Fasting "Challenge" - Open to All

[ThePeacent]

OK, so here we have it. If anyone wants to join, at any point, you're welcome here and feel free to post about your experience(s) with fasting, as well as any doubts or thoughts you have about it, questions, ideas, or personal accounts or from others.    Keep it respectful, please. 

And, this is not medical advice, any reasonings as to "why this happens" or "how do you explain this" can be asked and you'll be pointed out to where to do your own research, read on the subject, or you'll get your answer here 

The basics, of what you can and cannot do would be very simple:

You can:

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- Eat during the scheduled hours of the day that correspond to your fasting method
- Drink non-caloric drinks during the fasting hours, that is water, sparkly water, plain black coffee, tea [green, black, or white], and flavored water (with lemon drops, for instance) but not using any caloric add-on (sugar, cream, milk, alcohol, honey, etc. all these are out, only non-caloric sweeteners are allowed if you need the drink flavored or sweetened) 
- Furthermore, you must drink more because fasting naturally depleted your body fluids and causes greater water loss than any other "diet" or way of eating, but we won't get into why that happens here, ask if necessary 
- Exercise, work, play sports, do your hobbies and normal life. 

You can't:

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- Eat snacks, appetizers, binge eat (but you can binge watch TV or binge surf Mt.Org!  ) or drink juices, cappuccinos, nectars, smoothies, milk, alcohol or any caloric beverage during the fasting hours
- Eat or take in calories after or before your pre-scheduled eating windows 
- Overdo it, if you feel bad (not just hungry, a bit  bad tempered or somewhat light headed) or notice any issues stop it immediately and have common sense when feeling your own body's signals and feelings 
- Start fasting if you have a serious medical condition mostly related to diet (diabetes, hypotension, etc.). Consult your GP or doctor before starting fasting, or if you think it could negatively affect your health or interfere with your medication(s) 

any medication, pills, or substances you must ingest will have to be ingested during the eating periods, as many meds today contain glucose, dextrose, and other caloric substances which usually comprise most of the medicine's weight (cough syrup, gastric pills, etc.) 

Below, a brief approach to the most common (But not all) fasting methods that people use today:

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- IF: (intermittent Fasting) includes any fasting that follows a regular pattern of eating and non-eating hours that is repeated throughout the week, month or another time frame, for instance eat 6 hrs a day, stop eating during 18 hrs and then start eating again, the religious Ramadan would be a very common practiced type of IF (fasting from sun to sun, eating before the first sunlight and start eating again after the last ray of sunlight)

- ADF: (Alternate Day Fasting) is eating one day of the week, then not eating the whole next day, then eating again the third day, and fasting the entire fourth day and so on, in whatever order you choose (for instance eat on Sunday but not Monday, then eat on Tuesday etc. or viceversa)

- 2/7: That is fasting two days every week, no matter when, be it two days in a row (ex: not eating on Monday and Tuesday) or more commonly not eating on two different days of the week

- Prolonged fast: This is not eating for more than 48 hours straight, for example eating on Monday at 8AM and then fasting until 13PM of Wednesday. 72hrs or more fasting is included here. Even though people rarely fast for more than 48hrs, some do it for political beliefs, religious practices, health problems or other issues, but these kind of fasts generally require of close medical supervision and a controlled environment

One should never attempt this long of a fast without previous planning, medical advice, and preferably previous experience to fasting.   

Finally, some common things people feel and experience when fasting:

The not so pretty:

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- The first times and days are the harder, but if you're in good health your body adapts quickly and it becomes a non-issue. Like everything, it takes practice to be fully comfortable with it. You might feel weak or tired because of the loss of liquid (drink, drink!!) and electrolytes in the blood that come with the liquid loss [Na, K, Ca, Mn, Cu] (drink electrolyte drinks or do them at home with lemon, salts, etc., put salt in your food, etc.) 

- Hunger always comes in waves (it's the body's hormonal system functioning, the same in everybody), the idea is to ignore or overcome these waves with will power, distracting yourself or doing other stuff (keeping yourself busy) until it goes away. It will go away, and the more time you are at this the longer the time will be between them, and the lesser their effect and disturbance on you. The first 48 hrs are the worst, always.

- All of the above will be harder if you suffer from Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes or take certain medications that affect hormones (or have other ailments/diseases that cause hormonal abnormalities). If so, it is of prime importance that you talk to your doctor before attempting any fasting at all   

- The first days or weeks you'll probably be more bad tempered, susceptible and angry when you feel hunger, but this is also related to hormones (hunger = alert, due to our animal roots) and will even out or disappear after a while of fasting and getting used to it. Your self control will eventually become much better, stronger and can help you out in other aspects of life 

The somewhat pretty:

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with some time into fasting and practicing with this method,

- You will notice that your glucose levels (and insulin release, blood sugar spikes, etc.) improve with fasting and your hunger levels will be lower after a while, and the hunger "waves" or pangs will be reduced or will disappear, hard to believe until you experience it

