4-week fasting countdown to February 2024!

[Peae]

Welcome all, this a thread for Intermittent Fasters who want a weekly check-in on Fridays. Chat between the check-ins are welcome too, share as little or as much as you like. Each Friday, log your weight, fast, whatever metrics help you.

Check-in 0 Friday 5 January.
Check-in 1 Friday 12 January.
Check-in 2 Friday 19 January.
Check-in 3 Friday 26 January.
Check-in 4 Friday 2 February.

@Clearingaspace

Thank you so much for all this info, that's really helpful!

One thing I wanted to add is that if you still have your cycle it's definitely worth following 4 phases as set out by Mindy Pelz so you don't mess up your hormones with fasting.

Wow @Clearingaspace Huge thanks for all this

Gosh - 2 x 42-48h a week is seriously hard core. My guess is that this facebook group has a disproportionate number of high BMI diabetic/prediabetic dieters given Fung's expertise?

I certainly plan to be rather gentler on myself but inspired by your post Im hoping to see if I can add in a 26hr fast once a week from next week - starting at 12.00 am and breaking it at 2pm the next day... or perhaps 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

From previous experience, I certainly endorse the 2-4pm eating window for longer fasts ... and it still remains my favourite window for eating on normal days too

Agree too about mixing things up, thankfully one thing people seem to be in agreement about - it seems to happen naturally for me by the time Ive some OMAD, and longer eating windows of 4-8h especially when seeing friends.

Longer fasts are waiting for me until they feel easier/weather warmer but I definitely want to do a 3-4 day one in coming months. I'm intrigued by Fung saying that metabolism resets after 96 hours - if you ever spot anything more about this, I would love to know as I hadn't realised this happened. I thought that the "cost" of increased auto-nagy with long fasts was giving up the metabolic benefits... if not, this is rather exciting.

And Im wondering what you think of Mindy Pelz?? I seem to hear more about her being discredited than others in the fasting field, as being unscientific but I haven't looked into it....

@loveyouradvice i find it really hard to search dr fung’s website but will repost if I find the article I read. This came up when I searched though and it looks as though it covers the theory https://thefastingflamingo.com/fasting-and-metabolism-jason-fung/#:~:text=What%20happens%20to%20metabolism%20when%20we%20don't%20eat%3F&text=The%20body%20increases%20the%20sympathetic,same%20hormones%20actually%20increase%20metabolism.

@Clearingaspace this is really helpful thank you

And for those of you who like the Zoe approach and havent spotted it yet ... this is them on fasting including some good reference papers at the bottom I havent had time to take a look at yet

here tis

Mindy pelz - I think the issue is that her method is based on fasting research that isn’t necessarily specific to women. She applies her method to women in her practice and uses that to inform her books but this isn’t scientifically tested. also as she frames herself as a dr (technically correct but not relevant to her work in fasting) it gives her more of a semblance of being an authority than is necessarily correct and then people might feel a little cheated when they realise she trained as a chiropractor. I think her ideas seem mostly fairly sensible though and worth trying. Some people do well with carb cycling which is basically what she suggests, and the periodic break from fasting might also help people.

thanks @Clearingaspace that makes sense - I'm going to read her!!

I appreciated(!) the thoughts on gratitude- it’s an important practice of mine too. Had a good 18-hour fast today, are very well and am now at the gym.

Interestingly, I noticed yesterday that Zoe penalises me if I fast for more than 16 hours as it’s not associated with any benefits. I presume it means to my gut/health rather than weightloss.

Cheering you on @StealthLaSilkySightHound - that sounds terrific - pop in and tell us tomorrow how its going? What's your approach to a day without food?

And @Peae fabulous news - hope you are feeling chuffed with yourself. Brought a smile to my face to read this!

ps your job sounds fascinating @StealthLaSilkySightHound - what world are you in??

@Peae good work today! I regularly have fuckit weekends but I figure it's all part of the journey of me building better habits as with every fuckit weekend I realise I don't enjoy over eating as much as I used to and the "fuckits" get less and less. It's going to take time to unlearn a life time of bad habits (for me at any rate) so I'm trying to only think positive things and restart afresh after a blip day!

My goals for this week are at least two OMADs and two weights work out sessions. I'm going on a work trip later this week and I need to see if the hotel I'm staying at has a gym and, if I can be bothered, I might take my own food with me so I can have a nice salad for dinner instead of something greasy and stodgy at the local pub.

