Extended Fasting - My Experience (so far)


(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #1

72hrs in and still going. I started this because I felt uncomfortable with cramps, bloating and not the best toilet visits, even some blood which my Dr is investigating!
I thought a fast longer than my normal 18hrs could do no harm, give my guts a rest perhaps.
So thought I’d share for anyone thinking of trying it.
I’m good at giving things up, booze, cigarettes, carbs and now eating lol.
Actually day 1 was the hardest for me, each day has got easier! I’ve only consumed water, coffee and electrolyes.
So do I feel different? Yes. My senses seem hightened and I feel energetic and motivated.
Sleep is the same, I wake once because of the bloating pain. but feel more awake in the day.
So on to the guts, there’s been plenty of noise down there and the cramps, bloating etc haven’t gone yet. Nor has the poop! so don’t believe the internet (again). Expect watery poo.
Have I missed anything?


#2

Wow, nice! I couldn’t do EF since years but I feel ready to push it a little more in the future!

When do you plan to stop, when you feel the need or do you have some limit in mind?
I am not very familiar with bloating (only ever happened to me when I ate a ton, lots of carbs too) but it surprised me you still have that, after days…


(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #3

Think I’ll eat tomorrow … that’ll be over 80 hrs. Just not sure what to eat? and how much!


#4

It would be so easy for me…
Pork of course, as much as I feel like. Or whatever my body desires. Well, after days it usually act like “food? what is food? I don’t remember food. but give me something against this hunger!”, it’s not helpful. It’s amazing how easily it gets disconnected from eating when I normally love food so overly much…
Soft boiled eggs sound good to me as well. Oh and it seems to be “fasting food” (yeah it sounds bad and an oxymoron, I don’t do such things myself) for many but gateway food for me: broth. If I have some broth, it’s easier to eat something solid even if I didn’t have any inclination to do so (beyond being hungry or being sure I need to eat already. so, with lower than zero desire for food). Drinking is easy and I kind of remember what food is and why I like it.

Over 17 hours for me (but it’s more important that it’s after sunset and I still haven’t eaten. it’s a win day). No idea if I will eat dinner. I just wait until hunger gets unpleasant. It’s fun now :slight_smile: I am glad I am able to push things as long as it’s comfortable or almost.


(Bob M) #5

I used to eat a normal meal after 4.5-5.5 day fasts. But I started “eating” something like bone broth, then waiting a bit, like 30-60 minutes, then eating something like an egg, then waiting 30-60 minutes and eating a small meal. Eat a larger meal later, by a few hours. This seemed to ease me into eating better than suddenly eating a large meal.

I’d suggest starting near lunch and planning on being near a toilet for a while. Or at least that’s what happened to me – all the water I’d been drinking suddenly wanted to come out.


(Doug) #6

There’s always ‘more’ - different fasts have different things. I did Wednesday-Thursday-Friday last week, and got that ‘lightness of being’ feeling - things were easy and I was motivated and energetic. Some fasts are easier than others; I don’t think one ever totally knows what’s coming.

The gut stuff - so much is involved there. Bacteria, good bacteria, bad bacteria… I don’t know all of what causes cramps, etc.

I have one big cup of black coffee on fasting mornings (or afternoons - sometimes get up pretty late) and to an extent it “goes right through me.” Never has been a big deal.


(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #7

Oh that might happen then? OK glad you mentioned that. Thanks Egg sounds good.

That’s what l think too. But I do feel great. I’m defo doing this again. The high is similar to first strting Keto. But that might be just me.


#8

People are different and many have that for whatever reasons. It hardly would ever happen to me.

Many people talk about this, I didn’t get it from keto or fasting. A tiiiiny bit from keto, I got it as a sign to do it and waited (stuck to keto) until fat adaptation (remarkable discipline from me).
I do love fasting, it’s chill and a nice, easier feeling but no high. Just no food burden. (I love eating but it still breaks the chill. If there is a chill. It has wonderful positive effects if I am really hungry and the food is enough to make me satiated.)
I must be really lucky. I love when I don’t eat and I love when I eat. Usually. I just can’t make the fasting period long enough yet. A bit above 24 hours and I need to eat again :frowning: I hope my current OMAD success (way more OMAD days this year than before) is a sign I will be able to fast longer soon.


