What was your diet like before other than 16:8?
I’ve had a great 72 hours, but only becuase I’ve been in ketosis for about six weeks after going near zero carb for a month. I’m not informed enough to infer from anything beyond my personal experience, but you’re describing something similar I experienced when first doing keto with IF
>I believe because I always had a relatively sodium low diet (I never salt my food, unless it’s already pre-salted), my body couldn’t cope with that “excess”. I completely stopped.
It could be too much salt, potassium, or magnesium. I’ve been following the guide here but going below the minimum by a bit. They seemed too high to me. A more accurate guide would give mg to kg or mg to pounds. The more weight you have the more electrolyte mix you should have. I’m not super heavy, so less makes sense for me. (We’re about the same weight give-or-take.)
One fun fact is recent studies (for like the last 10 years) show that moderate and even moderately high sodium intake is healthier than a low sodium diet. Most people haven’t gotten the memo on that and take way too little salt normally. Likewise, if you go on a low carb diet, like fasting, you typically want to up your salt intake a bit.
>Keto breath is real!
lol yeah. Thankfully it goes away if you stay in ketosis for long periods of time. For some it takes around 2 months for it to go away though.
Keto crotch is a thing too. XD
>I made the choice of not exercising at all.
For a 7 day fast it’s not really a big deal, but you typically want a minimal amount of very light exercise. We’re talking, walking for 5 minutes kind of exercise. Groceries definitely is more than enough.
This is because after a while if you don’t move at all the body starts prioritizing eating muscle over fat which can cause a lot of problems. Typically it’s only super noticeable in 30+ day fasts.
>Coming from my usual 8hrs, doing 3 to 4 per night was very hard.
For me, I don’t get drowsy, but when I do sleep I end up sleeping fine. This has rotated my sleep schedule. I think I’m getting it easier than others.
>I actually built my retirement plan thanks to those moments lol
lol awesome. If you’re unfamiliar /r/personalfinance is an amazing sub for that topic. /r/Fire and it’s derivatives have a good bit of 102 retirement planning talk too.
>Refeeding: Soup + 2 boiled eggs for 2 days,
Good for you. Doing it right.
>The hunger wasn’t too challenging, the stomach “cramps” were sometimes very painful.
That’s what hits me the worst too. It feels like stomach acid like I need to take a Tums. Thankfully for me it comes and goes quickly.
>I’ve never felt so “useless” and inefficient.
My not-so-secret hack is fasting while sick. When sick you’re already laying around doing nothing, and it reduces apatite. This makes extended fasting super easy to do, and it’s healthy even while I have a cold. So why not take advantage? I caught this years common cold right now, which is why I’m fasting right now. I’m opportunistic, I take advantage when presented with one. If I get a cold every year a 4-7 day fast once a year is pretty good.
I don’t do extended fasting for weight loss, but I find that keto + IF (1 to 2 meals a day) works best for me for feeling healthy, as long as I eat healthy, and as a side effect it works very well for weight loss, as long as your patient. I would lose 3 pounds a month. (200 lb -> 150 lb, 5’9)