3-week water fast

[WannaFast]

I'm starting a 3-week water fast tomorrow. I found that making such an announcement helps me stick to my plan, so.. thank you very much for your interest and support, I guess

I'll post daily. I usually monitor my blood glucose and ketonuria, to track the phases of the fast. And the weight of course. Now I am 145 lbs (65.771 kg), BMI=22.

Wish me good luck and see you tomorrow

[WannaFast]

DAY 1 went as usual. I am so used to not eating sometimes for a day that I don't even consider them fasts.

Weight 140.5 lbs = 63.730 kg - I guess I underestimated the weight of my clothes and shoes above, plus I drank a lot of tea that evening.

I tried coconut oil purge instead of the usual saline and it did seem to throw me into ketosis sooner, which on the up side made me a bit high but on the down side also brought periodic surges of nausea that thankfully did not last long.

I walked a lot in the local woods and enjoyed the beauty of the trees in bloom. It's amazing that no matter how old they are, the new spring growth is always pristinely perfect and beautiful. How do they do it? It's like an old person sprouting beautiful, soft, shiny hair each spring instead of coarse and wiry gray.


This morning DAY 2 weight 140 lbs = 63.503 kg and blood glucose is 91 = 5.0(5) still pretty high. I did not drink any water since yesterday afternoon. I did not measure ketones yet. will update later.

.

[Thegoodwife]

What sort of colon cleanser do you use? May i ask where you live? ie country !

[WannaFast]

Thegoodwife, I live in the states. It says so under the avatar. As a digestive tract cleanse I drink 3-4 liters of saline (gotta be done in record time) and it does the job well. This time I consumed coconut oil with coffee, as an experiment. Not sure I did it right. The oil did give me some ketones right away but they came with calories that delayed the onset of ketosis, which started this time ~12 hours later than usual. But... just as you can never enter the same river twice, each fast is different, regardless. So it's too early to draw conclusions.


DAY 3 weight 138 lbs = 62.600 kg (lost 2 lbs = 900 g since yesterday)
blood glucose 55 mg/dL = 3. 0(5) mmol/L (a bit low)
blood ketones 1.2 mmol/L (as beta-hydroxybutyrate)
ketonuria 80 mg/dL (as acetoacetate)

I won't be measuring blood ketones any more, because this was my last strip and I'm not buying them any more. I'm getting urinalysis strips instead. Cost far less and hopefully more reliable.

With blood glucose this low I felt a bit weak this morning. It was hard to get out of bed, but once I started to move, things improved quickly. I'm off for a walk under the drizzle in the fog. Love this weather.

[KaleidoskopicVision]

Hey I'm on my third day of a water fast

[WannaFast]

KaleidoskopicVision, so we go head to head Great! How long do you plan?

[KaleidoskopicVision]

Originally Posted by WannaFast

KaleidoskopicVision, so we go head to head Great! How long do you plan?

I'll go for about 30 days. I have some serious karmic detritus to burn off as well as some physical problems to heal.

[WannaFast]

30 days wow! I have studied the physiological aspect of fasting extensively but know close to nothing about karmic. How dose it work? And, unless you log your fast somewhere, which I'd love to see, please post here how your fasting days are going and how you feel, so that we could compare notes. You sound like an experienced faster... And hope you got enough fat reserves to last you 30 days

DAY 4 weight 135.5 lbs = 61.462 g (lost 2.5 lbs = 1.138 kg since yesterday)
Ketonuria 160 mg/dL (max) . blood glucose this morning was 50 mg/dL = 2.(7) mmol/L, so I took a spoon of liquid carnitine and it went up a bit to 55 mg/dL = 3. 0(5) mmol/L, which made me operational.

It's another cool rainy day and I'm off for a walk.

[KaleidoskopicVision]

Originally Posted by WannaFast

30 days wow! I have studied the physiological aspect of fasting extensively but know close to nothing about karmic. How dose it work? And, unless you log your fast somewhere, which I'd love to see, please post here how your fasting days are going and how you feel, so that we could compare notes. You sound like an experienced faster... And hope you got enough fat reserves to last you 30 days

DAY 4 weight 135.5 lbs = 61.462 g (lost 2.5 lbs = 1.138 kg since yesterday)
Ketonuria 160 mg/dL (max) . blood glucose this morning was 50 mg/dL = 2.(7) mmol/L, so I took a spoon of liquid carnitine and it went up a bit to 55 mg/dL = 3. 0(5) mmol/L, which made me operational.

