Cate's fasting cycles

[Cate_Alexandra]

I read your reply last week and did take it to heart. Literally the worst refeed ive ever done. I doubt myself so much and let myself be othered by some perceived external disapproval. It’s been a binge week on rice and riced broccoli and cauliflour. I had burgers twice but with romaine lettuce as the bun which was pretty super.

I’ve been omad with soup for most of the last five days but just unwell and havnt been able to work it out…
Cashew nuts cross contaminated with milk or soy is my reasoning atm so I’m going to eat this afternoon and then call it quits on trying to eat and just water fast until I have figured out food supply out.
Check out the swelling from just brocolli and cashew nut soup

So yeah joining you ladies this evening. And I’m so througherly fed up with trying to eat it should be an easy motivator to stay on the fast this time

[Overcomer]

Sorry to hear about the struggles you have been facing, yes some water fasting should give your system a break and reset. With our health issues, every attempt to fast is always different, I am finding it harder to fast as well this year.

My symptoms have been worse the last few days with stomach aches, and painful bloating, also I have had to restart my water fast a few times(normal for me lol).
I have been feeling like I am coming down with the flu with the weather change, so fasting will deal with that if I manage to do at least a few days.
We will make it through this season as we continue to support and encourage each other.

[Cate_Alexandra]

I’m hating not being able to achieve a long fast… But in reality a 2 week, 1 week and 21 day fast are prolonged fasts… I’ve just set my bar very high this year.
As you say when we’re managing health conditions too its sometimes just alot to handle, especially emotionally.

My tummy has been so fussy this year too both during fasts and on refeed so I just feel I need to strip it back to a purely gut rest fast. Water, herbal tea (basic supplements) nothing else.

I agree a fast can knock back feeling unwell I knocked one back earlier in January with that six day fast.

Thanks for being here abit of encouragement and mutual understanding certainly helps. I’m really hoping I can get started in the next few days…

[Cate_Alexandra]

Just a little update on my gouge from my passing out experiance in the last fast. The card is held up for scale… But it’s healing well. This was the first time I’d seen it properly since doing it nearly two weeks ago. I’m dying to have a bath but I don’t want to make it soft, I want it to knit together well.

So look after your electrolytes and don’t sleep for whole days at a time… If you can help it.

I have started a new fast…

I prepared by getting out of a carb binge (not the best refeed ever!! I’ve basically eaten rice… I’m not even kidding, soup, rice cakes, riced cauliflower and broccoli and rice) and going omad last week, juices and veg mostly. Although my final meal was a cauliflower based pizza… With a whole bag of salad leaf.

Starting weight: 67.5
Starting body fat: 23.6%
Resting heart rate 69

There is still snow on the ground but I’m getting impatient for getting to the allotment now by the beginning of daylight savings time I won’t be able to resist

[Cate_Alexandra]

Salts tick fast chews… Can’t say I’m a fan. Too much suger, they make my tummy all gurgly and unhappy.
Because I have slept so much and eaten so little this week I think ive started this fast out of wack SPM wise, my heart is palpitating and I have a head ache. So I thought I’d use them today just to get me back in balance… Gurgle gurgle gurgle
First few days always suck

[Cate_Alexandra]

Two days in and had to bail and have some veg stock made with green beans… It was probably the salt that sorted me out more than the nutrients in the greenbeans.
So haven’t bailed completely… Just two days fasting, but not gut rest fasting yet…

Need to get on top of electrolytes tomorrow

[Overcomer]

Day 3 now,
Let’s get the electrolytes in and get going. We can do this for sure. One day at a time.

[vinilzord]

Hey Cate, even a 24-hour fast is a win. The most important thing about this lifestyle is to remain disciplined. Prolonged fasting helps with losing all the fat in record time, but being disciplined is what will make you maintain the fat loss.

Also, it’s possible to lose a good amount of fat even with shorter fasts like 48’s or 72’s. You just have to eat 100% keto meals. This will help you with satiety and staying in ketosis. And of course, track your macros and calories diligently, weigh yourself daily too.

One day at a time!

[Cate_Alexandra]

Day three down. Although I restarted my counter this morning for water only since I had broth yesterday.

Lent began today… It’s not the same feeling as Ramadan when several millions of people are fasting at the same time… But it’s a ‘godly’ counter that’s running… And there are several of us on here already invested in prolonged fasts, now we can add the acknowledgment that there’s maybe another million people out there doing similar.

No hunger today… But energy is still devoid I give it another couple of weeks and I’ll hopefully breakthrough the regular daily fatigue.
Snuggling down with a book tonight, hope everyone is feeling good today

[Overcomer]

Still on day 3 here, I seem to be persevering lol. Hunger comes and goes but taking it day by day. I am very determined even though I never have any energy before, during or after fasting. The healing process is a long journey for me, but for now, I would be happier losing weight.
This is the year it will happen and I will not give up if I fall I will get back up and try, try again. We can do this.

[Esbyrose]

Don’t feel bad at all about the broth. You are still fasting. Keep up the good work!
I’m in day three today woo!

[Cate_Alexandra]

I don’t feel bad I just want to do a gut rest fast so figured I’d restart the counter so in a few weeks I’m not still deducting two from the counter

[Overcomer]

Day 4 for me, hoping for the best. Check-in tomorrow. Hope your stomach starts to feel better.

