Extended fasts or weekly 24 hour fasts?

(David Cooke) #1

Title says it really. I was never a hungry person, had a BMI of 25.1 when I started Keto and am now at BMI 23. So weight loss was never a big deal for me, I started Keto when in addition to blood pressure meds, my doc gave me statins, stopped all that now.
I generally get most of my calories at breakfast + midday meal, in the evening it’ll likely be an egg, 1/2 avocado and a little cheese, but I could easily do without. My breakfast this morning was 17 gm of carbs (toast!), 1069 kCal.
At the same time I have no problem going from breakfast to breakfast without eating once a week and I think this probably is better for me than intermittent? Or maybe take it to 36 hours once a week?
Which should I choose, extended (24 or 36 hours?) or intermittent?
Thanks for your thoughts.

#2

Simple. Experiment. Hours vs. benefits and ability to maintain and function well.

(Carl Keller) #3

Extended fasts or weekly 24 hour fasts?

I say mix it up. Don’t give your metabolism a chance to adjust to patterns. Feasting days can be just as beneficial as full fasting days since fully resetting your hunger reassures your body that starvation is not a threat. Maybe a few days of OMAD, one EF and a few days of 2MAD over the course of a week.

(David Cooke) #4

I can’t see any immediate, obvious benefits or drawbacks either way, although after a 24 hour fast my wife complains about my breath. After an 18 hour fast that doesn’t happen to the point that she complains, so that’s a good point. Blood pressure etc stays about the same.

(Allie) #5

Whichever fits best with your lifestyle and makes you feel good.

(Troy) #6

This^

Hum
I think it was maybe Megan Ramos, Dr. Jason Fung that “ recommended “ a 36 hour fast vs a 24?
Ugh🤔
Maybe others can chime in or link the podcast if possible

(David Cooke) #7

Thanks. Maybe you meant this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3dwizlGaRI
Sort of pointing towards longer fasting for weight loss and intermittent fasting for health? I’ll have to watch it again.

(Bev) #8

I usually finish dinner before 7 and most days don’t eat again until11-11:30. I’m thirsty so I do drink lots of water and use pink Himalayan salt. I’ve been having lots of heartburn even tho I take meds twice a day. Any suggestions. Used tums yesterday but their is sucrose in it. Any suggestions?

(David Cooke) #9

I was a sufferer also before I started Keto. Completely gone now. At the same time I started Keto I started taking Apple Cider Vinegar and according to what I have read, this counters heart burn.
I don’t swig it down by the pint, a tablespoon at the bottom of a glass mixed with carbonated water and a little ginger tea actually tastes quite good.
Counter intuitive I know but it works for me.

(Bev) #10

Thanks I’ll have to try that.

(Karim Wassef) #11

My two cents:
I prefer EF myself because I measure my ketone and glucose levels to get a representative measure of autophagy - and visibility to my glucagon/insulin switch…

One day does nothing for me. I need at least three days. So I fast from Tues 7pm to Saturday 7pm and frankly, I don’t see or feel the benefits until Friday night…

I do IF Saturday through Tuesday also but that’s different. It’s more like maintenance fasting for hormonal balance vs. therapeutic fasting for healing and epi-generic triggering.

Simply put - IF boosts my GH and testosterone. EF boosts my longevity and youth. By alternating the two and lifting/protein bulking, I get both mToR and AMPK… I’m very greedy :smiley:

(Bob M) #12

Megan Ramos did imply (somewhere) that 36 hours are better.

Found it:

This was important because Mrs. Ramos had a different interpretation of my stall than I did. To her, my 12+ pattern had not allowed my liver and pancreas to fully heal from my pre-diabetes. Multiple 36+ hour fasts drain your liver of glycogen and start working on reducing ectopic and visceral fat. The longer fast forces your body to switch from stored glucose. Her theory was that my glucose was remaining high because my liver and pancreas were still operating based upon my insulin resistant history, that I had not reset this hormonal set-point. I needed longer fasts to drain my liver of glycogen and, thereby, reset the set-point.

See:

https://idmprogram.com/idmsuccess-a-different-path-to-the-same-destination/

(Troy) #13

Thanks! @ctviggen

(David Cooke) #14

Yes, that’s the way I am beginning to think. I am 71 and imagine that my body will be reacting more slowly than 50 years ago. However my weight has stabilised at a good level and I am no longer (never was, really) interested in weight loss.
I think I’ll try a few more 24 hour fasts and then switch to intermittent, see what happens.
I’ll probably end up doing a mixture of both although I can’t see myself doing more than 36 hours.
Thanks.

(Sophie) #15

I am doing one weekly fast for minimum
36 hours. Any longer is a challenge for me as I’m not yet fat adapted but I think I would like to try a three day fast down the line.

I read a true day fast has to be 36 hours aswell. If I donlonger than 45 hours I tend to binge but 36 hours is the sweet spot for me currently and it feels so nice to not feel that hunger and have control

(Karim Wassef) #16

In my experience, fasting gets progressively easier as long as you take it one day at a time… the third day of a three day fast and the 12th day of a 12 day fast are equally challenging to me.

The anticipation of eating breaks my mental calmness. I also realize just how much of everyday life in our modern society is food centric… the ads, the vids, social media, work, play, conversations, socializing, family time… that takes mental adaptation. I am content to sip on an unsweetened ice tea and ignore it.

I believe that anyone can fast on water and salt for a few weeks as long as you’re fat adapted and have more than 10% body fat & without a medical conditions.

I think my Dr is at the greater risk of heart attack when I tell him… he needs to fast more to deal with the stress I create for him… :smiley: