February 2018 IF/EF chat - all welcome

(Ivete C) #41

Well done you :clap:t2:, as you quit coffee, is this a water only fast then? Hope you feel great today :wink:

#42

Yesss @Ivete_C, like Megan Ramos would say, it’s water, it’s salt, it’s not a damn other thing. :joy:

Thanks so much! I have so much energy - I woke up at 7 a.m. (I seem to wake up at 6 or 7 now) and I’m getting so much done!

(Rosi ) #43

I have just started a fast after my evening meal tonight at 8pm. I am setting a goal of 24 hours at first and then I will see if I can push past that. I would like to do a 72 hour fast, but I am afraid I won’t be able to make it. I need an accountability group and I am so glad for this forum to talk about these things!

#44

I have just begun experimental fasting so I really appreciate this thread. Thank you!! I decided on ‘baby steps’ so I don’t sabotage myself.
I am starting with a once per day window, 11 am - 1pm, started yesterday and will see how many days I can string together. I just might be functioning OK by the time I have to start the work week.
Doubling up on the Magnesium glycinate; Aiming for 1 gallon of water; Salt as needed; Continuing other regular supplements (I have no idea if any of them cause a metabolic response thereby ending my fast.)
I must have coffee…it will be awhile before I can cut that for a fast.
I feel good.
Headache is a 5 on a scale of 1-10, it comes and goes.
BG at 4 AM: 92 (a tad higher than my normal, and not an issue)
Ketones at 4 AM: 0.7 (good enough)
I’m not really thinking about food. I’m thinking about how in the heck I will get enough calories and some semblance of correct macros in for the window in order to make it to the next. I feel that my stomach has shrunk, I cannot eat nearly as much at once as I did a month ago. I guess I feel like I’m at a crossroads, I have a slight amount of anxiety either way - that I will, or will not, make my goals.
I wish you all the very best for today and will gladly listen to your suggestions or critique. Time to turn on the 2 Dudes podcasts…Thanks again.

(Liz ) #45

Starting my weekly fast, feel like going for 70hrs instead of 46 this weekend. My fatless coffee experiment has come to an end. I tried a fancy nitro cold brew in a can this morning & along with not enjoying it, I got terrible GERD. So my second cup is French Press with MCT oil blended in.

I’m sad if I’m preventing autophagy by having fat in my coffee but would be satisfied with pushing my insulin level down until I can buy some caffeine pills (to avoid withdrawal as suggested above) & skip coffee on fasting days altogether.

Keep Calm & Fast On, friends!

#46

Hi all, hope everyone’s day of fasting is going well. :slight_smile: I’m currently at 112 hours, which is 4,5 days and change. All is well - no hunger pangs, no cramping, no nothing. Headaches yes, but I suffer from a horrendous headache 24/7 anyway, so it is not fasting related.

My plan is to continue until 12:25 PM Friday, which will get me to 9,5 days. I will break the fast with something light then, and then my son and I will drive to my parents’ house, where I plan to eat oh-so-well all weekend (my dad is keto, so no problems there :blush: ).

#47

I’ve been basically on OMAD Mom thru Fri and 12:12 for the weekends for last 3_weeks. I had done 16:8 before but honestly like OMAD better since I can really eat a lot at night and not have to moderate during the day. I do try to finish eating by 8PM. Been losing consistently and will keep this till I hit a plateau then try a multi day fast. Since Jan 12, 2017 down 73 lbs so keto works for me. I did gain back 15 lbs when trying OMAD with carbs. Learned my lesson! 25 lbs more to go to BMI of 25.

(KCKO, KCFO) #48

Had started a 36 hr. fast, that just naturally turned into a 46 hr. fast, just didn’t feel like I wanted to eat anything at 36 hrs. Finally broke it with 4 olives, 5 macadamia nuts, 3 Prosciutto wrapped pieces of mozzarella. About a hr. later had a normal keto meal.

Planning only one meal today, and back to 36 hrs. fasting after that. While fasting yesterday, I found this interesting tidbit

Seems the Crete’s in Keyes’ study fasted a bunch, I checked the calendar for Greek Orthodox fasting days, there are 180+ per year. So basically just about the every other day fasting pattern, they do have clustered days like the Lent season, so the fasting is spread out and they have some fasting days that just limit certain foods. But that is a lot of fasting in a year.

Happy fasting everyone.

(Allie) #49

I’ve ended up on OMAD yesterday and today. Just happened, not planned. Very rarely actually plan food these days :joy:

#50

After two OMAD 22/2 days I think I can do this. Experience is my best teacher.
Caffiene pills - there’s a good idea, thanks for the tip!!

Meal macros today: 83.9% fat, 14.5% protein, 1.6% carbs.
just under 1600 kcal.
I feel like I ate too much but I’ll need to adapt and adjust.
Glucose still at 92
Ketones: 0.5
I feel like I could do just about anything right now, giving off heat like a furnace and getting off the computer to go do lots of things…

#51

Hey guys, how’s everyone? I’m at 131 hours (approx. 5,5 days). At this point the whole thing is effortless.

