Fasting Challenge Next Week page 43

[gopintos]

That is what amazes me, is how it is different for everyone. I had always wished it was more one size fits all, so someone could just tell me what to do

3lbs a week is great! I lost my fast weight pre-primal, so I thought I had just settled into the slower part. I just assumed that is what was happening, so I kept at it. Ketosis and all.

Ketosis isnt where it is at for me, not at this time anyways. The fasts would have worked better for me, had I laid off the fat when I came off it. I would lose weight on the fast and then put Most of it back on. I just need a few more carbs and less fat, for weight loss - for now. But, when I want to fast for autophagy, I will probably have to think about it more and prepare more, up the fat & lower the carbs the day before.

I did weigh a little bit ago... -2 more pounds Curious to see if it stays off since I dont know what it is.

[DCarr10760]

Ketosis isnt where it is at for me, not at this time anyways. The fasts would have worked better for me, had I laid off the fat when I came off it. I would lose weight on the fast and then put Most of it back on.

It is weird how it is different for everybody. But what you said in the quote is true, I am currently experimenting to see what is the best way to break the fast. Some of the short term fasted loss is water of course and as soon as you return to normal eating that goes right back on in a day or two.

Last week I started at 242 and my lowest post fast weight was 236, I went right back up to over 240 then down to about 237 on weigh in day. That's been the pattern.

This past fast, which ended yesterday was confounded because my break-fast meal was a tailgating party and included a lot of salty meat and some whiskey. That really upped my weight this AM to within a pound of my pre- fast weight. Apparently Kielbasa and whiskey is not a good breakfast, who knew!

[cheffy]

Hi Gwamma, So true! So true! That's what makes life interesting. Okay, so my understanding (which could be missing some things...) is that MCT oil is a type of coconut oil that is processed. Some are better than others. The good types purport to use mostly 2 types of fatty acid chains that are supposed to kickstart your keto-fat-burning processes.

People like the BulletProof Executive claim that when fasting (and perhaps other times) the MCT oil can boost your fat burning capacity up 12%. I'm not a huge believer in hype, and underlying the 90% hype over at the BP site, there are nuggets of truth. I'm undecided on the MCT oil, but have decided to give it a try... that is when it finally arrives in the mail.




That is really cool! Okay so what is the PHD? I think it sounds like a book I should read!

As for the probiotics... everyone's mileage will vary. I was on strong antibiotics twice yearly in my teens and college years. (Dr.s kept trying to treat my asthma like it was bronchitis.) So my gut micro flora wasn't so hot to begin with, then I went to Haiti, and the antimalarial I chose was Doxycyclene. (Didn't realize at the time what a bad decision that was.) So for over a year, I took it daily, for the most part. (And ate a horrible diet, food was interesting & stressful.)

Last year when I left Haiti I was a mess physically (and mentally/spiritually), and one of the things my Dr. said was that I had severe gut dysbiosis, and a yeast antibody reaction which indicated a huge candida overgrowth. So I'm thinking that maybe you are just in better health than I am, and that's maybe why you lucked out on the bad experience while fasting.

For me, I think even though I've been at this for a very long time now, and been pretty low carb now for 3 months, that my gut flora still had/has some changing to do. (Wow, how's that for a ramble! lol)




Hi Cheffy, when I get that urge to eat, brain signal, I've found that "choosing" something else to think about helps. I don't say distract, or ignore, or run away from, because in my experience, that just leads to anxiety and feelings of deprivation. Actually spinning yourself up, instead of mellowing out. Choosing something else to focus on or do, is a mindful way of being proactive. I find that when I'm truly feeling stomach hunger that it usually only lasts 5-15 minutes. When I'm feeling head hunger, it's anxiety & stress, and it helps me to focus in on why I'm feeling stressed, or if I know why, to then focus on something else. Like a t.v. show or a good book.

Out of curiosity, are you water fasting or doing a modified fast with fats? For both types, if you really are getting really hungry on day 2-3, then it sounds like you aren't really reaching ketosis. If you're not trying to go for keto eating, then before your fast, I've read that it helps to prep for a fast by cutting down on sugar/starchy things (like to zero) and then upping your fats to get your body ready for the switch. YMWV

Yeah, I've realized that urge is really just stress/anxiety. Normally, I've been doing straight water fasts, with maybe a cup or two of coffee. But last time I had coffee it didn't sit well with me (I know it's not the caffeine, as I get caffeine from other sources haha. Maybe an allergy?) anyway, I am trying to reach ketosis as I think that's going to be the easiest way to stay on this fast.

I'm almost to 24 hours right now, which isn't really a big deal for me. I'd like to do 96, so this time I'm experimenting with a tablespoon of MCT oil in the am, maybe before bed too. So I guess it would be a modified fast this time around. I feel like the MCT oil might help me get into ketosis? I normally don't eat very high carb, or at least I don't intend to. But that piece of dark chocolate or that apple or that spoonful of almond butter probably throw me out of ketosis haha.

Look, now I'm gonna turn into a rambler!

[cheffy]

It is weird how it is different for everybody. But what you said in the quote is true, I am currently experimenting to see what is the best way to break the fast. Some of the short term fasted loss is water of course and as soon as you return to normal eating that goes right back on in a day or two.

Last week I started at 242 and my lowest post fast weight was 236, I went right back up to over 240 then down to about 237 on weigh in day. That's been the pattern.

