56 year old male. 5'9" January 1, I was 242lbs... I've been doing strict keto and 18:6 or OMAD intermittent fasting. OMAD yesterday and today. Planning on starting a multi-day fast after dinner tonight.
Leaving on a business trip tomorrow through Wednesday... it's honestly easier to avoid food when I'm on travel.
My plan... drink water... I hate plain water, so I use 1 small squirt of zero cal sweetener. I used to use 6-7 squirts... so getting down to one has been great progress. I was planning on broth at lunch or dinner time. I've read it both ways... some say broth breaks your fast others don't. But most electrolyte pills I see advertise 2 carbs... and others that don't list carbs contain rice flour which is carbs. So I don't see electrolyte pills as particularly better or worse than broth. I was going to target two LMT packets per day. Conclusion.... water with slight sweetener... 2 LMT packets per day... some broth.
Question 1: Does "satisfy" for a water fast??
Question 2: Do I need more electrolytes? In the past I've felt "tingling lips", light headed on fasts.
My target is at least to Wednesday night when I get home... 3 days. I've done two four day fasts before. I'd like to extend to 5 or 7 days. Longer would be awesome. Getting past day 3-4 days has just been super tough for me.
Question 3: Other than fighting through it and discipline, any advice on how to extend and get through the tough periods??
Emotionally, less than 3 days... I'd feel a failure. 5 days I'd be happy I'd extended "my record". 7 days I'd be thrilled. More than 7 seems a bit of a miracle right now.
Question 4: Refeeding... another thing I've struggled researching. I want something that says End of Fast Day 1: Eat this... Day 2... eat this... etc.
Planning to return to OMAD/strict keto after the fast. My target is to get down to 175lbs. Best thing so far is that I've lowered my glucose level from 122 to 84!
I understand these may be boring questions or often asked... but I've read and read and don't feel confident. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Answer
I don’t have answers to all of your questions, but, you may find that the squirt of water enhancer may make your fasting more difficult. At least that is my experience. The difference between coasting through an extended fast and white knuckling it. Good luck!
Answer
It looks like you are preparing to have heaps of miserly. The problem is often we set ourselves to make sure that’s what happens.
A fast should not be an epic struggle. Physically there is nothing making you progressively hungry, your mind and habits are the ones doing that. Like things being hard; physiologically there is nothing there to make it so, but your expectations are building it up to be so.
Relax, embrace your fast. The most significant thing you can do is to make it feel less of a epic battle. Is all in your head.