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?

No I’m actively trying to get out of calorie counting as it’s been miserable & fruitless and when I did 16:8 I didn’t ever feel a need to although my diet was much healthier generally. By lighter low carb high protein on fast days I mean yes in my 8 hour window I’d eat sensibly so fast 8pm to 12pm then have lunch like veggie soup or sautéed spinach & mushrooms then dinner around 7pm might be a piece of fish or chicken with roast veg (cooked with olive oil maybe sprinkled with feta or seeds). Non fast days I avoided anything labelled low fat and genrslly avoided snacks like crisps & chocolate but that might be harder this time as I’ve got into a habit of it recently.

Thanks @lechatnoir :)

Happy New Year everyone.

I'm at nearly hour 25 and feeling good. Weighed myself this morning and I seem to have had a lot of big fluctuations in December and probably not much down to actual fat gain or loss. Feeling very positive.

@Peae that's so amazing. You must be pleased. Well done on hitting 25 hrs!

Thank you for the encouragement. Just starting to get hungry and finding myself having thoughts about snacks.

Keep strong! You're most of the way through now

Am thinking of starting one tonight, finishing Friday morning. Anyone else?

Well done @Peae I'm amazed you've managed to fast over NYE, respect!

Nearly there @Peae you can do it 💪

Well done @Peae Just think about how you will feel (mentally and physically) at the end of your fast!

Thank you everyone, your encouragement made all the difference in that last hour, especially this thought, “Just think about how you will feel (mentally and physically) at the end of your fast!”.

Well done @Peae. What’s on the menu today?

I had a little green salad and then half an hour later a homemade veggie green Thai curry with half-and-half basmati and pearl barley. Just about to share a baked Camembert and then do a short 14 hour fast over night. I had forgotten how smelly Camembert was, but it's one of the last Christmas treats left.

Really pleased to have managed a day 1 sugar free too.

How's everyone else doing? Is anyone fasting before Sunday?

Sounds delicious!

I’m on OMAD until Sunday.

I'd be up for it. I did 5:2 about 12 years ago with great success but fell off the wagon and need to lose a lot of weight. Determined to do it this year.

The latest podcast from The Fasting Method was about getting back in to Fasting (and why we shouldn't jump in to extended fasts). https://www.thefastingmethod.com/hot-topic-fasting-foundations-or-framework/

I had a short fast of 15 hours overnight, a salmon salad for breakfast and leftover curry for an early dinner. Hoping for another 30-hour fast now, and another sugar-free day.

I would love to join you all for a fast starting Sunday night but I don't think I can fit one in around weekend commitments and wanting to be realistic about my first day back at work.

Hello,

I'm glad I found you as I have been fasting for a few years and it has really worked in the past for me.

I originally started off on Michael Mosley's 5/2 diet, but soon realised it was easier for to eat nothing rather than faff about with calorie counting!

I lost almost three stone by doing 2 x 36 hour fasts per week to start with, then just once a week for maintenance. This worked for years successfully until last year when I had some unpleasant family stuff going on - and I am an emotional eater!

I'm back on the wagon now. I don't own any scales, but reckon I have at least a stone to lose. I did my first 36 hour fast on Wednesday and the next one will be on Monday. OH is being supportive by scoffing all the festive leftovers 😁

Hi welcome @CranberryJanuary ! I'm sure your experience and knowledge will be much appreciated. Quite a few people aiming for a 36 hour fast starting Sunday night I believe.

@CranberryJanuary impressive weight loss there. I will try more 36 hour fasts as I think I will be better at shutting the tap for one full day than to do time restricted eating within that day (which is a recipe for temptation).

Can I ask, when you did maintenance of one 36 hour fast a week, did you also have to do calorie restriction or OMAD during that week?

Hello blueshoes,

No, I hate calorie counting!

I found I could roughly keep to the same weight with eating sensibly, exercise and one 36 hour fast each week. It sounds counter intuitive, but I am basically greedy, haven't got the patience for lots of faffing about with my diet and found something that suits me.

Maybe for two months of the year I would do two fasts if I had been on holiday or after Christmas.

It's only recently that I've taken my foot off the pedal and gained weight. I am determined to get back to my happy place.

You sound just like me @CranberryJanuary & exactly how (& why) once or twice a week fast worked for me in the past so hoping I can get back into it.
Have been merrily stuffing myself this week so really need to put the brakes on and would like to get back to a more normal healthy eating partner I used to keep without much effort.

@CranberryJanuary good luck with getting back to your target weight.

I am all for short and sharp circuit breakers and resets rather than being sensible over long periods

I do weigh myself daily so know not to stray too much in the wrong direction.

@CranberryJanuary will be great to learn from your experience. I am also planning on my first fast starting Sunday night. A few more social events till then but trying time restricted eating around these to prep for the fast.

Have been IF for about a month and loving it.

I’m currently attempting my first 36 hour fast.

Welcome @delightfuldaisy19 how's it going today, what hour are you at?

I'm on hour 25 of a 30 hour fast (I found getting back in to the 36s pretty tough, so I'm now going with 30s for a bit).

Interestingly, I was at hairdressers today (not something I enjoy) and I drove past a garage where I'd normally stop and buy a can of pop and chocolate bar, (and possibly a packet of biscuits for when I get home). I realised I did that every time I went to the hairdressers. It got me thinking about how I/we have to find ways of self-soothing without food.

Currently at 17 hours. Doing okay as I often do 18-20. It will be dinner time and this evening that is a struggle.