How long can you fast without harm?

(Raj Seth) #21

Eggs can be hard for some. A handful of macadamia nuts is an option. You should gain some as the body renovates during your post fast feast. That’s a good thing👍

#22

When I did my 23 day fast I did a refeed with bone broth. Waited felt sick bathroom run… next day I ate a few olives all good, then some cheese, felt fine. Then some salami, and I felt fine so that night ate dinner. Prior to breaking my fast I took mg, cream of tartar, and Real salt regularly. I think the bone broth is important for phosphorus to reduce likelihood of refeeding syndrome along with the k. I lost 20 pounds and have kept it off. But I fast weekly. I did a 16 day fast and weight I lost during that returned. I bounce between my low and 7 pounds higher BUT I think I have just discovered that is caused by my love of all things dairy. So going off cow dairy to see if the fasting weightvstays off.Good luck and stay near a bathroom on refeeding day. Also there were several times during fasting when I had a "cleansing " day. Not sure what triggers it but it was pretty consistent and based on my google search pretty typical during extended fasting so don’t be surprised.

(Trish) #23

I have containers of chicken veggie soup in the freezer that I do refeeding with. Easy to digest especially after having been frozen lol.

(Jay AM) #24

If you do a search for something called refeeding syndrome, it should come up with suggestions to not get it as it can be a real problem. Like, put you in the hospital problem.

Considering you likely weren’t fat adapted when you started and may not be even now, you’ll likely regain some of the weight. Not all but, some.

(Jerrett Scott) #25

Working on day 20, feeling great!!! Just weighed. Down to 370.6.

(Jerrett Scott) #26

Well update, day 22 of fast, feeling great still. One small problem I have noticed, and I don’t know if it is fasting related; is a hitch on my right side sometimes. A bit of a stabbing pain. Not constant at all. I really love this forum!!! All the great info and interaction! Thank you all!!!

(Trish) #27

Keep track of this pain. When you feel it, what you were doing at the time, what you had done recently. Might be important down the road. Good luck with your continued efforts.

(Doug) #28

Low carb is definitely a good thing when you start eating again. Good post here from Dr. Fung:

Jerrett, I think you’re doing exceedingly well, and that you have a good, level head on your shoulders. Don’t ignore that right side pain if it continues.

I think that after most fasts of 3 days or more, weight gain is impossible to avoid, for almost all of us, due to nothing more than our electrolyte balance changing. Even if we supplement with the minerals, etc., during our fast, it’s not the same as eating and having all the hormone-mediated processes continue, and we will retain more fluid than we were when fasting. It’s not gaining fat, so I don’t think it’s a big deal at all.

My longest fast was 10 days, and like an idiot I slammed right back into eating, carbs and all; 4 Burger King Whoppers, including the buns. Yeah, I know…stupid as all get out. I’d had numerous other fasts of 3 to 5 days, and had never felt anything when I began eating again. Those Whoppers did make me feel a little weak, like my body was struggling with all that food all at once, after nothing.

Refeeding dangers happen very rarely, but they can be severe, and it makes sense to not potentially set oneself up for them.

(Rob) #29

Without knowing where it is it hard to offer ideas but if it’s about halfway up your back on one side, it could well be a kidney which it is possible you are stressing one way or another.

Not trying to freak you out but definitely keep up with hydration, electrolytes, etc.

(Jerrett Scott) #30

Update, working on day 29 of fast, feeling good. No more right side pain. Past three days I have worked physically outside for 8 to 12 hours a day at my sister’s lake house. Cutting, burning tree limbs and cleaning. The second day I became a little lethargic and dizzy. I went in, grabbed some keto aid and was good to go in 20 minutes. I am down from 435 to 362 now. My weight drop has slowed it seems. Thanks everyone!

(Trish) #31

How much have you lost in this 29 days? Surely not 70 pounds??. How much longer are you planning to go and have you checked in with any doctor at all on this journey? If so, what kind of feedback or ? Did they provide?