(Alec) #9

This. Good advice.


(Doug) #10

I’ve probably done about 40 fasts of 3 days or more. A very few times I’ve had real ‘euphoria’ - like maybe 6 or 7 times, and this is only a hour at most, but it’s indeed a real “high.” :slightly_smiling_face::smile:

If nothing else it’s a real break for the liver, etc. Time to get refreshed.


(Bob M) #11

I always found that the high and lack of hunger didn’t hit until at least day 3. Day 2 was almost always the worst.

But I remember being at the end of day 4 for one fast and being STARVING. Not sure why. It was bed time, so I went to bed, but it was a challenge to make it without eating.

I originally ate a full meal after 4.5 days, but I found that really caused some extreme episodes of going to the bathroom. I found that if I eased more into eating, this was lessened. Not cured, which is why I suggest you be near a bathroom, but better. There was someone here who said they were going to end their 5 day fast by going to dinner with friends. To me, that’s a bad idea (the ending the fast part out at dinner). But not everyone else’s body might start up like mine does, which is cranking.


(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #12

Had my 1st meal this morning and yes, it didn’t take long. Must say I feel great for doing it. Think I might try 3 day fast on the 1st of next month.


#13

How do you handle the mental “hunger”? Or you don’t have it?
I only had 1.5 days of no cooking and a tiny meal yesterday and already missed food (at least cooking/baking) so much at noon! I wasn’t hungry yet, I just felt a void. Do you have such things? Maybe I am not busy enough with better things, that’s possible. Food always was one of my biggest joy, not just eating. Still, I am supposed to be forget about it for a few days when I am not hungry… But nope.


(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #14

I’ve had it briefly, it passes. The good feeeling outweighed the bad.


(KM) #15

Having plenty to do that is distracting is definitely helpful. If I’m going to sit and do something that doesn’t require my hands, like watching TV, I try to find a simple crafty thing to do, like knitting.

If my mind is simply not letting go of the idea of having food, I double down on focusing on what a good thing I’m doing for myself, how much it’s helping my body. I’ll have a glass of water maybe with a slice of lemon in it, I’ll take a bath and sweat out some more toxins, I’ll go for a walk.

I agree, it’s definitely different every time. Everything from counting minutes, to simply forgetting that eating is a thing.


#16

Try some fasting salt. They have good combinations of electrolytes in one practical package. Powders work quickly.


#17

That one works for me except when I am already hungry. All excercise tends to make my tiny hunger more and more severe, cycling overhill can be quite hellish when already hungry :smiley: (Though it was long ago, I should try it again…)
But if I am not hungry, some nice walking works well. I tend to eat without hunger so it’s something I appreciate.

I only managed once to be busy enough to forget about eating (I was programming). But now that I am fat adapted, being away and not around any food is good as my hunger shrugs and goes away quite often. Hard exercise is still not advisable for me then. I don’t even try to lift on fasting days, not like I have any these years… Even if I didn’t get too hungry, I probably would want to eat as it sounds the right thing to do… I don’t care who can pull it off just fine, I can put my very occasional fasting day on non-workout days.

Being in my room is the best against eating though. I can be very focused on things here and too lazy to go downstairs where all the food is… Of course I need to go down sometimes and that is more dangerous. I ate so many times without a real need just because I was there and I wasn’t satiated… And I can’t be nicely satiated for days, I even get somewhat hungry so I need some determination AND lack the real need to eat.


(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #18

Update .

I had reservations about extended fasting, Was it Ifod’s idea of ‘stressing’? this made sense
Anyhow, my bloating and discomfort has gone and 3 days later digestion has returned to normal. Phew!
Hope this helps anyone considering fasting :smile:


(John) #19

I’d love to know what your electrolyte regimen was. I always end up having to suffer with leg cramps from not enough, or diarrhea from too much and haven’t figured out the right balance for me.


(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #20

John I did actually post a thread about this very subject. It was on my mind too. And salts seemed important in this situation.
TBH I think you’d need to work out whats best for you personally. Of course it’s only 3 days so probably no big deal.
I just used my normal electrolytes