June 2020 IF/EFChat Thread (All Welcome)


#41

Hitting hour 145 now. Really not sure how long to keep this up. I feel pretty amazing right now. The stomach/GI issues I was experiencing earlier in the week have all disappeared. Pickle juice and chicken broth, along with water and a coffee seem to do the job of keeping me functional. I feel a bit warmer internally than I did previously, so that might be due to some substantial fat burning going on? IDK.

The longer the fast continues, the more tempting food is to me. But, so far, I’ve managed to cook 3 meals a day for the fam, and not eat. Monday at 6pm will hit the 7 full days of fasting…contemplating a 10 day. But, I have some pretty substantial work ahead of me Tuesday, in 92F heat. I suppose if I stay hydrated and well salted, things might be fine. Just not sure if weakness might be an issue. Planning to play it by ear, but we shall see.
Have a wonderful week, everyone!!!


(Mame) #42

I always think this is the most amazing thing! :star_struck: When I did my 9 day, I stayed out of the kitchen completely. I cannot imagine cooking multiple meals and fasting. And yet you and others do it. You are (all) rock stars!

I rather miss fasting. Although I am getting that light feeling I love without it as I my volume of food has decreased. Our bodies are just al so fascinating.
wishing you well, @SecondBreakfast


(Bob M) #43

Mind of steel? Impressive!

Planning on a 36 hour fast, meal-less Monday. We’ll see. Did it last week, but often what I can do on Monday is related to what happened over the weekend. If I did a ton of physical work over the weekend, it’s much tougher to fast on Monday. This weekend wasn’t too physical. We’ll see.


(Bob M) #44

I found that over time, fasting caused me to get too cold. It took me a while to get back to where I could fast again. That’s why I’m down to fasting much more infrequently.

If you find yourself getting cold all the time, I recommend backing off fasting. I was getting to the point where my hands would be FREEZING by 11am or so. Today, I’ve been fasting since last night, and I’m not cold at all. But it’s taken me a long time to get this way again.

I know Dr. Fung seems to believe we can fast with relative impunity, but I think he’s incorrect in this.


#45

I was just the opposite…I was hot all the time. The longer I fast, the warmer I get internally.

I did just end the fast at the 7 day mark. Had a little salted ground beef, and some salted chicken tenders with butter. Relaxing and letting the innards start functioning again. =)


(Bacon for the Win) #46

Not sure this reply was meant for me, I like being cold and would never complain about it. Moved further north for cooler weather.


(Bob M) #47

This was different. This was I could not touch my hands to my own body because they were so cold. And it got to the point that happened by 10 am-noon.

I’m not discussing the “put more covers on” type of cold.

So, I stopped fasting for a while. Even when I restarted fasting, I tried to eat more – particularly more fat – on the times I ate.


(Mame) #48

I would guess that is a sign that your metabolism is revved up and that it is agreeing with you … so great


(Bob M) #49

That is good.

I’m back to fasting, now, too. And the hottest I’ve gotten is when I ate a diet very high in saturated fat. I specifically ate foods very high in saturated fat. That caused me to become quite warm.

Anyway, I was only able to fast yesterday for about 22 hours. My wife, normally a stalwart, had broken earlier in the day. So, to enjoy sitting at the table with my family, I broke in the evening.

As an aside, I started doing shorter and then longer fasts 5 years ago. Initially, it was no problem for me to do 4.5-5.5 day fasts. Easy. Did quite a few of those, many 3.5 day fasts, many, many, many 36 hour fasts. This year, I’ve only done one fast of 4.5 days. I can make a 36 hour fast every few weeks. As I’ve lost weight and gained muscle, it’s become harder for me to fast. And I think I did so many fasts that my body rejected it.

I also take carvedilol twice per day. This inhibits fat lipolysis. I don’t think it’s a huge degree, as I’ve been able to lose quite a bit of weight while taking it for the last 7 years. However, I think the less fat I have, the harder it becomes for me to access that fat. At least, this is the theory I have. So, that could help explain my getting cold, though I still think it was too much fasting within too short of a window, without enough time for recovery.