Exercise wise, can anyone recommend any good YouTube Pilates videos/courses? I'm trying to do weights twice a week but would love to do Pilates on the other days.

I downloaded the Jordan Syatt app to vary my weights workouts but still follow the body fit by Amy works outs as I love how easy going and friendly she is!

@Clearingaspace I know one day I'll miss not being able to have instant cuddles with them when they wake at 5am. Whenever I see anything about how important sleep is (particularly in preventing dementia!!) I just freak out about how little sleep I get (i am fully aware I could have been in bed an hour ago though so I am clearly the problem here, not the kids).

@Fullsteamahead and anyone who has fasted for more than 24 hours...wow. Just wow and congratulations! I can't even begin to contemplate a longer fast.

@StealthLaSilkySightHound what you said about persisting in the face of such dismal world events really resonated with me. The older I get the more I realise persistence is the key to achieving most things.

Yes, I need to a plan for this weekend’s Fuckit button. Mainly, have some nice things planned, not just chores.

Ive been reading all the posts, thank you so much everyone for such amazing tips and links. Hope your daughter got on ok at college Stealth, that was so sweet to read about you holding her hand until she went to sleep.

The Zoe link about fasting was especially helpful. Good to make sure I am doing it right! I use hot Bovril to get me through at about the 20 hr mark- just a teaspoon in hot water - it helps with the salts I think.

I have CFS/Fibromyalgia and am also doing C25K and I didnt realise that the fasting is probably helping me to do this as I usually get knee and ankle pains, but haven't (yet!) Only on Week 3 of C25K so it may start as the runs increase, but no inflamation so far.

Had a terrible weekend re food - still keto thankfully, but too much! I got these delicious choc bars and honestly I couldn't stop. If anyone needs a choc hit and dark choc doesnt work, they are good. "NICKS" gluten free, no added sugar. They helped a lot. I had 3, not too bad, but reining it in now.

@Fouramclub lottie pilates on YouTube is good, a good variety of different workouts

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPbNqkl2HGn-w3PkymV1GTw

The morning one is good for when it's cold and I feel stiff! I'm also an adrienne fan if you fancy yoga. I do weights and am trying to improve my joints by doing pilates/yoga too. I'm hypermobile so have to be careful though.

My night out on sat slightly derailed me as I barely slept and just wanted carbs the next day. I didn't do too badly though and my period has started now so I feel I can do a bit of a reset and get back on track. I also managed a 5 mile walk on Sunday which helped the hangover!

Definitely don't miss alcohol I don't think I'll drink for a while now. I had a good time but felt so awful on Sunday after only 3 drinks its just not worth it.

Well that was a tip I didnt expect to pick up on a weight loss thread - wear warm socks for deeper sleep!! Thanks @StealthLaSilkySightHound . I did last night and had a beautiful deep sleep and will continue for a while.

Does anyone know what stress hormones buzzing around your body does to weightloss? And who has written about/what the mechanism is? Ive just had 2 poor days and intriguingly the scales have gone up by 1.5lbs ... which of course I realise may just be a daily fluctuation rather than significant.

@StealthLaSilkySightHoundhope your fast has gone ok.

@Saraswati every now and then I need a night out with drinks but not that often as the after effects are not worth it!

@loveyouradvice I am currently reading ‘hack your hormones’ by davina Taylor. I am only in the first section so far - I cheated and searched stress on kindle. Her medical contributor said that stress raises cortisol and blood sugar levels as the body thinks it needs energy to respond to an emergency situation. Inflammation in the body was also mentioned as resulting from stress and I could imagine these factors could potentially cause weight to be held on the body. I don’t necessarily recommend this book for people to buy though, its not too dense in information which can be good for initial understanding of a topic, but if people want references to studies etc it’s not the best, also the tone of the writing is a bit annoying in places ‘paying attention at the back’ type comments thrown in for humour but just annoying to me.

I am fasting now at 23 hours - not hungry, no headache or cravings but I just really want to eat or have a milky coffee!!

For those doing longer fasts can I ask how you break your fasts? I’ve only done one, as when I restarted eating I almost immediately had explosive diarrhoea. Not good for the gut. I had just eaten a normal small meal though so wonder if there is a way you are supposed to slowly reintroduce food?