This past fast, which ended yesterday was confounded because my break-fast meal was a tailgating party and included a lot of salty meat and some whiskey. That really upped my weight this AM to within a pound of my pre- fast weight. Apparently Kielbasa and whiskey is not a good breakfast, who knew!

Don't mean to hijack your guys' convo, but I think this is really interesting as well. For the past 8ish weeks I've succeeded to lose about 15 lbs with the whole high fat low carb approach. Now I'm stalled, and even though I'm fasting and eating the dame or less calories, I can't seem to get any more weight to budge.

After seeing otzi and gopintos' success with the lower fat "potato fast/feast", I'm considering trying it out after the fast I'm currently performing. Although I am slightly scared that I'll gain a bunch of water weight and want to shoot myself lol. Maybe I just need a carb or calorie refeed? Maybe I'm over-fasting? Maybe my body is telling me to slow down a little? I guess we'll see!

Little rambly again..

[gopintos]

I feel like the MCT oil might help me get into ketosis?

Yes and it will make/elevate ketones also. At least that is my understanding but I can't put my finger on a report at the moment.

[gopintos]

After seeing otzi and gopintos' success with the lower fat "potato fast/feast", I'm considering trying it out after the fast I'm currently performing.

I am pumped!! I came off my fast and went right into PHD protocol for weight loss, and he encouraged starches like taters, and then the tater thread came up, and I had wanted to try taters again, just like the good ole days, but I was afraid to. I wasnt gaining ground, but I didnt want to lose any ground either.

So anyways, came off my fast into PHD suggestions for 2 days w/taters, then a day of just taters, and today shooting for another day of taters. I know I can't live on it forever, but I wanted to try. So anyways, I came off this last fast with a loss, and have kept on going down. I am so pumped!! Who knows if it holds out but I am very pleased. I just feel different. I feel better. I feel more like getting stuff done. Could just be the mental boost that I was needing, could be something more physical but I just feel like doing more things around the house and exercise wise.

I was starting to lean more towards a 3 way split in macros just before this, so I think I am finding my way now. If it stays off, I have lost more weight in the last 4 days than I have in the last 2.5 - 3 months.

[cheffy]

I am pumped!! I came off my fast and went right into PHD protocol for weight loss, and he encouraged starches like taters, and then the tater thread came up, and I had wanted to try taters again, just like the good ole days, but I was afraid to. I wasnt gaining ground, but I didnt want to lose any ground either.

So anyways, came off my fast into PHD suggestions for 2 days w/taters, then a day of just taters, and today shooting for another day of taters. I know I can't live on it forever, but I wanted to try. So anyways, I came off this last fast with a loss, and have kept on going down. I am so pumped!! Who knows if it holds out but I am very pleased. I just feel different. I feel better. I feel more like getting stuff done. Could just be the mental boost that I was needing, could be something more physical but I just feel like doing more things around the house and exercise wise.

I was starting to lean more towards a 3 way split in macros just before this, so I think I am finding my way now. If it stays off, I have lost more weight in the last 4 days than I have in the last 2.5 - 3 months.

Now you've definitely got me wanting to try it! I wanna take this fast as long as I can, then ill try the potato thing! I'm a sciencey kind of kid, so I'm just wondering what the mechanics are behind this? Is it just another way of restricting calories? Or possible it's because of the larger amount of starch that we low-carbers haven't had in a while? Curious...

[gopintos]

Yes and it will make/elevate ketones also. At least that is my understanding but I can't put my finger on a report at the moment.

At the part in my book now, where he says that the short-chained fats in CO are readily converted to ketones.

He advocates 16 hours ketonic fasts, every day if you want
36 hour ketonic fast Monthly
And mentions Thomas Seyfried and his belief of the 7-10 day fast once or twice a year

He believes in copious amounts of CO while long fasting

[lissee]

Well, good morning everyone. Day 4 1/2 and I think I'll end my fast this morning. This was a very, very interesting experiment, and by supplementing fats, was a lot easier than i would have been.

The one difficulty I had was flareups of heartburn... That was not fun.

I was holding a lot of water from poorer food choices and stress before I started the fast, so I was back up to 209 from 205. This morning, I was 201.4. Yay! So that's basically a 7.5 loss. We'll see how much I gain back or am able to maintain over the next few days.

Am definitely considering fasting regularly in some form or another.

[Drumroll]

Well, good morning everyone. Day 4 1/2 and I think I'll end my fast this morning. This was a very, very interesting experiment, and by supplementing fats, was a lot easier than i would have been.

The one difficulty I had was flareups of heartburn... That was not fun.

I was holding a lot of water from poorer food choices and stress before I started the fast, so I was back up to 209 from 205. This morning, I was 201.4. Yay! So that's basically a 7.5 loss. We'll see how much I gain back or am able to maintain over the next few days.

Am definitely considering fasting regularly in some form or another.

Regarding the heartburn flare-ups, I tend to find that days where I significantly underconsume calories as in, 500 or more calories under my requirement, I tend to also have flare-ups.

On the other hand, this is usually ONLY when I DO eat and miss my mark. If I simply don't eat ANYTHING, then there's not anything in my stomach which can trigger the acid reflux, so making a fat fast rather than a true fast may have been the cause. I'm not knocking your efforts, just pointing out a correlation I've noticed in myself which may be at work there.