It's another cool rainy day and I'm off for a walk.

Over the period of fasting the inner fire of willpower burns through the past. Baggage comes up and you work through it. You'll remember things you've forgotten and be able to let go of them. Bad habits are easier to release during a fast. I've only done weeklong fasts so this is actually my first long one. However I'm not sure I'm going to last the 30 days as I don't have much fat on me.

When the tongue turns pink and the coating on it suddenly clears that is a reliable sign to end the fast because the tongue becomes a toxin deposit and when most toxins are done being expelled all the gunk will clear up.

[sirkinm]

Hey WannaFast - I'm not very knowledgeable fasting, but reading your posts on your super-ambitious attempts at fasting, as well as how you gave yourself an eating disorder... My advice would be to go to a nutritionist or someone you trust and discuss your plans and possible alternatives.

I realize that your motivations may be complex, and I strongly feel that individuals should pursue whatever path they seek. But I think we should all be cautious of obsessing over the details of our nutrition, weight and impossible goals of "purity." A 21 day fast is a extreme in my opinion. If you were a friend of mine, I might worry a bit about you. You may be setting yourself up for future eating disorders or extreme fixation on food.

[WannaFast]

Thank you for your concern, sirkinm. If you read all my posts then you'd see that I thought I gave myself an eating disorder. But during my last fast, which lasted almost 2 weeks, I understood that
the reason I'd lapse into binge eating the moment I'd think that it was a while since I fasted and I should go for a week or two, was because my body was telling me that I did not have adequate fat reserves for that. So what I perceived as an eating disorder was actually a healthy instinct, which I did not realize until recently ('cause, you know, a girl can never be too thin or too rich ).

As for your advice to see a nutritionist -- why do I need that? I have a very good diet. Normaly my BMI is 19-20. It has been like that all my adult life. I gained some weight before fasting, which I see now as a good thing. Now I'm not worried about depleting my visceral fat (you know the one that supports kidneys and other organs).

It is sad that you do not know anything about fasting. Because if you did, you'd be fasting yourself. There is no better method of improving your health and prolonging your life.

FYI 3-week fast is the minimal length of a more or less effective fast. It takes a week to get into ketosis and start adapting to it. It takes another week for the brain to start feeding on ketones in earnest. Altogether it takes 17-23 days for the level of ketones to finally plateau and for the body to reach a new state of homeostasis. That's why I want to fast at least that long. So, wish me good luck instead

And that's an adorable avatar you've got!

.

[WannaFast]

Originally Posted by KaleidoskopicVision

Over the period of fasting the inner fire of willpower burns through the past. Baggage comes up and you work through it. You'll remember things you've forgotten and be able to let go of them. Bad habits are easier to release during a fast.

Say you are a poet! And who are those lovers in your avatar?

Yeah, I see what you mean. I should resume my meditation practice. So far I only use fasts to take care of the unfinished business. This sort of brings up a review naturally.

I've only done weeklong fasts so this is actually my first long one. However I'm not sure I'm going to last the 30 days as I don't have much fat on me.

Watch out for that. I've read a scary story about kidneys sinking down which affected their function, and it took almost a year for that person to restore their health. But maybe you could wear something like a corset or a wide belt if you start feeling that peculiar ache of a sinking kidney -?

When the tongue turns pink and the coating on it suddenly clears that is a reliable sign to end the fast because the tongue becomes a toxin deposit and when most toxins are done being expelled all the gunk will clear up.

My tongue is pink and has no coating. My breath only smells of ketones, which is not bad, really. The heavily coated tongue and stench are the signs of microorganisms' metabolism. They could be nuked with right antibiotics (which of course is anathema for most health nuts). IMO clear tongue and fresh breath are merely the signs that the body finally overcame those infections. After that, the really interesting phase of a fast begins, and it concerns the optimization of physiology. But usually people spend all their energy reserves fighting these freeloaders, which could be dealt with more effectively with modern drugs. Alternatively, people go for another fast immediately after an adequate refeeding phase. On that second fast there will be no coated tongue and no bad breath

[KaleidoskopicVision]

Originally Posted by WannaFast

Say you are a poet! And who are those lovers in your avatar?

