Juliane's Daily Fasting Journal

Juliane · October 26, 2019, 7:51am

Why do I fast?

to feel good consistently
to lose weight
to get rid of my sugar addiction
to reset my relationship with food
to de-link my emotions from eating
to train my willpower
to gain mental clarity
to show myself that I can live without binging
to prevent weight and food issues when I get older
to live a long life
to feel confident in my body
to be able to buy new clothes
to improve my productivity
to get rid of cravings

Short and long term goals
short-term goal:
lose 10kg

long-term goal:
keep off the weight
gain control of cravings
live a healthy OMAD lifestyle

Struggles
I expect to have cravings. That’s the hardest part. I have a long list of things to do when that happens (drink coffee, have salt, distract myself, go for a walk…) yet it is so hard to rationally think about any of that when I’m in such a “cravings episode”. That will be my biggest obstacle. I can do it! I will be very proud of myself when I successfully finished my fast.

Game Plan
14 Day Fast
long-term: Keto + OMAD and some alternate day fasts

Affirmations

I act in alignment with my goals no matter what I’m thinking.
I don’t want that food right now. These cravings will pass.
I do what I say I am going to do.
I choose long-term happiness over short-term pleasure

Compdude · October 27, 2019, 12:06am

Be kind to yourself during the 1st 3 days especially if you haven’t done a prolonged fast before. By Day 4 your body will have depleted its carbohydrate (glycogen) stores from your liver and muscles and switch to fat-burning (ketosis). When your body realizes its being fed the hunger pains will fade.

Juliane · October 27, 2019, 11:30am

I did so well with Keto OMAD for a couple days but then I binged… I thought I had pulled myself out of it afterwards but then it happened again yesterday evening because I was feeling very exhausted. I have done a 5 day fast before so I know I can do it and this week fits perfectly so it has to work! I still had some bad food over from last night which I had this morning but it’s not too late to start my fasting and do this challenge. Day 1 starts at 11:00 on the 27th of October. First mini-goal is to get to Tuesday evening.

Juliane · October 27, 2019, 9:20pm

DAY 1
I wasn’t hungry at all - maybe because I had (junk) food still this morning…It is what it is. Otherwise also no “side-effects” yet. I feel good. It was still a nice first day. I watched a lot of fasting videos again to get myself into the right mindset and tried to keep busy. Tomorrow morning will be more encouraging when I have more hours on the clock. Now it’s just about following my routines and staying determined to finish this challenge. In the shower my mind wondered for a bit towards how usually my binging starts…I think about the food and then I think about how it tastes and then I those thoughts manifest and it feels like I NEED those foods. At first I tried to suppress those thoughts but it is proven that that only tends to make it more impossible to not think of them. So instead, I tried to question them. I know that I still had sugar this morning and that it’s probably just a craving from a sugar addiction that results in dopamine in my brain. Additionally, I didn’t have anything else to do so I maybe was just bored and then I might as well just go to sleep and don’t have to deal with these thoughts.

I also designed a background for my phone with my affirmation for this fast. This resulted in me saying my affirmation out loud several times today and focuses my mind on it and hopefully helps in those moments when willpower is depleted.

First goal is Tuesday evening and I will reach it! And weighing myself tomorrow hopefully also will be positive encouragement! LET’S DO THIS!

Juliane · November 12, 2019, 5:48pm

I clearly wasn’t quite ready and had to really accept that I have BED (binges) that I can’t prevent with willpower alone. However, I found Kathryn Hansen and a new perspective with binges:

view the urges as neurological junk
separate the higher brain from the urges to binge
stop reacting to urges
stop acting on urges
get excited
I have been eating enough so I know that this binge eating is the result of habit. I have the power to break those pathways in my brain now.
I’m set to start a new fasting journey.

7 Days
Start: 12.11.2019 - 16:10
SW: 70kg
GW: feel awesome

Right now I feel bloated still from the last couple of days but I only had good vegetables with hummus and peanut butter today and I will get better quickly.
I’m all set with a new affirmation, ACV and salt, and lots of coffee.

