I think richard supplied a very good calculator and information to help figure that out. Shown in his post above. It guides someone into approximate daily fat needs to sustain a fast. Erdoke provided names of two more fasting expert luminaries. Information points to some minimal muscle breakdown at first, and then muscle sparing kicks in as survival mechanism. So, eating plenty of fat to sustain oneself during a fast should be doable in a short fast cycle, like 3 days. And of course, the way to find out is trying it. As in n=1.
Dr. Phinney's take on fasting
If you are lean you will absolutely start losing lean muscle mass after an extended period of time. I would try it, but also be very cautious.
Not really. Itâs mostly mental. Bodybuilders like Brad Pilon have been fasting for 24 hours at a time for years for the muscle gains and fat control and they are very lean. If you can do 24 hours, you can do 72. Thatâs actually not a long fast.
Iâm not saying itâs not something that needs to be worked up to. I started with 24 hour fasts (dinner to dinner). The first few times it seemed hard, but do-able. Now I can do 7-10 days and it doesnât seem any harder. Itâs really getting started that is hardest. Still, if you are lean and not IR, what is your motivation for fasting?
Mostly the autophagy aspect, I typically just fast between 14 and 18 or so hours every night. But all the hype around it makes you feel like youâre a loser if you canât do at least 3 days! I am currently trying to rebalance my hormones which have been affected by my low body fat. I have no cycle, so extended fasting is probably not in my near futureâŚ
I am about 9% body fat and I have just starting doing 36hr fasts (only done 2)⌠I will let you know my results in time⌠Yes this is a common method of getting lean amongst bodybuilders⌠I am sure the most ripped caveman used to do this a fair bit?
I wonder if the problem arises from them focusing on such different groups of people? Their experience and research is so different so how can either make assumptions and recommendations for all? I think you are spot on re self experimentation.
But are they all overweight with more useable body fat?
THis makes sense from a logical perspective.
9 % is fine, if kind of low, for a man. Iâm at 12% which very low for a woman. Despite eating copious amounts on keto my body thinks itâs starving. So add a long fast to that and it will only make things worse for me!
I always eat very fatty cuts and some times add a little fat too. Iâll eat all the fat before the lean. Iâm shocked sometimes at how much I can eat and still feel hungry after.
DJTaylor Womenâs bodyâs are much more sensitive to variations in body fat levels. And just curious are you some kind of buff Australian farmer?? heheheâŚ
What I am wondering is if the ratio is off. The only reason I say this is because when I overeat on protein (which I have a tendency to do) I get more hungry whereas if I eat more fat to protein less so.
I wonder also what would happen if you had 2 meals per day instead of one?
Ha ha yeah my hat is a bit crazy⌠No I am a graphic designer⌠Just sit at a computer during the day and am I a keen on my fitness
Seriously? Whoâs calling you a loser for not doing a 3-day fast. I couldnât care less if you did or notâŚno skin off my back. Sounds like itâs not something you need, and your body is telling you that. So, why not leave the issue alone? There are many many many members on this forum with deranged metabolism, inflammation, diabetes, obesity, etcâŚthat seek this therapy. I look through your posts and you repeat that you are lean and underweight (too low body fat) and couldnât find other reasons (I.e. Metabolic disease) to justify the fasting. So, why are you seeking approval from us for not getting through a 3 day fast? Youâve got my approval, if you want it (but, seriously, you donât need itâŚjust do whatâs right for you). Not every therapy on this forum is a therapy for everyone, and certainly not all are right for you. My two cents.
Please donât feel like a loser. Clearly you are not. Be ok with you.
I was really just making light of it, I know people here have many different issues they struggle with, itâs just such a big part of the keto world, kind of like eating meat. If you do keto and are vegetarian people think it doesnât fit somehow. Fasting is just such a natural extension of keto, but itâs almost like a competitive sport some how. I know my bodyâs needs are different than other peoples, I was just drawn in by how in fact this lady could fast so long if she is indeed very lean.
My dear, it is only a small part of the keto world. People have been doing keto for decades, and people have been fasting for millenia, and only recently has it been trendy. Do not sweat it at all.
I cannot fast long and I am far from lean. All of our bodies are different. If you are already lean, likely you donât need to worry about autophagy as much if you take care of yourself. Celebrate your body for that.
80 lbs overweight is not lean
Fasting is a therapy that helped many people reverse life-threatening diseases, painful inflammation and solving life-long overweight issues. People suffering from these afflictions donât necessarily make light of it. They seek help and knowledge. This forum is one example where they come to seek information on fasting and learn about experiences from others.
Ok, so you are not the #1 extended faster in the world. Who cares. Nobody cares. So, if a 350 lbs person, who is capable of water fasting for months, and is considered the bestâŚgreat for them. So what. I already forgotâŚwhat were we talking aboutâŚ?