Anyone up for supporting each other with 36 hour fasts?

[Peae]

As a midlife / perimenopausal woman these worked brilliantly for me in the summer and I managed to lose my first stone. I'm completely convinced by the health benefits and would like to get back in to them, but can't break through the struggle at the 21hr-ish mark. OMAD is no problem, I just want to hit the 36-hour fast.

Would anyone like to buddy up for some mutual encouragement?

Aw, thank you. I'm not a fan of Huberman but I should check that out. I think my protein is ok. I don't use protein powder as I did in my weight-lifting heyday though, try to get it all from whole foods nowadays.
Protein is another contentious, confusing issue. The Whole Food / Gut brigade suggest that anyone on a Western diet doesn't need to worry about getting enough, we already eat plenty. Then there's the Menopausal / Fitness side who say we don't get enough and need to really prioritise it.

Yes I know. I wish people could just agree haha ! I have tried small protein shake and it is working so far. I also did log food for a few weeks on an app and my protein is definitely less than carbs etc .. bread..ahem.
I'm not a Hubermann fan either but he does at least let her talk lots. Apparently there's another podcast where Stacy sims talks to Mindy Pelz and I want to listen to that.

As a result of our conversation, I've looked up some of my typical daily protein, and I'm probably under most days. Couldn't believe how low protein some of the "high protein" plant foods are compared with meat :( I'm not veggie, but don't really like to eat too much meat.

In the face of so much confusing information, it's probably safest to go back to basics - more wholefoods, less UPF and less sugar.

Going to double my portions of fish next week and see how it goes. Also, going to cut out the full fat Greek yogurt. I tried it again this last fortnight and as much as I love it, I don't think my gut does.

There really is a lot of confusing information on protein and equally I guess what works for some may not work for others. SIL does a high protein calorie controlled diet and she has lost a lot of weight but not sure how maintenance will go.

This is one area I feel I haven't read enough about. I have noticed sometimes I just really crave protein - body signalling something? But like you @Peae I'm not vegetarian but I don't eat huge amounts of meat. Can I ask what protein levels you set yourself? I think I also need to increase my fish intake. Jason Fung has done a few videos on amounts of protein - I think in one of those he said that it needs to be about 1gm per kg of weight rather than double that which what some people are aiming for. But I'm going to do a proper listen this week.

I also really don't like calculating macros and calories so don't want to go down that route. Just make the right choices of food - and stick to whole foods mostly.

@fastingaway I don't do detailed calculations but I did log my food for a couple of weeks which then surprised me to show me I was really quite under on protein by any measure, so a one off check on macros can be helpful.
@Peae I had exactly the same as you, eating lots of veggie food and then realised that the protein totals just weren't there. My friend who is vegan said she had to literally stuff her face with food when she was training for a triathlon because she struggled to get protein. She ended up eating tablespoons hummus and peanut butter just to try to fuel!
Maybe try the fish and lots of tofu and tempeh. I find tempeh great in things like Thai curries as it holds shape better.

Zoe Nutrition says something like 46g for women, 56g for men. This is a lot less than most American guidance. And I'm not 46kg . I don't set myself a weight target, just conscious about including portion at each meal, and including ingredients like eggs, nut butter and seeds E.g. a piece of salmon with my salad at dinner and a bean chilli for tea if I'm eating two meals. Checking this morning, that's about half what I should be eating!

In terms of craving, I've noticed that about once a month I crave red meat (especially beef steak). I put that down to time of the month and iron.

Just catching up on all the posts from Friday and Saturday. All the contradictory advice is so confusing, isn't it? Before reading these comments, I'd listened to this podcast which gives another perspective! podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ec-method/id1503997038?i=1000684102661

Anyway, I'm hoping to stick with two 36-hour fasts per week for a few weeks and then review! I'm planning on fasting tomorrow (36 hours, starting this eve). Is anyone with me?

I've not really seen much weight loss yet (I do the day after the fast, but not overall). I'm at a 'healthy' weight already, so know it will be slow, but really want to lose a few pounds.

I've been really poorly this weekend, so no new gym membership for me, and no fasts. Really focused on relaxing, sleeping and I've shifted to 16:8s. So frustrating, but what can you do?

@Sunflowers84 thank you for the episode recommendation. They ask, "will training fasted stop you building muscle?" - what's their answer?

I have had to lay off the 36 hour fasts for a bit (poorly Dh who needs lots of encouragement to eat). I’m on OMAD which I find suits me.

Hope you feel better soon @Peae .

@Peae Sorry you're unwell. Make sure you look after yourself.

The discussion about fasting/Stacy Sims etc starts at around 14 minutes on the podcast. They pretty much say it's not necessarily optimal to train/workout fasted but it's also not going to have negative outcomes. If anyone else listens to this, I'd be interested to know what you get from this, but I think they seem to be saying it doesn't really matter too much and that you can 'cherry pick' research to support either argument! (So no answers really!)

I've just finished eating and planning on fasting until Tuesday morning. Let me know if anyone else is fasting tomorrow. I'll aim to check-in here a couple of times tomorrow.

@Sunflowers84 i am going to give it a go tomorrow- so will check in with you over the day 🙂

I'm going fast too @Sunflowers84 starting now till Tuesday morning. I did manage a 20 hour fast on Friday along with the 2 x 36s earlier but the eating days have involved quite a bit of feasting. We've had guests all day today so there's been a lot of food and cake I'm afraid. @Peae glad you're taking the time get better.