Juliane · November 13, 2019, 8:15pm

I’m now 28 hours in. I’m not hungry but do have cravings. Now the strategy is just to push the time when I eat back. Just try to wait it out.
I had many opportunities to eat today but didn’t and it was an exhausting day. Biking and volleyball match and I’m pretty sure my glucose stores are now now from all of that.
I feel okay and it’s just the sugar addiction that worries me and the “one last time” thoughts. We’ll see how it is tomorrow. Going past 30 hours is already a good start.

Juliane · November 14, 2019, 9:12pm

I didn’t binge! This morning, the intense craving were gone (even though I slept terribly). Instead of going to buy food like I had plotted yesterday evening, I did my morning routine and I was so glad that I didn’t give in yesterday. The key was just saying that I can have it in the morning! Just pushing the temptation a little back.
The second key has been not taking my wallet! I was always scared to do it because an emergency might come up but it would often end up with me giving in to some craving in a time of weakness. I still take my travel card and ID to be safe but no money. I felt good today mostly. I was very proud when I hit the 48 hour mark especially and now it’s already 53 hours. Again I will just push it backwards. The cravings are very evil. I just am so addicted to the sugar in gummy bears and cookies especially and it’s so hard to resist. My lower brain, that is trying to manipulate me into bingeing to feed the habit, is reminding me how much I love those foods. However, it’s not a true wanting. It’s the very limited good feeling of tasting those foods. As soon as they’re gone, the good feeling is also gone and replaced by a much more terrible feeling. It’s time to endure some hunger and cravings for ultimate relief and food freedom.
How I do it now? In the morning I drink a glass of warm water with Himalayan Sea Salt and 2tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar and I do drink a lot of coffee (regular and decaf) throughout the day - and of course a lot of water as well. Being in situations where I can’t get to food either because it’s a lecture or sport or something, or because I just don’t have money with me also helps. Then I am forced to let the cravings pass without being hung up on the option to get food and break the fast. Lastly, I listen to podcasts and motivational videos about keto and fasting and bingeing, and I read through the facebook group for motivation to keep going.
Now quick to sleep in order to not give any urges another opportunity to resurface.

Juliane · November 15, 2019, 10:33pm

Again yesterday evening the intense cravings hit but I had resolved to go to sleep and I did and the cravings were gone in the morning. I expect that again today…
All in all it was a super hard day again. Long day from 10am to 8pm and a day where I had used food to cope with the stress previously. I did have intense cravings and feeling of hunger during the day again but I didn’t have any money with me so I had no choice but to get through it. I took some salt and had coffee and water and that helped with feeling weak. On the bike ride home, I contemplated eating again, but by the time I was home I just showered and now want to sleep so I’m okay for tomorrow.
I will sleep and add some more hours to the fasting clock and see how I feel again tomorrow.
I’m at 78 hours now and that feels quite good. This fast does seem a lot harder than my previous one though…

Juliane · November 18, 2019, 6:34pm

I did 96 hours and then broke my fast. Saturday until Monday were not so good… I am ready to get back to fasting. It feels good to feast but then also to fast. The next goal is from Tuesday until Saturday evening and drop some more weight. 5 days instead of 4 this time. Let’s go!

Juliane · November 25, 2019, 10:20pm

DAY 1
Yesterday was very light and healthy eating to get ready and today was the start of a new fast. The goal is (dare I say it) 20 days until I get home for Christmas.
I want this badly.
I have had my “last binge” (a million times) so now that argument is not working anymore. The food satisfies for a minimal amount of time and then that feeling is gone and replaced with regret. It’s not worth it.
I’m also trying to stay busy especially in the evenings because I have built a habit of eating unhealthy foods in the evening. Either I have something planned or I go to sleep very early in order to avoid uncomfortable cravings. But even if the cravings arise, I know it’s not me. It’s a habit that wants to be fed and tries to get me to give into it no matter by what means. I want to do the hard things now so that I am through it.
Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.
I can do hard things.
I choose to change my eating habits and I successfully do so.