Planning a New Year's Fast - Anyone Interested? page

[Sabine]

Those of you who have been around for a while, may recognize the spin on Nady's title. I decided to swipe it for a new thread, as the old one was becoming long.

Many of us are interested in the health effects of fasting. The New Year seems like a perfect time to indulge in some abstinence.

My interest in fasting is for the autophagy. (I wouldn't mind any weight loss, either.) Before some recent stress in my life, I was doing a 2-4 day fast once per month. Took a break from that, and am eager to get back to it.

This thread will be for support and personal information during the fast. There are already plenty of threads with '10 reasons to fast' and '10 reasons not to fast'. I think links will be fine, if you must, but I'd rather keep this one to support and personal experience. (There, that's my attempt at thread control.)

I DO find it interesting to read how other people are experiencing a fast, and how they handle any symptoms. Also, it is reassuring to see others go through, and resolve various issues. Always good to have tips when YOU get light-headed.

Anyone want to join in?

[Sabine]

Okay, here is my personal stuff. I am a middle-aged woman, enjoying primal, getting back to it after a recent hard time. I have fasted before, am doing it for autophagy (cell renewal), and will be happy with any weight-loss that comes. I am planning to do a 2-4 day electrolyte-water fast. (Water mixed with some lemon juice and salt.) My start day will be January 1, 2013.

[oxide]

I'm in the middle of mostly-fast right now. (menu below) Lately, I had been cheating with too much beef jerky, hard candy, and a bit of granola lately. I wanted to clean out a little bit, mentally and physically.

I've tried fasts in the past; here is what I discovered (YMMV).
1. If there are no calories at all, I don't last a day.
2. If I go on a juice fast, anything over 1 day constipates me and makes me grumpy.
3. Even a moderate amount of food still results in weight loss. Ten years ago I did a 9-day semi-fast, where I had lemon-ginger tea, pineapple juice, water, and a pretty hefty banana and protein powder smoothie for lunch. I lost 2 pounds over 9 days: 108 to 100, regained to 106.
4. A small amount of solid food makes the fast much easier and cuts down on light-headedness.

At the moment I'm trying a middle ground. I read somewhere that anything under 300-400 calories is still considered fasting. So, I'm aiming for three days of ~250 calories, including cayenne pepper and fennel, which work for me as mild laxatives.

Fasting "menu" (oxymoron!):

Yesterday:
Breakfast: coffee with 2 oz half&half. 2 Brazil nuts.
Lunch: 2 small carrots cooked in vegetable broth. Cup of lemon-ginger tea with cayenne pepper (laxative).
Snack: Cocoa powder, 2 Brazil nuts.
Dinner: 1 tablespoon butter, and 1 tablespoon maple syrup straight. Water.

Today (if i can last)
Breakfast: coffee with 2 oz half&half. 2 Brazil nuts. 1 teaspoon butter.
Lunch: 2 carrots cooked in vegetable broth. Cup of Yogi Healthy Fasting Tea.
Snack: Another Cup of Yogi Healthy Fasting Tea. Maple syrup.
Supper: Cocoa powder. 1 cup yellow tomato juice with a little honey and fennel. (laxative)

Tomorrow (quite a goal):
Breakfast: coffee with 2 oz half&half. 2 Brazil nuts.
Lunch: Cup of Yogi Healthy Fasting Tea. Butter.
Snack: Lemon tea with cayenne pepper.
Supper: Another cup yellow tomato juice with a little honey and fennel. Water. Possibly, one egg.

Friday: break fast with 2 eggs and veggie broth. Continue to ramp up with a fatty sausage, chicken soup for dinner.

Good luck, everyone!

[Sabine]

Interesting that for you a little food is easier than no food. It is the opposite for me. My eyes popped at your weights, until I saw you are 5' tall.

[Paleobird]

Interesting that for you a little food is easier than no food. It is the opposite for me.

Me too. I find that a bit of food is like a tease that just creates cravings. The only exception to this seems to be just a little bit of pure fat, either butter or CO.

I think I'm going to have to pass on the fast this time Sabine. I have ordered a substantial amount of beef, lamb, and goat from a local grassfed supplier on a cowpool arrangement so I am on a mission right now to clean out my freezer by mid January so I can fit it all in. Lots of eating to do.

I will be cheering you on from the sidelines however. Have fun!

[Nady]

Sounds good~ been having a lot of allergy problems lately, need to get rid of the garbage.

[clayjay]

I've never fasted before. I'm going to try, starting tomorrow. After the fast i'm going to try and eat primal full time after this horrible xmas binge.

So, I guess i'll just wake up and not eat? That's my plan! No experience with this before.

[JoanieL]

Shows you where my head is at. Thought the title said, "New Year's Feast." oops.

[Sabine]

We'll miss your experience, Paleobird. Nady, good to see you joining us. I'm thinking of going back to re-read the old thread, for inspiration. Clayjay, since you have never fasted before, you might want to read some of the posts and threads about it. Mark did a 5- or 6-part series of blog posts last summer, which were very informative. And several people have done fasting threads, so you can see what some of the common reactions are, both mental and physical.

My number one recommendation, is to drink plenty of water with lemon juice and some salt in it, to help with your electrolyte balance. Other people have different suggestions for what they feel is vital. Bone broth, detox tea, extra sleep, massages, mild exercise, no exercise, epsom salt baths, all pop to mind.

But yes, the basics are wake up, don't eat.

JoanieL, surely there's thread about that, too!

[gopintos]

I will cheer you on too!

I had thought about doing one, until a few weeks ago when I read the 2nd edition of PHD. He had an entirely different take on extended fasts than I have heard before, and since I don't particularly enjoy them, I just decided not to. I do however try to do a 16/8 daily. Some days I do, and some I don't, but either way, I don't stress it. More than 24hr stresses me a bit. Stress might not be the best word, but I definitely do not enjoy it.

Ok, sorry, not what this is about. I will support your efforts. We all have our own reasons for doing this or that. Who knows, I may read/learn other info that changes my mind back again some day