#50

I really had not planned to end the fast, but, sometimes stress just pushes me over the top. Monday was a classic…
Took Rufus (the puppy) for a car ride. She’s gone on many rides, so I thought ‘no problem!’ 20 minutes later, as my daughter and I walking up to the car, we were both about 3 feet away, and in unison cried out, “Ewwwww! Rufuuusssss!” She crapped all over the back seat and far back of my SUV. Like, EVERYWHERE. 90 minutes - 2 rolls of papertowel - 3 cleaners- boiling water, and rubber gloves…my car was cleaned.
I came in the house, decided to fix hubby lunch, opened the fridge, and it felt oddly warmer than usual. I opened the freezer drawer below, and everything was SOFT. The flippin’ fridge died!!! Called the repair guy, followed his directions, left the house to find the new doggie kennel (for Rufus while we’re on vacation), and got lost. After half a tank of gas and a couple of hours, I gave up. I got home, only to find that the “repair” did not work at all. Called the guy. He came up, took a look, figured the problem out, and said he’d have to order parts and call LG to see how they wanted him to proceed in order get everything under warrenty. So, in the meantime, I had to empty out my workshop fridge, take everything out of the kitchen fridge, AND FREEZER, and relocate everything.
I had enough meat in there to feed a small pack of wolves. Found a few mystery items in there, so good to toss those out. But, geez. that was a rough day. I was very grumpy. And amidst all of that, the tummy was grumbling in the background. Enough was enough. So, I broke the fast at 168 hours, ended the grumpy grumbles, and tried to cope.

I did locate the kennel, finally. The address on google is different than the address on the facebook page. No wonder! I had driven by 6 times, and didn’t even know it! I am SO ready for a vacation! LOL!


(Jane) #51

That would make me want to break a fast, too!

Enjoy your vacation. :slightly_smiling_face:


(Jane) #52

I swear some pets are psychic. My 7-month old pup has been house broken for weeks now and the day before I left to drive to Illinois there was a pile of poo in the basement. Concrete floor so easy to clean up… but still.


#53

Some people are simply like this. I NEED food joy so if I don’t eat, I need to cook at least or pick raspberries or something :smiley: It helps. To me, getting triggered by food while fasting is the somewhat strange thing (if we don’t actually need food already because if we do, that’s different).
Timing is important too. At my usual mealtime I like to avoid cooking and food (especially the first day, that’s the trickiest as that is the time when I break my normal rhythm) but in the morning it’s fine… Zero willpower is needed.

But I never tried cooking after 40+ hour fasting, I wonder what that would be like… But as time passes, the idea of food gets farther from me so maybe it wouldn’t be a problem after a few days…? But no idea.

I want to try a longer fast again, I just can’t imagine how. I always get hungry or weak or something, it’s hard even just try… But I build up the desire for it and reading success fasting stories help :smiley:

@SecondBreakfast: congrats!

I never felt colder or warmer when fasting and I experienced no difference on different diets either… Once I was starving in a house, 8 Celsius/46F and I wasn’t cold or really hungry. I guess my body thought, if I can’t have heat or food, why to give signs? Pointless. And indeed, if I am adamant about not eating, I hardly get hungry. But I must be very determined not eating, no matter what and I only had that once in my life longer term. It worked then despite the complete lack of fat adaptation.
My starvation lasted only for 11 days and I had plenty of bodyfat and warm clothes and blankets anyway. So I think it’s normal I had no problems.
It will be interesting to slim down and fast… But I am not the type who gets cold easily so I doubt I will have that problem unless I fast for too long for my fat reserves (and my body’s attitude to metabolism slowing. I am sure short fasts suit me).

