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?

@delightfuldaisy19 Since Christmas, I've generally been doing two 36 hour fasts per week. Usually fasting all day Monday and Thursday. Some days have felt very easy and others have been harder (often between 5pm and 7pm) but this thread has always helped.

Like @blueshoes I'm also short/petite and at a 'healthy' weight but need/want to lose a few pounds. Before starting fasting, I was needing to eat ridiculously low calories every day (and still had gained half a stone last year). However, although I've stopped gaining weight, I haven't really lost any weight on average yet. So I'm still trying to figure out why this is/what changes I need to make.

This is where I'm getting to @Peae
I just find I'm struggling to get to as decent routine/rhythm and I am wondering whether I just need to spend my effort on the protein and being super healthy food wise.
Wine is my undoing though, I do really like a glass of wine at rhe weekend and that is just pointless calories.

Morning all, I'm in today, stopped at 7 last night.

I've just done the gym this morning which is an experiment for me as usually my instinct has been to avoid too much exercise on fast days. I have a feeling this may be a fair bit psychological in my case but we will see later if I end up ravenous or more tired. I'm just coming to end of period and feel 'on the up' energy wise in my cycle so felt like giving it a go.

Interested in how everyone is feeling and how frustrating it is to not feel able to be clear on the best way. I wonder if it is indicative of fasting being not a one size fits all thing at all? And what works for us one week maybe not the next - to me I am enjoying seeing I can apply enough discipline for 36 once a week generally but flexibility in the rest of the week and listening to my body. I know twice a week would be too much for me but I can do one or two omads when feeling good. @Sunflowers84 I think if you're feeling run down it's definitely not time to push it. How are you today?

I'm fasting today too. I miss the warmer weather of the weekend, my hands are so cold today! Getting quite hungry now so might go for a walk. My son just ate a packet of crisps while hanging off the side of my chair, which didn't help matters

I managed 18 hours, and 4 hour window, but even better was 0 UPF.
Now for a few 16:8 days as clean as possible.

I'm fasting today and it's been tough.
I went out with some friends for a walk, thinking healthy exercise, but it had been planned with a tea shop in the middle and a pub at the end!

Nice one @Peae
I did 16 hrs and ate really well today with super healthy dinner (homemade bean stew and rice).
Feeling a bit more positive today about things

@CranberryJanuary oooof that would be hard! I'd have probably kept on walking

@Peae well done! 0 UPF will have a big difference. Are you managing to keep away from the Coke as well?

It seems like there's lots of successful fasting (of various lengths) happening today. Well done, everyone.

I'm currently just over 24 hours and going to get an early night. I was still feeling quite run down earlier today and had decided I would eat dinner, but then when it got to dinner time I felt like I could keep going with the 36 hour fast. How's everyone else doing?

Well done with all these successes! @CranberryJanuary did you go and sit in the tea shop and pub and remain fasting? That's impressive! Glad you're ok @Sunflowers84 , hope you get a really good sleep and feel a lot better in the morning. @Peae that's great 0 Upf, hope you're feeling a boost, and glad you're feeling better @Whyherewego.

I'm doing fine. Been out and about to drive home and get into bed. Just had an unpleasant feeling so cold spell around tea time but have felt way better energy wise today than I did last week.

@Flibbertyjibberty argh! No! I forgot about the Coke UPF.

Well done everyone. I hate not being able to reply to everyone individually. I may have to succumb to the mn cookies.

How did you manage @CranberryJanuary ?

@Peae sorry, I wasn't calling you out - I am trying to steer clear of UPF too and I'm still having a diet coke at lunch most days! There's only so much you can do at once and if you're doing it in terms of food then that's still a huge step. Worry about the drink bit later!

I didn’t think you were calling me out 😊

Just wanted to crow about completing a 24 hour fast! 😀💯💥
I feel a bit silly getting in a flap about it - 6pm to 6pm means I had 2 meals yesterday (cba'd with breakfast) and 1 today so I'm hardly starving! Anyway, I'm very pleased with myself...

Well done @LittleLamzyDivey !!

I'm afraid I’m doing pretty terribly.

Quick update as haven't caught up on all the messages. Managed a 38 hour fast to a milky coffee this morning and lunch a few hours later. A bit of a fail on the low carb but work has been busy last two days - and meal planning went out the window.

Right I've tried to get a grip and I'm going to skip dinner tonight and go until tomorrow breakfast. At least that's less cals if nothing else !

I think you definitely deserve to feel pleased with yourself!!

I broke at 42 today, was a good fast and was happy to keep going until lunch, but then ate far too quickly and too much, felt a bit yuk at first. Definitely want to work on portion sizes but when I'm hungry I want filled up enough so I don't want to snack after...

Well done @LittleLamzyDivey and other fasters.

I broke my fast at 38 hours yesterday morning.

Another question I've been pondering - are some foods better/worse for breaking our fast? As with other things, there seems a range of information online. One article says to avoid foods that another article says are good for your first meal! Maybe that means it doesn't matter too much...?

Well done @Jollyjoy and @Sunflowers84!

@Whyherewego I am in a similar place I think, but what can you do? Just start afresh every hour.

Interesting podcast out today about protein and all things associated (including breakfast @Sunflowers84).

drchatterjee.com/rethinking-protein-simple-changes-to-help-you-burn-fat-increase-energy-get-stronger-live-longer-with-dr-rupy-aujla/

Yes I'm interested in this too. Yesterday it was poached eggs on sourdough with avocado and various sautéed veg. Delicious but felt very heavy and I think my body has been happier without the bread. But my mind wants the bread!! I ate really quickly as well, all of a sudden I felt I really had to eat.

I've got a bit of an instinct that the protein thing is overblown, not saying not important but there's protein in spinach, potatoes and various other things, I tend to believe a balanced diet will give us what we need. But I don't read much so maybe I'm uninformed, and I've only gotten into the gym in the last year or two so don't know much about the role it plays in building muscle. Def when I'm really hungry like yesterday, crave protein. Maybe talking myself out of that view

Yes one hour and one day at a time @Peae ! I fugure anything is better than nothing!