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?

I'm at 22 hours and really struggling 😞 this seems harder the more times I do it. Anyone else experienced the same?

I think it’s about being in the right place - diet and nutrition, any infections your body might be fighting off, how much sunshine you’re getting etc. Maybe that’s too woo, but it’s my experience.
Im a big fan of the Tiny/Atomic Habit books. If one is failing, it’s because the habit we’re trying to build is too big. It needs tweaking so it’s impossible to fail at.

I hope this is helpful; I’m in a struggley place too.

Thanks @Peae for the moral support and sorry to hear you're struggling too. I'm pushing through, but throwing my son's leftover spag bol with cheese in the bin earlier was soooo hard! I think my indulgent weekend has backfired horribly and my body is resisting going back to fasting and eating healthily.

Yes! That sums up where I am too I think. A tough couple of days emotionally, meant I fell in to old habits of “taking the weekend off”. This is exactly the way of thinking that stalled my weightloss for years.

Do you have any plans for making changes tomorrow? I’ve set Friday as my return to the gym date and I’m resetting my eating to 16:8.

@Peae sorry to hear you've had a tough time. I reward myself with food so a slightly different problem but with the same end results! My plan is just to eat normally tomorrow with no binging and just healthy filling meals. Going to make sure weekends don't derail all the hard work I'm putting in during the week either! Well done for making changes your side and thanks again for the moral support!

I broke my fast at around 38 hours today.

How are you doing @LittlePearl?

Sorry to hear you're struggling @Potterwatch89 and @Peae Hope you can both enjoy nutritious food tomorrow.

I've lost track if anyone else is still fasting this eve? Hope everyone is doing ok.

Thanks @Sunflowers84 , just approaching 24 hours. Not doing too badly today but we’ve been busy which helps. Well done on your 38 hour stretch.

Sympathy to people who are struggling, I’m still trying to figure out exactly why some fasts feel so much harder than others. Some of it is obvious (I can’t fast if I feel anxious or upset, I just don’t have the energy to be disciplined) but other times I just either find my stride or I don’t. But at least we can cheer one another on on this thread, that’s definitely helping me to stick with it. So thanks everyone x

Well done @Sunflowers84, @fibbertyjibberty, @cranberryjanuary @potterwatch @blueshoes and @LittlePearl on your fasts. Sorry if iv missed anybody. I've been wondering the same @LittlePearl about why some fasts are harder than others - not sure I know the answer and I suspect it's different reasons or a combination. The cold weather I know is really getting to me and affecting my mood which doesn't help.

I'm glad I broke my fast when I did today - I just wasn't in the right headspace. I felt much better having eaten. @Peae and @Potterwatch89 I'm with you on tweaking it and maybe also not fighting it too much. Taking baby steps and if the day is just not right then drawing a line and moving on. Maybe just focusing on good nutrition and TRE. Another fan here of atomic habits.

Well done @Sunflowers84 and @LittlePearl !

Thank you @fastingaway and @Potterwatch89 . I’m now refocused on my Diet Coke (giving me terrible sleep and anxiety) and some manageable TRE. Will try another fast on Sunday.

(Since the whole cookie thing I’m just using my phone for MN and it makes it harder for me to keep track or write long posts. I’m sorry if it ever looks like I’m leaving anyone out).

Thanks @Peae @Sunflowers84 and @fastingaway, I have just broken my fast after 37 hours and feel very relieved I made it. Last night was so so hard!! I need to make sure I eat more protein (and no rubbish junk food) on the day before my fast as that seems to be the key. Well done to anyone else who have made it through their fasts so far this week

What does everyone's day typically look like on a non-fasting day? (Especially if you're seeing some weight loss.) Do you all just not think too much about what you are eating?

I really struggle with knowing how much to eat. I want to eat enough to make sure that over the week I'm getting enough nutrients but, after so many years of calorie counting (prior to starting this method of fasting) I'm really struggling to know if I'm eating enough/too much on non fasting days.

