First-Time Extended Faster!

#1

I am doing my first extended fast! I am about 15 hours in to a 60-70 hour fast, depending on how I do! Any advise for a newbie? Warning signs that would suggest I need to stop? I am new to this, about 7 weeks into Keto and feeling pretty fat adapted. I’ve been intermittent fasting for the same 7 weeks, eating only from noon to 8 with an exception of the weekends where I eat breakfast and then fast until dinner. I normally am hungry by noon on days I fast until lunch, but habits die hard!

I think what I am doing is considered a fat fast, as I am having 1 tbsp of MCT in my mid-morning black coffee. I do plan to take electrolytes and introduce an Omega-3 supplement and good multi-vitamin, which I haven’t been taking before now. I also have a bunch of Himalayan salt. I think I am very insulin resistant, as weight loss has been very slow, to date. My fasting BG is on the high end @ 100 on average, but my ketone levels have been very consistent at 1.3-1.4! I would like to work toward doing 3-5 day fasts each week during the weekdays until I reach my goal weigh, and I have like 170 pounds to lose! Long road! Hoping that fasting will help me break through my metabolic and hormonal issues (PCOS, also!). Everyone here has been so helpful so far!

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #2

Serious hunger would be one. You’ll know if it’s serious or not. Feeling very cold might be another sign that it’s time to stop. Fasting is a skill that needs to be practiced, like exercising your muscles. Others will probably have more and better advice.

#3

Prepare yourself for persistent hunger waves in hours 22-26, then 46-50 and again 70-74 because these comprise normally scheduled eating times. Push through these and you should do fine. Late in Days 3 and 4 things get easier.

Problems: Several but not insurmountable. If you get cold, join the EF crowd. Check to see if it’s just cold outside or in your home; next simply look to see if you are sipping on ice water; get up and move around; take a warm/hot shower; but if it gets unbearable and you suspect hypoglycemia then check your blood sugar level and if it is below 60 or 55 then start thinking about ending the fast.

If you are fasting for weight loss and not specifically autophagy, then beef or chicken broth can help with the chills and add salt. A can of sardines could help.

Note that some of these officially break an EF, however, if weight loss is the goal, you can get away with these mini-meals and immediately return to the fast and enjoy weight loss success. The autophagy effects may be halted (maybe just slowed).

Now don’t continue to interject mini-meals into a weight loss fast because you might risk harm to your metabolism. Make this mini-meal strategy the exception rather than a normal fasting tool.

#4

Thanks, @GentleBen! Is the MCT considered a mini-meal? Or can I include that in black coffee each morning with the same degree of success?

(Karim Wassef) #5

There’s no explicit rules to what is a fast. You can fast with salt and water… or add omega 3 supplements … or add MCT… at some point, it becomes a “fat” fast. You can even supplement with BCAAs and you can choose to call it fasting.

As stated above, it depends on your goals

  1. Fat loss (endogenous keto)
  2. Mental focus (deep keto)
  3. Longevity and healing (autophagy)

If you’re looking for fat loss, you can use some fats like MCT and supplements and lose fat.

If you’re looking for mental focus, you can do a fat fast and be fine.

If you’re looking for longevity, it’s best to stick to salts and water to get the greatest effect.

All this is on a gradual scale and based on other variables like your exercise and activity levels, etc…

(Carl Keller) #6

Since I usually begin my fast after diner, these were the hardest times for me too. The clock can try to convince you it’s time to eat, even when you are not hungry. So it’s best to ignore the clock and try to stay busy at dinner time.

#7

I made it to 24 hours! Got pretty light headed around hour 22 but had some salt and feel better. I haven’t had super hunger yet, but I’ve got plenty of fuel to burn!

(Carl Keller) #8

Don’t forget to stay hydrated too!

#9

@Thinby32. Today (2-20-19) I had a colonoscopy and had to do the normal pre-fast and super prep flush. Sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate and potassium sulfate combined to cleanse you out big time.

All went well and clear, the flush and test results thank you, and so I ended the fast at 48 hours with a small lettuce and tomato salad and two leg-thighs from a rotisserie chicken. Add in a small bag of Whisps and I was well under 15-18 total carbs.

The result was a 4.2 weight loss in just two days. Dipped to 184.2 (-71.2 pounds in 10 months). Plan to re-feed until Sunday and then start the next fast at no more than 187.2.

You have to set yourself up for a roller coaster ride but one that has lower dips and then subsequently lower peaks after each fast. If you have a net loss of 1.5 to 2.0 pounds per fast then you are doing good. Notice I am not expecting to hold 184.2 during re-feeding. However I began this last 2-day dat at nearly 189 so I had a successful net loss on this short fast.

I hope this makes sense. These Fasting rides have to be persistent and enjoyable afterward.

#10

Makes sense! I made it to hour 36 now. My ketones went up from 1.3 to 1.9 since yesterday morning, fasting BG isn’t really budging from 100. And I lost 3.3 pounds! I am going to try and get through the day but I woke up HUNGRY this morning, which never happens. Aside from coffee, I almost always fast until noon without hunger. As long as my brain is functioning well enough to work, I will make it!

(Karim Wassef) #11

I second using MCT as a crutch to push through and get more fasting-adapted.

#12

Good luck to you! Personally I use these as guidelines to stop a fast:

  • persistent cold or fatigue
  • any dizziness
  • my husband telling me I look pale
  • continuous hunger (generally when I fast, I get fleeting hunger pangs, but once on day 5 or 6 I was just hungry - really, distractingly hungry - for hours)
  • poor sleep (if this is getting to the point that it’s interfering with my work)

The first three are probably salt-related, so I’m trying to be more on top of electrolyte intake. Do you know that there’s a ZornFast happening right now? A bunch of us are fasting for 4 days starting today, so it’s a nice place to check in if you want to head over to that thread.

#13

Well I only made it 48 hours. After the first day, I started to get a super sore, dry throat. I drank a lot of water and seltzer water, electrolytes, and a lot of Himalayan salt. By hour 44 or so, I was feeling downright miserable like a major cold was coming on. Throat hurt bad, very heavy chested. I had some broth, and then felt worse. I was exhausted and drained. Had a salad for dinner. I suspect the issue was related to the fast, because I have been getting better since. Any suggestions? I wanted to incorporate regular 48 hour fasts, but not if I feel like [spoiler]shit[/spoiler] every time.

ETA: Hunger wasn’t really an issue. That part was manageable.

(Libby) #14

Well, just wanted you to know that I am rooting for you. 48 hours is the bomb. I want to start fasting, too.

And[spoiler] “If at first you don’t fricassee, fry fry a hen”[/spoiler] is my new motto.

I understand that the more one fasts, the easier it gets. Like, “fast-adapted” instead of fat-adapted. Some people actually sound like they enjoy it.

(Karim Wassef) #15

Great progress!
It will get easier. Make sure you have enough salt and it’s usually much more than you think. I can’t put it in water - too harsh. I have to eat it in pinches and then down it with water to get enough.

(Windmill Tilter) #16

I’ve done a dozen or so 3-5 day fasts. My number 1 cue to break the fast is when I’m hungry in the morning. After years of 8:16 IF, I’m almost never hungry in the morning. I don’t care if it’s day 2 or day 5, if I wake up hungry I find myself a jar of peanut butter and break the fast. YMMV.