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?

Hey, difficult couple of days here and yet another evening of self recriminations, quietly crying and researching Mounjaro 🙄🙄.

It's so good to catch up on posts and read everyone's successes and encouragement though.

So, back to the drawing board for me. I just really have to plan. Tiredness, busy-ness and lack of planning lead to poor eating. Really interesting the discussion earlier about protein. I've downloaded the app ProteinPal and just counting obviously protein foods. I'm nowhere near hitting the recommendations (so, that's interesting).

My plan for tomorrow is only water until 11:30, then a tuna salad and Diet Coke. Coke mid-afternoon and then I'm out for an early tea at the pub with a friend. Will try to choose sensibly. Will focus on water and protein intake. Cannot my any promises about the half packet of biscuits in my drawer, but the sugar can't be as bad as I've had today. After pub I'm trying a new gym class which seems like a blend of Pilates and yoga.

Also, I'm up for the plan of @LittleLamzyDivey leading the next 36-hour fasting thread and I'll set up a general support/accountability/planning thread for positive choices. Will share a link here before we fill up. Would be lovely to see familiar faces on both new threads!

Yes, fill up on protein @Peae so there's less room for sugar ( who am I kidding? There's always room for sugar. Ok - a full tummy will make it easier to make better choices)

Well done @LittleLamzyDiveythats a solid fast. @Whyherewegoyou’re a more disciplined person than me - I’ve been at an offsite and food was involved including some dessert and some wine this evening. I’ve had another nightmare few days at work and I can berate myself for not being able to fully do what I want ie eat healthy/low carb during eating days and do 2 x overnight fasts. But actually I am going to recognise that despite the nightmare 2 weeks of work that I have had it’s been an achievement to have even got in one 36hr fast each week. So two more days of work then intend for this weekend to involve self care.

@Peaedont lose heart - keep going. Reality is even with mounjaro at some point you would have to deal with challenges around sugar. It would just be deferring them. You can do this and sounds like you already have a plan for tomorrow. Keep posting your daily plans if it will help. Will join both threads.

Good for you @fastingaway for patting yourself on the back instead of beating yourself up. 36 hours of fasting is a huge achievement when you're under stress!

100 PC pat on the back @fastingaway you've done some really good long fasts and honestly I do think that's amazing! I've not managed 36 hours myself so I'm in awe!

@Peae ..focus on baby steps that are manageable. Have you got some good herbal teas that have good flavour? Another hack I've tried is a tiny bit of miso in a cup of hot water, kind of gives the illusion of something more filling ! Good luck ! I know you're not a fan of the powders but they are a great way to fill up, I do a shake with half a banana and some oat bran and it does really last a long time. Or else can you pre make an omelette or frittata and take it with you for later so you have something extra to snack on thats high protein?

I managed 25 hours yesterday so I'm really pleased with that. It was not that hard as at the conference all the food was stuff I didn't fancy and it was the walking around type of conference with lots of different areas so I just busied myself doing stuff all day. And I snoozed on the train home instead of eating rubbish from the station!

Sorry for the low one @Peae, it’s definitely part of the skill set needed in improving health, being able to accept when you’ve not met your own expectations and move on without recriminations. Not easy at all but at those times worth speaking to yourself like you’d speak to one of us - ie with kindness and understanding rather than harshness. Which @fastingawayis demonstrating nicely! Hope the self care weekend arrives quickly. Well done, @Whyherewego, and @LittleLamzyDiveyfor your long one going well. Did you say you are fasting today as well? Anyone else? @Sunflowers84?

I am today and am already feeling it’s going to be a hard one, not sure why. Quite hungry and just feeling a bit meh in general emotionally which is definitely when thoughts turn to food. Plus last night I made a lovely marinated tofu which the kids hated so I thought to myself that will be a good healthy snack with loads left in the fridge. Then I remembered this morning that I’m not eating!! So starting off with more ‘food noise’ than I usually would on a fast day. Heading out about 11 so the busier bit of the day should help.

I keep forgetting that I'm not eating, too @Jollyjoy 🤣
Yes, I am fasting today. I'm trying to do the 3 x 42 hrs a week that Jason Fung recommends for weight loss. It seems that autophagy is happening - my arthritic knee is feeling much better!

Glad it’s not just me! I think I’m a bit more accepting this is what I’m doing now, took all morning.

Wow 3x per week, that is a strong plan. Hope it goes well! I’ll check in later.

Hi all. Sorry, I’ve not been on the thread for a couple of days. I’m just catching up, but sorry if I miss anyone/anything.

@fastingaway I’ve not heard much about the fasting mimicking diet, but I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts.

@Peae Sorry you’re struggling. How’s today been?

@Whyherewego Well done for your fast yesterday.

@Jollyjoy and @LittleLamzyDivey How are you both doing? Are you both doing 36 hours today?

I often try to do a 36 hour fast on a Thursday, but for various reasons, it wasn’t possible again today. I’m hoping to do 24ish hours from dinner today until dinner tomorrow (although timings might mean it’s more like 22 hours).

Thanks everyone.

Much better day today. 18 hour fast; salad and tuna for dinner, 1x gym class, 10k steps done despite sedentary day etc. etc. Sugar intake hugely reduced to 4x biscuits, Coke reduced to 3x cans. Went out for tea, and had a "small plate" of olives, humus and bread of which I left some.