During my previous longest fast (7 days Jan 7th to Jan 13th) towards the end I was experiencing some pretty nasty pains on my left leg - first in the knee and then along the shin. I badly broke the tibia and fibula bones on that leg last June, they put in a metal pin from the knee to the ankle, and it took six months for the bones to heal (Dec 19th was when they officially said it was ossified). The fracture was four inches above the ankle, but the knee also went through a lot, since they had to move the knee cap out of the way to put in the pin and all kinds of stuff. And when I could finally walk, there were some problems with the nerves, since the leg hadn’t been used for four months. Anyway, I think the pain was related to autophagy, even though in some podcast I heard Megan Ramos say that it should never cause pain. I also felt a feeling of tightening in the scar above the knee, which is the biggest scar of the 15 or so I got in the operation. In any case, no such sensations this time. Also the last time I didn’t feel so good on day six, and by bed time I just decided that I will sleep, and in the morning I will eat (although previously I was intending to wait until dinner to break the fast, which would’ve made it an even 7 days). We’ll see how it goes this time.

I’ve lost 7 pounds during this fast. And I finally reached another landmark - all together since last February I’ve lost more than 50 pounds (50,5). :yellow_heart::yellow_heart::yellow_heart: 28,5 of those are pre-keto, and 22 from my keto journey this year.

(She had one feck to give and that feck is gone.) #52

:eagle: :1st_place_medal:. Started my third alternate day 36hr fast last night. Need to not panic about eating enough on feasting days. Had a lil too much Keto dessert yesterday. Sleep was uncomfortable :persevere:.

Going for three 36hr fasts per week for now. Happy fasting all!!!

(Jason Cordier) #53

Nice work and congratulations @allzed! Great progress and success. Keep it up.

(Liz ) #54

Wow @allzed great progress! I wonder what was going on with those surgery spots? I’ve read on here of diabetics experiencing temporary pain in their legs as damaged nerves regrow.

I’m 36 1/2 hours in on a ~70 hour fast. Trying a caffeine pill and herbal tea today instead of disappointing black coffee. I split the 200 mg pill into quarters & I’m taking a piece every 15 minutes for an hour to sort of mimic how I drink coffee & hopefully avoid getting a rush or nausea.

Hopefully this maintains my caffeine addiction well enough that I can avoid a withdrawal headache/migraine and go back to my delicious butter coffee on eating days.

If this works, today will be my very first actual water (no fats) fasting day since I started Keto in March 2017.

Meanwhile I had a realization that I still wanted to cook dinner for my husband on my fasting days. I like the routine, I like making sure he’s got a fantastic Keto meal at a good time of the evening. I thought I’d enjoy having the time off frompreparing meals but when I left it to him, I saw him waiting too long to fix himself something, then he might eat something pretty processed. Meh. I didn’t want my fasting to force him into bad habits.

He’s not obese at all, and he’s not full Keto, but he’s fairly low carb because of me. He actually quit OJ, corn chips, and fruit a few months ago and lost 7-10 pounds all around his middle. So I hope that means he lost or is losing visceral fat too. The last time he was this weight he looked gaunt in the face, this time I can’t even tell, it’s really just around his spare tire. Anyway he’s stoked to get my cooking & I feel better too. Win/win!

#55

Good luck @LizinLowell - I’m sure you’ll make it through the day!! And thank you @JasonCordier! :slight_smile:

I live with my 7-year-old son, so I don’t have to cook that much - I can get away with cooking every 2-3 days and then serving the same thing for a couple of days and taking something from the freezer. And, like any good mom, of course I make him things I don’t really want to eat anyways. :smiley: Except last Saturday - I had accidentally bought too small a packet of minced meat for his casserole, and I substituted the rest with bacon. Frying bacon was not cool. :smiley:

Oh, while I’m at it, I have to share a story about my kid. The last day of my previous longer fast I was preparing some hot dogs for him, and I wondered, out loud, why they smell so freaking good. Then I realized that of course, it’s because I haven’t eaten in six days. My son, his eyes the size of dinner plates, turned to me and exclaimed: “Mom, you haven’t eaten in six days?? B-but you should be dead by now! :flushed:” :joy:

#56

Hi everyone, I have been keto for a while but new to fasting. I do know a bit about it but I have some rookie questions just to be on the safe side.

My little “ambitious” plan is to do OMAD during the week or most of the week - do like to have dinner with the family. I find fasting easy if I eat enough at dinners. My main goal is to improve my mental health/focus and my metabolism - increase insulin sensitivity mainly at this point. I know there is a thread on coffee with cream on this. How does green tea fit in? Is it ok for my goal to have a few green teas (with nothing or maybe some saffron) during the day? Multivitamins?

Thanks in advance!!

#57

Warrior Fast (20/4) today. I intend to do a 3-day next week, i.e. Tuesday night to Friday night. We will see how it goes.

(Arlene) #58

Jezza, I started doing this too. I am finally emotionally ready for voluntary fasting. That might sound silly, but I have had difficulty with the thought process. Anyway, I started fasting every M,W,F, which is basically three 36hr fasts/week, like you. I’m hoping this breaks my 8 month stall.

(Liz ) #59

Yes that all sounds good!

(Liz ) #60

Ugh I’m so depressed today. It’s taking everything I have to do the simplest tasks. I assume this is fasting related? It stinks! No headaches, I’ve had plenty of salt, took milk thistle to help my liver, I don’t feel sluggish. This is my first coffee free day, I wonder if it’s some kind of withdrawal from that or the morning fats I’m used to. Some kind of seratonin or dopamine imbalance?

Boo! Do not want. I’ll just keep plugging along though, I’m nothing if not determined. Anyone else suffer like this while fasting?