How do you Zorn Fast in a non-keto family

(Larry Lustig) #1

No one else in my family (wife, two teenagers) is keto. They’re pretty much over any objections they may have had to my eating ketogenically (“I hate his diet, but it sure does work!” – my wife). But I do think they’d be a little freaked out by my not eating at all for three days.

I did do one three day fast before, in September. At the time I was traveling with one of my daughters visiting colleges in upstate New York. She didn’t really notice I wasn’t eating (she stayed over with a friend at Cornell, so it wasn’t that apparent to her) and the rest of my family probably never knew about the fast.

I’m stalled in terms of weight loss and would like to observe the upcoming fast. But I don’t want to be ostentatious, I don’t want to worry my family, and I don’t want to have to avoid the dinner table (we have family dinner every night). Also, I have one child with anxiety and depression issues that have at times bordered onto anorexia / bulimia and I kind of don’t want them even aware of what I’m doing.

How do other people navigate the extended fasting landscape when they don’t want to involve their non-keto, non-fasting family members?

(carl) #2

I just do it, endure the dirty looks, and revel in the results. I make sure I show them how much energy I have.

(Meeping up the Science!) #3

It’s tricky with eating disorders and fasting. My clinician self would always suggest eating when possible if the individual with it is present, because that normalizes eating. Even in treatment programs we have to eat with the clients visibly to teach them normalized eating. Could you fast the rest of the day?

Is your daughter currently in counseling? If so, I’d ask her particular clinician what they advise.

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #4

THIS

(Richard Morris) #5

First couple of fasts I did, to be social at Dinner time (which is our primary social zone) I would have a half cup of stock blitzed up in a mug of water until it was cloudy and looked almost like a “cream of” soup. That met all our social requirements.

Recently I have water fasted, and just had a green tea.

(Larry Lustig) #6

In heavy therapy but not for eating disorder, which has never been diagnosed. Just starting a new intensive DBT program. Don’t particularly want to involve the therapist in this issue – I can recognize that if I have to ask the therapist if it’s something I can expose my daughter to then I probably already know the answer.

Just realized that I have a (very rare) night away on business Thursday which means I can probably do Thursday and Friday without making it a family issue. Of course, that means that I don’t get to eat the very nice lunch this particular client generally buys. But nowadays food has no relatively little control over me!

(Meeping up the Science!) #7

Intensive DBT is the best option, as I’m sure you know. Also, you have excellent insight, Larry. Your daughter is very fortunate to have you for a parent. Many of my clients are not as fortunate as her to have such a wonderful father. :slight_smile:

(Larry Lustig) #8

You are very kind. Without trying to sound egotistical, I can say that I feel my wife and I are average or better parents (which isn’t a complement to us so much as an observation on the generally poor state of parenting). I only wish there were a central authority that ensured that children with good parenting experiences went untroubled.

(Meeping up the Science!) #9

Parenting is a learned skill that we do not teach. Most people never get support or assistance that they need. I got an extra certificate in child counseling. The children, even with severe mental illness, were by far easier to deal with than their parents, many of whom were in denial. It’s worse at the Medicaid level where I worked, because social services in Illinois have been drastically cut due to Rauner. Many parents were unable to get mental health care, never mind their children. I spent more time teaching basic development and parenting skills than doing actual counseling.

I think competency is often mistaken for egotism, sadly.

(Larry Lustig) #10

So, with regard to my immediate issue it turns out I can eat tonight and then Thursday and Friday I’ll be away and can fast without anyone (except my client) being the wiser. Saturday I won’t eat during the day (which I don’t generally do anyway) and Saturday evening I can break the fast with my family.

I’m going to do this fast with cream-in coffee and tea. I hope that’s okay. @BrendaZorn, do you have the book?

(chris.coote) #15

They have grown so used to me not necessarily eating the same meal, they haven’t noticed yet that Ihaven’t eaten since last Thursday…

(Larry Lustig) #16

Pulled it off. Went three days without anyone realizing it. Could have gone at least another day although then I would have had to explain why I want eating the family dinner I had just cooked.

#17

Very cool Larry! I’m glad you were able to participate!

#18

Awesome Dude!

#19

My husband doesn’t mind me fasting. Probably because I still enjoy cooking even while I’m fasting. He is low carb, but not keto and no interest in fasting himself.

(Malcolm Groves) #20

My wife is keto, but doesn’t fast. When I first started IF she was a little worried, but I promised her if I started to feel bad I’d eat. Now she’s used to me doing EF once a month, and likes it because I’m cheap to feed :slight_smile:

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #21

I love this that they didn’t notice!

(Cathie Condon) #22

I did a 17 day fast all the while cooking for the family and no one noticed. I’ve gotten them use to me eating different foods at different times than them. Totally amused and then annoyed me.

(chris.coote) #23

Amused -> Annoyed -> Accepting ->Amused Phase II