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?

I think I'm probably about right weight wise so not much to loose but I still have a proportionally large abdomen.

I totally get what you mean about feeling in control. I used to binge sugar until I went low carb and it really got me down. Not because of my weight (was a couple of stone heavier too) but because I felt totally out of control. Current way of eating I finally feel in charge!
Yes the health benefits interest me too especially as I age.

Have had a couple of bad weeks eating-wise, and not been in the right frame of mind to fast. I'm so cross with myself, I had felt really positive about it last month!

Want to get a grip again this week. I plan to fast on Tuesday and Wednesday, possibly a bit longer if I can get into the right frame of mind.

Hi LittlePearl,

Like you I started off with MM's 5/2 diet, but am also an all or nothing person.

For the past couple of years I have been doing 36 hour water fasts once a week.

This has worked really well for me as I have lost almost 50 pounds and for the past few months have been able to maintain without too much effort.

I eat my last meal on Sunday around 7pm and then nothing but water, black coffee and peppermint tea until Tuesday morning when I have a large mug of milky coffee then a healthy brunch late morning.

It took my a while to get into it, but I'm fine now, really enjoy it. I just keep busy and ignore the rumbling tummy noises.

@NettleMania

Hi LittlePearl,

Like you I started off with MM's 5/2 diet, but am also an all or nothing person.

For the past couple of years I have been doing 36 hour water fasts once a week.

This has worked really well for me as I have lost almost 50 pounds and for the past few months have been able to maintain without too much effort.

I eat my last meal on Sunday around 7pm and then nothing but water, black coffee and peppermint tea until Tuesday morning when I have a large mug of milky coffee then a healthy brunch late morning.

It took my a while to get into it, but I'm fine now, really enjoy it. I just keep busy and ignore the rumbling tummy noises.

Wow, 50 lbs loss is amazing NettleMania, well done!

I feel inspired to press on . I'm doing ok today but flagging a bit as it gets nearer dinner-time. But I really want to get back 'on the wagon' this week. My eating has been pretty out of control over the last fortnight and I hate that feeling.

Hi LittlePearl,
Sorry for the silence. Relative in hospital - long story
Anyway, how are you getting on?
It's been a bit of a roller coaster here and I found myself comfort eating, which I've been careful not to do for many months.
I've put on 7 pounds. Not the end of the world I know, but I am disappointed in myself. It just goes to show that you can never really relax or the old bad habits will return!
Good luck.

I have done a 72 hour water fast , although it is a five day process.
Day one through three are zero food, water only, day four is clear broths, herbal tea, and bone broth, and day five is gentle foods in small servings, like yogurt/oatmeal/fresh fruit.
I felt so much better after, for weeks after I had better energy, and it helped with my Sarcoidosis too, much less inflammation.
I'd say the good effects lasted at least a few months for me, and I will be doing it again at the end of August this year.

Seafog that sounds amazing - good effects for a few months, wow! And I think Jason Fung would count that as a 4 day fast, as broth is allowed on his fasting plan.

I'd love to join this group. I did a 36 hour fast 10 days ago, and am now firmly on 5:2 for the next 9 weeks with weight loss firmly in mind. I hope to lose 20 lbs in this time - and then there will just be another 7-14 to go.

Like many of you, I really like the science behind it and as a yo yo dieter who is now menopausal, with a Dad who was diabetic, I think the idea of doing regular fasts could be very powerful for me. Ive read The Obesity Code and am going to get a couple of the other books mentioned upthread.

So for now - a 40 hour fast starting tomorrow evening. And then hoping to do a 40-64 hour fast most weeks and see how it goes.

Looking forward to going on this journey with you all - who's fasting next week?

Hi loveyouradvice, I'll join you in fasting this week

I've just had a few days away and overate massively. I really need to get a grip and am thinking of doing Fast800 with longer fasts thrown in to maximise weight loss and get things back under control.

By the way, I saw your question on the other thread....I think that a complete fast probably gives better results than a plan where you eat, even if low carb / low cal, but I don't know for sure. It just seems to make sense that if you give your body nothing to use for energy it HAS to use your fat stores. But I'm very happy to be told I'm wrong!

Ok, count me in for a 40 hour fast starting tomorrow night.

@Seafog

I have done a 72 hour water fast , although it is a five day process. Day one through three are zero food, water only, day four is clear broths, herbal tea, and bone broth, and day five is gentle foods in small servings, like yogurt/oatmeal/fresh fruit. I felt so much better after, for weeks after I had better energy, and it helped with my Sarcoidosis too, much less inflammation. I'd say the good effects lasted at least a few months for me, and I will be doing it again at the end of August this year.

I'm tempted to say I'll join you at the end of the month Seafog, except that we're on holiday at the end of August / beginning of September. But I like the idea of doing a long fast soon after we get back.

Do you have a start date in mind?

No specific date, it's just that I have a lot on for most of the month, and I want my time to be my own.
I know there will be moments of irritation, tiredness, and all that good stuff, so I don't want to be also dealing with work/family/clubs stuff.

You really have to plan ahead if you don't want to be derailed, don't you? I found it really tricky finding a stretch when I knew I could really commit to it. I want to give myself the best chance of success.

Absolutely, or at least I do. I have all the will power on the first few days, but halfway through day three I get a little testy, and temped to bail

Good luck all with your longer fasts.
I usually do one 36 hour fast a week, but have been overdoing it of late, so plan two 36 hour water fasts a week in August, starting from tomorrow.
That should get me back on track and feeling less out of control. I'm sort of looking forward to it!

