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!

Thanks I'm interested in this because of autoimmune disease. Unfortunately it means building up to 72 hour fasts when I struggle with 16:8 at times. I think I will probably be OK with two 24 hour fasts a week.

@doctorlife hello! I would say sugar free squash is a no, the idea is to keep your insulin levels as low as possible during a fast. Some say the ‘clean’ fast is best so only water, black coffee, black tea or green tea is allowed, others find a little bit of milk in their tea is fine. But I would definitely steer clear of anything with sugar or sweeteners in.

@Jabtastic you don’t have to jump in at the deep end - try a few 20 hour fasts first and when they feel easy gradually build it up to 24 then when they feel easy move to 32/36 and so on. I’ve never gone over 43 hours though so don’t have any advice for a 72 hour stint! All I know is go gradually and move up when things start to feel easy. The first time I did a 36 hour fast I found it really hard but since then they’ve not been too bad. I only started in January though! Others have been going longer so may have more/better advice.

Well I broke my fast at nearly 48 hours. Like last time it's a sort of disappointment to break it although as soon as I started cooking I was really hungry.

This time I managed to do some exercise and keep busy with work although I did make a lot of use of my to do list as I think I did get a bit vague at times.

How do you all feel mentally as you get into day 2?

Thanks @Flibbertyjibbertywill report back on the book. I decided to break my fast at 37 hours today and well intentioned to stay low carb which went out the window as we had guests. I have thought about a 3 day fast more for the health benefits. Not sure i could really do this at least not yet. Have only managed 1 x 48 hour fast so far and a few 45 hours. I think if I get to 42 hours on a consistent basis I’ll be happy with that. I don’t feel hungry at that point - it is definitely psychological for me. But the first 36 was too and it was a leap of faith.

@FirstTimeFasterswow well done on an amazing fast. I’m very impressed at your resolve through your travelling day. I hope the fasting does bring you some good NSVs on the health front. There are so many case studies with people healing. And I like your approach and your framing of this as just a different way of eating. I find that I have very good mental clarity on day 2 so is good on a working day. As long as I have kept up with my water and salt/electrolytes.

welcome @doctorlife- well done on the sugar detox - that can be the hardest thing to overcome and is a good foundation to build fasting on. If you can stop the sugar free squash you should see better results but also the fasts should feel easier.

@Jabtastic2 x 24 hrs can be very effective for healing - I was listening today also that a 24 fast 2 or 3 times a week can be really great to lose visceral fat. It’s a great goal. It was on today’s TFM podcast - Megan’s q&a. I’ll try and find links for these.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2MBQeLVHKtytaJyWYBqkmg?si=IuUlPWT2Sa6DFkDRlG-Avg

and this one

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1CJ8cq0BHrwGXpu3Lmu9h2?si=_2-cr_cUTT2jiRYPMggbiw

you can find these on Apple Podcasts too but just sending the Spotify link for now.

Hey guys! I've just broken my first 48 hour fast - it was sort of an accident as when I broke my last 42 hour fast, I ate so much that I couldn't manage a second meal so this fast started 4.5 hours early...
I'm now 11 lbs (5kg) down from Mar 1 and absolutely over the moon with the inches lost! I'm actually running out of clothes as everything I own is at risk of falling off. This works! Man, 50 years of dieting (I'm 63) and this is the first time I've been successful. Talk about wanting to shout from the rooftops...

Good for you!! What an achievement. Huge well done to you.

I intended on a 24 fast (OMAD) yday, but broke fast 4 hours early. I feel much less hungry today, so am going to go for a 24 hour stint. I have a meal booked for 7.30 (and late ate around this time, last night). Intending to fast until then! Have gone for an hours walk during my lunch break today, and am gymming after work (stairmaster) for 45 mins. Hoping that will be enough to distract me, and also aid with a bit of fat burning too!