Yeah, I see what you mean. I should resume my meditation practice. So far I only use fasts to take care of the unfinished business. This sort of brings up a review naturally.



Watch out for that. I've read a scary story about kidneys sinking down which affected their function, and it took almost a year for that person to restore their health. But maybe you could wear something like a corset or a wide belt if you start feeling that peculiar ache of a sinking kidney -?


My tongue is pink and has no coating. My breath only smells of ketones, which is not bad, really. The heavily coated tongue and stench are the signs of microorganisms' metabolism. They could be nuked with right antibiotics (which of course is anathema for most health nuts). IMO clear tongue and fresh breath are merely the signs that the body finally overcame those infections. After that, the really interesting phase of a fast begins, and it concerns the optimization of physiology. But usually people spend all their energy reserves fighting these freeloaders, which could be dealt with more effectively with modern drugs. Alternatively, people go for another fast immediately after an adequate refeeding phase. On that second fast there will be no coated tongue and no bad breath

Those skeletons were unearthed in Pompeii where Mount Vesuvius erupted, two lovers who died in each others arms. It's a very humbling picture

I stopped my fast today because my heart was beating unusually fast and something just felt 'off'. The other times I fasted my body started pumping out toxins but this time... nothing. It didn't feel right so I went with my intuition and ended it with a slice of watermelon

That's another thing too, I have had mild kidney issues in the past so I do have to be careful. Another one of the strange things about this fast is drinking water was almost unbearable and a chore, there was absolutely no thirst whatsoever. Perhaps I don't need to fast after all.

Meditation is so much more effective with the catalyst of a fast though! I also will lucid dream every night during a fast automatically. During an earlier meditation I noticed this spot of light permeating the dark veil of my closed eyelids and I focused on it. The spot became brighter and I could see the edges of darkness tearing in an amazingly intricate fractal pattern as the light began to burst forth and dominate the empty void of no-sight. It was pretty phenomenal and reminded me of the light people refer to when they are on the verge of death... which is another reason I considered it a good idea to stop, just to play it safe

[AbelAbbot]

Hey I'm on my fourth day of water fast. Meditation is so much more effective with the catalyst of a fast though! I also will lucid dream every night during a fast automatically. Great site. Nice post. Thanks for sharing…

[WannaFast]

Good for you, AbelAbbot. I wish you'd post earlier. Maybe it would help me stick to my fast, 'cause, like KaleidoskopicVision, I too broke mine on the fifth day, even though I did it in the end of the day. I had to sit through 4 hours of celebratory dinner from which I could not escape. And I did sit through it only sipping water and some wine. But.... several hours later, after all dishes were already washed (by me, by the way) all that good food programing by example finally got me... Besides, the fifth day has always been one of the toughest for me.

DAY 5 weight 133.5 lbs = 60.555 kg (lost 2 lbs = 900 g since yesterday)
blood glucose 51 mg/dL = 2.8(3) mmol/L

When glucose is so low for so long, it affects my vision and makes it hard for me to get out of bed in the morning. I'm not sure why my glucose was so low for so long this time. On my last fast, it was like this only one day, one morning actually... So I was rather sluggish today. Keeping busy with preparations for celebration improved how I feel, as usual.

But, as you already know, I broke the fast about 10 pm, which made it 5 days total. I want to maintain a ketogenic diet though with the aim of continuing my fast in a day or two. Being still in ketosis will save me at least 2 days and probably more like 3 or 4 in the beginning of my next fast.

[justmee]

hello

I am on my nearing fitfth day of a fast

Ideally I would love to do maxmium 20 days minimum 7

was torturous to begin with as im a big food lover


BMI is healthy but really need to shed a few pounds


cravings were massive yesterday i thought id give in but i havent
mother doesnt help constantly cooking favourite recipes

dont know when il give in but so far so good mashallah/alhamdollilah

ah it is hard though im craving chocolate/fish/curries


damnnnnnnnnnnnn its hard

and the worse part is energy levels sometimes i find myself dizzy and nauseous unable to stand damn

dont know if i can go 20 days seems too long but i really want to shed the weight before birthday but i think il prob give in beofre then due to mothers demands to eat! something

lol

[WannaFast]

Thank you johnss for your support and encouragement. I am still planning to continue with my fast, even though it's getting a bit too hot for it. May is the month for our family many gatherings, and thankgod it's almost over. I'll resume next mon or tue.

