Should Women FAST? page 7

[heatherdarbs]

Hey Heather,

I tried to answer your PM but the system won't let me, says you are not allowed to receive PMs (?)

I'm sure I have it set up incorrectly - let me check it out...

[heatherdarbs]

Hey Heather,

I tried to answer your PM but the system won't let me, says you are not allowed to receive PMs (?)

Paleobird - should be good now; thanks!

[JoanieL]

As far as spirituality, etc. You can find this anywhere. I think somewhere in the bible it says that the best of us takes care of the least of us. Buddhism speaks to mindfulness. This means that you can find spirituality cleaning a toilet. After all, it is taking the a drudgery, and turning it into something that benefits the family. And yes, that is the only thing that gets me to clean a toilet - I back in, so I don't really care about toilets. But they do need to be clean, and the person who cleans them does improve our lives.

Fasting is fasting. Cleaning toilets is cleaning toilets. We find spirituality where we will. It's either there or it isn't. One man/woman's spiritual experience is another man/woman's toilet.

[gopintos]

As far as spirituality, etc. You can find this anywhere. I think somewhere in the bible it says that the best of us takes care of the least of us. Buddhism speaks to mindfulness. This means that you can find spirituality cleaning a toilet. After all, it is taking the a drudgery, and turning it into something that benefits the family. And yes, that is the only thing that gets me to clean a toilet - I back in, so I don't really care about toilets. But they do need to be clean, and the person who cleans them does improve our lives.

Fasting is fasting. Cleaning toilets is cleaning toilets. We find spirituality where we will. It's either there or it isn't. One man/woman's spiritual experience is another man/woman's toilet.

Loved this perspective!!

[Omni]

I wish I fit into the typical/common category, since it seems tried and true by so many other people, but I’m left to trust my body to define some of the opposite concepts as successful, for me.

The first thing I learn't here is the people are anything but typical and when you read any assertions here you should consider whom they are coming from and temper this with published studies and listening to your own body. The majority of individuals here came from some self identified calamity, illness, obesity etc. and often after many desperate attempts at different protocols, so when they find something that works for them, and that includes myself, we often become definitive on what is good or bad, right or wrong because of our own experience. There is a lot of contradictory information because everyones experience is different, there does seem to be an ideal position in eating a primal diet, getting lots of activity and including some calorie restriction protocols like IF, but there is no definitive protocol that I have seen that says this is the best for everyone.
I think someone said earlier eating dinner at 5pm and breakfast at 9am is technically a 16/8 protocol, is it a true fast, yes it is in my opinion, anything past the 4-5 digestion time is fasting, are there benefits for everyone doing longer fasts, no one really knows, but one thing that everyone agrees on is if it makes you feel bad, don't do it, it may be a physiological response or it may be a psychological response, but either way it is a negative response and it is your body telling you NO and you should be listening to your body more than anyone else including internet forums and doctors.

[heatherdarbs]

If it isnt natural yet, I would say don't force it. It may not ever be natural for everyone. But I wouldnt completely rule it out either.

My first 24 fast was awful! Then it got better and better to the point of painless and almost standard now.

My first 48 hour was awful, even more awfuller (to further support the ignorant type haha) Anyways, it was horrible. The next one, not so bad. I expect those to get easier and easier as well.

The first time I tried to work out just before my 24 hours was up, I thought I was going to hurl.

I never would have EVER dreamed that I would IF, even if only skipping breakfast. Now, skipping breakfast is no big deal. Sometimes lunch is no big deal. And sometimes even supper is no big deal. I started doing it because, well because I wasnt hungry. Then I learned of the weight loss benefits. Now I am learning more and more about all the other benefits as well.

It really all is very fascinating.

I just started IFing and in hindsight, notice 16 hours is perfect, but when I force myself to 18, it doesn't work so well. I'll ease into it, moving forward, as opposed to making myself get through a fast; my goal is to do it naturally, like you.

