Hi everyone, I am relatively new here. I read often and rarely answer. I greatly appreciate this website since I don’t know anyone in person that practise fasting or actually think it’s good for us.
My question is what are your strategies to succeed an extended fast?
I usually do great the first 24 to 30 hours into my fast but then, I usually break it due to lack of discipline and mental strenght. I have struggled with binge eating since I am a child and this always gets in my way (mentally) whenever I fast.
I’d like to accomplish a 3 - 4 days of fasting and I am wondering what helps you go through the hardship.
Do you already follow a pretty strict keto or carnivore diet? EF is a lot easier if you have no carb cravings. I’ve found day 2 is the hardest. And I’m not sure if I’m technically breaking my fast, but sometimes a cup of hot coffee, herbal tea or broth is very comforting and pushes me through a rough time. And I talk to myself, reminding my self of the good things I’m doing for my body, the autophagy, the high ketone level, the rest. And sometimes I come here and read.
I don’t do mental strength when it’s about my food… So I just don’t force things. I fast if it feels easy and nice enough.
It doesn’t mean I don’t push it sometimes! I do want to do EF again (I did some shorter ones in the past and I never want to do several days long ones anyway), I consider it extremely useful for me. It’s not for everyone but for many of us, occasionally.
Determination is key in my case. So maybe I do some mental strength thing? But I still don’t force things. I need to get mentally ready beforehand. It helps a ton, it makes fasting easy. Until it lasts, I still can’t do EF in the last years but I never got the determination to begin with, I am happy with OMAD or a good TMAD right now.
Another highly important thing is my last meal before my fast. It should be a nice, big, satiatiing meal. I don’t stuff myself or anything but I really satiate myself with food I know should work. Nowadays it would be based on some fatty meat and it ideally would be an OMAD meal as after my lunch I hardly can eat a big enough meal for EF especially without carbs.
For me and probably for most of us, it’s better if we aren’t surrounded by tempting, lovely food during our fasts… Cooking may or may not help, I probably would do it in the early hours of the day when I am never hungry as it does give me cooking joy and it helps with fasting, interestingly. The same with looking at food pics, recipes, talking about food… But of course, many people should avoid those.
Being busy is effective for shorter fasts for me but only if I am not really hungry. Fat adaptation may help a lot with avoiding really strong hunger, ketosis alone was weaker in my case but as time passes, at some point it gets much easier and eating becomes a somewhat abstract concept (I love eating very much and still, super quickly get disconnected from it).
I really would need being busy (and preferably far from all food) at the time when I skip my first 1-2 meals. It’s easiest for me in the morning as sleeping always make me more satiated… But then my usual eating window arrives and it gets harder but the very first day (about 20-30 hours after my last meal in my case) is the hardest. Until I REALLY feel I must eat (if not hunger, dizziness and weakness), whatever day it happens.
Oh and have your electrolytes but you surely know that… Or who knows, I had no idea when I fasted for 5 days once, the last days were funny… I was a high-carber back then and that made fasting way easier for me as I am that weird But I think it’s because my body was overwhelmed and I ate too much all the time so I needed fasting more. Big last meals are effective anyway.
Good luck! And don’t force things I think… It seems you already have some experience and 3-4 days aren’t so extreme… I would try but really would stop if I noticed my body is unhappy.
Being busy with other stuff helps me, there. It’s common to really be “feeling it” by that time - the stomach has emptied, and the small intestine too, the ‘post-absorptive phase’ has gone by, where the body realizes that “the pipeline is empty,” and that it’s time to be looking to other sources of energy, such as stored fat.
Blood sugar has declined, and hormonal signals are changing. The body gets better at this, over time, just as it gets better at using fat for fuel when one stops eating a high-carbohyrate diet.
The mental/psychological part of it is huge, here. It would be extremely rare for the body to truly be in meaningful distress at this point. There is still the glycogen reserve to be used up before we are into the true ‘just running on our own fat’ part of a fast.
It’s also true that different people experience fasting in different ways, and that even for one given person, one fast may differ from another. I’ve quit several fasts early (at a shorter time than what I had originally planned) just because it seemed too hard or I wanted to be eating as part of some social situation, etc. I don’t think it pays to be too hard on oneself; there will be more fasts in the future.
One generalization I’d make is that doing longer fasts usually helps with the mental stuff. Once you’ve done 3 days, 5 days, 10 days, etc., getting through that 2nd day is something you’ve done before - “I can do this; I did it before.”
Hi Kib1,
I do not follow a strict keto or carnivore diet. I am guessing if I would, perhaps I’d have a better and easier time?
I am not sure if drinking coffee, herbal tea and/or broth breaks your fast since many people do it but it sounds like you know what helps you get through an EF. Thank you so much for sharing!
