Just do what you can when starting out. I do every other day or so. It’s not a race, but rather a marathon. A life skill.
What helps me is to stay busy. Anything to take one’s mind off of eating.
Also food can be an addiction. Once you can control and manage that aspect it can become easier. It’s the paper tiger that is the addiction. The tiger seems real at first. But then you realize it’s made of paper. It has no real teeth or claws. It can be wadded up and thrown away. It can be lit up and can burn away. It can eventually disappear.
The hardest is when you first start out. I suggest you just practice doing a few 48 hour fasts before trying a longer one. Try doing a 48 hour fast, once a week for 4 weeks in a row. If you can accomplish that, then maybe you could try a 72 hour fast.
Slowly increase it over time. Its not easy, but it gets easier with more experience.
Everyone struggles. The difference between those that are “good” and those that aren’t is that the people who succeed are just better at sitting with the discomfort. This comes with practice. There is no difference between those who fast and you. You have what it takes.
Yes some parts will feel like torture. It’s like working out. I hate every single thing about working out but I love the benefits more so the discomfort and time are worth it to me.
It’s hard. Also, this is social media, so no one posts their failures.
Tips and tricks. Start with Keto. Just eat vegetables and meat for like a day before you start your fast. This gets your body used to ketosis. Carbs spike insulin responses, which make you feel hungry.
You can start with intermittent fasting. Once again, this is like exercising a muscle. Once your body is used to ketosis, it’s all about staying busy and electrolytes.
If you want to try a longer fast start with training wheels. True, some people jump right in without a problem, but dirty fasting also has benefits, and if say creamer in your coffee keeps you motivated, then I say do it. Yeah, it’s bad ass to water fast, but everyone is different.
If you try dirty fasting, set a calorie limit like 100 calories. Also, stay away from carbs. Carbs spike insulin and make you feel hungry.
Mostly, just stay busy. Go for walks. If you’re not active, you’re going to want to eat out of boredom.
Like many things in life slow and steady wins the race. Others may suggest starting with Intermittent Fasting/OMAD for a week. My first extended fast was relatively easy because I was excited and motivated. When I attempted my 2nd & 3rd I had a more challenging time with the temptations and as I call it “mouth boredom”. I had to create a phone reminder alerting me throughout the day stating, “You are not hungry; you’re bored. Go find something to do”.
Because we are creatures of habit and indulgence, the best way to kick a habit is to find a new one. So I went for gentle walks, bowling, and joyriding, organized my clothes, and discarded a bunch of stuff during that process. I also used my fast to learn more about it. I created a youtube fasting playlist with medical doctors and clinical professionals discussing the benefits of fasting. It was a great reinforcement and source of encouragement.
My first 3 day was torture. The next one got easier with alkaline water. The longer ones after that got even easier when I added electrolytes. Day 15 of 21 right now and I’m coasting to the finish line… not really, but it isn’t killing me either. Add electrolytes and build up is my point.
I’m the same as you! I’ve been meaning to do a week long fast since Saturday but I fought with my mum and she bought food as a peace offering on Sunday, and yesterday my family bought pizza and I gave in so I counted the past two days as OMAD instead, and had to keep restarting my life app start time of fast… you’re definitely not alone, I’ll be famished and feel like eating fire noodles tomorrow after 48 hours, just keep trying and we might get better!
Electrolytes. Keep them up. Don’t just drink water. Add electrolyte powers or take potassium and magnesium supplements. Otherwise you’re flushing them out and your body won’t be able to produce energy despite ketosis. This one thing can make fasting pretty easy.
Don’t be demotivated. Three quick points. (1) People with higher BMI can fast longer/easier, also for some reason for men this is easier than women. (2) practice, few people who can reliably extended fast did so at the start. Learn your body. (3) Everyone feels like shit sometimes on their fasts, its natural to be lower energy etc. Boredom is tough. This is a mental game in addition to a physical one. But its one you can become better at and I hope everyone here can help.
My first fast I thought I was going to die. I was lightheaded, felt sick and had no energy. But I was fat, disgusted with myself and this felt like the final stand-I didn’t care if I died. So I persisted. That’s how I discovered what I could do.