I still don’t do OMAD but I probably could if I could resist when Alvaro (my SO) comes home… I am not super satiated at that point and the temptation is big especially if I made something for both of us. But it causes TMAD. Not necessarily a problem but sometimes OMAD would be more logical. My lunch is more like emotional and habitual…


#54

The hardest thing I encounter while EF and cooking for others, is the habit of cooking, tasting, improving flavors, etc. I made a pot of chili the other night for hubby and a couple friends. I had to make it in the morning, as I worked 1030-7pm. Dinner was at 630. I had to make it, have hubby plug it in at lunchtime, and they ate before I got there. No idea if it was any good, until I walked in and they were raving about it.

So, I really have to be conscious of my behavior, and not try foods - not due to hunger - but rather habit. Otherwise, it’s not too hard.


#55

I don’t do EF so it’s a smaller problem for me but indeed, tasting… I can cook most food without it but it may happen accidentally, sometimes it IS needed to figure out if the food is okay - but I just must lick the spoons, I don’t waste the food :smiley: I guess I could avoid the latter, placing them on some little bowl for later or for Alvaro (my SO, I start to use his name everywhere, my SO is so boring) to eat…
But I do it better now, I usually notice before I taste something.

Yesterday there was cake (photos in the food pic thread) and it made eating a big meal possible again. So I did OMAD. With a few bites (mostly a few drops of cream in my coffee… not exactly a BITE, whatever, calories), I tend to do it like that and I don’t care, my eating window is still tiny as they usually happen close to my meal. It was a WIN for me, it was so long…
I am pleased with it and wish to keep doing OMAD now. With extra bites, it’s totally inavoidable in the raging fruit season in my garden… But it won’t be significant and still close to my mealtime. Good enough for now.
I hope for dinner OMAD with skipping meals in the future… Skiping lunch is extra hard for me due to my attachment to our family lunch (sometimes I can skip it but I need a very very satiated state, borderline unable to eat. zero appetite is a requirement but a negative one is way more effective. hard to get around lunchtime, though) but if I don’t even have lunch normally, it’s just skipping my dinner… Sounds easier.


#56

Hi everyone, I’ve been away for awhile. Currently on day 4 of a 5-day fast, feeling great.


(Jane) #57

Welcome back! Board is wonky and crashes every day until they can get it upgraded, so hang in there.


#58

I’m thinking I’ll do another EF pretty soon. I know I did that 7 day one, and felt much better afterwards. But then we traveled down south for a wedding. Not gonna say what all was eaten, except that it was festive, southern cuisine all the way around! I skipped a fair amount of meals, and the others ones I did eat were strict carnivore at restaurants. So, my insides need a break, and need to get tidied up via a fast. I’ll post when I start, and decide how long to go from there.

Can Ijust stop and say, I’m so glad you alll are here to talk with. My family doesn’t entirely get how or why I do what I do. And, its nice having a bunch of like minded thinkers who really understand, support and encouage!!! You’re all blessings, and I just wanted you to know that.


(KCKO, KCFO) #59

If anyone is interested I edited the May Zornfast thread to include June. I tried all week to put up a new post but the board kept giving that lovely error message. So I went ahead and just edited the May thread.

I hope Richard can work through the issues soon. I get depressed when I can’t come in here for my dose of keto talk.


#60

It seems I can do IF with some small window again, yay!
My garden messed up my woe a little bit but I behave now (as much as my fruits: sour and sweet cherries, raspberries, strawberries, mini strawberries and soon a lot of other fruits allow :D) and I decided to try what I practically never do: not breaking my fast until I feel a legitimate urge to get fuel. I mean, my SO coming home around 3pm so it’s lunchtime, that isn’t enough for me anymore.
Yesterday I felt odd after 7pm (still no hunger or appetite), a bit weak and not focused so I knew my body got impatient… So I had a cute OMAD meal. Today, not surprisingly I needed a bigger eating window but everything was fine and controlled enough, still good.
I expect OMAD tomorrow but who knows? The chance for it is big but I break my fast when I feel some proper urge.
Still not ready for skipping a day (I forgot we usually have ZornFast… that always gave me some extra push I needed) but maybe it will happen eventually. If I continue with this potential lunch skipping, it should come naturally at some point, I imagine.