Being busy truly helps. I love baking and strangely enough, when I see food, I don’t get triggered but when I do nothing, my mind only thinks about the one thing I can’t have lol
“t’s also true that different people experience fasting in different ways, and that even for one given person, one fast may differ from another. I’ve quit several fasts early (at a shorter time than what I had originally planned) just because it seemed too hard or I wanted to be eating as part of some social situation, etc. I don’t think it pays to be too hard on oneself; there will be more fasts in the future.”
Me too! I agree that it doesn’t pay to be hard on ourself. I find that it makes me feel disappointed and miserable when I am too hard on myself. Obviously, if I judge it necessary to stop my fasting, it’s okay with me
" One generalization I’d make is that doing longer fasts usually helps with the mental stuff. Once you’ve done 3 days, 5 days, 10 days, etc., getting through that 2nd day is something you’ve done before - *“I can do this; I did it before.”. "
You’re right! I would really like to be able to get to 5 days or even a week!!!
May I ask what is the longest fast you’ve done?
I believe you are mentally strong if you are determined. It’s a very great trait. It’s awesome!
I really like reading that you don’t force things. It’s important to listen to our body because sometimes, it’s just not a good idea. For example, this morning I wasn’t hungry. It’s 3h10pm and I had my first meal an hour ago and didn’t realize i’ve been fasting for 20 hours.
I find TMAD works so much better when I have my period rather than OMAD. It’s good to switch it up, with whatever works for you.
“nother highly important thing is my last meal before my fast. It should be a nice, big, satiatiing meal. I don’t stuff myself or anything but I really satiate myself with food I know should work.”
Wow, well said!
Is dizziness a sign that you should be stopping your fasting? I am curious because I’ve always struggled with that. I am very tall and I always struggle with that whenever I have to bend down, get up, or even walk ( I never injured myself, I am very careful and stop my fastings as soon as it happens because it’s better to prevent anything serious)
Interesting that you say you were a high carber. I am at the moment, I love carbs but I know they aren’t always my friend. I come from a latino household and carbs were everywhere growing up. I am trying to reduce it and eventually become fat adapted but I really struggle (or am I choosing to struggle? probably …)
Your response is really much appreciated! I enjoyed reading your message, thanks!
Fasting and long distance running is alike in this: one should know when to quit and that totally can be the much wiser thing to do.
Yeah, it’s great when it happens but I very, very rarely get determined like this Hence no fasting days since a few years (none since I tried out carnivore. but it seems I get better now, I just don’t get really hungry at lunchtime anymore. it’s all about food choices for me and I knew what I should have done since long but I love my problem items… but one can train and change without being forceful, thankfully). I never was fine with no EF, I find it important for me. Not often, not too long but some.
Honestly IDK why I got it after just 20 hours fasting years ago. It was such a short time! I felt no hunger, I didn’t want food - but I felt bad. Dizziness and weekness, usually. I call this my “need to fuel” state even if I am supposed to be able to fast for days without energy problems.
I have another dizziness, that is electrolyte (sodium) problem but I only had it on my 5 day fast without any sodium (and maybe on my 5th and 6th day on kety but that was way tinier. I had salt in my food, after all). Never again.
Oh very short (1 second?) dizziness happens to me too then sometimes, I don’t worry about it. Maybe something with blood pressure or whatever…?
I am short though
Okay, that’s more serious. I only had that when my body apparently wanted MUCH food and I dared to eat little during that day (but the day didn’t even end yet)! It interfered with my vision and balance too. Only for a short time in my life, now it does nothing like that. Maybe my diet. I keep tweaking it…
Carbs aren’t my friends either but almost everyone starts as a high-carber… And I could tolerate them well enough that I had no idea I should change my ways for a looong time.
I love certain carbs but much less than before
Lowering my carbs was pretty easy, I just had to do it in multiple jumps. Low-carb was super easy, I didn’t miss anything… For a long while, at least but then I couldn’t go back, not like I wanted. Keto and carnivore came many years later and it’s not like I can stick to carnivore now but I don’t even need it so much, just keeping my plant carbs pretty low most of the time…
There are lots of mental things here too. I couldn’t just give up things I find important. I can limit them (tiny amount once in a blue time… or more once in a blue time… sometimes really tiny but more often. whatever I am able and willing to do) and it may be enough. If not, I keep training! It’s interesting to me so I swap my food joy to some other joy… And I still eat food I love, that’s important.