:)

@LittleLamzyDivey

@doctorlife Thank you! I am still so shocked that I'm actually getting smaller (my insulin resistance has made losing weight impossible for decades) that I keep pinching myself.
Good luck with the 24 hours - that's a great place to start.

Well done on the fasts everybody! @LittleLamzyDivey wowzers, that is amazing progress - you must be v chuffed. I’ve been dieting on and off most of my adult life too and like you I’ve found IF so good. And it feels easy! Almost too easy?! Much better than counting calories or macros that’s for sure. It’s tough at the start but now I’m into the swing of it, it feels more like a way of life. And I love that you can go out for dinner, have up days, have fast days and still lose weight. It’s just the best!

Thanks @Flibbertyjibberty ! I've tried fasting before and ended up hypo and frustrated. Thank goodness Dr Fung came along and explained the importance of low carb, salt, and nothing else but water during a fast. I'm afraid to agree with you in case I jinx myself but yes, (whispers) it's almost too easy...

Great motivation on here and I have been reading but not posting for a few days. During that time I have done a 22:2 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - not exactly intended but DD1 had a week of final OSCEs and F1 job allocation and I have been very nervous for her, much much more than usual.
They are now done ( she feels they went well ) and she is happy with the job she has been allocated so I can eat again. Nervousness kills my appetite.
But I have the house to myself until Sunday night so will continue with the 22:2 for the next three days as I have lost another 3lbs across the days.
Once everyone is home I'll be following an 8 hour fasting window i.e. only when I'm asleep 😂
Still having a little milk in tea but only having 2/3 a day as opposed to my usual 6/8 cups. Easier when the weather is great. Maybe some day I have have a clean fast but not yet.

Hi all, hope everyone is well and congratulations on all the amazing fasting going on. I’ve been awol from fasting/the thread, as I feared, I’ve found any form of fasting a challenge during Easter hols with kids stuck to me all the time! Have managed 18:6 a couple times but that’s been the extent, and have definitely put on a pound or two. I have a fast planned starting Monday after lunch, when it’s doable with childcare.

It is so much easier @Jollyjoy when you have the freedom to please yourself entirely and not cook hence me pushing on through these three days doing 22:2 while I have an empty house.
Come Sunday night the house will be full again and Easter will begin in earnest and meals/treats and lots of cooking will be the order of the day.
Well done for managing 18:6 with velco smalls.

I agree with you @Jollyjoy about fasting being easier when solo. I'll have 4 days alone in Newcastle from May 5-8 (any Geordies around?) and am having a think about an extended fast 😁

Been off the thread for a few days so just catching up. Wow @LittleLamzyDiveythats very inspiring and exciting. You’ve nailed the perfect way to fast - build up gradually, salt, water, clean fast, low carb. I’ve got the other stuff sorted but still working on the low carb. Loving all the positivity and support on this thread

@126orbustI tend to go the other way with stress and eat a lot. Life gets in the way and throws me off fasting. Glad you’re on the other side of the nailbiting period. It’s a full house here with DC back from uni so fasting is going to be difficult plus am out next week. Planning on focussing on reducing the carbs during this time if nothing else and TRE. I’ve been under the weather too so dont want to push too much.

well done for all the fasts under the belt and good luck for everybody with the upcoming fasts. @LittleLamzyDiveyyou’ll have to keep us updated on the extended fast.

Looks like I might have killed the thread. How’s everybody doing? No much fasting going on here at the moment - but did manage a low carb dinner last night and atleast a 13 hr fast overnight. Plan is to get back to things week after next. Just focussing on healthy eating.

I’m currently sticking to omad so haven’t posted here as not doing extended fasts. It’s suiting me at the moment and I’m 10lb down since mid March.

Hi all, definitely not killed it @fastingaway! I’m assuming most are a bit relaxed on fasts over Easter but maybe just me. I did 43hr Monday over quite busy days so didn’t post but enjoyed it. I’d like to do a 48 or even longer at some stage but it is hard to find a suitable time. The image of meeting up to sit somewhere for an indulgent glass of water with a fellow faster made me smile , @LittleLamzyDiveybut a bit far for me!