I'm concerned about the summer heat though. I don't know why people say that it's better to fast when it's warm. Maybe they drink too much water and it makes them cold -? There is nothing better than crisp cold air on a nice winter day. I think that has to do with greater demand for O2 while fasting. It's hard for me to get so much energy from air in summer. But in winter, I can't get enough of it. It's so delicious and invigorating.

[justmee]

resuming fast today/ hoping to do ten days this time or at least 7/ getting past day 5 will be a start. but damn i so want to eat! this always happens grrrrrrrr. need some motivation

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by justmee

resuming fast today/ hoping to do ten days this time or at least 7/ getting past day 5 will be a start. but damn i so want to eat! this always happens grrrrrrrr. need some motivation

And when you mess up again and screw up your metabolism even worse by binging? This is called bulimia nervosa.

[justmee]

i dont know what my problem is! I just want to lose weight and be a better size thats me. I binged for too many years and ate all the food in the world comfort ate but now i just want to lose the pounds but habits are hard to break! amazing i went 5 days without food though. ive also started just spitting the food out if i give in to cravings which is just a waste. argh! the only issue is my mood is dramatically worsened whenever i diet/fast and thus family notice i aint happy. but im not happy being fat either. pfft.

[justmee]

damn i turned down a free meal! curry ahhhhhhhhh

[justmee]

scrap that
i indulged

binged

i think i have an issue
but one thing ive learnt is food no longer brings me comfort

ten day fast minimum 7 deffo has to start tomorrow i look pregnant no lie
chocs too grrr

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by justmee

scrap that
i indulged

binged

i think i have an issue
but one thing ive learnt is food no longer brings me comfort

ten day fast minimum 7 deffo has to start tomorrow i look pregnant no lie
chocs too grrr

Scrap that, I give up. Proceed to screw up your body.

No fast has to start tomorrow. This is bulimia which IS an issue.

[WannaFast]

justmee, I agree with russianrocket (hi, comrade ) The way you do it does not sound right. If you are inclined to uncontrolled binge eating, you should not fast longer than 24-36h once or maybe twice a week. Otherwise you set yourself up for a disaster. Your eating disorder will only get worse. Open your own thread and post your progress there, rather than scattering your disjoint posts in other threads with a word fasting in it. It will be easier for people to see it all in one place and track your progress. Good luck!

[justmee]

im new to the forum.
sorry for messing up your thread.

but i MUST start a fast tomorrow and I WILL. Ive binged and smoked like no tomorrow today and so i have to fast. and i will. for 5 days then 7 then 10 to begin with. maybe in future 20 who knows. sorry for posting though you seem agitated.

[justmee]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Scrap that, I give up. Proceed to screw up your body.

No fast has to start tomorrow. This is bulimia which IS an issue.

thanks for your concerns. its just willpower i don't have. but i need to fast. i thought bulimia is where i then purge? ive never succeeded at that ever!

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by justmee

thanks for your concerns. its just willpower i don't have. but i need to fast. i thought bulimia is where i then purge? ive never succeeded at that ever!

Bulimia nervosa

Purging can/does come with bulimia. The difference between this and anorexia, is that there is no binging involved.

[justmee]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Bulimia nervosa

Purging can/does come with bulimia. The difference between this and anorexia, is that there is no binging involved.

thanks pet

i just want support
i hate my body image
i know i will be healthy i just want to shed a few needed lbs but i love food so its a daily battle

[robx]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

And when you mess up again and screw up your metabolism even worse by binging? This is called bulimia nervosa.

I would love to hear more about this "screwing up your metabolism",
how does one screw up their metabolism?

Do you even know what metabolism is?

I doubt it.

[justmee]

also
i do suffer from depression
so sounds about right
but i am ok