You know your body better than anyone else, so yeah it’s best to do what will make you feel healthier.
Cate's fasting cycles
So… Day two of trying to build up eating to maintainance and I’m at about 680kcals, so I’m making some broccoli and cashew nut soup to try and add a few more so tomorrow can be my last feed day.
Extra soup can go in the freezer for the planned refeed.
Actually not being hungry is abit of an issue today, totally forgot to eat till this evening so I had been fasted 19hours when I was aiming to do 16:8
So from Wednesday final breakfast then onto juice.
B12 jabs are going well. My brain actually feels alot faster, concentration has improved somewhat and I’m remembering a few things I had planned to organise back in January, so I’m making lists and plans.
Stopped kicking myself for the last week, it may not have been the complete gut rest prolonged fast I wanted but it was still two 3days fasting.
This small refeed window, juice is a tried and tested method as evidenced above prior to the 16day water fast. And because of all cycles of fasting, omad, fast, refeed, juice I’ve done so far this year maybe there’s more hope I’ll achieve the 40 gut rest water only I want.
I did start all this within days of the end of a six week gluten allergy testing thing… My body, mind and gut wasn’t happy… Maybe this was the only way I was going to come at this… Good intentions and motivation can’t always be the fuel… ‘The best laid plans of mice and men,’ as they say…
Your body does need to be primed… That fasting muscle needs to be activated… Your mind needs to be calm
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I made it to day five and everything was going well. Had a veg stock/broth… Loads of nausea… Discovered it was cross contaminated… Answers alot about previous fasts have had simular issues.
So the last two days I’ve had soup, and veg.
Restarting tomorrow morning after a final coffee.
And this time I’m reserving no doubt that ultra restricting during a fast is the only way I can do them successfully.
I read and chat to others, here those who still have zero cal drinks, juices, broths ect and think well in the first week… To get going what’s the harm or to keep myself fasting what’s the harm in some veg stock/broth…
The harm is our food system is broken and I can’t avoid everything I need to. (3sweeps of the cupboards disposing of stuff I can’t eat and that stock has been missed everytime)
So. Ten am tomorrow fresh start and this will be the final attempt 
and this time I hope to be successful
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You have done so well despite the challenges.
Be kind to yourself now, see you back fasting tomorrow or even Monday, see how you feel 
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Consuming anything but water, coffee, tea etc is terribad. Not only it makes the fast harder but it interrupts autophagy. I hope you nail it this time. Remember about electrolytes!
As I hope anyone reading my journal will realise I strive for perfection but fasting isn’t always about perfection. It is about acceptance and personal growth.
This is a great website and short article about what does and doesn’t break a fast and I would suggest anyone read it before criticing someone else’s fast.
I maintain that within my first week it is more important I continue fasting and abstaining from solid foods, juice or soup, in order to have the opportunity of upping my game to a full gut rest fast in the second week and those which follow.
Veg stock does not break a fast and does not effect autophagy… Same way bone broth doesn’t break a fast!
I’m sorry some fasters can’t appreciate that there are many different approaches and outcomes to fasts and a gut rest fast is by far the hardest I’ve ever attempted.
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I’m still at it 
on day FIVE!! (not made it past day4 since second week of Feb so I feel like a blooming Champion right now 
Did mostly 3-4 day cycles weekly through Feb and March
Need to remind myself to step back and appreciate the victories of these rather than focus on the GRAND AMBITION of forty days. Misplaced focus just causes stress.
Reevaluating my relationship with food I still wish breatharian was a real sustainable thing hahaha allergies and cross contamination still trip me up on refeeds.
Also been considering timing of ‘meals’ I think I gain weight mostly because I forget (don’t want to) eat. So I put it off until I’m ‘desperate’ 8pm-11pm. So I think it gets converted to fat which I then run on as a given. So when I come back to eating I’m going to attempt, break-fast, lunch as a main meal and soup for tea. Gran swears by this approach and she’s 93 so…
Any other food adverse out there in the forum? Or omads, what’s your latest cut off for eating each day… I’m considering 8pm (I see alot of accidental fasts in my future haha)
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Start weight 68.58kg
Starting body fat: 24. 2
Measurements in cm;
Arm: 29/28
Chest: 93
Waist: 76
Hips: 90
Seat: 101
Thigh: 56/57
Calf: 38/37
Ankle: 25. 5
An hour away from day one complete
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10days 67. 2kg
Starting body fat: 23.4
Measurements in cm;
Arm: 28/28
Chest: 93
Waist: 73
Hips: 87
Seat: 99
Thigh: 55/56
Calf: 37.5/36.5
Ankle: 24. 5
10days in.
Finally taking on the advice that XX number of days fasted, fast mimicing, water fast, juice fast what ever… Is still fasting.
Rolling 48s so far, couple of 24s
I ate/drank oat milk latte it was <600 total for the day, food intake was <400
Beansprouts, carrots, green veg, celery juice, cucumber juice
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Measurements in cm;
Arm: 27.5/28
Chest: 93
Waist: 71
Hips: 89
Seat: 98.5
Thigh: 55/56
Calf: 39/38
Ankle: 26/26
Completed 2 more days of a 4day clean water fast, 3 24s fast mimicing refeeds.
Cross contaminated twice (milk in factory)
Over 24 hours into the next fast.
Heading away for 10 days of walking, wild camping, but first two dawn sea dips and a weekend hostel stay.
Setting off in 2 hours
Taking baby food pouches, dehydrated. vegetables, dates and seeds to avoid allergies while I’m away.
Really hoping loose skin will start to tighten up again… Wondering if 33 is too old to hope for that 
I can see my abs when I pick up my bag…
Check in when I get back.
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I also have health challenges that seem to mimic chronic fatigue syndrome. I sleep a lot, I have numbness and pain, etc. Can we swap notes on healthy lifestyle and diets? I’m new to this forum.
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So I didn’t check in when I got back. But in answer to my question yes… Loose skin tightens up and a few weeks after a fasting cycle you can have built strength rather than BF %… But low viseral fat can also be maintained and that kinda doesn’t look all that great… But bones aside… Check out them muscles!!
Shorts pics were taken the day I left… The others was two weeks in… I didn’t get home for 3 weeks I walked just over 100miles a week
Then chronic fatigue wiped me out for 3 months… I then spent 6 weeks getting back on my feet, a month looking after a relative full time and now I’ve been home a few days.
Done a few 3 day resets while I was out of it, fasted for 6.5days a week ago
Been 20:4 since
Warming up the fasting muscle again
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