Pickle juice, olive juice, electrolytes, coffee, tea (yes I still use sweet n low). Set a goal every time, even if it is just another hour or two and you’ll be amazed how much longer you can train yourself to go. The ability to do this is literally encoded in all of our DNA. No BS.
What I figured out personally, was that by weighing/testing every morning, I can win every day. It started with the scale, but after awhile, I became focused on the ketone meter. I can see the number come up on the meter because ketosis=victory. So I started looking forward to seeing the number on the meter. Even more than the number on the scale. And when I see it, I know I’m still winning.
Is it worth a buck a day to test? Yep, because winning never gets old. And I start out every day with a W.
Good luck.
Definitely for me a combo of slow training over years and low carb. I can’t do a week yet but can now easily do 48-72 hours with the same or less difficulty that I used to have at 24 hours.
And electrolytes
Watch Dr.Pradip Jamnadas talk called Fasting for Survival. Knowing what is happening in your body during a fast is very empowering and motivating! Dr. Eric Berg and Dr. Jason Fung are also great resources
I’ve started fasting 36 hours every Saturday because Saturdays tend to be busy but relaxed for me. “Busy but relaxed” is important for me, because I want to eat more when I’m stressed (during the work week) so it easier in that regard, and since I’m busy it’s a double win because 1) I have more time since I’m not spending time eating, and 2) I have less time to stop and eat. Example of my Saturday from last week… I slept in, went to a 1.5 hour 10am yoga class, went shopping, cleaned my car, came home and cleaned the house, did some other basic car maintenance, talked to 3 different people on the phone in the evening (mom, sis, friend), played a video game until bedtime when I took a shower and did some in-depth skin care maintenance, and journalled.
The longest I could ever do was 36h.
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I haven’t done a fast this year yet (but I’m also going weight training and bulking).
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Of course I won’t be posting about me not doing fasts in the fasting group :P. You should do you and take your time :). Don’t worry too much about all this champions of fasts are doing ;).
For myself. I set a goal. X amount of days. Something achievable. 3 for example.
Take it seriously. No food is no food. Want to eat? Keep drinking water. Why are you doing this? What do you want? Remind yourself.
The fact that you’re willing to make an excuse to break your fast in my opinion shows that you’re not serious about the goal you’re setting for yourself. Don’t half ass anything. Commit. It’s hard. You will constantly think of food and be starving. I thought about all the good healthy delicious foods I can cook once I’m out of it.
Knowing that the food will always be there to enjoy after I’m done and knowing how rewarding it will be to have it after doing it..
The starvation wears off, hunger comes in waves. Today has been the hardest for me. I just want to eat. But what integrity do I have towards myself if I can’t achieve it?
I haven’t read any of the other comments at all and I know mine might be a bit cut throat and seemingly unsupportive but in order for me to be able to do it I have to think like this haha. So that’s me 😅 the pain is temporary. Use anything you can to cope. Distractions, music, YouTube, Netflix. Make yourself accountable. Good luck!
What just helped me was about 50 cals of almond milk each day in my coffee. Finished 6 before breaking. Just find what helps you tick. Maybe look into lemon or lime spindrift? Im sure theres something out there for you.
Simple- wake up on day four. Smooth sailing.
Day 3- highly tempting. Stay away from the sight and smell of food. Keep busy. Chug water.
Day 2- annoying. Keep busy. Modafinil helps. Chug water.
Day 1- easy. Chug water.
It’s also been hard for me to get back into it, and even then I’m not sure I really want to do it. I know it can work for weight loss, but committing to set times or just abstaining for a long period of time is something I’m not wanting to do. I’m debating lol, it’s just really hard sometimes
When I was able to fast I was working a stable 9-5 job and on my feet all the time so it was easy for me then. You have to get into the mindset of why you are fasting and you have to rethink your relationship with food. Right now I’m at a 9-5 job but I’m sitting all day in front of a computer so I eat out of boredom and it is sooo hard for me to fast. Still trying to figure out how to get back into the grouve of fasting.
I’ve done rolling OMAD for like 6+ years with no problems but I occasionally do 2-3 days and I also get so bored and time feels much slower.
