So, to celebrate, I am going to fast again. Who wants to join me?
Share any plans you have for fasting end of February or beginning of March.
More details:
We try to hold a group fast on or around the first Sunday of the month. I'm going a week early, because of the anniversary.
The monthly fast is simple. Anyone doing an extended fast share it here for support and fellow fasters. We will cheer you on, and tell you to stop if we are worried it's not healthy. (But don't rely on us for health advice, of course!)
We must all decide for ourselves if fasting is safe and healthy for us, but once you have established that, please use this discussion to achieve your goal. If you aren't sure what is safe and healthy for you, ask some questions and we can help you decide, or direct you to your GP.
The purpose of the group fast is for us to give each other support and encouragement.
Post your fasting plan here, then while you are fasting, updates on how you are feeling. Ask for help or advice or share hints on what helps you. Let us know how you did at the end, and maybe share a picture of your fast-breaking meal.
I often start my fasts after my last meal on a Sunday. Others prefer to fast over the weekends starting Friday. It's all good. Use this thread to support any elongated (for you!) fast you are doing.
Don't hesitate to start your own discussion/thread if that helps your goals. We are all supporting each other, and so should do whatever we need to be successful.
Remember, while it seems likely that fasting strengthens the immune system in the long term, stress can lower your immunity in the short term. You may be more vulnerable to infections during and immediately after fasting. Consider your personal risk of exposure to coronavirus when planning a fast.
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Subtle_badger
16Kg IF 72hrs
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I'm going to aim for a 60ish hour fast this time. I am working 12 hours on Sunday, which will be on my feet the whole time. If I manage to get through without needing to eat and am not hungry when I get home, then I will retrospectively have been fasting since Saturday evening. More likely I will have a late supper Sunday, and fast Monday and Tuesday.
Hi, Subtle_badger - good luck with your fast - keep us posted!If I was going to fast this weekend, I would have started yesterday!
I am planning to fast from about 11.00 on Friday 5th to 15:00 on Tuesday 9th.
I now find that one hundred hour fasts are no problem... but I have been working up to it for about three years! Last month, I was tempted to extend it to 120 hours or five days!
If you have been eating six times a day, then I suggest you start by not eating in the evenings and gradually work towards Intermittent Fasting 16:8 or 20:4 before trying a longer fast.
Having said that, Dr Jason Fung puts some of his diabetes patients on an initial 14 -day medically supervised fast, and I think there are no records of anyone fasting longer than 382 days!
I used to feel a bit "lacking in energy" when walking 5km briskly days into a long fast - but, last time, I felt fine 98 hours into my fast!"Articles" are often written by journalists who have more pre-conception and prejudice than knowledge or even personal experience.
The ideal length of fast depends on the individual - and what the individual hopes to gain from the fast.
How soon insulin levels, blood glucose, diabetes and weight goes down depends on the individual.
Clearly it helps you to feel well and invigorated; it sounds as though you truly enjoy the longer fasts. I take my hat off to you, I know that I could not manage that length of time.
Myself, I am trying to build up my fasting time each day; and plain old daily IF works well for me right now. In summer I might add in a few short fasts; I'm not in your league.
Hi Subtle_badger , I haven't done an extended fast since before Xmas and would really like to get into the habit of doing an extended fast every month. I am at work til midday and off tomorrow so will aim to start my fast after my last hot drink at work, so from around 0900hrs. I would like to extend for 72hrs if I can, having support would be great. : )
Hi Subtle_badger , how is the fast going? I certainly don’t envy you doing a 12 hr shift. I only do 6hr shifts now, that’s enough for me. I started my fast from 1330hrs. Feeling good at the moment, although I am taking my mother shopping now, which isn’t the best thing to do during a fast I know. She hasn’t been shopping in nearly a year, she is fully vaccinated and raring to go. We had arranged this date ahead, before I thought about fasting. I will check in later 😊
Nothing to report yet. Ate very little yesterday, but I did eat, so came home and reheated the cauliflower cheese and cooked a lamb steak with rosemary and garlic 😋. I guess I started fasting about 9.30 last night, but I didn't check the time. So it's just a normal day for me so far, lots of black coffee. I almost never eat in the morning and often do OMAD. The real fast starts when I go to bed without eating.
Oh, tummy is rumbling! This would normally be a day I would have lunch I think. Let's see how it goes.
I had bad problems with cramp about a year ago. I am supplementing.
Part of the problem is I was cold last night. I stayed up late after the heater was off, but put on my electric blanket. It didn't come on, and woke up feeling the cold with my calf screaming.
