Longer fasts. Anyone interested in a support thread?

[LittlePearl]

I've been doing intermittent fasting on and off for years, ever since Michael Mosley's first programme on it (an episode of Horizon, I think?).

I'm a bit of an 'all or nothing' person and feel better when there's not too much wriggle room. But latterly my will-power has gone walkabout and I need to get back into a sustainable rhythm.

Having recently read Jason Fung's 'The Obesity Code' I'm motivated to attempt some longer fasts (i.e. over 24 hours). I have managed this in the past and believe I can again but think it might help to have the encouragement of other people attempting something similar, even if not necessarily at the same time.

I finished eating at 9pm last night (had a bad day) and intend to eat nothing now until Thursday evening, so about 70 hours fasting. Doing ok so far but it's evenings I find hard and going to bed hungry isn't much fun!

Anyone else?

If I wasn’t mid way through a glass of wine I would join you (I had Haribo for dinner ) I will start in the morning!

Oh and good luck!

@OppsUpsSide

Oh and good luck!

Thanks!

Currently pretending that I can't hear my stomach rumbling and that my black coffee is just as delicious as a latte!

Wowsers little Pearl - good luck! How are you feeling now? Are you 24 hours ish in?

@twolittleboysonetiredmum

Wowsers little Pearl - good luck! How are you feeling now? Are you 24 hours ish in?

Yep, over 24 hours now.

I won't pretend I'm not hungry but I really think the bigger battle is the mental one (for me at least). I think about food a lot as a rule and it's hard going through the day knowing there won't be anything nice to eat at any point.

But I really want to do this - lose some weight, fit my clothes, improve my health and 'take back control' . So I'm quite determined to do it.

What's helping is knowing that when I wake up in the morning I won't be any hungrier than I usually am but I'll have 36 hours fasting under my belt.

No kids at home to prepare meals for is also a big help. OH makes his own meal if I'm not having anything, and I just inhale the aroma!

I just started on Tuesday with a two to four hour eating window in the evenings. Aiming for two once I get used to it but just listening to my body at the moment.

I lost 3 stone on ADF before but it just doesn't suit me anymore so giving this a whirl. Don't have a huge amount to lose, 18 pounds would get me back to my pre- COVID weight and feeling good in my clothes again.

Good luck to everyone fasting today!

Wow LittlePearl that's quite a fast!

I agree, for me most of the battle is mental.

Good luck

omgomad congratulations on your weight loss, 3 stones is amazing!

Good luck with the smaller eating window. I must admit I struggle with under 4 hours but perhaps if you do it rigorously enough it becomes second nature. (That probably sounds daft when I haven't eaten since Monday night but I hope you know what I mean!)

Girl I'm on the final straight! I plan to eat something tomorrow morning so only about 14 hours to go.

I'd love to have something now because OH is preparing his meal and it smells lush (and it's only salad! ) but it seems daft to break it this evening when at least half of those 14 hours I will be asleep.

I honestly don't think I feel any hungrier having not eaten for three days than I do when I don't eat for one, but my mouth tastes like the bottom of the proverbial parrot's cage and I miss the pleasure of preparing and eating a meal. However, we've got a weekend of feasting ahead of us, which was one of the reasons I wanted to do the longer fast this week. So I've got plenty of good food to look forward to

Reading all these comments with great interest. I’ve been doing OMAD for a couple of months. I’ve lost approx six kilos. But I think I could do better. I do sometimes add a splash of milk to hot drinks but having read this thread I’m going to cut that milk out. I also don’t always make the healthiest choices during my one meal. But I’m trying to stick with it. I feel I’m getting ready to do a longer fast soon but not quite there yet.

Well I did it. 83 hours in total.

OH brought me toast and marmalade in bed this morning and boy, it tasted good!

I'll be doing another from Monday evening to Wednesday evening next week.

Good luck, fellow fasters.

Well done OP, I’m currently 19 hours into another 36-42 hour fast which I’ve been doing the last few weeks.
I’ve been IF for around a decade before I knew what IF was, I found it really helped my asthma so that’s where I started researching it. I’m so glad it’s become more mainstream and others see the benefit.

I’m in it mainly for autophagy and health and I limit meat/dairy as much as possible but find it hard to get my calories in on eating days if I stick too rigidly to this.

