How to prepare for an extended fast?

I’ve made it a goal this year try for an extended fast whether it be one day or five. I have been on & off with 16hr IF for a few months now but I want to get my self-discipline under control. What should i do to prepare? Should i change my IF schedule to a shorter eating window until i’m ready for a days-long fast? Or should i just jump right in?? Is there anything i should be sure to eat before hand? Or a certain amount of water to drink each day? Any tips on preparation, execution and/or the aftermath of an extended fast would be super appreciated, ty!! :)

Answer

Obviously build up is important for some people.

Me personally I just jumped in to a 24hr one day.It was much easier than I imagined.Then over a period of a month I’d ramped it up to 72hrs

Motivation for me is key, if you lack that or are easily swayed maybe do a few days of OMAD and then onto a 24/36/48 over time

Good luck on your journey

Answer

I’ve been building up gradually. I didn’t 16:8 for a couple years and though extended fasts was just mislabeled anorexia. I was wrong.

Then I started working up to OMAD. I found it easier the less carbs I ate, so I started eating less carbs.

Then I pushed through to my first 36. I find that because I workout rather intensely that I need to supplement electrolytes sooner. I don’t skip my workouts on a fast. I have to start subbing electrolytes around the 20 hour mark or i get heart palpitations around 25 hours in. These days I usually just start right away.

I’ve gone as far as 46 hours now. And the thing that always ends it is that I have to go grocery shopping and do food prep for a family of 4 (wife is military, so while she can cook, her schedule often precludes it). A trip to the grocery store is hard for me to manage on a fast unless it’s early.

So advanced planning is required for me when I go past this point. I’m going to do a 72+ towards the end of this month. Before that I’ll do meal prep for easy re-heats for the family. We’re closer and closer to a pure Whole Foods diet, so getting things ready ahead of time is a must.