Three day fasts (every week) since October

keto
fasting
(Kenny Embry) #1

Curious to get some insight. I’ve been doing a three day fast every week (Monday-Wednesday fasting, Thursday-Sunday eating). Obviously it started out pretty rough, but now, it’s normal. I started out around 235 pounds (although I was too embarrassed to actually do an initial weigh in). My pants went from 42" waist to (currently) somewhere between 35-37". Currently I’m at 200, and this is the first week I’ve had where I didn’t lose anything.

During Christmas, I went down to one meal a day (occasionally two meals a day), but didn’t fast at all between Christmas and New Years. I gained about 2 pounds, which has already come off.

I’m wondering if three consecutive days is too aggressive. I hate changing something which has worked so well until now. But alternate day fasting (ADF) is definitely doable.

I’ve also been following a keto diet with a giant tub of naturally refined coconut oil and a big jar of ghee. I found I love heavy whipping cream in coffee, although I only drink that during my eating window on eating days, when I still try to keep to 18:6. I feel like I’m probably doing too much protein, but I’m a lazy keto person. For my height (5’ 6"), I’m still chunky, but I’m thrilled with my progress so far.

Advice? Should I shift to ADF?

(Duncan Kerridge) #2

Why not? If it doesn’t change anything then try something else. Congrats on the progress so far!

(Candy Lind) #3

You’ve been losing at a rate I would kill for, and with fasting 3 days a week, you should have a really big deficit if you are eating to satiety (and no farther) the other 4 days. Could you be eating past satiety on non-fasting days? If you were on the constantly-grazing carb roller coaster before, it’s easy to do. Something to think about. I was doing just that - it was all “on plan” but I was eating nearly at maintenance instead of a deficit, and eating too much protein. I’m using the “What did you eat today?” topic as somewhat of a guide to tell me what’s appropriate for a meal, since my 60±year bad habits are still haunting me.

#4

Sounds like its working for you - very well. I don’t see any need to change unless it becomes uncomfortable or you feel like doing something else. Listen to your body - it will let you know. :grin:

#5

If you stretch it to four days, you’ll get a human growth hormone spike, which helps build muscle and bone and will change your body composition. Three days is not at all extreme.

I echo Candy’s thought: you may be eating too much on your eating days. If you’re fasting that much, it’s probable you need to increase your salt intake if you haven’t already. I would add more salt to your food/diet and see if your appetite decreases.

Another option is to keep doing what you’ve been doing for a couple more weeks. It has been working, so why mess with it?

(Andrew) #6

Wait, everything is working and you want to mess with it?

3 days every week seems a tad much, but not if you should weigh 160. What’s your goal weight?

(Kenny Embry) #7

Thanks. I’m 5’ 6" and I’m thinking I should weigh closer to 170 with my frame.