[Cate_Alexandra]

I’m not sure why I’m feel nauseated this time… Just had another veg broth.
Headache has crept in too.

I’m going to try to stay awake through today, didn’t sleep last night. But I think it’d be easier to avoid the broth if I’m awake during the day and can distract myself with more than movies and books. Falling asleep and waking up when it’s dark or about to be dark sucks

I think this week’s gone quite well so far really… Especially considering how hard I was finding it to get back on a fast at all

[Overcomer]

Day 4, has been the most challenging for me with intense hunger, I almost had a refeed this morning but I didn’t, I took more electrolytes and now the hunger is gone. In a few hours, I will be in day5 thank God. Hope everyone is doing okay. Let’s keep going

[Esbyrose]

I had to break my fast at 4 days. I have been nauseated with joint pain The entire time. It wasn’t an electrolyte issue because I have been taking them. I’ve never felt this unwell during a fast so I decided to break. I will eat tomorrow and reassess how I feel in the evening. Then I’ll decide whether or not to start a new fast. I really want to but I still feel awful even after eating. You all are doing great! Keep going as long as you feel ok. Rock on with your socks on!

[Cate_Alexandra]

Sleeping through a whole day is such a regular thing… So I missed day one not before realising at the start that 4hours after starting is when I wanted to eat again (I did… Had soup… Ended up making my start time 8PM!!!) then it was another four hours before my brain decided it wanted food then every two hours. (I didn’t get to sleep till the early hours).
But I’ve never realised how frequently your body signals for food. Because it only been a year of being aware of allergies and that I’m naturally Omad it’s only been during refeeds this year (2.5weeks) that I’ve even noticed how frequently I was turning to food.
You know the saying that goes something like “knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” I truly thought I knew myself a few years ago… But really I was just blind and accepting to so many things. Fasting gives me distance and perspective to realise things… Notice what needs healing, attention and awareness

Feeling zen and it’s only day two

[Cate_Alexandra]

Make that day 1 nausea and intense dizziness… Like I’m going to pass out but for about half an hour several times. I can’t afford another minor injury which should have had stitches, there is definatly some fear response in this now.
Had tin of peas and veg stock soup…
It’s this sleeping for 16-18hours business it messes me up so badly I’m not sulking honest.
So…
As I’ve only had full kcals on maybe 8 days since 14th December, so I’ve been restricting or fasting for 70days, 5 of those 8 I’ve felt are binges during unplanned refeeds… I’m calling this the final attempt to get going and staying on track.

When I reset the timer water only it has to be the last try and if this one doesn’t work then I’m going to have to make myself wait for a few months. And actually eat properly, this is undereating not fasting.

Last chance.

Heading out for a walk tomorrow with a friend so my sleep pattern will be normal again.

And I’ve made a few poster like lists… One is going to get stuck in the kitchen, one in my bedroom.

My poster phrases…

• Fast don’t under eat!!! (this has to be one of the most important)
• I could eat something but then it wouldn’t be a XX day fast
• stubbornness to achieve goals
• settle into the reality you want to create
• hydrated body, clear mind
• I can eat any day fasting days are rarer
• no food stress
• no allergy reactions
• make a hard choice now for an easier choice later
• reduce pain
• lift fatigue
• better mobility
• healthier holistic balanced
• no brain fog
• less adhd
• better memory
• deeper sleep
• if I want more food choices then I must rest my digestive system and heal its permability
• no stomach tenderness
• no nausea
• no pain
• better digestion
• healing
• embrace the positives
• acknowledge additional achievements

Last chance.

Having sort some advice from a couple of fellow fasters… I’m going to refeed to maintainance and then begin again. It’s also been suggested that my issues with nausea and dizziness could very likely be dehydration rather than electrolyte imbalance and now I know how much other people are drinking… I’m starting to think I really never drink enough.
So I’m going to take three days to refeed, as per the refeed plan I wrote back in January and see how I fair

[vinilzord]

It seems the bigger issue is consistency. Eat low carb (keto would be better) OMAD for 7 days early in the morning. Load up on protein, fats and veggies. On the 7th day, have your big breakfast and drink Snake Juice throughout the day. The transition will be much smoother. And obviously, drinking as much SJ as possible is advised. If the taste is too strong for you pink salt + mineral water is fine too. But SJ is better for many reasons.

Completing a 48 will be much easier and you’ll be able to fast longer over time.

Set yourself up for success. Plan ahead and ditch all the excuses. You can do this!

[Cate_Alexandra]

Much more important to acknowledge limitations imposed by health.

Much more important to drink enough over all when your already taking in enough electrolytes. SJ isn’t the be all and end all and was called electrolytes before it was screamed across the internet as a gimic.

Much more important to refeed correctly every time ensuring you eat enough kcals when your chronically under eat due to impacts of food…

Much more important to eat a whole food plant based diet than try and impose further restrictions on an already restricted digestive system

Much more important to be aware of undereating when your consistently able to easily eat just soup once a day for a week at a time with no challenge.

Accepting when you have achieved a decent prolonged fast even if it wasnt your original target and acknowledging that you have eaten full kcals 8/70 days… Much more important than listening to someone telling you your being inconsistent and making excuses… when your health means you have no control over consistency of even weather you wake up everyday