I'm aware this is going to be so individual based on all of our circumstances. For full disclosure, I'm currently 8st8 at 5ft2 (aged 41). I'm really aware this is a 'healthy' weight but on my small frame, I definitely feel/look better around 8 stone. I gradually gained these extra pounds last year and now can't lose them. I walk around 20,000 steps a day and do a Caroline Girvan workout at home 4 or 5 days per week.

Also, just to say, I'm not overly obsessed with this (no need for anyone to worry)! No one in my real life would have any idea I'm trying to lose weight. I just wondered if anyone here has any thoughts? I track my weight on 'Happy Scale' and there's been no change since starting this routine of two 36 hour fasts per week. I think I've done this every week (except for one week at Christmas) since this thread started.

So sorry - that ended up a really long post! As I say, I don't talk about this to anyone in real life, so I've ended up just off loading all my thoughts to all of you! (Also having a change of routine due to half term and just pondering this while having an unusual hour to myself with a coffee!)

@Sunflowers84 i normally do 18:6. Meal one is typically a salad with fish or egg. Lots of seeds, different plants, nuts and olive oil. Then a normal meal for tea. I make an effort to eat whole food and plant-based, but I do t worry if it’s something like spaghetti bolognaise.
I’m mid-40s, size 16/14 and at this age I find I can’t take the weekend off or have too many slips. I need to be consistent for the weight to go.

Really interesting question and would to read others’ answers.

@Sunflowers84 I am a 5 ft nothing gal where every pound shows. I am finding a lot of the same issues you face. Although I have been doing 2x36h fasts a week since January, my plateau weight stubbornly refuses to move. I'd hit the target weight after a 36h fast but eating normally on just one non-fast day can move the dial up 1.5 kg which will then take another 36h fast to bring it back down to target or slightly above, so I am back to square one every week.

I suspect I will have to do strict (not loose ) 16-8 on non-fast days with calorie restriction to see the pounds consistently come down and stay down.

I am snacking on non-fast days but generally healthily - cottage cheese with vegetables and noodles and bits of meat, ok the occasional biscuit, don't forget the chocolates 😬. I have 2 days in the office where I don't restrict my diet (too depressing to diet in the office), so that is my downfall. But that leaves me 3 days where I should do proper 16-8.

My dilemma is when I am busy or stressed (been currently in a prolonged period of this), it is difficult to fast. Then when I have the day with more occasional free time, I want to go and enjoy food or get bored and crave snacks.

What I need is a manual physical job which has me running around with no time to eat, rather than sitting at a laptop being haunted by food noise and a kitchen and snack cupboard that is 5 seconds away.

My dilemma is when I am busy or stressed (been currently in a prolonged period of this), it is difficult to fast. Then when I have the day with more occasional free time, I want to go and enjoy food or get bored and crave snacks.

This strikes a chord

@Sunflowers84 I tend to eat 3 normal meals on my day after a 36 hours. Then any days between then and my next 36 hours I'm trying to stick to OMAD (though keep self sabotaging at weekends!) from the start of the year to today I've lost around 9lbs which is a sustainable amount of weight loss for me. My main issue is rewarding myself with food (and wine)! I hope that helps!

@Sunflowers84 I'm also exactly the same height as you but currently 10 stone 11!! My goal is to get anywhere close to 9 stone which I haven't been for well over 10 years

I am trying to eat healthily on non fast days but I don’t calorie count and avoid too much restriction. We eat very little red meat, lots of vegetarian recipes and I try to eat oily fish a couple of times a week. I love nuts! Cheese is my weakness, though I also have a sweet tooth.

I’m at the top end of a healthy BMI and would really like to lose a bit of weight but I don’t want to go on a diet as such. My hope is that by making healthy choices and throwing in a fast or two each week I will slowly shift the excess weight over the course of the year.

@Sunflowers84 I will write properly later as on the train and not sure if this message will go through.

