Hello Michael and all,

I have been on the 5:2 Fast Diet since first week of June. Its going well in terms of I and my girlfriend having not suffered from hunger pains since week one and our energy is high. We have been strict in staying within our respective calorie limits. I consider this an experiment I am conducting throughout the thirteen weeks of June, July and August. Then in September, I will get a complete physical and let the results of my blood and urine work up determine how successful the diet has been for me and whether there is benefit in continuing.

After coming off of a 36 hour fast, I usually have to force myself to eat because I am not hungry. Most times it is actually 37 – 39 hours before I eat after fasting. To maintain my muscle mass and to tone up while I am at it, I power walk 22 Philadelphia city blocks, 11 of which are going gradually up hill six or seven times per week. I also do body weight exercises, push ups, deep knee bends and I use a Power Wheel for stomach work three times weekly. The body weight exercises only takes about twelve minutes.

The issue I am having is one day about two and a half weeks ago in the middle of the night I noticed my feet were swollen like two hot dogs right out of the boiling pot! I was not in any pain, but clearly was concerned and drove directly to the nearest, well nearest better hospital emergency room. Bottom line, the doctor, likely a resident as this is who hospital’s burdens with ungodly emergency room weekend shifts, did not know what the reason for the swelling was, but was not concerned because my urine work up was not cause for any concern. She advised me to stop eating high salt content foods and to wear compression socks. I thank her, but I have dismissed her advice because I eat very little salt and am determine to remedy the welling, not manage it with compression socks. The swelling went down about 90% after about 30 hours and back to normal the next day.

As I write this, my feet are swollen, about 60% of the first time and less than 24 hours ago. I came off fast, 9:30 AM Friday. Starting again Sunday evening about 9:30 PM. These swelling episodes have occurred both times while I was fasting. Again, other than feeling the slight tightness from the swelling, I am not in any pain of discomfort. I am writing to ask if anyone has/is also experiencing swelling of their feet while fasting? And if anyone, Michael or otherwise knowledgeable has an explanation for this? I would like to think that this is happening because during fasting, my body is ridding itself of inflammation and storing it away from my major organs until I excrete it. But I do not want to be on the business end of being incorrect with my theory for obvious reasons.

I am 61 years young, I do not have any major weight issue, as I am more concerned about my fat to muscle ratio that has gotten out of wack since my injury forced me to stop working out a few years ago. I stooped eating so much junk and have lost at least twelve to fifteen pounds over the last nine months. So far this time it (back pain) has not raised its ugly head causing my lower back to become engulfed in very painful inflammation. So other than suffering the physical effects from a work injury many years ago, I do not knowingly suffer from any serious illness. Although after a physical about two years ago (my last physical), my personal doctor said I was in the pre-diabetes blood sugar range and I could lower it with better food choices. However, the emergency room doctor reported there was I quote, “A little sugar in your urine, but nothing to worry about.” I took this as an indication the fasting diet is positively affecting my glucose level and left it at that. I can learn my exact blood glucose number via my right to review the exact urine test hard data results and I will next week.

Thank you very much for your input.

Spyglass (Robert)
P.S. Before my injury, I used to power walk 36 blocks, 18 on a hill incline five days weekly. At no time did I suffer swollen feet. Incredibly painful blisters the size of a baby’s hands, yes, but no swelling. .

P.P.S. The emergency room doctor was very pleased to hear I was observing the 5:2 fast diet. I was the first person to tell her they were observing any type of fasting eating plan. She said she is on a 16:8 eating routine whereby she eats all three of her meals within eight hours daily.