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?

Thanks @fastingaway. I drank sooo much water during my fast (about 3-4 liters). Should I have drunk even more?

Morning all, hi @Potterwatch89, glad you found this group it's really helpful. I have done a few 36hrs over Jan with lots of intermittent days and omad days, and I haven't really lost anything overall. My weight seems to fluctuate loads - I weighed this morning after my fast and was 2kg less than the last time I weighed which was a few days ago I think! But no doubt it'll be back up after I start eating again.

Despite this I feel really good about it, feel healthier and that the fasting is helping my relationship with food. Ive been eating some crap still on non fast days but craving it less. Do you see any other benefits that are not just hard numbers on the scales?

I'm coming up 38hrs now and not feeling hungry which is really weird, when I've done 36s before at these times I definitely need breakfast. Am interested in what are the factors that make there difference to whether a fast feels easy or hard - like how much is physical/mental and how these combine.

Ps @fastingaway I meant to say yes most fasts I have slept really well, there was one where I really didn't but I think that was to do with not taking salt and withdrawing from caffeine.

Hi @Potterwatch89 and welcome.

I haven't seen gains but I think the scales are sometimes rather unpredictable so try not to be disheartened. Think of the other ways your body will have benefited by the fasts, all the evidence points to a wide range of health outcomes that are enhanced by fasting.

I know from experience that if I fast fairly regularly and eat fairly healthily I lose weight......maybe not the quick losses that some diets produce but then I have vowed never to go back to 'diets'!

I'm finding this thread very helpful in terms of a bit of accountability and friendly support, so please do hang around for a bit - I'm sure you will see progress in time.

Well done fellow fasters, I'm approaching 36 hours but planning to keep going for the time being.

@Jollyjoy thanks for confirming it's not just me! I have done fasting in the past and always dropped weight quickly, so very disheartening to see it not be as easy this time. I definitely feel better in myself but desperate to get the weight off and stay off this time as I am bordering on an obese BMI. 3 lbs off since the start of the year.

On the hydration @Potterwatch89 you also need to take some salt for hydration not just water. 3-4 litres is a lot and on its own will dilute your electrolytes in your body and make you feel unwell/make the fast harder.

Definitely stay with us - lots of support here. Agree with what everybody is saying that the health benefits are really good. Apart from the sleep I also find my mental clarity and focus at work is really high. I feel so much better for it. I finally also measured myself yesterday and will track every 2-4 weeks to see how things change. Fasting often leads to body recomposition and so shape and size may change even though scales are not moving that much. There are some great podcasts on the fasting method - do find them quite motivational through the fasts.

And completely get your frustration about the pace of weight loss. Been there too - but overall I tell myself that this will be a more sustainable loss than a crash diet. And the NSVs probably many that we can't even see are also so worth it.

Thanks @fastingaway, I have invested in some electrolyte powder (fasting friendly) which I am hoping will also help. I'm going to stick with it as I know it's more of a lifestyle than a diet, but it would be nice to see some progress on the scales for all my efforts!

Welcome @Potterwatch89

Well done @fastingaway @Jollyjoy and @LittlePearl Have you all had/having breakfast/lunch yet?

I'm at 40 hours and not eaten yet. I'm not feeling hungry, but if I don't eat in the next hour, I probably won't have another opportunity for quite a few hours. So I probably should eat soon. I also would like to fast again on Thursday, so need to make sure I eat enough nutritious food today and tomorrow.

Yes just broken at 40 with a tasty eggy scramble thing with kale, tomatoes and mushrooms. I was busy cleaning and suddenly felt a bit wilted and knew it was time. Feel a bit like I have a big lump in my stomach now though, I probably should've had a smaller portion.

I might make Mon my consistent fasting day and join you @Sunflowers84, as that worked well for me. Hope you enjoy your lunch! You too @LittlePearl and @fastingaway.

@Potterwatch89 , what fasting powder did you get?