- You will lose weight, if you compliment the fasting with a proper diet (that is, not eating junk food in your eating windows,  and learning to listen to your real hunger and body signals, not start eating just the minute you "can" and eat for 6 hours straight to engorge yourself until you're full, to "compensate" for all what you haven't eaten  ) and keep active, walking, working, etc. You can gain weight with fasting, too 

- You will be better at knowing when your body asks for food, and when you are just experiencing a hunger pang, cravings or desire to eat. If you're hungry but go for a walk, drink some water or engage in an activity and 15 mins later you are not consumed by a raving hunger, then you didn't really need to it back then when you thought you did  ). Thus you will be more proficient at regulating when, what ,where and why do you eat, without needing to run for a doughnut or interrupt what you are doing to eat something, be it work, a hobby or a fun trip 

- Your blood lipids (cholesterol, fatty acids, etc.) will improve especially if your diet is a proper, nutritious one during the time that you are eating. Your mood will even out as you learn to cope with hunger, which will be lesser and more controllable as you progress, and you'll feel more energetic and active if you get the proper food at the proper time, and combine it with controlled non eating periods

Final notes,

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- if you fast, drink a lot!! Keep hydrated  and electrolytes are also key, sodium, potassium, etc.
- if you take meds or have medical conditions, ask your doctore before any of this!! 
- if you fast, you must take special care of your diet and what you eat when you do eat. Nourish yourself with real food! 
- if you fast, and you feel bad or are experiencing trouble or signs of it (blackouts, fainting, weird body movement, etc.) stop instantly and talk to our doctor!!!
- Normal things are feeling light, strongly tempered, hungry, a bit weak (the first times), pain in the stomach  (that's not real pain, but hunger signals, intense ones though  ) or even tired at times until you get used, but NOT normal is feeling ill, in pain, have crampings, or having extreme reactions (vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) 

So, after this long winded post, if you feel like it, welcome to this thread and join whenever you want or when you've answered your questions and want to give it a try! 

[ThePeacent]

I will start tomorrow Monday with a fasting method I'm familiar with, that is 2/7.  Fast two days a week, consecutive or not.I will have the normal meals on Tu, Thu, Fri, Sat and Sun, skipping any and every meal on Monday and Wednesday. 

Weekends are hard to pull off because of family reunions,  meals with the parents etc. But if all goes well, I might fast for 3/7, if I see it as too hard I'll go down to an easier one (single day a week fast, or other)
The key is to feel confortable and well, and hopefully learn about your own body and mind 

[pomsbz]

A week today I'll be doing a full 25 hour fast if that helps....

[ThePeacent]

A week today I'll be doing a full 25 hour fast if that helps....

do you mean a week from today?
And any resons(s) behind it that you can share with us? 

[Nix]

I love eating too much to do anything too restrictive, but I'll give the old 1-in-7 fast a try. 

Perhaps I'll make Saturday my fasting day.........

[styx]

as I've said before, I'm going IF 16-8

[gerleatherberman]

Good luck to those who can do a fast. I'd love to join, but am currently on a see-food diet.

[styx]

you see food and you eat it

[pomsbz]

A week today I'll be doing a full 25 hour fast if that helps....

do you mean a week from today?
And any resons(s) behind it that you can share with us? 

Yup, the 22nd. Religious fast, no food or drink at all for adults (unless required for medical reasons). There are several fasts in the Jewish calendar, only two are the full 25 hours, this is one of them, the other is in a couple of months time.

[styx]

so far so good. thankfully there were a bunch of little things to do at work so that kept me busy

[pfrsantos]

A week today I'll be doing a full 25 hour fast if that helps....

do you mean a week from today?
And any resons(s) behind it that you can share with us? 

Yup, the 22nd. Religious fast, no food or drink at all for adults (unless required for medical reasons). There are several fasts in the Jewish calendar, only two are the full 25 hours, this is one of them, the other is in a couple of months time.

Not even water?! That is complicated, when you have temperatures from 18º (night) to 30º (noon) during the day...

[pomsbz]

A week today I'll be doing a full 25 hour fast if that helps....

do you mean a week from today?
And any resons(s) behind it that you can share with us? 

Yup, the 22nd. Religious fast, no food or drink at all for adults (unless required for medical reasons). There are several fasts in the Jewish calendar, only two are the full 25 hours, this is one of them, the other is in a couple of months time.

Not even water?! That is complicated, when you have temperatures from 18º (night) to 30º (noon) during the day...

32 at the moment. Trick is to drink lots before, not move much and stay indoors with air conditioning.

[pfrsantos]

Well, if you're doing this while working, there's not much chance you can avoid moving and sweating...

 

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I know, I know...

 

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[Gerhard Gerber]

I downloaded the MyCicardianClock app, but TBH 2 weeks of photographing and noting everything I eat is just too much......

I believe this is the way to go, but I think the transition would be a lot easier if I could step away from my normal routine for 2 weeks.....then again everything would be better if I stepped away from my normal routine for 2 weeks.