I want to do more longer fasts but the boredom makes it hard and I always seem to have a bunch of stuff in my fridge that’s closing in on the best before date so I need to eat it because I don’t want to have to throw out completely uneaten food.
Things that I do to help me OMAD
I keep a consistent schedule. Hungry is a hormone and your body anticipates it just like sleep. Ypu know how you have a hard time waking up for school after sleeping in all summer? Same thing happens with food. It takes a few weeks or months for your body to adjust, but you stop getting hungry in your fasting window if you are consistant.
Clean fasting/black coffee. I’ve been IF for 3 years and not putting milk in my coffee was the hardest challenge for me to overcome. I still saw benefits when I did dirty fasts. But finally committing to black coffee was a game changer. I bought several different kinds of coffee and found one I could tolerate drinking black. I also added less and less milk over about a month to wean myself off of it.
I don’t do extended fasting because my doctor is against it and it can cause health problems like gal bladder blockage. No shade to those that do extended fasting. Just know that you really have to be aware of the risks and keep your electrolytes up of you are gonna do it.
Following cuz i am in the same boat. I can do omad easy peasy, and I can sometimes do a full 24-30, but anything after that and I am mopey, depressed, and feel straight up sick. Niceties still have something g to work towards tho.
Really good question. In recent years I have found it much more difficult to do than 10+ yrs ago, I’m now 50+ and wonder why I no longer have the will power I used to. I never rolled off 72 hrs or more easily, but I COULD do that and 48 never seemed too tough. Now, every 24 is a huge battle.
If you menstruate, I recommend looking into the right time during your cycle to fast (when you start bleeding to when you ovulate is the window i stick to) and when not to (the other two weeks, right before you bleed, when progesterone is high and needs carbs to be produced). I couldn’t figure out why some fasts felt so easy and others impossible. Fasting during the right time of my cycle has brought huge relief, I also only do keto during that window
IMO if you’re not a bit overweight (excess fat, specifically) and in ketosis it would be a nightmare. When you’re in keto and your body is liquifying fat for fuel already, it is almost effortless - I have to remind myself to eat and it’s typically just once a day when I’m not even trying to fast.
None of my perfectly fit friends who live on sugar can go more than 3-4 waking hours without food lol. Props to anyone not fat-adapted who can fast.
I’m on 200+ houra.The trick is that the first three days are hard and the days after are smooth sailing. Apart from weakness and the bitter taste of salt (that I’m using for electrolytes) I’ve not had any difficulties.
For me it helps to not drink water at all during the day, only in the evening before sleeping. Not a huge amount either, just a glass. Then I drink mostly on my eating days and I eat raw organ meats on my eating days, which is very hydrating and it hydrates the body differently than plain water.
I never take any supplements while fasting, the only thing I have allowed in the past was pure fat (suet or butter) if necessary while fasting, which only was the case early on for once or twice.
Furthermore, the most important thing I have found is enormous amounts of fat, currently it’s butter on the days I eat. As in 375 grams minimum per week, currently testing to aim at 750 grams of pure butter per week.
I also find sticking to any form of regular fasting regime more important than what I eat, during the eating days. So I usually do not restrict at all during eating days, therefore if there is anything on a fasting day I might desire, I always say: “That is fine, you can have that, just not today. Wait until day …”
Also to have it be a structure is very important for me. I wouldn’t be able to do just one week of fasting once a month. It has to be a weekly or daily structure for me, something I can depend on and not deviate from. But that has to do more with my personality.
Also on the eating days I aim for as much carnivore based as I can. Vegetables, fruit, bread and such are not a priority. I do eat them, because I want to, but it’s usually in the afternoon or evening after I have had some of my priority foods. Which in my case is fat (butter) and organ meat (liver and heart).
These are not facts and it might not even be healthy for everyone. It is just what personally works for me and everyone is different. I would suggest you just to try different things out and see what works for you.
It does usually take at least 4 weeks and preferably 12 weeks for the body to get adjusted to anything, a fasting regime or a different diet. So if you want to test things accurately, you’d have to give it some time.