Stumbled into a 72 hour fast…

newbies
fasting
extendedfast
(Max) #1

Hi everyone, I think I just need some encouragement to keep going. :grin:

I’ve been fasting now for 72 hours, I didn’t really plan it—I sort of thought I’d eat when I first felt hunger. But oddly, it just hasn’t come. This isn’t usually the way my fasts go—beforehand I had done a bit of keto and mixed up my meal times so that I wouldn’t have a huge ghrelin spike at any particular point in the day.

Unfortunately, they haven’t really been easy…heart rate went up a lot, falling asleep is a challenge, I occasionally get muscle twitches, I try more potassium. Sodium is hard, I try to drink salted water but I feel nauseous, so I’ll be trying a bouillon cube (goes down easier, even though 10 calories in there…). Magnesium is a lot easier to manage.

I think I somehow ended up with hyponatremia and hyperkalemia though I don’t really think I had that much potassium, just that I had not enough salt.

Anyway, lying down is hard (makes me groggy, hard to stand up after)—on first 30 hours I did some heavy exercise but it took the wind out of me for the next two days.

Anybody else going through some tough extended fasting time? I feel happy when I’m doing things and engaged, but my job is software engineering so I’m seated a lot and it makes me groggy. My last 72 hour fast I didn’t have this, I just wanted to eat. No idea why I’ve lost my appetite now, maybe someone has a clue?

Cheers, all the best to you all :slight_smile:

#2

Can you give us a little bit of background on how you came to fasting, how you eat when you are feeding, etc. It may help identify some of the issues that you are having.

#3

I don’t think not having any hunger and/or appetite is a good enough reason to fast, no matter what.
If I have problems, my body doesn’t function as I should, I consider that my number one reason to eat. I have times with zero appetite and no hunger (I barely have hunger at this point and I usually just ignore it unless it’s the soft but annoying type. hunger isn’t reliable) but my body still wants food, I can’t miss the signs but our communication is very good, I notice subtle signs. So I eat then.

(Max) #4

I don’t believe I was in a state of ketosis when I entered the fast. My carb macro might have been too high for it. Earlier this year I had gained weight on SAD because of stress, so I get that it’s not a perfect launch pad for this sort of thing.

Also thanks Shinita, good point.

#5

Historically, the 4th day of an extended fast is when I start feeling amazing…Days 2&3, are pretty rough. Day 3 in the afternoon was the worst, but that, quite literally, changed overnight. From Day 4 on, I felt crazy energetic and a little euphoric. Just thinking about it makes me want to fast again! LOL!
My routine during an extended fast is black coffee with a pinch of salt. Several quarts of chicken or beef broth throughout the day. Homemade electrolyte drink ala Dr. Berry. (I have to take an Iron Complex due to anemia, and a low dose aspirin) I found that heating up the broth and adding in some extra salt or bullion made the drink seem more filling.

I’ve typically been able to work a full 40 hour week while fasting, and then just do a 5 minute planking routine each morning . Due to a foot injury I"ve not been able to plank - but will resume asap.
Dr. Berry and Neisha had a Youtube video where they made up this drink - which is really quite tasty.
1/2 tsp of good salt, like Redmond’s.
1/2 tsp no salt
4-6 drops of orange (or lemon) oil
5-7 drops liquid stevia
1-2 TB ACV with “the Mother”
top it off with a bottle(s) of Perrier or some other fizzy water.

I would drink a ton of this during the day at work. No muscle cramps. No dizziness.

Hope that helps and encourages you to stick with it. All the best, SB

(Max) #6

Thanks, that’s awesome advice! Ahh how could I forget ACV! Looks like I’ve got a shopping list now :wink: