Supporting each other on 24+ hour fasts

[LittleLamzyDivey]

As promised, here's the new thread for us long fasters as the old one is nearly full.
Check in when you are able and let us know how you're doing!

@LittleLamzyDivey, by ‘rolling fasts’, do you mean multiple times per week? I can imagine that doesn’t leave room to flex how long you do since you need to fit in enough calories before the next one.
Yes @Flibbertyjibberty that's exactly what I'm struggling with. I'm probably over thinking it, however...
Ew, Maccas 🤮. Once a year or so, DH and I may eat there just to remind ourselves of why we never eat there. The smell of their bins - urgh.
Welcome @126orbust !

Thanks for the welcome @LittleLamzyDivey
I'm doing fine @Jollyjoy as so far this is just a normal day for me. As I don't eat breakfast I would usually have three cups of tea by this point and I'm sitting down with my second cup having had a pint of water while cleaning the banisters an hour ago ( no I am not a clean freak but I noticed how dirty they were when the sun shone in this morning and it's only been a year or two since they were last washed ... ).
I would usually eat around 12/12.30 so will notice it a bit then and by 7pm I'll be feeling hungry so I'll have a ginger tea and probably watch a film in bed from 9.30. I have a rare night when DH is out until 11pm.
If I can I might go for a walk this evening too.

@126orbust hello! Hope your fast goes well - I drink a lot of tea, fasting or not. I got a bad headache during my last long fast and research suggests perhaps I drank too much and washed out electrolytes. Your approach sounds more sensible! I find the hardest time is the evening, so just have a plan to take your mind off things (a walk, some gentle yoga, a bath, a really early night). If you stay away from the kitchen it is easier!

So true @Flibbertyjibberty about staying busy.
I have a very special dress, which is from my going away outfit in 1996, which I love to wear for special occasions. There have been 4 years I haven't fitted into it - two years I was pregnant, one was the year after DD1 was born and the last one was lockdown where I lost the plot and put on 17lbs in five months.
I want to wear it and the jacket for DD1's graduation this year and DD2's next year so if I will tempted to cheat I'll get it out and try it on!
Thanks for the support everyone.

Hello all, was inspired to try by the earlier thread. DH is away and so I ate on Sunday night and fasted until Tuesday night.

I have been doing 16.8 for a couple of years and got to Monday evening without any grumbles, really helped to stay out of the kitchen and I did drink a lot of black coffee.

Got a headache on Monday night but wasn't otherwise hungry and slept fine. Was amazed at not really being hungry until Tuesday afternoon when I started thinking about eating. Made it to 7 and had a nice three course meal.

Have been doing OMAD since then which I'm really enjoying, feel like I'm liberated from the hassle of cooking and eating and have the mental space to plan a nice meal.

Have lost a kilo which I had put on over Christmas so nothing too exciting but am feeling really good. Think I will do the same thing next week because so far it's been mostly a pleasure.

Thanks to all of your experiences for inspiration!

Great plan @FirstTimeFasters. Doing it regularly means you know you can and if things are not working when to wave the white flag.
A kilo is amazing. I only manage a 0.75-1lb net loss each time.

Wow @FirstTimeFasters, so your first long fast you did about 48hrs?! That’s amazing.

Hope you can make it into the dress soon @126orbust and that today still going smoothly.

Hello lovely people. This popped up in my feed and I am fascinated and love your approach. I'm a 16:8 faster and live in a Muslim county..it's currently ramadan so fasting is an understood part of culture.

Could you please link me to your original thread? I'd love to know more ❤️💪🏻🙏🏻

I train a lot (run and f45 and weights) so would love to understand more about how this works. Oh and have a demanding full time job.

Thank you for any direction!

I did 47 I think, it was only when I started thinking about having a cheese plate that I really felt hungry!

I will try again next Sunday and see if I still enjoy it.

Good luck to all

Have been doing OMAD since then which I'm really enjoying, feel like I'm liberated from the hassle of cooking and eating and have the mental space to plan a nice meal.

This was me last summer, 36s and OMADs. Lost a stone and felt great. I really want to get back in to that groove.

Very impressive fasts on here.
Yesterday went well. I got hungry at 7ish so headed out for a walk for distraction and had a bath and a cup of tea when I got back and watched a film.
Felt a bit peckish this morning until I had a tea then all good so I'll have lunch whenever I want it.
1.75lbs down this morning so should end up with a 1lb loss overall.
I will try a 48 hour fast at some point but this time I'll be coming in at 40/42 hrs depending on when I fancy lunch.