Tomorrow's plan is walk my commute, 16hr fast broken with salmon salad for dinner, no more than 3 Cokes and aiming for 0 sugar. Gym after work and then turkey and sweet potato Thai curry for tea.

Thanks for the drinks ideas @Whyherewego , but I don't drink hot drinks.

Nice one on the 18hrs @Peae ,p.s.cold green tea is also quite nice !

Hope the 22 hour is going OK @sunflowers84 !

Glad you’re feeling better @Peae, sounds like a good plan for tomorrow too.

I’ve been ok after a shaky start. Have lunch plans with a friend at 12.30 tomorrow so hoping I can go through to then which would be 42/43 hrs. I’ll have a latte or something in the morning if struggling. Hope you’re doing ok @LittleLamzyDiveyand @Sunflowers84that your fast went well.

Well done @Peaefor a good day today. And sounds like you have a good detailed plan for tomorrow too. Liking the meal plan.

@Jollyjoygreat fasting today. Enjoy lunch with your friend. Hope it’s gone well too today @Sunflowers84and @LittleLamzyDivey. 3 x 42 is impressive. I tried to do 3 x 36 one week and I think it was a step too far. So then read that 2 x 48 can give the same effect - but with less hours of fasting overall. Think however I’ve only managed 1 x 48. And usually between 40-42 with the odd 45. Glad you are seeing benefit from it especially for your knee - I love reading about NSVs as a real motivation.

Ok, here we go!

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5299274-what-steps-are-you-taking-todaytomorrow-and-how-did-it-go

Would love to see you all there as well as in the next fasting thread...

I'm just about to end my 3rd long-ish fast this week (40.5 hrs, 41, and 39). I'd hoped to go for the full 42 this time but I didn't refeed properly on Fri and am paying the price. I've got 2 meals each today and tomorrow then starting again after dinner Monday.
In happier news, I'm down 9 lbs since March 1...
@fastingaway Good for you getting in even one 48! That sounds an impossible stretch at the moment 😄

That’s seriously impressive @LittleLamzyDiveyand what great results to add to the NSV. I’m feeling inspired for next week. Plan to get a good fast in overnight on Monday. Might be tricky to do another on Thursday as I am out that evening but will see what else I can do in terms of an adapted fast.

@fastingaway I'll be thinking of you Monday night 🤞
Sorry if this is a stupid question but I've never heard the term "overnight fast". Obviously, most people fast overnight so does it mean overnight in addition to fasting the entire day before?

Sorry yes now that you say it, it is obvious that we do fast overnight. What I mean is a minimum 36 hr fast. But sometimes it could be more or less. So I tend to say overnight fast meaning 2 nights and one full day of a fast.

Wow @LittleLamzyDiveythat weight loss must be feeling good! What do you mean paying the price though, what’s happening for you?

I did 42 on Thursday and was thinking about trying a 48, sometimes I think the main issue is practicalities with the long ones, not too easy to fit that in without disrupting social plans etc which isn’t attractive. Planning to fast again starting tonight.

Im thinking about how I will manage fasting during the school holidays, if it will be harder or maybe if I plan to keep busy with the kids it may be easier! Anyone any thoughts?

@Jollyjoyit depends on whether it is ok in your family to not eat when the kids are - depends on age of children and routines etc for your family. If it’s ok not to eat with them then yes keeping busy is a good idea. Otherwise I would just adapt the fasting and focus on TRE or 24 hour fasts.

Hi @Jollyjoy - nothing dire 😁. It's just that on my eating days, I only eat lunch and dinner and I have to make the nutrition "count". On Friday, I had bacon and eggs for lunch but then started doom scrolling and ran out of time for a proper meal so settled for a package of pepperoni sticks. My body knows the difference and let me know with unpleasant light-headedness and just generally feeling crap. I made sure to eat properly today so hope all is forgiven and I can carry on with 42 hour fasts on Tues.
And does anyone know why I'm incapable of starting my fasting app once my eating window closes? I haven't managed even once... Never mind - I just realised my fast doesn't actually start until tomorrow after dinner so I still have a shot at remembering 😅
I'm afraid I have no advice re eating/not eating with children. Mine is 32 and lives half a world away.

Do you know, I don’t think I’m too concerned about the not eating in front of kids - it’s not that unusual to them that their dad or I are going for a run or gym etc so sit with them while they eat but eat later ourselves. I think my trepidation is if/when they are driving me mental, will I cope without food?!! And if we go on days out, the sense of treats like coffees and ice creams being part of the package, and do I want to restrict them.

It helps to articulate what the mental barrier is for me!! As makes clearer that what I need to do is have a good plan of what we are going to do, busy but not something that will lead to me feeling ultra deprived, so swimming/park etc rather than an attraction with a cafe or ice cream van.

Wow @LittleLamzyDivey - that’s a lot of fasting!

@Jollyjoy How old are your children? Will they notice if you’re not eating? Will you be with them all day/every day during the holidays or do you have any work days/days children are doing other activities when you could do some fasting?

Yes it’s no wonder it’s hard to fit in everything you might need with that regime, another scenario that will need a lot of planning. How long are you planning to do 3x a week? Glad you’ve recovered today.

I don’t know about the fasting app..I do the same with a gym app when I do a bit of cardio, I start it but never ever remember to record that I’ve stopped so it doesn’t give me any useful data. Maybe make a ‘ceremony’ in your mind if finishing up eating and ‘closing the kitchen’ - tie the app to that? Reminder in your phone?!