Thankfully I am a Hungarian. Let me keep my paprika, pork, lard, sour cream, eggs etc. and I am more or less okay Even traditional pasta here is as eggy as possible (no water is used, just what is in the eggs). The supermarket pasta is usually far from this To me, that is the important part, eggs. Flour doesn’t even taste good! (Sadly, baked goods still manage to be super tasty. And the texture!!! But I still love the lower-carb, eggier versions better. They have flour too if I want to keep the texture but still much better even macro and nutrient wise. And I don’t need to eat those every month…)
I think you should do what you can…? If you think lower-carb is for you. It’s not for everyone I am sure. BUT I think it is a very good idea for most people to try it at least. It may be surprising… And the best idea ever eating wise. It was for me. Sometimes one can’t even imagine giving up something but something happens, it even gets easy and so much better… I was a HUGE veggie lover (and a vegetarian). My vegs just couldn’t fit into keto. Then I went keto (and missed my vegs but was still okay). And then I lost interest in most of them - but I started to eat meat! And it was nice and eventually it got even better (but I have off times, carnivore is a bit too restrictive for me. my carnivore or almost carnivore days aren’t restrictive, they are the best but eventually I need a break. or don’t need but feel like). Life can be weird. It was a lovely time with my vegs but good riddance! (I still keep a tiny bit. Here and there. Not every day.)
You surely can take some steps into the right direction, to make your diet healthier. It’s very rare that one’s diet is perfect! So take those healthier but not too hard steps if there are still any. And if you need to do something harder, maybe do it gradually, I did that in many cases successfully. Maybe you need to add something if you take something, I can relate to that feeling! Sometimes it’s a mental need to keep a tiny toe out of line Or eat something very carby on keto, I did that… Whatever floats your boat. Just going cold turkey and very proper isn’t for me, I would run away. But it is what some people should do.
Good luck, whatever your diet will be! Of course, it can change a lot during your life… I am curious what mine will become in the future even though I have some vague idea what it should be at this point, 1.5 decades after I quit high-carb. It’s not my final form yet!
Binge eater here, don’t fast! Literally the worst thing we can do, it mentally sends us into crazy land and good damn luck fighting off the binge that building up like a bomb while you’re doing t.
You MAY be the freak binge eater that works different than most of us, but as a whole, eating throughout the day works the best for most of us so our brain never gets to tell us we’re starving when we’re clearly not.
I was temporarily able to overcome that a couple of years ago, it became a problem, I fasted a LOT once I was actually able to, I slowed my metabolism, and to this day my binge swings are way worse, and easier to trigger them, now I’m taking Semaglutide to knock down my appetite to a controllable level, which is still probably 5x what it should be.
We can lose fat just as effectively without fasting, getting roped into it was a huge regret. It works good for some, but when you’re prone to binging, bad news…
In addition to the other tips here, I am adding. Doing longer fasts is easier when you have less stressful
activities happening. Stay away from eating ques, like the kitchen area. Keep your mind and hands busy.
I came to fasting about 7 years. ago, Those have helped me do over 100 hr fasts many times. You might want to search for the Zorn fast thread, it is an old one but full of great information and suggestions on fasting for any length of time.
The older I get, the longer I do this, the more true this becomes. Perhaps more than anything else I have learned, I have come to understand how little any one moment of triumph or setback matters in the grand scheme of my work. It’s a tiny win, a little loss.
Ok, that sounds very grandiose. But truly, it’s the body of work, effort and eventual outcome that matters. ANYTHING you add to your pile of effort counts, and benefits you, even if you didn’t quite meet your original plan.
Hi!
Yes, I agree that we should know when to quit. I used to feel ashamed, and like a failure but I accept that I am not like other people and if I need to quite, I need to do it for my health.
I also don’t get hunjgry at lunchtime, like you. I find depending of the day Im at during my cycle, my hunger decreases or increases and I am really trying to not deprive myself for mental reasons. If I feel hungry but I don’t eat, I am just feeding my binge eating.
“Honestly IDK why I got it after just 20 hours fasting years ago. It was such a short time! I felt no hunger, I didn’t want food - but I felt bad. Dizziness and weekness, usually. I call this my “need to fuel” state even if I am supposed to be able to fast for days without energy problems.”
Yea!! Me too! It’s really bad. I am guessing our environment is a big influence of this. Whenever I feel dizzy, I take my blood pressure (I have a machine that I use frequently) and it’s fine. So, I tried increasing the electrolytes and it did nothing. I had to just eat haha. Like you said, you gotta know when to stop!
“Thankfully I am a Hungarian. Let me keep my paprika, pork, lard, sour cream, eggs etc. and I am more or less okay Even traditional pasta here is as eggy as possible (no water is used, just what is in the eggs). The supermarket pasta is usually far from this To me, that is the important part, eggs. Flour doesn’t even taste good! (Sadly, baked goods still manage to be super tasty. And the texture!!! But I still love the lower-carb, eggier versions better. They have flour too if I want to keep the texture but still much better even macro and nutrient wise. And I don’t need to eat those every month…)”
You’re Hungrarian! A man who is Hungarian too told me about the real hungarian paprika. I got it and it’s a game changer. It’s a lot better than just the regular one, eh?!
