Hi, all.
I will be fasting 68 hours Thursday Lunch till Sunday lunch.
I suggest that you do not try a "longer" water-fast unless you have been Intermittent Fasting for a while, and you are "fat adapted".
See contra-indication for (longer) fasts:
healthunlocked.com/fasting-...
Who is going to join me for how long?
...or will you fast over the week-end, starting on the Friday or Saturday?
I'm in 
Will check my diary to see at what point 'real-life' will scupper my best efforts.
I'm planning to fast from Thursday afternoon, and just see where it takes me... all going well I'd like to reach beyond 24 hours.
At the moment, for me, most days it seems to end up anything from 16 hours to 20 hours until I feel hungry, and it depends also what happens with work/family/unexpected surprises!
Hi, Cosmo501 , great.
Perhaps you could try for a 36-hour fast from Thursday evening to Saturday morning?
Yes, I'd like to achieve that, and will aim for it, unless something unexpected happens.
I find that I'm fine fasting as long as I'm mentally free to do so... if that makes sense!
I'm also conscious that it's a big leap for me from 24 hours to 36 hours.. but I won't know until I try. So, count me in!
Fasting (past 24 hours) is about not burning calories faster than you can get them from your fat reserves - and this is easy when you are asleep.
Yes, I do understand, and would like to know does the body become more efficient with this over time?
I've just replied to Stoozie's post regarding running whilst in a fasted state. I generally eat very low carb, for weight-loss purposes, and am in ketosis pretty constantly. I do just find I reach a point where my body is ready to eat a meal, or if I suddenly have a need for a large amount of energy I do need to eat.
I generally feel energised while fasting, but if, for example, I needed to exert a lot of physical energy with running for a solid hour, or heavy lifting, I feel I need to eat something to accomplish it comfortably. I wonder if that means that I'm fat adapted, but maybe not so efficient with it yet?
The last meal I ate was yesterday at 2.30pm, and just feeling hungry now, by the way
Yes, the body does get better at getting energy from fat reserves... apparently, some hunter-gatherers ran down an antelope after not eating for 9 days!
Hypoglycaemia can result from "exercising in a fasted state" do you just get hungry or start to feel faint?
No faintness, thankfully! I'm fine fasting in general, no hunger -- I've just realised the time, and it's now over 24 hours since I last ate. Just starting to feel hungry now. But I've just been at my desk most of the day. When I run when I'm in ketosis my legs just don't have that springy feeling... more like I'm running with weights round my ankles.
I cannot remember when I last had "that springy feeling". I think it was 1995? I remember feeling tired for weeks after I cycled 760 miles in 86 hours 45 minutes.
I feel tired just reading those numbers 😲 wow!!
I think you've just answered the question I asked you somewhere else!
I will do some more research, but i think the heavy legs are a glycogen depletion thing. Anytime you can spend teaching your body it can run in that state is great. Do you find you have to stop completely? Could you walk when you hit heavy leg zone?
Thanks for your questions from your other reply! Made me think more deeply about it.
I've only had to stop completely once when I came over all goosebumps and shivers... but that was just me being stupid running in the heat in mid summer.
Apart from that, I think it's a combination of it feeling like my heart is working too hard, and mental battle of running with heavy legs.
I think you're right - I just need to teach my body to run with glycogen depletion, because I don't intend to go back to eating carbs the way I used to.
Thank-you for your responses
Being in ketosis too much of the time tends to reduce muscle mass - do you know if you are losing muscle mass?
Oh dear I hope not!?.. thanks for flagging that up. I had thought it was only if you exercise heavily and not eat enough protein? I’ll need to check it out. I’m a pretty strong individual... don’t want to lose muscle mass. I need it!
We should not give any advice without being able to quote chapter and verse from a qualified expert, and I cannot remember where I read it, but I Googled "Ketosis muscle" and there is an article saying that muscle-loss is a potential result of the keto diet - and another about how to gain muscle mass on keto.
Good luck with your fast I have been fasting 23:1 for four days, so I am with you!
