Reem’s Freedom & Flexibility Fast

[Kyle]

I am from FL… grew up here, so it’s home (with a lot of my family and friends) but I absolutely LOVED Carlsbad. I think it would be my ideal place to live if my family were not so far away. Also loved La Costa, Encinitas and Del Mar. That coast is amazing.

I’ve been all around TX as my dad lives out there. Dallas is great, Austin and San Antonio are “must see’s”, Houston… I’ll pass… and West Texas (Lubbock, El Paso) are pretty good. Many small town/country areas on the West Side. Waco is pretty good too… it’s come a LONG way. Thats where Chip and Joanna Gaines built their “empire”.

Hows your fast coming along?

[ChloeKat]

It’s normal to continue to have occasional BMs during a fast as faeces contain more than just food waste. According to Wikipedia, “It also contains bacteria and a relatively small amount of metabolic waste, products such as bacterially altered bilirubin, and the dead epithelial cells from the lining of the gut.”

[Kyle]

Thank you for sharing your Day 6. I’m a day behind you and like to hear other’s experiences. Good work on getting so far!
I have not had a BM since day three. Other people mentioned to me that you can expect the body to keep flushing stuff out throughout an extended fast, so, I anticipate more to come but so far, nada.

Managing how we eat post-fast is definitely on my mind. Obviously, there needs to be a lifestyle shift because Fasting-Bingeing is not on my agenda. The long term fasting is too arduous. OMAD and high protein w/lower carb are my plan(not zero-carb or keto). But I’m going to include planned treats here and there (maybe a couple times a week or only a couple times a month, we’ll see) because I’m human. The last thing I want is to dive back into a shame-cycle for eating a cookie.

Keep sharing, Reemy… I look forward to reading your posts!

[creamyreemy0]

Day 7 Synopsis:

Weight Change: -1.4lbs
Total Lost (excl. H2O): 2.2lbs
Ketone Range: 4.0mmol (Moderate)

Gonna keep this brief today because I’m pretty tired and I have to conserve my energy for orientation tomorrow. Ran several errands yesterday and felt too zapped for yoga or writing. Also had frequent cravings for sweet potatoes. To be honest, I thought I wasn’t gonna make it through, but I just focused on each and every breath until some other thought prevailed. Started to design a new plant based meal plan with acute attention to macros. It’s actually a fun, yet challenging activity.

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Day 8 means I’m into Week 2 of 6 and almost 20% done. Happy fasting xo

[Kristy]

OOOOooo! Let me know if you want any plant based recipe ideas! How about a smoked eggplant and hummus spread on flax/chia seed crackers with some EVOO!

[creamyreemy0]

OMG that sounds tantalizing. I would absolutely LOVE some of your recipes, what an honour! Thank you, Chef Kristy I’m already curious; how do you smoke the eggplant without a smoker?

[creamyreemy0]

Day 8 Synopsis:

Weight Change: -1.4lbs
Total Lost (excl. H2O): 3.6lbs
Ketone Range: 6.0mmol (Moderate to High)

1. Happy to report I got many things done today without a hitch or a craving. My orientation went smoothly and I enjoyed a peaceful walk in the morning sun beforehand. Afterwards, I took a shower, paid some bills, and played with my kitty Mischa, but fell asleep shortly after.

2. Dozed off from 5pm to 9pm, and again from 11pm to 4am. Dreams were intense during my latter slumber, a little unnerving actually. If any of you are interested in dream interpretation, this is my go-to website for understanding the meanings of sleep symbols: dreammoods.com

3. Once again, I didn’t have enough energy left in the bank for yoga or writing. This will not be the case when I report back tomorrow.

4. TMI Warning: My pee literally smells like movie popcorn. It’s actually a welcome fragrance, lol. I looked into this and it’s a common side effect of being deep into ketosis. (If you’re diabetic, however, this could signal ketoacidosis, so food must be taken immediately.) I didn’t drink nearly as much water or coffee as I normally do because my mouth and throat feel tight.

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5 hours into Day 9, and I’m excited to be nearly a quarter of the way through my journey. Thanks for reading Xo

[Kyle]

Movie Popcorn… Thats great

Were your intense dreams good or bad? My friend has lucid dreams and is able to make decisions in her dream state. I have very vivid dreams but have never consciously changed the course of my dreams. I like dreammoods. I gone there so many times. Do you journal your dreams? It’s interesting to go back and read what you were dreaming about at certain times in your life.

Great job getting to day 9!

[Kristy]

I have a charcoal grill. I heat it up then almost completely close off the air flow and put the soaked wood chips of choice in. I keep the eggplant whole on a cast iron (preheated on the grill) pan because the eggplant can get really mushy. I just let it stay on the grill for a good part of the day. I always put some tofu and tomatoes on too.

I usually smoke some nuts too. I’ll soak them in salt water then put them on an elevated rack. They can’t stay in for too long or they’ll burn. They get soooo tasty though! They add a wonderful depth to salads, cheese boards, or my favorite savory nut butters (I am really in love with nuts). I’ll also cover some chickpeas in EVOO in a foil pouch and let them get a little flavor. Then I’ll roast them in the oven until crispy and get a wonderful crunchy snack that keeps me away from potato chips.