I honestly don’t know what is for me. I feel so overwhelmed by all the information online. I am also dealing with trying to fix my binge eating and so, I guess that doesn’t help haha
I try to go a day at a time but really, I have no plan for my diet.
“And if you need to do something harder, maybe do it gradually”
yes!! absolutely makes sense
I just discovered I could quote directly (hahaha, I am so silly)
I agree x 1000! Going cold turkey, for me, just makes me binge so much whenever I hit a hard patch. I’ve been decreasing my amount of sugar and carbs this week because it was getting out of control ad yesterday, was a lot better and it didn’t even feel hard so you’re absolutely right.
Thank you so much! 1.5 decades!? Wow! That’s great
The same happened to me. I lost over 40 pounds in 4 months back in 2019 and I started eating a bit more and pouf, I ate, I ate, ate, all the time. I gained maybe 60 pounds after. I tried omad, fasting, etc. But I do that after I feel bad that I don’t eat well. and my whole cycle restarts again. I like that I am reading that eating throughout the day works the best for most of us. I thought it would be best for me but I got so obessed with numbers regarding calories when I lost weight that it made me nuts and I just don’t track anything anymore which is also bad (for me).
Ya, we’re definitely better off eating throughout the day, gotta keep the beast occupied. The Semaglutide is a huge one for me, plus if you have any A1C issues that’s fixed almost instantly too so a double win. Other one for us is Amphetamines, lot of binge eaters are put on Vyvance, I guess it shuts off the binge for some reason, like most ADD cases in the 90’s I was on Ritalin, probably should’ve stayed on it lol. Plus, good for energy and fat loss
If it wasn’t for possibly giving me issues at work (truck driver) if I get prescribed amphetamines I’m (supposed) to report it to the feds and that effects my medical cert so I dunno, but tempting! I love a good cheat! I’d definitely recommend the Semaglutide though, if you’re normal when not in a binge, it’d be awesome, like I said it brings me from lunatic eat the table that the food is on, to maybe only eating the plates after
I am back into fasting after a journey 2012-2018 keto, 2016 - 2019 fasting, 2018-2020 Carnivore, 2020-2023 sourdough and wine detour, late 2023 to present Carnivore.
I maintained 60 kg for 4 years, before that 8 kg detour.
Carnivore for the past year has shifted 6 kg, now I have started Rolling fasts (3-5 days) each week to shed a bit of fat prior to Christmas. I am on Day 4 of a 5 day fast for this week. This fast is my fourth in a row.
This fourth fast is different. It took until Day 4 for my blood glucose to drop. I assume it took 4 days to get into ketosis.
I refeed using bone broth, butter and then bacon and eggs at our favourite cafe.
Anyone else do rolling fasts?
I try to do a 2-3 day fast about once a month. Some of the things I have found make it easier:
I agree day 2 can be the hardest, so I started beginning my fasts after lunch (usually a Tuesday) so “day 2” falls a lot at night when I am asleep.
By day 3 I don’t have any hunger, love that “empty” feeling but usually break my fast for social reasons and I am ok with that.
I have been keto (not always strict) for 7 years now. It is just the way I eat with some extra carbs now and then. I have never been a binge eater so having something carby for a meal doesn’t cause me any issues.
Stay busy! Makes the time pass more quickly. I pick a week that I don’t have any serious deadlines.
I love to look at recipes while I am fasting, but the smell of food is a trigger for me so my husband will go out for lunch/dinner or have something that he doesn’t have to cook or don’t have a strong smell, like re-heating homemade soup. He always fasts for the first 2 days with me, so if I opt for a third day he is on his own for meals.
Fasting is definitely more mental than physical for me, but I don’t find it difficult. With that being said, there have been a couple of times I stopped a fast early, either didn’t feel well or something really stressful came up that I couldn’t deal with while fasting. No biggie - no need to feel a “failure”. Live to fast another day!
But I think it’s because my body was overwhelmed and I ate too much all the time so I needed fasting more. Big last meals are effective anyway.
Hence no fasting days since a few years (none since I tried out carnivore. but it seems I get better now, I just don’t get really hungry at lunchtime anymore. it’s all about food choices for me and I knew what I should have done since long but I love my problem items… but one can train and change without being forceful, thankfully). I never was fine with no EF, I find it important for me. Not often, not too long but some.
Even traditional pasta here is as eggy as possible (no water is used, just what is in the eggs). The supermarket pasta is usually far from this 
Or eat something very carby on keto, I did that… Whatever floats your boat. Just going cold turkey and very proper isn’t for me, I would run away. But it is what some people should do.