My hardest times are around 24 hrs which is usually dinner, so I try and make myself go for a run to get my mind off it! By the time I get home and showered, I can watch Tv for an hour and then go to bed.

I managed 20 hours before lunch today but have since eating really badly. I knew I would be though so I guess it’s not all bad as it was planned and not out of control eating..! Amazed at your fast little Pearl - well done! Do you work? I can’t imagine surviving at work!

I’d love to fast from tonight til Sunday morning. I’ve done a few long fasts before and lost weight and felt good but it really does take immense willpower.
Here goes....

I do work, but p/t and very flexibly so that does make planning fasts easier.

I'm not sure I could have done it when our children were young - preparing meals that you won't eat is really hard!

Good luck to anyone fasting today. Remember that the gains will be worth the sacrifice!

I’m intrigued by all this. I’m currently doing OMAD and cope pretty fine with that. The weight loss seems slow and steady. Does longer fasting fast track that? I’m not sure I could go to bed on an empty stomach but I’m building up psychologically to trying it.

Well done OP!! Bet you feel fantastic!

23 hrs is my limit at the moment but I'm definitely going to try a longer one soon.

@Babymamamama

I’m intrigued by all this. I’m currently doing OMAD and cope pretty fine with that. The weight loss seems slow and steady. Does longer fasting fast track that? I’m not sure I could go to bed on an empty stomach but I’m building up psychologically to trying it.

Going to bed hungry was always the thing that made me think I wouldn't be able to do it, so I know what you mean.

What made a difference for me was cutting out all milk in drinks so basically just water (well, black tea and coffee). I found I really didn't get the hunger pangs that I used to have when I was having milk.

I'm also quite tired by the evening when I don't eat all day so tend to drop to sleep pretty quickly. Sometimes I go up a bit early because evening is the time I find it hardest not to eat.

Re the weight loss, I honestly don't know yet. I'm not weighing every day, or every week actually. I think I might weigh in a month and see what's changed (hopefully something has!) The longer fasts work for me when it's just not possible to do OMAD without really feeling like you're missing out. Our social life is picking up again so lots of invites out including a couple of lunches and if I do OMAD it has to be an evening meal. I'm better at going cold turkey all day than thinking, well I'll eat at lunch then nothing till tomorrow.

I have been doing 5:2 (Only it's been 3:4 this week!)
I'd not come across the milk in drinks issue before but that would explain a lot.
Can anyone advise whether no cal fizzy drinks are allowed please? Or does that send the hunger haywire too?
Thank you in advance.

Or fizzy water?

Ah I did read that you shouldn’t drink low cal drinks. Can’t remember why but they aren’t a good option. And I knew that milk is a no no if fasting. Although sometimes I do cheat and add a bit to a cup of tea. I drink sparkling mineral water all the time during OMAD so hopefully that’s ok.

Thank you babymamama - sparkling water it is!

@themoonandthestars

I have been doing 5:2 (Only it's been 3:4 this week!) I'd not come across the milk in drinks issue before but that would explain a lot. Can anyone advise whether no cal fizzy drinks are allowed please? Or does that send the hunger haywire too? Thank you in advance.

I think the reasoning is that anything with a sweet taste (including low cal drinks) can trigger an insulin response and it's that you're trying to flatten / eliminate during fasting.

Thankyou...I'll definitely avoid

What benefits have you seen Op on extended fasts?

My weight has been stable for a year or so now. I started OMAD about 6 months ago and it's had no impact on weight or measurements. Which I've found a bit disappointing as there is still some fat that could go!

@Girlintheframe

What benefits have you seen Op on extended fasts?

My weight has been stable for a year or so now. I started OMAD about 6 months ago and it's had no impact on weight or measurements. Which I've found a bit disappointing as there is still some fat that could go!

I'm not sure I've done it for a long enough period of time to tell yet.

At the moment I think the big 'win' is proving to myself I can be in control of my eating. I do really like the science behind why it's good for you though and as I get older that's starting to matter more.

I'd be lying if I said I'm not interested in the weight loss. I'd love to lose about 10k. I totally get why you're disappointed about not seeing any change after 6 months of OMAD. Have you any idea why you haven't lost weight / inches?