(Vladaar Malane) #32

Very impressive. The longest I have gone is 7 days. I think I could go until I was at my ideal weight whatever that ends up being if I didn’t get hen pecked from wife about damaging myself from fasting. I really don’t experience any problems when I’ve fasted, but as I said 7 days is longest I have been able to go so far. As most say, there is no hunger beyond day 2 typically. Some people just have that mentality that if your not eating your body is dying. LoL.

#33

While I do not have the time to source it, I believe Fung has said many times that they do not recommend fasts over 7 days without medical supervision.

There was a magician who fasted for 44 days and ended up in the hospital with refeeding syndrome which sounds very scary

Why?

(Doug) #34

True, Saphire, but for refeeding syndrome to really be a problem is very rare.

The Fungster (naturally) doesn’t want to recommend long fasts for people outside his direct care. He also makes it clear that people who take medications and are considering longer fasts should clear it with their doctor. If one injects insulin, for example, it makes sense that when fasting the need would be much less, and that low blood sugar could result from the dosage remaining the same.

https://idmprogram.com/longer-fasting-regimens-part-7/

Being very lean increases the risk a lot, as do certain cancer treatments. Having an electrolyte imbalance while fasting can also raise the risk - if one is already low (especially on phosphorus) then the shift in electrolytes when starting to eat again will have a magnified effect.

(Jerrett Scott) #35

My family keeps telling me to quit.(brother, sister, father) I feel fine. I function normal; actually better and I am taking keto aid. I am still at least 170 pounds overweight. I was and am in a bad state. What more harm am I doing, than where I was at 435? I appreciate all the care, info and love in this forum. Thank you all!!!

#36

I do not remember which podcast it was, might have been IDM where someone called in with refeeding after 5 or 7 days. They started getting very bloated and forget what else happened. It may be rare but in general we are talking about people with health challenges or people over a certain age not 35 year old bodybuilders for the most part, Even if there is nothing major wrong with them beyond having eaten Sad until last month

(Doug) #37

Eating carbs increases the risk - the insulin response and insulin/glucagon ratios are higher, and insulin stimulates processes that require minerals from the body.

I saw one study of 10,000+ people who were already in the hospital - the rate of low phosphorus (most common kind of refeeding syndrome) was less than 1/2 of 1% (and again - these were already hospital patients).

If one is malnourished, then the chance of getting it is higher; same with being alcoholic, very lean, having uncontrolled diabetes, undergoing cancer treatment, pre-existing digestive problems, being really old, having eating disorders, etc.

Combine several of these factors and it might even be likely that a fast of a given length would result in refeeding syndrome. But for somebody without them, and with ample fat reserves, who’s not in the hospital and who keeps an eye on their electrolytes, I’d say the risk is puny indeed.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2440847/

#38

Detox symptom. He says if you have the body fat you .can fast until it’s gone. He also says to stop if you feel unwell. I fast all the time at a minimum 3 days a week. I’ve done 23 days, 16 days, 5 days etc… if I feel good I fast if I don’t I stop. I don’t use medicine so I’m relatively low risk. Ymmv

(Jerrett Scott) #39

My Tuesday update. I just weighed. 350.0 lbs. now. Very excited. I started back in February, 2018, at 435 lbs. I began the keto lifestyle after I left the doctors office mid-February, until March 20, 2018. I started my current fast. I feel great still. I am still 155 lbs overweight, but better than I was. I know that I will have to stop this fast, but it has, and is changing my life for the better! This is day 35 people! Thank y’all!!!

(Brian) #40

I’ve spent some time listening to some of Dr. Fung(ster)'s interviews over the past few days. Really, the guy seems like he has a lot of common sense about fasting. Context is king. There are people he does NOT recommend fasting for. And there are people that can do long fasts without much problem.

I can imagine it’s hard for anyone trying to write about medical stuff. There is no control over the audience so there is no way to really keep people from reading out of context and applying stuff totally wrong… and then blaming the author because it either caused harm or it didn’t work. UUGGHH!!!