I focus on trying to eat at meal times rather than snacking through the day. So have what I want but at meals in one sitting. I also don't like restricting too much so do eat carbs - have one good slice of sourdough (which we get from a Real Bread bakery locally) plus eggs, veggies, cheese etc .i also then have a regular dinner - I don't restrict what I have or quantities but have found over time my appetite has got smaller so quantities are naturally reducing. I still have treats but mosty keep them for when we go out or have guests or when MIL bakes a cake. I also have some dark chocolate every day (85 or 95%). Control what sugar I have apart from that. So desserts and a glass of wine is for going out or celebrations - not an every day thing. If it wasn't for my cup of tea in the mornings I would say i am doing 18:6 on non fasting days.

In terms of weight you are where I want to be in terms of BMI. I am slightly taller than you and also almost 50. I would need to lose about 5kg to get to that but I honestly set my target higher than that because I didn't think I would ever be able to get to that - so I think I've been accepting that the higher weight is just what I have to be at my age. Overnight fasting is changing that perspective

Reflecting on what you said and I will read properly again - I wonder whether you are measuring the wrong thing. Maybe your weight is fine but what you need to be focussing on is losing fat and gaining muscle. And fasting will help with that and weight bearing exercises. You may very well be changing shape without it changing the scales. The fasting so far may also be healing you at a cellular level before you see any outward change. Pretty sure with fasting that it's the visceral fat that goes first before the subcutaneous - so lots of good stuff happening inside.

So much for a quick reply - will check in later

Hope I didn't speak out of turn @Sunflowers84. And hope sharing our approaches was helpful. I found it interesting to hear what others do.

So anybody fasting today? I won't be able to fast today due to commitments but may attempt OMAD tomorrow.

Hi all. Sorry for the silence after posting yesterday. It's been a really busy 24 hours. Thank you so much for all of the replies - really helpful. I haven't got time to fully reply now, but will do later (possibly not until this evening).

I know there are a few of us who often fast on a Thursday but I'm not able to fast today. I should be able to do some kind of a fast tomorrow. I might be able to do 36 hours until Saturday morning, but if not (if family plans mean I need to eat dinner) @fastingaway I should be able to join you in OMAD.

Hi all, I've been awol with half term. Thinking I'll do OMAD with just dinner this evening, but may turn it into 36 if doing ok. Just feels psychologically hard to just dive back in when not been in normal routine I think.

Sorry about the plateaus, I've been there in the past and it's demoralising, I'm so impressed with those of you staying constant with 2x weekly fasts in this scenario. This time I am losing steadily but I have more to lose, in the past it's been harder when a lower weight. I'd like to lose 9kg and so far have lost about 2.

But also find interesting to hear how others do it. My main focus atm is at least one weekly 36-40hr and a bit of 18:6 and omad on other days - trying to be strict with no eating in the evening as I feel that makes a big difference with me. Have days off with this though and definitely still eating some junk, I'm happy with the proportions though, keeps me able to carry on as I don't do well with feeling miserable about food or that I'm missing out.

I’m similar to you @Jollyjoy , I try to keep to a fairly restrictive eating window / omad if not fasting, and work it round social things and how I feel generally. In the past I’ve been very focused on quick results but this time I am trying to think longer term.

I think I might be ready to go from one to two longer fasts a week, I find it easier when the days are warmer and lighter. Monday suits me well and it seems that Thursdays are popular on here so I might try that and see how it goes. I often do something for Lent so that would mean starting the week of Shrove Tuesday which I think is in a couple of weeks.

I’m in a bit of a mess here. Lots of grazing on sugar and Diet Coke today. Think life is just a bit tough. Not in a major way, just in a broken fridge-freezer, clunking car in the garage, a lot on at work and fed up of winter and this cough, kind of a way.

Eating out Friday and Saturday, so will aim for. OMAD.

Might do Gin Stephen’s 28 Day Fast Start again 🤔

Sorry to hear that @Peae sounds like you’ve got quite a lot to contend with at the moment.

Could you try doing the Gin Stephen’s thing for a week and see how you get on? I don’t want to discourage you from aiming for more, just thinking if you break it into smaller goals maybe it might feel more achievable?