[heatherdarbs]

The first thing I learn't here is the people are anything but typical and when you read any assertions here you should consider whom they are coming from and temper this with published studies and listening to your own body. The majority of individuals here came from some self identified calamity, illness, obesity etc. and often after many desperate attempts at different protocols, so when they find something that works for them, and that includes myself, we often become definitive on what is good or bad, right or wrong because of our own experience. There is a lot of contradictory information because everyones experience is different, there does seem to be an ideal position in eating a primal diet, getting lots of activity and including some calorie restriction protocols like IF, but there is no definitive protocol that I have seen that says this is the best for everyone.
I think someone said earlier eating dinner at 5pm and breakfast at 9am is technically a 16/8 protocol, is it a true fast, yes it is in my opinion, anything past the 4-5 digestion time is fasting, are there benefits for everyone doing longer fasts, no one really knows, but one thing that everyone agrees on is if it makes you feel bad, don't do it, it may be a physiological response or it may be a psychological response, but either way it is a negative response and it is your body telling you NO and you should be listening to your body more than anyone else including internet forums and doctors.

Agreed. I was speaking more specifically to the success stories, since I've had limited time to sift through the blogs, just yet. I'll get there, in time; I'm being impatient.

[sakura_girl]

I just started IFing and in hindsight, notice 16 hours is perfect, but when I force myself to 18, it doesn't work so well. I'll ease into it, moving forward, as opposed to making myself get through a fast; my goal is to do it naturally, like you.

I also start to get a little hungry and weak at that point sometimes (I think partially due to the lack of salt), but usually I start heavy lifting around the 19-hour mark, and my sweat begins to pour and I get plenty of energy. At this point, I am able to extend my fast past the 22 hour mark.

[Metric]

I didn't read the other comments, but this is what I do. I eat my dinner (usually at about 9pm), then I'm usually not hungry until about 1500 hrs (3pm) the following day. If I'm hungry before that time, I will eat. If I'm not, I will wait until I get hungry. I will usually have coffee with 18% cream during that period though, so I am getting some fat/calories in there.

[Omni]

Agreed. I was speaking more specifically to the success stories, since I've had limited time to sift through the blogs, just yet. I'll get there, in time; I'm being impatient.

I think we are all sometimes make the mistake of getting ahead of ourselves, I have a number of times in this Primal process, when I started the barefoot thing, it seemed a perfect fit for me, I just jumped straight into the running etc., bit sore for 1st week, assumed just part of the process, ended up with some serious strains throughout my feet, put me out of action for a month, then when I went back, I took it real slow building back up to the same circuit over a month and having rest days in between.
The Dietary side is the same, every time we feel like diving in head first, we should stand back and really think whether this is a good idea, maybe some baby steps and test the waters first.
Funny Story:
Friend of mine was having some life & stress issues and she realised she needed to slow down a bit, so she found herself furiously pushing through a stack of self help books to get up to speed on how to slow down, then the irony struck her, she was hurrying up in order to slow down, that was a turning point for her - just slow down.
Most of us take a good 20 years plus to become unhealthy, then expect a full turnaround in a month, that's the conventional western medical protocol, we get sick and expect a quick fix pill will sort it instantly, but the reality is it may well take years of the right stuff so I take it as a lifestyle rather than a cure.
My partner has GD, took her 5 years of the "good stuff" to get her thyroid back in operation, the doctors wanted to remove it at the 2 year mark and were adamant that her thyroid function would never normalise.

This is not specifically directed at you, just a bit of a rant, see so many posts about impatient weight stalls and people wanting the results right now, I really think they are missing the bigger message, diet is only one small part of it, the minute the vanity bit starts coming through, trim this bit of fat, count the micro's we really are losing the point in my opinion.
Listened to a Q&A session with Steve Phinney re weight stalls, much like the posts here, his most common response was:
"you've lost 20lb and held it off for 2 years, then be proud of it, 99% put it all back on".