Jumped in the deep end with a 3 day fast

This topic contains 5 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by grumpygit 6 years, 9 months ago.

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grumpygit

10:28 am
16 Jul 17
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Hi All

This is all happening very quickly for me. I remember watching a film a few years ago called Fat, sick and nearly dead, not as grim as it probably sounds and very interesting. I also rememeber the BBC documentary on fasting with Mike Mosley along with having an interest in the subject of fasting with different cultures for various reasons, not all about weight loss, far from it.

Anyway early last week a window opened up for me as work had slacked off for the first time in ages. I had always had the idea of doing a fast, for another education as much as anything else, but weight loss is my major goal. I am looking at shifting 20Lbs at most, all of which seems to be around my stomach. So I was thinking about it one night about doing it in the very close future and then suddenly thought “just do it now”.

Anyway, to cut a long story short last I night broke a 3 day water fast and Oh Boy what an experience, mostly good. I might go into all the details another time, but during the fast I read up online about it, ordered the Mike Mosely book which I am hoping will arrive tomorrow, and most importantly thinking where I am going to take this next as I am sure I am onto something.

I have a general understanding of the intermittient diet and already have a plan that I think I can deal with very easily as I have done something similar already in my life without thinking about it.
I just want to ask this question just to make sure I am not being stupid. If I say have a last meal say on a Monday night and do not have my next one until Tuesday night, have I done a 24 hour fast that is of any use?, I then intend to do this again on Thursday.

dykask

10:54 am
16 Jul 17
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Brad Pilon http://bradpilon.com/ pushes 24 hours fasts like you are asking about. He thinks there is a lot of good that comes from it and thinks it is better for maintaining and developing muscles.

There are also a lot of people that practice One Meal A Day (OMAD). There are lots of claims around it, but mostly these people are using it too control their weight.

Wow 3 days for a first fast? That is really hard core, congratulations on making it through the fast, that second day can be a bit rough. At the three day mark you were getting some serious impact from fasting. I had fasted many times before I took on 3 days. I’m impressed.

Like you I tend to read and study about fasting when I fasting. It seems to make the fasting easier in some perverse way. However I normally buy the electronic versions of the books so I can get them right away. If I’m feeling weak I’ll watch an episode of “My 600 lb. Life” on YouTube. Those often cure my urges to give up!

A big thumbs up to you!

grumpygit

7:02 pm
16 Jul 17
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Thanks DY

I had a slight intention of going for 5 days, but from the start I played it by ear. The first 24 hours I lost about 4Lb, but I assumed that would be what was left in my stomach etc. I never really found it all that hard first day and it included a swim, but when I initially woke up second day I felt a little yuk, but that soon went, and I also got a fair bit of stuff done as well as a 20 mile bike ride, and that ride went really well, no problems and felt great.

Third day and I woke up feeling a lot more yuk, I got a little better but was feeling quite drained and sleepy. I just thought then that maybe 3 days was a good start and went shopping to take me up to the full 3 days and then get home and have a nice first meal and break the fast.

Up until the end I was mostly feeling great, skin felt really good as well, then pulled out when it was just getting a little horrible. I was tempted to go for the 4th day and maybe learn something else about myself and fasting, but I backed out, this time.

I am starting to think the evening is a good time to end a fast unless I am told different. I enjoyed breaking the fast and that first meal, but I did continue to feel a little yuk and very sleepy. Woke up next day and felt full of energy, stomach was a tiny bit delicate shall we say, and did a 40 mile bike ride, I did feel slightly different, I thought my energy might fade during the ride, but I was better than fine.

This week I am only going to do a one full 24 hour, and then next week do two

Big_Bill

2:38 am
17 Jul 17
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The 5:2 diet recommends 2 full days of fasting.
That means limiting yourself to 500 calories for a woman, or 600 calories for a man, for a full calendar day.
This usually means that if, for example, you are fasting on a Monday, then you would consume a maximum of 500/600 calories from your evening meal on Sunday (which might be 8pm) until your breakfast or lunch on Tuesday. You can, of course, choose to consume nothing but water during this time.
I find it easier to stick to 600 calories or less than to water fast (which I have done in the past). This way I don’t feel like I am starving myself, but rather that I am just “eating differently” on my fasting days. It also teaches me to recognize and manage hunger, and to be mindful of portion sizes and the amount of calories in food. Sometimes when I feel like something to eat, a 20 calorie cup of miso soup does the job nicely. A couple of boiled eggs and some salad can make a fantastic lunch for less than half my calories for the day. A 110 calorie can of sardines can make a great snack. And so on.
If a 24 hour water fast a couple of times per week works better for you, then give it a try. You will still get most of the benefits, I imagine. Just as by eating only 25% of your normal calorie intake you get most of the benefits of a water fast. It really is about what works for you and what you find fits in with your lifestyle.
I was actually watching a YouTube video featuring Dr Jason Fung yesterday, and he recommended the “desert island approach” to fasting for people who were finding it difficult: acting, for 3 days, as if you are on a desert island with plenty of water but no access to food. Which is basically the approach you took. This basically forces the body to kick into fasting mode and can help some people get started on a fasting program.

dykask

4:54 am
17 Jul 17
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As I have fasted many times I’ve noticed my bodies response to fasting has changed. Basically I think my body is going through the phases a bit faster and easier. The main change is a 36 hour fast is now pretty easy. I don’t eat any food while fasting, for me it would be very difficult to just eat a limited amount, it is much easier just to not eat at all.

grumpygit

7:10 pm
17 Jul 17
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Thanks Bill

Some usefull stuff.

I am similar to dy I think, I would probley find it harder to have a little rather than nothing at all. I know myself and a 24 hr period would be quite easy for me, maybe even a 36 with the thought of waking up to a breakfast.

I just feel like I am not truely fasting even if I have a 600 cal or less, but Hey! if it works great.
I was having a think about it today and was wonder if I just did the one fast a week from Tuesday evening 8pm to Thurs morning 7 am, now that would feel like a fast without being too much of a killer.