[ThePeacent]

Yup, the 22nd. Religious fast, no food or drink at all for adults (unless required for medical reasons). There are several fasts in the Jewish calendar, only two are the full 25 hours, this is one of them, the other is in a couple of months time.

probably the oldest tradition of fasting, Religious fasting 

so far so good. thankfully there were a bunch of little things to do at work so that kept me busy

good! Me too, I've put myself to repair an issue with the A/C, clean the terrace and water channels for the rainy days, repair some tools I had broken and needed TLC, went to the post office, and now "feeding" on Mt.Org 

Hunger has come and like an ocean wave, it started, it peaked, and finally faded away. If I have cravings a cup of Matcha tea I had prepared yesterday will do    Many things to do now that I've made a long list of them 

then again everything would be better if I stepped away from my normal routine for 2 weeks.

wouldn't it for all of us? 

[pomsbz]

I find that once you get over the 'hump' with fasting you're fine. Problem is that the peak of the hump can be really annoying. Helps often to sleep through it. Go for a nap. Drink is a different matter. If you're fasting by choice, keep hydrated. The body can quite happily deal without eating for a while but you need to be properly hydrated. Bad enough having to deal with the hunger without the headache and weakness from lack of drink.

[Gerhard Gerber]

I find that once you get over the 'hump' with fasting you're fine.

This is an admission of sorts.......I tried everything in the (about) 3 years I was trying to stop smoking cigarettes.

My best effort was taking a week off work and going camping & fishing at a dam.  By the 3rd day they forced me to move camp....still OK, then I bumped my head on one of the roof poles and opened up a huge gash. Went to the reception area, told them what I thought of them collectively, bought a 6-pack and a pack of smokes and stomped back to my camp......

It finally took electronic acupuncture and a boat-load of willpower to get me over that hump.......

Did I mention I get hangry?

I might have understated that........rage boils up in me and spills from my mouth for the smallest things.  Low blood sugar at work is a good way to get fired for me 

Irony is that's exactly what I'd like to get rid of......

[ThePeacent]

next day I didn't wake up hungry, something not uncommon when fasting. I had a big cup of black coffee and now I am going to have lunch, 
I am hungry, my stomach growls, but not ravenously so



probably holding until Thursday for the next fasting day, tomorrow I might have to have lunch with company 

Anybody got to try it yet? 

[Nix]

I'll join you for your Thursday fast.

It's really a 37 hour fast since I'll not eat after 18:00 Wednesday and will fast until 07:00 Friday.

[Nix]

Gerhard,  Mrs Nix can't fast for more than 2-3 hours......

[styx]

day 2 - the fast is fine. the people make me want to throw hammers at them. oddly not related to one another but i'm smurfed off eater, so lunch (which has been postponed for at least 90 minutes) will be interesting. planning the meal in advance here was a smart thing on my part

[ThePeacent]

day 2 - the fast is fine. the people make me want to throw hammers at them. oddly not related to one another but i'm smurfed off eater, so lunch (which has been postponed for at least 90 minutes) will be interesting. planning the meal in advance here was a smart thing on my part

yes that was smart,
good for you 

and yes, people can get especially annoying when you are hungry or fasting, and I try my best to avoid people all together in those circumstances, or communicating with friends (like here on  ), or through a screen so I can't punch, scream or touch the other person if I am angry or annoyed 

Setting on the "Ignore Mode" requires practice, but as all things, practice makes you proficient at it 

[styx]

I work in IT support. The annoying part was that they forget they need us to do the physical part as well because handing them equipment is not a solution
Finally managed to eat. And only an hour left in the office

[pfrsantos]

Gerhard,  Mrs Nix can't fast for more than 2-3 hours......

(Image removed from quote.)

Still, awl that eating doesn't show in her figure...

[styx]

day 3 - i'm beginning to suspect I'm not alone on this island. venturing deeper into the jungle at night might not seem like a bright idea but i have absolutely no excuse to not do something that stupid

[Gerhard Gerber]

I work in IT support. The annoying part was that they forget they need us to do the physical part as well because handing them equipment is not a solution
Finally managed to eat. And only an hour left in the office

"Your new password does not meet the length and complexity requirements........."

"I'm getting a (sic) error"

  

[styx]

try MhM,Yoda1Am

[Gerhard Gerber]

try MhM,Yoda1Am

This is not for me, this is what I have to deal with all day from highly qualified and highly paid smurfing smurf-wits

This, and account lock-outs....is why I dare not let the blood sugar drop.

24 years of this smurf.......stopped being fun or profitable as soon as the invented Plug&Play 

[styx]

try MhM,Yoda1Am

This is not for me, this is what I have to deal with all day from highly qualified and highly paid smurfing smurf-wits

This, and account lock-outs....is why I dare not let the blood sugar drop.

24 years of this smurf.......stopped being fun or profitable as soon as the invented Plug&Play 

so I have that to look forward to?

[Gerhard Gerber]

Run Forrest, RUN! 

Everything going to the cloud, everything needs 10% the number of bodies it took 5 years ago.

My previous job was at a mine starting in 2013, we gave effective support to 250 user with 2 bodies, 4 total in the IT Dept and one outsourced guy for the printers.

In 2009 when I worked there the first time there were 8 people onsite........