me; can’t give it up, entirely. Easier to be fasting, in fact. Don’t know if I can resolve this in a good way, really. Realistically - perhaps pick my spots, so to speak, with less frequency.

(Doug) #50

:slightly_smiling_face: Good job, Helewisa. Makes my head spin to think of it…

(Dawn) #51

I am determined not to allow 2018 to catch me above 200 pounds, (the last 14 new years have all seen me at above 200, so let’s do something different this year). I am pulling out all the stops to have a very healthy end to 2017. Right now I am at hour 249:53 of my current fast. I only have about 3 more days left before I reach my goal (hopefully). I will then do a healthy refeed for a few days and go right back at it again before Christmas. I feel much better today than I did yesterday so I think I am back on track.

(Doug) #52

:slightly_smiling_face: Maintain that resolve, Dawn.

I’m two days behind you, and now I think tomorrow will be the end. Going off for a Thursday job, and tomorrow evening my co-worker and best friend and I will be in a hotel, in preparation for an early start the next day. Do I go out to eat with him? Yes, almost surely.

(Guillermo Rodriguez) #53

58 hours into my first fast. Day 3 has been amazing so far. I am thinking of breaking my fast tomorrow morning with some BP coffee and slowly ramping up, but it today is as smooth as it’s starting, I may push out a bit.

(Doug) #54

Hey Guillermo. :slightly_smiling_face: I like day 3 on onward too. I’ve read that digestion in total usually takes between 30 and 50 hours for adults, so that third day is when we’re really getting into the real deal.

#55

These longer fasts are fascinating to me, the way we can each find strength in the moment and also that we can “hear” our body say, “enough”.

Certainly, an evening with a friend or colleague and the standard dinner plans and or social time are events, that if not too frequent, should be enjoyed and not fasted through.

The fast I was following the evening of the pot-luck I mentioned was so firmly in my mind that I was not dissuaded…that time. But at other times, as long as I am prepared with some keto options, I’m sure to say “enough” and revel with some munching too!

Congrats on your fast and here’s to more success as the New Year comes along!

(Nicole Sawchuk) #56

I couldn’t fast for more than 24 hours in November. My body just got too hungry! I did a lot of OMAD in November and still lost 2 lbs even though I would say I am at the end of my weight loss journey! But today without effort I am on 48 hours of fasting! I will just go until my body says no more. I am hoping to do lots of these little fasts leading up to Christmas because I am on the road visiting family (less control of food served) and than off to the beach for a week and I want to look good for that!

Its amazing how I feel while fasting! 8 months I have been doing it and it just keeps getting better and better!

(Dawn) #57

ABsolutely you go eat with them. You have to enjoy life. The cool thing about fasting is that it will be right there waiting for you when the fun is over. LOL. Enjoy your friends.

(Dawn) #58

@N1coleS Do you mind sharing how much weight you have lost? Keeps me motivated to hear about success of others.

(Dawn) #59

Day 3 is always my favorite @ErrorF002. It is when I finally break through. The two days prior, I typically need to rely heavily on bone broth and alot of salt and maybe even some coffee to help me through. But once day 3 comes along, I become invincible. I would suggest that you try ONE more day. You probably won’t even notice. If you feel good, don’t break it quite yet (unless you have some social obligations or other pressing reasons) You will find that the longer you go, the more you work that fasting muscle.

My longest fast has been 14 days and it looks like I may end at 15 days this go-round. I honestly am not sure what day I am on. I lose track after four days. 98% of the time I feel great and even workout while fasted with no issues, but towards the end I typically get a little woozy which is a clear sign that it is time to stop. Thought yesterday would be the day that I needed to stop, but I woke up this morning feeling great, so on I go!!!

(Nicole Sawchuk) #60

I’ve lost 30 lbs since May 1, 2017. It isn’t as much as some people on this board (who have some serious inspiring stories) but I went from a size 12 to wearing a size 4 in that time! I have never been this small and couldn’t imagine being this small after having 2 kids!

I had been low carb for about 3 years with minimal weight loss but when I added fasting last May, things took off for me! I don’t have a fasting schedule but fast as much as I can and really focus on feasting properly in a restricted eating window. Its worked for me!