F@st!ng Tech I've Learned That's Gotten Me Thru These First 6 Days
I've done it all. Intermittant F@sting, OMAD, and Extended F@st!ng. I'm proud to say I've made thru my 6th day as of last night. I've never seen the sc@le drop like this in such a short time and it has inspired me to keep going until my 32nd day. Here's what I've learned so far...
You likely will not make it very far if you don't drink an electrolyte packet every single day. Don't let yourself get to the point where you're so lethargic you can't move and so irritable that you wanna bite someone's head off. Drink it in the morning, drink another in the afternoon/evening if your body is screaming at you. You can literally d!e if you don't drink it. Idc if it's a only a 24h f@st, drink it.
I usually get a big blender bottle, throw in a packet with a few squirts of lime or lemon juice, and fill it with ice. It's lovely and weirdly makes me feel full by the end of it. I cannot tell you how after only a few sips while sitting down, the lethargy and irritablity leaves my body. It's the biggest game changer I've noticed enduring this. Sometimes I'll throw in a teaspoon of himalayan salt too.
2. Not all electrolyte supplements are made the same. The majority of the ones found in grocery stores are made for people that are losing electrolytes bc they're working out/doing a sport. They don't have enough salts, potassium, and magnesium to support a body that isn't getting any electrolytes from food. They are not made for f@sters. LMNT is tho, and it's only 5 c@ls per packet. It is specifically formulated for those that do short or extended f@sts, and it makes a world of difference.
3. The main reason you're not successful at extended f@sts besides the lack of proper supplements is bc you're not getting past the first 3-5 days of hell. I know, they're truly devastating. Your body is screaming at you, you're entering ketosis, you feel like shit and your brain has all but shut down but listen to me, it goes away. It all goes away. For most by day 3 or 4, your body gives up. It starts using fat for energy instead of glucose (bc there's none left) and the hung3r goes away. Finally, your stomach doesn't feel empty and yearning to be full, but feels like your arm or your legs, just there, quiet, still.
Check out r/f@sting on Reddit. EVERY f@ster has the same sentiment about the first 3-5 days and everyone agrees, it passes. For me it took only 2 days, but I've done this a few times before.
4. You don't have to if you don't want to or if it upsets your stomach too much, but I really reccommend taking at least a prenatal multivitamin daily with your electrolyte drink. You are getting NOTHING from food and your body is working sooo hard on an extended f@st. I always feel a little nauseous for about 30 minutes after, but it passes and I feel better.
I take 7 vitamins daily and I really think it helps keep me functioning. Ginko (brain health), Collagen, Iron, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Activated Charcoal (toxin removal), Skinny Bird (appitite suppressant), and a Prenatal Multi.
5. I would be considered a "dirty f@ster". I drink a lot of different teas (plain), but I always make sure I get a pot of green tea in me at least once a day. This process can be boring and different tea flavors at least gives my mouth something other than saliva to taste. Nothing wrong with no calorie/low calorie drink mixes either. Try not to drink too much liquids tho. You can potentially dilute the electrolytes in your body (you'll end up pissing them all out) and considering you dont have any glucose for the water to hold onto, you can end up dehydrating yourself.
The goal of dirty f@sting is to stay under 100c per day and if you take even a short walk, you're gonna burn that 100c off quick anyway. I do not reccommend e@ting. That's just gonna trigger your body to stay in the hellish "We need to 3@t!" mode.
6. When you get pretty far in, like day 5 or 6, getting out of a hot shower or bath is gonna throw you for a loop. I suggest having an electrolyte drink ready bc for whatever reason, the relaxing warmth that you feel in that shower/bath translates to feeling like you got hit by a truck when you get out. You're gonna be lethargic and see some stars so be careful and be prepared.
7. If you feel like you're gonna break but you don't wanna stop, it's no failure to have a cup of broth or bone broth. This is how I made it thru my two first extended f@sts. I would have a cup of bone broth for breakfast, and one for dinner. 40c per cup, and it kept me going.
After a long day that cup felt like a warm hug and it was sooo soothing not to mention surprisingly filling. It's got a bit of protien, electrolytes, and trust me when you feel like you just can't anymore, it's a godsend. I don't need it now but if I feel like I'm gonna give up, that's my go-to. It helps me push thru everytime.
8. Don't think you're gonna be able to exercise like you used to. You don't have it, I guarantee it. Long walks, yoga, and light dancing are possible, but just be prepared to have to stop mid-way up a hill, and be prepared to be a little wiped out the next day. Listen to your body intently. If it's telling you to sleep at 7:30, do it if you can. If it's telling you that you NEED to sit (bc that will happen) do it. Remember how hard your body is working for this, for you, and give yourself grace.
9. I don't reccommend telling everyone what you're doing. Many of the people on r/f@sting don't even have an 3d, yet people still judge pretty harshly when you don't lose w8 in a painstakingly slow way like we're told to. Sure its fine if you do the same thing on Ozempic or something but God forbid if you have the willpower to do it on your own...then you have a problem. Tell them you're doing a keto d!et and you're just a little tired from that. Make something up cause trust they're not gonna get it.
10. I'm doing 32 days instead of 30 bc it will end my f@st on a Friday, when I'll be home all day. You DO NOT want to break a fast until you know you can be within feet of a toilet for the next 12 hours at minimum lol. That food is gonna FLY thru you.
How you break your f@st is VERY important. You can't just go back to eating like you did. For one, your stomach is going to be sooo small you won't be able to eat a normal sized meal w/o hurting yourself. For two, you could potentially trigger cardiac arrest by eating too much too fast. It can put your body in shock. I would suggest a couple of scrambled eggs, yogurt (low sugar), a couple of Babybel cheese rounds, or some tuna in a romaine lettuce leaf. Protien is preferable, but don't eat anything that's going to be high in carbs or hard to digest.
I plan on breaking mine with a cup of bone broth and a couple of scrambled eggs. Eat like you're a toddler for a couple days and focus on protien. This is what your body needs the most right now.
11. Lastly, I've come to discover that while this process requires a lot of willpower, it requires just as much surrender from you if not more. Not every day is gonna be easy. Once you're deep in it, some days are gonna be great! You're gonna have energy, mental clarity, and purpose. Other days (like yesterday for me) you're gonna feel like road kill. That's where the surrender comes in. This too shall pass.
Engage in positive self talk, I find it far more useful than the negative. Tell your body you hear it...but it's all gonna be ok. Cover yourself in blankets and put on a comfort show/movie. Cocoon yourself for the butterfly you're becoming. Drink something warm. Take a warm bath or shower in candlelight.
Treat yourself well bc your body is working sooo hard for you thru this, and give yourself some respect bc even a 24h f@st is a huge accomplishment. Start slow and work up to longer extended f@sts if that's a goal for you. This isn't an all or nothing game. This process is hard some days, but overall it is so empowering. Even just 6 days in I feel like I can do anything, and so can you.
💘 Please reach out if any of you have questions, and as I've said previously r/f@sting has a plethora of tips and helpful information, including before and after pics of those that have completed extended f@sts. They're truly inspiring.
I have 25 days and 8h to go. This feels like a cheat code.