Hi I broke fast after about 28 hrs with some nuts. I started to feel sick, I had been drinking Bouillon throughout the day and water with sea salt and ACV. Glad to hear your fast is going well, keep up the good work. 😊
Feeling ok thanks. I think alternate day fasting would be good for me. So eating to max calories (LCHF) one day and fasting the next. Have you tried that?
Subtle_badger , thanks, I thought I remembered you doing it. I have a lot of belly fat. I am 58 this year so really need to get it off, and keep it off. I have really been struggling to stick to anything. Will give this a go.😊
I am 72 this year - so I think that losing weight and fasting helps my life expectancy - but my twin brother has a BMI of 47, and does not want to realise that IF and LCHF would also help his cancer.
I changed my eating pattern when I went ADF, so I ate 3 meals on my eating day. I was concerned I needed more meals to get 2 days worth of protein absorbed.
Well done on your fast!— interesting about the nuts. I also felt really sick when I once broke an extended fast with a few nuts. Hope you felt better better quickly x
Thanks Cosmo. Yup very hungry last night, but I fended it off with miso soup. More carbs than ideal, but it worked. And the salt and fluids probably prevented cramps last night. Feeling completely fine now, so not sure when I will break it yet.
Thanks. 61 hours and counting. About to go on a cycle ride with a neighbour. Will bring snacks, but it will be slow paced so don't expect to need them.
Doing so well! Glad to hear you're feeling good. Go gently though on your bike SB! I can't imagine cycling on a 61 hour fast... but then I can't imagine a 61 hours fast yet either! Hope you have a fab day, and that you feel great with the fast xx
Thanks. It was a very gentle cycle, interrupted with walking through the garden of a national trust property.
I've only had two black coffees today, and feeling fine. 65 hours in. I would love to do another night, but I have to leave home at 7am in the morning, and I am going to be on my feet all day. I can't risk breaking my fast tomorrow, in case my tummy goes on the fritz again, and I don't want to risk fasting through my shift: the patients are the only ones who should pass out at a vaccination site. 😁
Well done doesn't seem to cut it! It's an amazing achievement SB 🎈🎉🏆
I hope your tummy stays strong; it's hard enough working shifts, without having a funny tummy (I have worked shifts all of my life, nights were the worst for me, as I have Insomnia...but less about me) ....Awesome job!
Really fine. I broke my fast with an avocado and seafood salad followed by low carb toad-in-the-hole with asparagus as a late supper. Out at 7, 5 mile cycle, 6 hours on my feet on 3 instant coffees, 60g of brie, cycle home and the same supper, left overs this time.
I normally fast 20:4, and I started my fast yesterday after lunch - so I have now fasted about an hour more than I do every day... just a matter of getting off autopilot and not having breakfast!
The wonderful theory is that I will have time to get things done!
S11m, I hope you don't mind me asking...how long have you been 20:4 ?
I have managed to do a handful of 20:4 but am having trouble sticking to it for over a week....do you have any handy tips that you don't mind sharing please?
Obviously eating low carb, and, fasting clean helps. I find that if I have white coffee (which really, I prefer) I feel hungry; black coffee helps.
I tend to be 16:8, if I'm honest.
I think that clearly, I need to do some willpower weight training! lol
Thank you S11m; I will read it again, and I will ask away, thank you
Six months to achieve that is really good going, well done. I have been Fasting since last July, but I have naughty moments; I find it easier in warmer weather for some reason. 16:8 is easy to do, I think I will knuckle down and do it soon, hopefully.
70 hours in - breaking my fast tomorrow afternoon (100 hours).
Fasting increases your metabolic rate - and last night I had palpitations and felt too hot - even though the temperature in my bedroom was only 14.5 C.
I had a brisk 5km walk yesterday (in 4C) - but did find that I was slowing down a bit towards the end.
In my current scheme, I fast four nights and most of five days, so I get five 5km or more walks in the fast.
I seem to take 48 hours to get into the fast - but is 100 hours ideal?
I am thinking I might go to 120 hours, from early lunch to late lunch.
I am feeling great, and I expect to feel more benefit over the next week or two.
As I am down to my target weight, I ate a bit more before the fast - and got 6lb over my target weight - I then lost 9lb (obviously mostly gut-fill and fluid) two or three days - and, 48 hours after ending my fast, I am back at my target weight (which gives me a BMI of 25).
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Cheering each other along - breaking the psychological hurdle of the longer fast
Diabetics CAN fast