Hello S11m ,
Wishing you well for your fast for the next few days.
I'll start my fast about 6pm today, and aim to break it some time after 6am on Saturday. You've inspired me to really give it a go for a 36 hour fast this time.
How are you all doing?
I broke my fast a day early today (after 44 hours), as my sister is meeting me for lunch.
I felt fine all yesterday, and I did not even think of food.
I did a 5.5km walk yesterday afternoon - fortunately it was not too windy to use an umbrella!
Hi S11m
Congratulations on achieving your fast, and I hope that you enjoyed your lunch with your sister.
I have just enjoyed reading all your replies here - I must admit I thought about fasting overnight and started with the intention to do so, but didn't manage to do it - with the exception of last night, when I did an overnight fast - with my breakfast at about 9.30am or so.
Well done to everyone here who is fasting, you're doing brilliantly!
Have a lovely weekend.
Zest
Hello S11m , Going ok. Noticed a slight upwards movement in the scales, but it appears to be a blip so am continuing with 23:1. I am interested in a 47 hour fast. Have you any tips please? Best wishes and well done on your fast.
Hi, Hopalong1
The FAQ is intended to answer "Frequently asked Questions":
healthunlocked.com/fasting-...
If you can think of any questions that have not been answered, please let me know.
I would think that the logical next step from 23:1 would be a 36-hour fast - two nights and a day, which does, of course, become 47 hours if you fast 23:1 the days before and after.
I found that the biggest problem with longer fasts is boredom - but, if you only eat for one hour a day anyway...
If you exercise a lot fasted, you might get hypoglycaemia, and feel faint. Before my first long fast, I thought I would not drive during a long fast - but I felt OK.
Fasting is supposed to improve mental clarity.
Are you fasting mainly to lose weight, or also for any other reason?
What you eat before and after the fast can minimise problems and maximise the benefit: Keto or low-carb helps... I break my fasts with yoghurt, but I read somewhere that dairy can upset the hormones of pre-menopausal ladies. (I am not sure I believe any anti-dairy or anti-meat "info".)
Refeeding syndrome is not likely to be a problem if you fast for less than three days.
If you have sufficient motivation (e.g. you are about to lose a limb through diabetes) you can go straight into a (medically supervised) 14-day fast - but the first two days would not be fun.
How you feel will depend on how well fat-adapted you are - how long have you been IFing?
Read the contra-indications in the FAQ.
Thank you for this. Have been hosting today, but wanted to send you a message. Will have a good look at FAQ's and come back to you. Cheers!
Hi, again, Hopalong1 .
Please note that I am not a qualified medic, and even if I was, I could not give personalised advice without a complete medical history.
Thanks for this. I was merely wondering if there was an article on 48 hour fasts. But am reading The complete guide to fasting by Jason Fung so I expect I will get that there too. My understanding of forum is that members express their point of view, with a good heart, rather than advice. Have a good day
Hello S11m , glad to hear your fast went well, and that you had a lovely social occasion to enjoy, to break your fast.
I had to abandon fasting after 20 hours, which was not too unexpected. Pressure from working, and for my concentration I just felt I needed to eat. I ate a few spoons of coconut 'live' yoghurt with a few berries and nuts, but it did the trick and kept me going perfectly. Til that point I had managed a streak of 16 days of fasting between 16 and 24 hours each time, so I'm not too disappointed.
I'll carry on with 16:8 daily, and try again for a longer fast on Thursday-Saturday this week.
Hope you've had an enjoyable weekend!
Well done. My way of thinking is, it is what is right for you. I was sad when I made it to thirteen days not two weeks in my last fast, but now I am proud of myself for achieving a different way of eating, changing 50 years of other habits that no longer work for me. Have a good week, Cosmo
Hi, Cosmo501 .
We have to plan fasting around life, work, family etc.
It is good that you only succumbed to a high-fat snack (and did not fall off the waggon, and go on a binge) - I am sure you still benefited from the fast, and "all is not lost"!
When one is "fat-adapted", fasting is supposed to enhance physical and mental performance.
