Thinking of doing my first fast beginning tonight... questions

#41

If I just had major surgery three weeks ago should I wait to try fasting? My husband seems to think I need to wait because healing he said I need protein and collagen to heal properly? I didn’t think a fast could effect the healing process considering I wasn’t gonna be on it for weeks ?

(Alec) #42

Yes. Do not fast after major surgery. Give yourself many weeks to heal. In this case, 1 day fast would be max in my opinion.

Fasting is stressful on the body, and should not be done on a body in recovery mode.

A possible exception to this is using fasting to starve a cancer. That’s a different world.

#43

Having had 2 major abdominal surgerys I can tell you that it takes a lot longer to heal than you think. The outside closes and heals faster than inside, so it may look good but it isn’t.

I was told nothing strenuous- no lifting, no driving, no reaching etc - for at least 6 weeks. Yup, takes at least that long!
During that time the body needs all sorts of different nutrients, lots of protein and collagen to patch things up. So yeah, cut yourself a break and feed it for another 3 weeks or so before doing anything major. If you’re hungry, eat. Let your body tell you what it needs. If its happy to fast (no hunger) then ok, but not for too long, like @Alecmcq said.

(Karim Wassef) #44

A lot of fasting in mental… until you get comfortable with it.

My biggest hurdle is the anticipation of food. In our food media world, ignoring food as a topic, focus, action or obsession is actually quite hard.

Don’t think about when you’re going to break your fast. Imagine that it’s not happening… it’s just not something you plan or think about…

My wife asked me every day if I’m going to eat… I would say no and move on.

So mentally, spend your time not thinking about fasting or feeding… use that precious time being productive and you’ll power through…

One day… 2… 3… a week? Don’t overthink the end date.

When it’s time, your body will send a different signal. Not the “alarm clock” hunger or gurgling… it’ll be different…

For me, after 19 days, I felt weakness and a sense of being much older than I am. I moved very slowly and deliberately. Every breath and exertion was measured … the fasting chills became much more extreme…

I was still very calm, mentally alert, but my body had switched into a more efficient metabolic state. And sure enough, my RMR had gone from 2300 to 1700. That’s when I broke the fast.

On refeed, my metabolic rate rebounded quickly and I had lost 7lb of real fat (DEXA before and after), but I also believe that my next fast can be much longer than the 19 days…

This is what I think others are saying… your body adapts to fasting with each cycle.

You sound like a planner who likes to jump in and go for it… I would say go for it but listen to your body and ignore food from your consciousness… the duration will be determined by your body

#45

Ok thanks I’ll hold off until I’m fully healed then. I probably got a little in over my head trying to commit to 5 days having never fasted. I may still try it but I’ll most likely hit one to two days max hahaha. Thanks everyone

#46

Just looked up that stuff on Amazon and it had completely negligible amounts of electrolytes in it, mix up a ketoade and you’ll do much better. We need WAY more electrolyte help when keto, and more than that while fasting.

#47

Oh dang really? And to think I spent 32 $ on this small container ! Lol

#48

Here’s what’s in it, how much more do I need then what’s in here?

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AC19D194-375B-47A0-9273-3755B987F93D.jpeg2448×3264 1.49 MB

#49

I’d hazard a guess that if you’re fasting you’ll need 100%?

#50

That sounds salty

#51

You can drink more than 1 a day but if you look at copper zinc or selenium you’re going to need 10 or more to keep those up.
Don’t know how harmful it would be to drop some of those short term, need someone with more knowledge than me.

#52

Ok thanks, well that’s the last time I’m buying this. I probably should have read the back first lmao.

(Karim Wassef) #53

The potassium isn’t bad… that’s probably the only thing in there that’s ok.

but for perspective I take 1.2g of magnesium (1200mg) a day.

I take 50mg of Zinc and 2mg of Copper + 12.5 mg Iodine

(Hyperbole- best thing in the universe!) #54

And then there are others of us who don’t take any suppliments. Just salt our food to tast. I do carry salt with me just in case I want some. But I usually only eat straight salt when I am fasting. I have taken a magnesium supplement, but haven’t replaced it since I ran out.

Dr Phinney (I believe :thinking:) refers to salt as a master electrolite. Keep your salt good and it helps regulate the others.

(Marianne) #55

Does this mean you didn’t eat for 19 days?

(Karim Wassef) #56

Yes. Check out my fasting thread for the details. I did DEXA & RMR before, after, and after refeeding.

I’m on phase 2 where I cycle 5 days faster to 2 days eating… but you can read it from the defining to see my phase 1 results.

(Marianne) #57

Wow. With a BMI of 23%, what does your body use for fuel? I haven’t gone much into researching fasting. All I have done is 16:8.

(Karim Wassef) #58

Actually 23% is just today’s body fat from my scale … It goes from 19% to 24% based on whether I’m fasting or feasting.

Even at 18% bodyfat, I have enough fat to last a month.

(Marianne) #59

I’m curious - why do you do this? The longest fast I heard about before this was 7 days. Don’t you feel like your metabolism is going into stasis?

(Karim Wassef) #60

I have many reasons for fasting - the length of the fast is to extend the duration of the benefits.

  1. Mental clarity and calmness.
  2. Energy - the abundance of energy while fasting is amazing.
  3. Cosmetic - fat loss and loose skin reduction.
  4. Hormonal - testosterone and human growth factor
  5. Time - eating & the associated required activities are a time sink. I’d rather use that time more productively.
  6. Longevity - I believe that pushing my body into discomfort is a key to longevity. The epigenetic results promote rejuvenation. Basically, fasting promotes autophagy that cleans out old weak diseased cells and the refeed rebuilds with young, strong, healthy cells.

I have measured my metabolism and I’m in pretty good shape before and after. I do weight lift so I maintain a lot of my lean mass and metabolic rate.

Am I afraid of hurting myself? No. I am more concerned that daily eating is really unhealthy and we’ve become addicted to food … daily, and even multiple times a day.