Great, @HelenEilidh and @fastingaway It's so helpful to be fasting with others.

@Peae Can you remind me what you have stopped eating in your giving up of sugar? I'm considering doing this as well. I don't think I eat much sugar, but I'm wondering if a few weeks of being particularly strict on this might be good for me. I'm just trying to work out what that would look like? Just sweet things? Refined sugar? Really strict - eg. any added sugar in savoury or sweet things? Fruit?

I think someone else on this thread said they had given up sugar in the past? What did this look like for you? What specifically did you stop eating and what benefits did you experience? (Sorry, I can't remember who it was and there are you many posts for me to go back and check.)

@Sunflowers84 I am in, now 1 hour into my 36 hour fast ...

Good luck to everyone fasting today. Sorry you've been unwell @Peae , hope you have been able to just relax and rest.

I've found myself a lot less hungry overall this weekend since my fast last week, which is different to the last one where I've been ravenous. I've eaten smaller portions instinctively which is amazing. Planning to do another starting Tues eve.

@Sunflowers84, it was me who mentioned I'd given up sugar for 2yrs. It started with me being on a 3 month retreat where there was no sugar and all whole foods cooked for me so that made it a lot easier! I just kept it going after that. I did eat fruit. Just no refined sugar and I avoided things that obviously had lots of added sugar like ketchup. Now you can get low sugar versions. I still ate bread and other things that probably do have some sugar in them, it was well before upf days so I probably didn't have as much awareness. I wasn't a drinker anyway so no alcohol for me. I also avoided sweeteners - I feel quite strongly about that, I think they are the devils work! But just my opinion. Writing all that, it sounds austere but I don't remember it feeling that way.

Benefits wise, it was the slimmest and fittest I've ever been, energy was good and I remember it being very easy once in the swing of it. I remember one time a friend didn't know and brought a chocolate cake she had baked, I felt terrible and that I should just take a bit to be polite but I really didn't want to, it wasn't attractive. I don't really remember how the phase ended though. This was maybe 12yr ago.

Just a quick check-in with those fasting today @HelenEilidh @fastingaway and @blueshoes (hope I've not missed anyone - let me know if I have?).

I'm just having a black coffee. (Still trying to decide about milk, but might have a splash in a cup of tea this afternoon.)

@Jollyjoy Thank you for sharing your experiences with not eating sugar. I am going to aim to not eat any refined sugars or sweeteners from now until Easter. My hope is that I would continue after that, but I think it might be helpful to have an end-date to be able to review the impact etc.

I don't actually eat lots of sugar, but I'm wondering if it might help with my tummy fat. I'm a healthy weight, but petite/small framed and carry all the extra pounds on my tummy. I'm wondering if stopping the occasional slice of cake and the odd biscuit/piece of chocolate here and there might help.

If it's ok, I might aim to check-in here to keep myself accountable? I think (although this plan is only being formed today!) I'm going to focus on cutting out obvious sugar/sweet things, but not worry about the odd slice of bread etc.

I’m still doing it and drinking black coffee on my lunch hour. It’s not too bad so far. Hope your day is going well.

I'm ok too. About 16 hrs in. Just nursing the same herbal tea bag that I keep topping up with hot water every hour. Log way to go yet.

Hello all, just catching up on posts after a busy weekend - good luck fellow fasters. I am at 16 hours too and will be going through until midday Tuesday.

Some of the research / recommendations is rather contradictory, isn't it? It's hard to keep up, especially with the protein debate. Tim Spector said recently that we don't need to obsess about protein and (I think) recommended we eat less. But as a post-menopausal woman I hear a lot about the need to up your intake because of muscle loss.

I do try to eat nuts every day, and eat quite a bit of cheese and fish, but like others here prefer to keep my meat consumption fairly low. The thing is, I really don't want to go down the weighing everything, totting up grams, trying to hit targets.......I did that for so many years with calories, points etc and I don't want to go back there.

I think low UPF, plenty of plants, lots of fibre, not too much red or processed meat is what I'm aiming for.

Hope you're feeling better @Peae

17 hours in. Done with black coffee. Just eaten a sugar-free jelly and now onto sugar-free squash. I am no purist 😂

WFH today and work is keeping me busy. Dh out this evening. All this helps to get through the day ...

I think low UPF, plenty of plants, lots of fibre, not too much red or processed meat is what I'm aiming for.

@LittlePearl That is also my aim outside of fasts. But with sugar-free squash and jelly as relief. No calorie counting as CBA.

I pretty much slept the last 24 hours, which made fasting pretty easy! (I’m not worrying about fasting though). Feel awful, and frustrated that my plans at work have been messed up.

When I say I quit sugar, I mean chocolate bars and biscuits. Doing this has meant I’m pretty much UPF-free, as they’re my main source of UPF. And I was easily eating a packet of biscuits and a chocolate bar most days 😔
I don’t worry about fruit or bread because I don’t eat much of those either. In fact, I’ve tried to eat more fruit last week as I realised I hadn’t eaten fruit since taking a break from yogurt.

One benefit of being poorly means I’ve completely quit Diet Coke too this weekend. So today has been completely UPF-free.

Well done fasters!! I’m cheering you on from my sick bed!

Oh gosh, it’s hard going tonight…. cold and very hungry 😕