So pleased to have found this thread! I put 10lb on at the start of lockdown, and have been struggling to loose it ever since. Have had some success with 16/8 combined with no sugar and wheat. However as always when I have success with a diet, I start cheating, and the sugar has crept back in and tonight I find I have ou5 back on the 5lb I had lost.

I am really interested in the health benefits of fasting, autophagy sounds brilliant, so am going to do a slightly longer fast to get myself back on track. Last ate 8pm tonight, and am meeting a friend for a meal on Tuesday evening, so will do about 70 hours.

Welcome SeaShore, and good luck with fasting this week.

I closed the eating window at 9pm last night (Sunday) and plan to eat again on Tuesday evening. I'd like to get to 7pm if possible but if I cave at 4pm I'll be happy with that - still over 40 hours fasting.

It's not just about the weight loss for me, although that's definitely a big part of it. It's also proving to myself that I CAN exercise control around food, and I CAN master my appetite.

Can I place mark and join? I've been thinking about fasting for a while - it's something I used to do to very good effect on my health and energy but I haven't done it for a really long time (years) and now I'm in a good space to, both emotionally and physically and literally where I am and what I'm doing. So coming across this thread feels good! I'd like to work up to a fast maybe at the end of this week - I haven't really worked it out yet - joining in here would be a real help. I'll have a proper read of the thread later, just wanted to did my toes in for now. Thank you.

I've name changed to join in. Not sure why - I guess I'd just like this discussion to be in a more separate space to the rest of my stuff on mumsnet.

DIP my toes in not did!

Dip away heldinadream, and welcome!

Thank you LittlePearl
So you're fasting right now I see - how's it going?
I thought I'd psyche myself up and maybe try the coming weekend. Friday evening to Sunday evening or even Monday morning.
I really identify with the all or nothing thing - I find after a certain point I forget about food - or my body forgets and accepts it - and it's easier, or there's an easy window that I can push to be a bit longer. But as I say I haven't done this for years - I'm talking at least 20 years - I'm in my 60s - so it might be really different now. But I used to be quite a regular faster, but that was way before all of this 16:8 etc stuff came into being. I don't know all the current jargon or methods.

Thanks!

Nearly done 24 hours now. Feeling okay but a bit lightheaded. I’m going to watch some fasting videos on YouTube to keep my spirits up!

@heldinadream

Thank you LittlePearl So you're fasting right now I see - how's it going? I thought I'd psyche myself up and maybe try the coming weekend. Friday evening to Sunday evening or even Monday morning. I really identify with the all or nothing thing - I find after a certain point I forget about food - or my body forgets and accepts it - and it's easier, or there's an easy window that I can push to be a bit longer. But as I say I haven't done this for years - I'm talking at least 20 years - I'm in my 60s - so it might be really different now. But I used to be quite a regular faster, but that was way before all of this 16:8 etc stuff came into being. I don't know all the current jargon or methods.

It's going ok thanks. Just about to drink my umpteenth black tea

I've got a goal in terms of weight loss which is helping to focus my mind, a family party at the end of September. It would be really nice to fit into a dress that is currently too tight.

I think the 'fast / feast' pattern is one that suits me fairly well, as long as I can do the necessary fasting, ha ha! Hence this thread really, I thought it might give me a bit more accountability - and it is.

@SeaShoreGalore

Thanks!

Nearly done 24 hours now. Feeling okay but a bit lightheaded. I’m going to watch some fasting videos on YouTube to keep my spirits up!

I do the same!!

Usually go to sleep with Jason Fung's book 'The Obesity Code' playing on Audible. I wake up hours later and realise I've slept through practically the whole book

I've decided to break my fast at the 40 hour mark, because I don't want to risk going to meet my friend this evening feeling so bloody rubbish! Developed a really bad headache all last night in the end had to take headache tablets to sort it. This morning woke up feeling weak and dreadful. You know when you're ill and you can't eat, I've kind of felt like that.

Really didn't expect to feel so bad.

Before I started the fast I had a weekend where I ate a bit more sugar than usual (made flapjacks) so I don't know if that has something to do with it. Maybe if I'd had a much more healthy eating weekend beforehand perhaps I might not have felt so bad? Anyway not sure about doing this again! We shall see.

How is everybody else doing?

Sorry to hear you're feeling bad SeaShore

I've certainly had times when I've had to cut it short because I've just felt odd - maybe a bit nauseous or light-headed.

I think it's probably something to build up to fairly gradually so if this is the first time you've gone a long time without eating anything it might be a bit of a shock to the system.

I generally feel ok fasting for 24 - 80 ish hours, the problems come when I start to eat again! I think I need to eat much more carefully, and light easily-digested foods. I once broke a fast with fish and chips which was a mistake I WON'T make again!

Enjoy your evening with your friend.

I started off really slowly with MM's 5/2 and quickly realised that this worked for me.

I did have a bit of a wobble as I had headaches to start with. I soon found out that it was because I had cut out coffee completely and they were from caffeine withdrawal!

After that I began to drink black coffee and the headaches disappeared.

It wasn't for over a year that I decided to cut out the calories altogether and I just do this once a week. It has really changed my life in a way that years of calorie counting never did.

Good luck all.