Meal tips for breaking a 72-hour fast

#1

Hey, everyone. waves I have not done a 3-day fast in quite some time, and I am at day two. So, I plan on breaking my fast tomorrow late morning. I’m a 215# man and was thinking around 6 eggs and half a pound of hamburger - just sort of a scramble. But, I am wondering if this might be too much? Would two smaller meals tomorrow make more sense? I typically do OMAD.

(Bob M) #2

I usually start with bone broth, wait a bit (30 minutes to an hour), something small like 2 eggs; wait a while, then eat a bigger meal. That’s for a fast that’s one day longer than yours.

I used to eat a normal meal after fasting, but that tended to wreak havoc on my body. Easing into eating seems better.

(Ab Meditation) #3

Congrats on day two, that takes real discipline. 6 eggs and half a pound of hamburger in one sitting after a 72 hour fast is too aggressive. Your digestive system has been resting and a heavy meal will cause bloating and discomfort. Better approach - start with 2-3 eggs late morning, wait 2-3 hours, then have your hamburger meal in the afternoon. Keep electrolytes in check as well on refeeding day. Ease back into OMAD gradually rather than jumping straight into one large meal.

#4

Thanks for your replies, guys. I made it to day 3! Woot woot! Emoji I am about to go for a walk, and in a couple of hours, I’ll make the hamburger and eggs meal, spreading it over three meals today and breaking the fast with bone broth. Five pounds down! Let’s go!

Shaw
Ab Meditation

    May 10

Metro:
Hey, everyone. waves I have not done a 3-day fast in quite some time, and I am at day two. So, I plan on breaking my fast tomorrow late morning. I’m a 215# man and was thinking around 6 eggs and half a pound of hamburger - just sort of a scramble. But, I am wondering if this might be too much? Would two smaller meals tomorrow make more sense? I typically do OMAD.

Congrats on day two, that takes real discipline. 6 eggs and half a pound of hamburger in one sitting after a 72 hour fast is too aggressive. Your digestive system has been resting and a heavy meal will cause bloating and discomfort. Better approach - start with 2-3 eggs late morning, wait 2-3 hours, then have your hamburger meal in the afternoon. Keep electrolytes in check as well on refeeding day. Ease back into OMAD gradually rather than jumping straight into one large meal.

#5

At only 72hrs you can just eat. I wouldn’t slam a huge meal, but people have really run with refeed syndrome. That only really applies to people who have hit the level of starvation.

(Tracie Angel) #6

Just completed a 72-hour fast and learned that how you break the fast is just as important as the fast itself. I started with bone broth, boiled eggs, and some steamed vegetables instead of jumping into heavy food. Eating slowly really helped avoid bloating and stomach discomfort. Hydration and electrolytes also made a huge difference in energy levels. After a few hours, I added rice and grilled chicken for a balanced meal. Avoiding sugary or greasy foods right away seems to help the body adjust better. Anyone else here tried extended fasting? What foods work best for you when breaking a long fast?

(Doug) #7

I think that finding what works for us as individuals is a huge thing, here, as in many areas.

Not eating a lot all at once, right away, is probably the best for people in general, after fasting.

As far as the actual risk of refeeding syndrome, I agree with @lfod14 - unless there is a significant problem with kidney function, then it’s really only when coming back from true starvation where it’s a real concern, and I think that’s going to be after months, not days or weeks for most people.

If one hasn’t gotten to a real ‘energy crisis’ point (and people have fasted for multiple months and even more than a year without that) then the body tends to be extremely good at preservation. The kidneys have a dedicated portion that is dedicated to going into “recycling mode” for electrolytes if needed, rather than excreting them.

My longest fast was 12 days, and no big deal with anything afterward. I think that just getting used to fasting is the hurdle for many of us.

#8

72 hours is short enough that I personally wouldn’t do anything special, merely would follow my body’s wishes, urges. Back to OMAD sounds a valid option to me but I don’t even do OMAD every day without EF so I would just figure out how to eat. If I happily eat my food, no way it would cause any problem later but it’s me. When I did 48 hour fasts, I had a normal, bigger meal afterwards (once it was a carbier one as I visited relatives, no problem). When I did 5 days, I only wanted a tiny snack and ate normal the next day. But again, that’s me, some people are more sensitive.