My trouble is not keeping it too clean on non fasting days, on the day I broke my fast I did it slowly and healthily but by the evening I was in the cinema eating pic n mix! I’ve also not been at gym with kids off. But despite that I’ve enjoyed feeling leaner after the fast and trying to not eat many other evenings seems may be enough of a sacrifice for fairly slow weight loss continuing for me. And it all needs to be flexible to be enjoyable, doesn’t it. When are folk fasting next? I think I will do next wed 23rd when kids are back. I have a lunch out planned on Thu so all being well I’m thinking to eat lunch on Tue and make it a 48 by breaking on the Thu.

Probably better to see what it does to your heart muscle before muscle mass. One can't continue without the other.

@gamerchick yeah. The evidence on heart health does not seem very reassuring.

These very orthorexic and extreme approaches to eating worry me.

Hey all! Nope, you're good @fastingaway - the thread is still live 😄
I carry on bumbling along with my three 42/6's a week. Down 16 lbs since Mar 1 and absolutely astonished as I'm a post menopausal sloooow loser. I still have this hideous big belly but am hoping as I heal my IR, it may actually become smaller.
@Jollyjoy do you not find that you want to eat the most nourishing food you can in your eating window? I'm always aware that the next 42 hour fast will be starting shortly and try to ensure I'm full of fatty meat before it does. I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you mention one of my favourite snacks - lalalalala...... 🤣

@LittleLamzyDivey, I think if I were doing multiple fasts like you I’d be very focused on the nutrition of the days in between, but I just do one a week or probably only 3 a month on average. I do feel like clean food after and find it helps me want to eat smaller portions and variety overall. But also I enjoy fasting precisely because I feel I can eat mostly what I want and still lose 0.5-1lb a week this way.

Thank you for checking in on us @gamerchickand @Undrugged, it’s definitely not an approach for everyone and I’m sure I’d have shared some of your concerns before doing it for myself. But honestly it just feels so physically healthy and wholesome and I feel is good for my relationship with food. Some of us have been doing this together for a few months and I’m sure a few of us would say something if we heard someone sounding like they are heading in a disordered way.

Hi crew, I’m still here too! Just been busy with work and kids being off school so not been online as much. Hope everyone is doing okay and well done on the fasting, esp those three 42/6s @LittleLamzyDivey

I’m doing another weekend fast today because it was such a busy day. Now 25 hours in so 16 to go. And I did my first fully fasted half marathon last weekend - I was about 15 hours fasted when the race began and I didn’t eat while racing for the first time in about 20 years (I’d usually gulp down a few Haribo or gels or both) and not only did it go well, I came third female! It wasn’t a huge field (I was 3rd out of 23) but only my second time coming top three so I was v happy. And also happy to prove to myself I could do it - my body must be fat adapted by now so I guess it was running off that instead to glycogen. Either way, proof that it’s possible! Woo-hoo.

Oh and I think we were talking on here recently about feeling cold when fasting. I was listening to a TFM podcast the other day where Nadia said that’s a good sign because it means you’re burning fat as fuel (can’t remember the science of why but I can dig out the pod if anyone wants a listen). That has certainly made it feel less annoying for me this week so thought I would share.

anyone fasting on Easter Sunday?! I do feel that might be next level but you never know!

Hi all. Sorry, I’ve not been on the thread for a while (think it might be a couple of weeks?). I’ll go back and catch up on all of your posts.

The longest fast I’ve done over the last couple of weeks has only been 18 hours (it just doesn’t really work in school holidays and not wanting to be obviously skipping meals).

I’m hoping to do a 36 hour fast at the beginning of the week. I originally thought Tues (back to routine, etc.) but family plans might actually mean I might be able to do Monday. I’ll update when I know what I’m doing.

Hope everyone is doing ok.