[creamyreemy0]

Day 9 Synopsis:

Weight Change: -1.2lbs
Total Lost (excl. H2O): 4.8lbs
Ketone Range: 8.0mmol (High)

1. Day 9 was coastal. Fortunately, getting out of bed no longer feels like I have an anvil strapped to my head, but I still have moderate muscle fatigue. So thankful my REM cycles have yet to be compromised.

2. Finally accomplished some stretching and writing, as well as learning a new song on piano. Playing an instrument can be surprisingly draining when learning new chords, so I stopped after an hour.

3. My mom is supporting me throughout my journey, and I’m so lucky to have her stay with me for the next two weeks. She still slips up and asks if I want anything from the grocery store, but I know she means well. I asked her to buy a box of chamomile tea to help me switch over from coffee, and she came home with FOUR boxes of assorted herbal teas. Thanks mom

4. As far as my body is concerned:

• Pee no longer smells like popcorn
• Nausea is mild, but unrelenting
• Keto breath has reared its ugly head
• Lightheaded within seconds of walking
• Positive changes in my physique

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Today I enter the double-digits, which means I need to repeat what I’ve accomplished another 3 times. Until tomorrow xo

[Kristy]

Did I mention smoked avocados?!

[creamyreemy0]

My dreams on Day 8 were a manifestation of a triggering incident that happened almost exactly a year ago. Very rarely can I lucid dream because I need to get into a really deep sleep (which I rarely do in my fed states). Funnily enough, I was lucid for this one, and while I felt uncomfortable, I also managed to ease the despair around the situation.

I love that you know about dreammoods, too! I thought it was my well-kept secret, lol. I don’t journal, but I can recall the important ones. Do you have experience journalling?

Thank you for your support, Kyle

[Kristy]

Holy guacamole that is a high ketone mmol! Totally to be expected and obviously not dangerous but wow! I’m sorry you’re experiencing such weakness and headaches! Constant nausea is the worst! I have so much empathy for you! My migraines use to be so bad I would throw up every hour. My neurologist put me on anti nausea meds that are the same for people going through chemotherapy. Luckily I no longer need those meds because I am able to control my migraines with Botox shots but constant nausea is totally debilitating. I hope it passes soon!

Do you think the coffee is contributing to your tummy pains? Keep us posted and please feel better soon!

[creamyreemy0]

Reading this and re-reading it puts me on the verge of breaking my fast, lol! I can’t begin to describe how effing scrumptious that all sounds. I actually don’t mind mushy eggplant, but I don’t have a grill to prepare it the way you described Maybe I’ll treat myself to one of those portable grills as a reward. Have you ever experimented with liquid smoke? I know it’s probably not the same as the real thing, but I wonder if the flavour is still palatable.

Let me tell you, Kristy, I’m also in love with nuts, but I need to check myself because I’ll end up eating an entire bag or jar within minutes. They’re such a guilty pleasure of mine, and you’re so right, I’ll take nuts over chips any day.

[Kristy]

It was inconsiderate of me to talk so much about food! My apologies. I’ve never tried liquid smoke but I’m sure it would be worth experimenting with!

[creamyreemy0]

You’re the sweetest, genuinely So far, none of my symptoms have been unbearable. I’m something of a masochist, I think. Coffee is definitely a culprit, but I’ve been tapering my consumption.

How are you faring with your usual meds the past few days? I was elated when you mentioned in your journal that you’ve been able to wean yourself from them a little. I guess it’s really just a day by day thing for you and I.

[creamyreemy0]

Lmao, not at all. I’m working on my post-fast meal plan, so all of your recipes are welcome and encouraged. Moving forward, I need to consume more of the ingredients you stand by simply because they’re the most nutritious. It’s really a gift to have you share your cooking method, thank you.

[Kristy]

I’ve have a neurological condition that requires constant medical supervision so I’m already on a ton of medication. Taking strong pain medication doesn’t have many contraindications with my other meds but can sometimes worsen their symptoms. I’m extremely grateful that the pain is subsiding! But like I’ve said before I don’t have any expectations. I might have 4 days of manageable pain then, bam, out of no where I can’t walk.

I think swimming is an amazing gift right now. I don’t think my mood would be as manageable if I didn’t have a physical outlet, ya know? God speed on weaning yourself off coffee! I’m completely attached and addicted to my bitter brew and can’t even fathom not having it. We all have our crutches and I think coffee is a constant in this group.

I love that you are getting into tea! I love tea sooo much! We have a local tea shop (all loose leaf) that is out of this world. We have a big 3 liter Japanese water kettle and I always make my daily tea first thing in the morning. I’ve been enjoying an herbal raspberry kiss that has freeze dried raspberries and hibiscus. It’s wonderfully tart. I’m also in love with a Formosa oolong tea that is filled with roses. It’s deep floral flavor and fragrance makes me feel very feminine!

I couldn’t do a straight water fast like so many of you! I would wither away without flavor of some sort!

[Kyle]

I don’t always journal but if a dream really sticks with me, I write it down. I’ve gone back and read them years later. It was interesting to see how the dreams I had usually correlated with a difficult time I was going through … or a learning period in my life.

[Kyle]

Hey Reemy! Just checking in to see how your fast is going and how you are doing?

Hope you are having a nice Sunday!