I see a lot of you on here don't do clean fasts and drink tea/ milk etc. I do clean fasts as was always told anything like milk etc breaks a fast instantly, however small the amount is. Are you all doing it for calorie counting reasons rather than for the benefits of fasting (autophagy etc)?

For me @Blondebrownorred it's all about the weightloss and energy boost the following day. I cannot do without my tea - if I am not having a cup of tea, I'm not doing my fast - though on fast days I swop half my daily cups of builders brew for ginger tea so do cut back.
I cannot comment for anyone else.

Ah OK. So you do a 'dirty fast'. Which is fine for calorie restriction. I have different goals for fasting which means I need to stick to clean fasts for autophagy and drink tap water only.

@Blondebrownorred I clean fast - green tea or black tea with no milk

Well then in fasting you win @Blondebrownorred 😂
Full marks to you. My 'dirty fast' is fine for me and feels quite an achievement.
Cheers!

Exactly. I said we have different goals so different fasts.

Let’s not change the tone of the threads, theyve been such a friendly space so far with no bickering.

Peae is right - it doesn’t matter how other people do it. If it’s working for you then I say crack on! I do count down the hours till I can have a tea with milk in though, it’s not the same without. I even did a taste test the other day to see if I was imagining it - I was not! Megan Ramos and friends like drinking bone broth and say if you need ‘training wheels’ (eg a bit of milk in your tea) that get you through then it’s fine. You should do what feels right for you.

I agree @Peae and @Flibbertyjibberty.
I have really enjoyed the threads (The two I have been on anyway) and find the support very motivating at the points of the day when I am feeling less strong.
Fasting has worked well for me and post menopause helped me stay the right size for my favourite clothes and I will continuing doing it. From the information I have accessed tea with a little milk is acceptable but 🤷‍♀️. I have never felt it was a competition on here rather a source of encouragement. Thank for the threads.

I only managed the 1 fast this week and realistically nothing is happening this weekend. Looking forward to next week when hopefully can manage more than one. It continues to be a busy time at work. @FirstTimeFasters impressive with the 47 hour fast. I did wonder if i do one longer fast then this will be better especially if I can’t do another one. However I am ok to pace myself so that I can continue with what I can.

Evening all, great work on the fasts. When I started on the other thread, there was discussion and debate about whether a bit of milk breaks a fast, stops autophagy etc, doesn’t sound especially settled science. At that point I certainly wouldn’t do without my tea with milk (I dislike black tea) and was happy with that even if it technically broke the fast. However at some stage I thought I’d try it and I now prefer to stick to water and herbal tea. One of the main reasons being I don’t get the really bad breath I got with the milk! Another being that I did feel a little satiated by tea with milk - noticed that today as I did an impromptu 22hrs or so but did have tea with milk and it definitely felt like it filled a hungry hole, so from that I inferred it may be affecting my fast. I do like fairly milky tea though so I suppose it’s more than just a splash. Last benefit that I’ve gotten into herbal tea so much that I’ve really reduced caffeine overall, always start day with a mint green tea now which feels wholesome compared to previous caffeine neeeeeed.

Which leads me to ask if folk have munch knowledge or thoughts about cortisol and the part it plays in weight loss or lack of? I listened to something the other day that had me thinking it seems relevant.

My first thought from the reading/listening is that stress is up there with poor sleep - correlated with weight gain and your body not losing weight.

Edit - and also the work of Gabor Mate which may be of interest.

I’ve heard the same too around stress and lack of sleep interfering.

am another one who doesn’t take milk in tea (as much as I am desperate for it). I could survive on tea with milk without eating and you make a good point @Jollyjoy that if it’s satiating me maybe it’s doing something to my fast. I’m also interested in autophagy benefits. I have now got used to it and the last few fasts I haven’t been able to enjoy the herbal tea either so just stick to regular and sparkling water. Easier as the weather improves. However, everybody needs to do what works for them to keep it going.

another anecdotal observation - unfortunately for me my weight loss stalls if I drink milk during fasts. I suspect that it’s the carbs in the milk. In my eating window, I am going to be trying to have coffee with coconut milk to see if I can tolerate that as that will be sufficient low carb.

It is strange how different things work for different people and a few cups of tea at half my usual level is my content place. I managed to keep 1lb of my 1.75 loss off. I might try cutting it back by 1 cup of tea when I do it again from 7/8pm tonight.
Anyone else planning to fast tomorrow?