Colton’s Daily Journal

[Poseidon]

First I’d like to start with an introduction…
Hi there! My name is Colton, I’m 29 years old and I live in California. I’ve struggled with weight loss and yo-yo-ing my entire adult life. I was stricken with a life-threatening illness in college which caused me to drop 70 pounds in one month, then developed an autoimmune disorder and was put on steroids which caused me to bloat up an additional 110 pounds. since then I started eating well and working out and was able to get down to 270lbs from a high of 340. However, this past winter was spent in quarantine and I gained an additional 30lbs back. The only thing saving me from looking absolutely HUGE has been my height, but I’m at a point now where it’s starting to show.

Listed below are my starting stats:
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Height: 6’3”
Starting Weight: 300.4lbs
BMI: 37.3
Muscle %: 32.9
Muscle Weight: 107.2lbs
Water %: 49.1
Bone weight: 19.6lbs

Starting Measurements:
Neck: 19in
Shoulders: 52in
Chest: 50in
Biceps: 15in
Forearm: 13in
Waist: 52in
Hips: 47in
Thigh: 29in
Calf: 18.5in

Why Fast?
I am not only ashamed of myself, but I’m also very sick. I struggle with two autoimmune conditions that make my life a living hell: Psoriatic Disease and Narcolepsy. Psoriatic Disease is greatly impacted by diet, so I’m hoping to see some relief (or complete remission) during the fast. As for Narcolepsy, I’m not sure if it will resolve, but it will be interesting to see if the overall sleepiness subsides. Between these two conditions and the weight, I’m pretty much isolated and bed-bound and this has left me extremely frustrated; Frustrated that I can’t get my weight under control, frustrated at the medical community for not having a better solution, and I’ve reached a point where I want radical change.

Long Term and Short Term Goals:
Long term goals would be to start feeling better, lose excess weight, and start participating in the world like a normal person my age. I am currently 300.4 lbs and would like to fast for a minimum of 30 days to maximum of 40 days, or until I have dropped 100 lbs, whichever comes first.

What are some struggles you face or you have faced in the past?
I’ve had some success on super clean diets like AIP Paleo, Wahls, and Vegan diets, but I still have to count calories or I somehow will find a way to overeat. I have a bottomless pit of a stomach! I also never reach full remission on my autoimmune conditions and it seems like my body needs a complete restart.

How do I feel right now?
I’m excited to get started and see where this takes me. I’m also looking forward to getting to know all of you better along this journey!

How will I feel once I achieve my goal?
It would be surreal to say the least. Even at my lowest weight in high school I was 215 pounds. So getting below 200lbs would be a first. I may not be able to do that with this fast alone, but it will get me closer to that goal much faster.

Daily Affirmation
The secret to getting ahead is getting started.

[Jewell]

Thanks for sharing, Colton! I’m so sorry for the health struggles you’ve been dealt, at such a young age. Serious illness and autoimmune disorders-- it’s a lot to try to unravel and get to the bottom of, and I feel like oftentimes it’s equally perplexing to the medical establishment, which is disorienting and frustrating.

Great job with your commitment, which is huge-- we are here to listen and support throughout your journey.

Some questions: do you have support for the autoimmune disorders you are currently dealing with? Being bed-bound is really tough, and sounds very isolating as well. Support for the major health issues you’re dealing with, as well as this big commitment, sounds like it would be really helpful. Also, have you chatted with your doctors about your fasting goals?

Have a great day!

[Poseidon]

Hey Jewell! Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I was laid off due to covid earlier in the year and as a result lost my health coverage. In the meantime I’ve slowly weaned myself off of all my medications and have been doing ok without them. I luckily don’t have a condition that is counter-indicated to fasting, so I feel safe moving forward. Obviously, I’m going to listen to my body and stop if needed. I’ve completed day 2, and other than a slight headache in the first half of the day, I feel great. In fact, I’m the most awake I’ve been in a while and even managed to go on a cleaning spree today. As far as mental health is concerned, I’m not sad or depressed, just lethargic and frustrated I can’t do more due to the narcolepsy. I am part of a support group and that does help to see I’m not alone.

[Jewell]

Thanks for sharing again! Oof— some tough transitions related to Covid, and I admire the way you are choosing consciously to move forward. Keep us posted with how you’re doing!

[Poseidon]

Day 4

Happy 4th of July everyone!

I can’t believe I’ve made it to day 4, I’m over 11 pounds down and feeling better than ever. However, I will be breaking my fast temporarily for the holiday today. My brother is in town, and I rarely get to see him, however I will get right back on the fasting train starting tomorrow.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and stay safe!

[Jewell]

Hope you’re well, Colton! Sounds like a great opportunity to spend time and celebrate with your brother-- hope you had a great time.

11# in 4 days, that’s amazing!