I'm rejoining the gym on Thurs and hoping I see more weight loss with that. Previously had more success fasting when I was regularly at the gym or running too but I've been getting over a knee injury.

Also, if I hadn't been fasting 'with' all of you yesterday, I think I might have given up at lunch yesterday. I was really struggling around this time yesterday but now made it to 40 hours and feel like I could keep going!

Isn't it strange how knowing that we are fasting with other people helps?! I guess that's why we're all on this thread.

Absolutely @Sunflowers84 - I was struggling too yesterday. Still going at 39 hours but will go on till 42 if I can. I've really appreciated the support and companionship on this thread.

@Jollyjoy that meal sounds very delicious. I think I may opt for something similar and then a lighter dinner.

I completely agree, I was so close to breaking it yesterday and thinking 'Oh I'll try another day' but stuck with it because I knew others were struggling through too, and that someone would as me how I got on!

A bit of solidarity goes a long way.

Yes definitely agree about the sleep. I was thinking that recently. It feels worth not eating for a day to have amazing sleep that night.

40 hours is amazing. I think I am pretty much always 37 hours as it fits in with early family supper so finished by 6.30pm ish and then off to the early gym class a day later and eat after it- which is usually about 7.30/8am depending how chaotic breakfast is when I get back home. So two of my three gym sessions are fasted but they are weights rather than very aerobic and I always feel fine with them. Since seeing this thread I now take salt which I hadn't been before. Do feel slightly better for it.

Welcome @Potterwatch89 . DP had a gain when he tried a 36er. The scales dropped with a few days. Nil desperandum. I spent most of January frustrated with the scales, and feeling a bit of a fraud (I weigh every day). However, when I checked my graph, the moving average was definitely a 3lb loss, which I will take. That puts us on track to lose 2st this year. I would love to be 2st lighter next Christmas than I was this Christmas.

Well done fasters. I'm really looking forward to joining you for some Monday fasting!

I love that perspective @Peae. How is the holiday and hope you are relaxing.

I use Happy Scale app (a MN recommendation) that is quite helpful in tracking the trend. Especially the bit where it tells me it's going to take me 6 years to get to my goal weight. I've seen that come down quite drastically to 3 year around fasting days and 4 years on eating days. Plan is very much to be there within the year.

Fast broken at just over 43 hours. Feeling stuffed so may only have a light dinner.

Thanks @Peae that's very encouraging! I'm sticking with it and going into another 36 hour fast tomorrow 😊

@fastingaway im going to check out that app, thanks. Holiday is great, but so much good (and bad) food on offer. I’ve had a few mental battles over it.

It's hard @Peae , on hol you just want to relax and go with the flow but you're also mindful of how it impacts at the other side. I'm sure you will pick it back up though. I downloaded the happy scale, looks good! I like how it's breaking your goals down so I can just focus on losing the first pound etc. Good luck if anyone fasting today. I haven't eaten today yet and planning to see if I can get to dinner time and make it an omad.

@Potterwatch89 How's your fast going?

I'm planning on fasting from this evening until Friday morning. Is anyone else fasting tomorrow?

I'm fasting too @Sunflowers84. Waiting for the family to be back from shopping as they are buying me a food treat - want to enjoy a bit with a last cup of tea before starting the fast.

Family plans changed so I've done an OMAD day today. Planning to do 36 hours from tonight to Friday as well now, so I'm definitely with you 😊

How is the fast going @Sunflowers84 @Potterwatch89 ? I'm just at 18hours now- not as busy this afternoon so hope will manage till then. Do have an evening appointment which will help keep me distracted until bedtime.

@fastingaway and @Potterwatch89 How are you both doing? Not sure if anyone else is fasting with us today?

I'm doing ok at the moment, but think I'm going to make a tea with a splash of milk soon. I keep trying to decide whether or not to allow myself a splash of milk. I just had black coffee, water and herbal tea on Monday.