I've been fasting, intermittent, omad, occasionally 3-5 day water fasts. Here's what I've learned and rate my current diet/fast.
Three big tips not that it might be a surprise: chewing gum, electrolytes, mild exercise.
So I found that when doing water only fasts I would drop out because I became too sluggish and dizzy. I frequently consume black coffee/unsweetened tea both when fasting and when not. Which lead me to my new fast.
I'm on day six of this "fast". I have 1/4 to 1/2 cup of kefir in the morning about 6:30 am. Then a bowel of bone broth/oxtail soup around 7pm. The soup base is about a pound and a half of beef bone and a pound of oxtail, scooped a healthy layer of fat off the top when first cooking so it's not too oily. Nightly I add one tomato and some mushrooms. And an two eggs on days I work out. Helps maintain my muscle and the salt is obvi essential. I also take a multivitamin.
My thesis is that with a low calorie high fat diet I should be able to maintain a fasted/ketosis state. So far day 6 and I really feel fine. Going for 30 days for science.
I'm sure water purists have something to say. But what do you think about the diet from a health view point. Any danger I'm perhaps over looking? Certainly I'm at a calorie deficit. And I think chaining the days together with low carbs should let my body enter autophagy and fasting benefits.
Answer
If you read Dr Valtor Longo’s book, “the fasting mimicking diet” he describes very well how you can maintain a fasted state, or atleast get most of th benefits of fasting, while still eating 500-700 calories per day. I have never tried fasting this way, but he has studied it thoroughly, and even has meal recommendations, and also a meal plan you can buy I believe
Answer
I think your chances of success is much higher with at least eating something every day. And maybe something solid should be added?
I have now been eating 600 kcal per day for 6 days and lost 4 kg. All in one sitting, and only vegetables with 1-2 tbs of olive oil.
So far, it is so much easier than a clean water fast, especially after day 3 and still working and exercising (only long slow burn)
Motivationally I look forward to that one meal per day, it is such a great mental help.
I need to drop 4 more kg, so hopefully only 5-6 days to go
30 days seems excessive and hard, but good luck.