What is the longest fast that you've completed?

#21

I did a 4 day fast last month. This month’s will probably be a 6 day. I’m actually reading Moore/Fung fasting book right now.

#22

Awesome! Great job! :wink:

(Kylie Woodruff) #23

I recall at the Low Carb Down Under event this year - Jimmy Moore talking about the Dr who wrote Cancer as a Metabolic Disease book - Dr Thomas Seyfried - and his recommendation was that everybody should fast for one week each year. I thought that was interesting.

I’m not sure I could go for 30 days. I also attended Stephen Phinney workshop this last year too and yeah he did say he was not so supportive of fasting.

I would like to do the weekly one once a year and maybe try alternate day fasting.

#24

I think Dr Phinney is perhaps gun shy because he had his research prospects go bad after liquid protein diet based on gelatin-only supplementation (created by another person) caused several deaths. The gelatin-only diet had people go into ketosis as well…but, other biochemical processes were taking place as well, which caused severe health damage. This led to a shut down in the research community in ketosis science, which of course injured Dr Phinney’s legitimate and excellent work.

(Tim) #25

I did a 5 day “fast” a couple of months ago but it was using the fast-mimicking diet from Lifebox where calories were reduced to about 500/day. Now that I’ve been eating keto for a couple of months, I think I could easily do a 5 day fast without any of the Lifebox calories. With the holidays and a move to a new home behind me, I plan on fasting next week, Sunday through Thursday or Friday.

#26

I did a quick google search on content of lifebox fast. It is 500 calorie per day of 50% carbs, 15 % protein and the rest fat.

I would caution using this method. This is more of a starvation diet. And will have the potential to decrease your metabolic rate.

In a true fast, your body uses it’s energy not used in the digestive system to conduct autophagy. If instead you give it 500 cal of food, it has to turn on the digestive system and find ways to lower metabolic rate to process the food and keep the rest of your body alive.

(Kylie Woodruff) #27

I was just having a surf and found this interview with Thomas Seyfried talking about water fasting as a potential tactic to beat cancer.

(softail925) #28

Can you give some examples of supplemental fat that you take in during your fast? Like butter coffee or bone broth or? Fat bombs?

(G. Andrew Duthie) #29

No fat bombs. Added fat primarily through butter/MCT oil, and a very small amount of HWC in my coffee. Occasional slice of butter (no more than 1Tbsp) in the afternoon/evening when I’m not drinking coffee, and on rare occasions a spoonful of mascarpone. Has worked well for me in terms of weight loss, but unclear at this point what effect it may have on other benefits of fasting (autophagy, etc.).

I plan on trying a water fast next, perhaps in Feb. It’ll be 20/4 IF until then, I think.

Sometimes you just gotta try things until you figure out what works. And if/when that stops working, do it all over again. :slight_smile:

(bambiying2) #30

I’m on my longest right now. I’ve made it up to 46 hours. I’m hoping to last until Saturday lunchtime. I really feel like shoving something in my mouth right now. I keep telling myself that day 2 is the hardest and that as long as I make it to bedtime tonight, I should probably be okay.

#31

On day 3 of 33 day fast, I wanted to eat my arm I was so hungry. But, doing research beforehand, I knew it would pass. And it did. From day 4 on, I actually didn’t want food. I was ok.

(G. Andrew Duthie) #32

Broke my fast at day 5. 114 hours total. -7lbs. Great BG numbers. Very pleased. Next one will be a water fast.

#33

Bravo! :smiley::tada:

#34

My longest fasts have been 7 days…water, tea, occasional broth. I do it primarily for the autophagic effect. Weight loss, I go three or four days.

(G. Andrew Duthie) #35

I’ve been warned that broth may interfere with autophagy. Probably depends on the macro content of the broth.

#36

I’ve heard that too…eliminating the broth from now on.

(G. Andrew Duthie) #37

Or perhaps keep the serving very small?

#38

Well, since autophagy is the goal, I would rather not risk the outcome for the sake of a bit of broth.

(G. Andrew Duthie) #39

Totally makes sense.

(Dana ) #40

I’ve only done 1 fast so far (6 weeks in) and it was for 62 hours. I decided to eat only because is was my first time and I’m on a heavy load of medicines for something else. For the following 2 days I only ate a couple times a day and normal or less than normal amounts. I had a cup of chicken broth 3x, coffee with coconut oil and water.

I’m excited for my next one! It was surprisingly easy, I had loads of energy and it was nice to not having to worry about food for once. Of course I also had the amazing support from @AnnaLeeMI to guide me :slight_smile: