Looking for any and all helpful hints, encouragement, and experience with extended water fasting.
Fasting for lent, not catholic. I was planning/working toward a 30 day fast and lent was happening so I let it force my time line to start now. This is my first time doing an extended fast outside of bingeing on stimulants for 2-7 years in the 90’s while getting a higher education.
I have been working toward losing weight and becoming healthier. FYI Stopped drinking in 2016, quit smoking (Chantix) in October 2022. Stop eating fast food, seed oils, most bad for me carbs(morning oatmeal and pasta), added sugar and started doing 20/4 most days in December 2022. With the exception of Fat Tuesday of course, lent and all 😉. This change took me from about 255Lbs down to my SW below.
FYI lent is not 40 days. when I entered the dates for Ash Wednesday 2/22 (start my fast) and Thursday 4/6 end of lent 2023/my fast is actually going to be 44 days seeing how I’m including Sundays.
I’m a 47M SW 236.6 CW 224 GW 180.My reasons for fasting are weight loss and autophagy. Over the previous few years every visit to the doctor involves heightening A1C, LDL, BP (update 2/22 127/73) and lowering good cholesterol HDL numbers. With my doctor prescribing me pills that I refuse to take.
Have lab work and annual physical this week. And will talk to him about having electrolytes checked weekly? Bi weekly?
So far, I have consumed nothing except black tea, 1 black coffee most mornings and 2-3 liters of water with the electrolytes recommended in wiki and modify due to gastric distress. Iodize salt/Himalayan salt , NO-Salt(potassium) and 1-2 MegaFood brand Magnesium 300 capsules (150 each) still dialing in exact formula and speed at which I consume it. Have also taking a few sips of dill pickle juice and tabasco pepper juice.
Answer
Reading your post, for a minute, I thought maybe I had written it.
46M (will be 47 in 6 weeks), 6’1” SW: 211, CW: 206 (Sat), SBF: 33.7%. Doing the same, Iodized Salt, NO-Salt, Magnesium (Calm), with 2-3L of water per day. Also doing Tea and Black Coffee and Mio (0 Cal) to mix it up. Doing it for the same reasons, increasing A1C, LDL, and BP. I visit the Dr every week, so my next weigh-in will be on Sat. (TRT) I also did a Dexa Scan at the start and plan to do one every 10 days during my fast. I started the evening of 2/21 and set a Not to Exceed time of 40 days, but will stop early if I meet my goals or start feeling abnormally bad. However, at 136 Hrs in, I’m feeling pretty good. Good luck!
Answer
Please listen to your body.
Many of us have completed extended fasts, and those same people have also started and stopped early because their body (even with proper electrolytes and working out) started to feel nauseous or weak. I always recommend doing a prolonged fast for the first time under medical supervision or at least get your blood work done every week.
It’s OK to stop early.
Sometimes, if you want to reach your total goal, you can always pull back for a few days and load up on pickles, bone broth, and some heaping spoonfuls of nutritional yeast.
Good luck, and this community is here for you!