Hi All,
One of my closest friends lost her father this Saturday, which is why I haven’t updated my journal. Still going strong, but I likely won’t have an update until Wednesday evening. Hope you’re all faring well on your fasts, and will check in on your progress soon.
I’m so sorry to hear that, how terrible for her. Glad you are doing ok, post whenever you can, your friend is more important! 
Well, it happened. I broke my fast with a plate of watermelon and cantaloupe this evening. I have no regrets about my decision, not only because it felt inappropriate for me to explain my fast to a grieving household, but also because the fruit was just… wow.
I’m debating whether I should tackle the remaining 28 days consecutively, or if I should try alternate day fasting + plant-based OMAD. I’m leaning towards the former, but am open to suggestions. Either way, I have no intentions of stepping on the scale for at least another 3 days.
Time for a nap
If I had a real job right now, lol, one that involved going to an office and a demanding schedule here’s what I’d likely be doing; OMAD and full day fasting on days off.
I’m in a position currently where I have no commitments or obligations, which has made it a great time to fast as much as I wish as I can nap any time. And can focus on no stress. No stress= less cortisol dealings.
I know you said you have an art project going on?
Is this stressful or does it feel like a demanding job?
And yeah, a loved one passing carries enough stress and would be a fast breaker for me as well. Glad to see your intentions to regroup.
Oh, and good job on how much of the fast you accomplished!
If that 40 day thing is a goal, you can always set up for it again. 
That would be a once a year spiritual kind of thing for me as it only takes 21 days to create a new habit, and fasting for weight reasons is about making new habits. JMO.
Wait…what!? Smoked avocados? Avocados are my favorite food. If I were on a deserted island, that would be my food of choice. I smoke meat all the time; brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, salmon, brats. I’ve never done smoked avocados. How do you do it?
YES! SMOKED AVOCADOS! An extreme treat for omnivores, vegetarians, and herbivores alike!
Usually, I’ll de-pit the avocado, and spoon it out of it’s skin. I’ll give it an extremely thick coating of EVOO and sometimes a rub. I love spicy peppers so some times a chili paste. Sometimes I’ll stuff the avocado with cheese or an egg. I’ll wrap it with extremely thin (mandolin sliced thin practically translucent) eggplant or zucchini to help keep it moist and from drying out. Since you eat meat I think wrapping it in bacon or thinly sliced pork belly would be awesome. I put it in at around 200 degrees f. And smoke it until I feel it might start drying out. Hickory or applewood is my wood of choice. I think Cedar is a little too astringent.
Smoked avocado also makes a home run guacamole. Or is perfect sliced into tacos. Don’t throw away the pit, though! de skin it and cook it! It’s a wonderful nut. Makes a mean pesto- esp since pine nuts are crazy expensive.
This is also fun. Smoking water to infuse it with flavor. It’s great for specialty cocktails (though I don’t drink except to taste test) and soups (think chili/ bean soups). Freezing the smoked water into ice cubes is an amazing addition to Moscow mules, dirty martini’s, bloody marry’s, a couple of rocks in a middle shelf whisky or bourbon… oh and smoked margaritas…
Sometimes fasting as a chef is difficult because well… I can cook just about anything I imagine.
That I didn’t know! I’ll give it a whirl some time.
I saw some recipes for a smoked avocado bomb. Avocado filled with cheese, covered with ground beef and rub, then wrapped in bacon and more rub. Smoked for a couple hours. Looked real good. Now I have a bunch of stuff to add to my list of stuff I want to try.
Sorry! Not sorry…? I know you said trying new things was one of your triggers so I hope that isn’t what I’ve done
Naw, it’s all good. It’s more when I decide to use my wife and kids as guinea pigs to try something I’ve never had. Then I just cave in and eat it because it smells too good.
Hi Friends,
Even though it’s only been a week since I broke my fast, I feel like I’ve been disconnected for ages. Needless to say, it’s high time to try and finish what I started.
As of 4 hours ago, I restarted my fasting journey. I wanted to begin sooner, but I’m very particular about dates and times. Starting today, the 1st of the month, should help “tidy” the tracking process.
I don’t know exactly how long I’ll go for, but a minimum of 14 days is more than doable. I realize an open-ended goal could put me at risk of failure, but it also liberates my intuition.
@Miramar, my project is a self-imposed stressor, but it’s a blessing at the same time. Not unlike fasting, really. My impatience is my Achilles’ Heel though, my mom has always said so. If I ever feel as if I haven’t accomplished enough within a given timeframe, I panic and self-sabotage. It’s a weird impulse.
Anywho, will update tomorrow. Love how this forum keeps me honest and gives me something to look forward to each day. Much thanks to everyone who’s following <3
PS. Can anyone show me how to change the title of my thread? 40 days might be misleading and frankly unachievable at this point in time.
I’m rooting for you! I wanted you to know I too have this thing with numbers and dates and having everything lined up and orderly. It’s tough because when it doesnt feel right I self sabotage too! Hey let’s you and I work on that? I’m working hard to live a little in the grey area and this is definitely something I need to add to my “grey area thinking”. My black and white thinking has got me overweight and no where 
. Keep going forward !! Ps. Miramar changed my subject line for me …
Day 5 is tough for me in the past. It is in fact when I have broken my fast. I get soooo tired and my blood sugar drops into the high 50s. My guess is that I have depleted glycogen stores and my liver is kicking up production but I could be way off. This time I will keep salt on hand and push through
Day 1 Synopsis:
Total Weight Loss: -2.2lbs
Ketone Range: Trace
This will be psychologically taxing. I love how I feel when I fast, but I can’t deny how all-consuming it is at times. Chances are, I won’t fast again until after Thanksgiving. @Miramar, the photo you shared is not only hilarious, the colours are so reminiscent of pumpkins and cornucopias. 
I’m predicting my next hurdles will be Day 4, Day 6, and Day 10. No end goal was set because I want to see if flexibility will be a catalyst for progress.
I’m so grateful to have found this community. Your support is priceless! 
Thank you Happy to be back, I missed many of you as well!
Your theory sounds about right. I think beyond Days 3-5, you dive into full-fledged fat burn. For me, it’s usually around Day 6 that I run into physiological discomfort, but if you can make it past Day 5, you can make it past Day 7, and so on.
I genuinely love this so much, lol! It’s so on the nose for me. Thank you for sharing this, I think it might actually get me through some of the tough spots.
@Miramar, would you mind changing it to “Reem’s Freedom & Flexibility Fast”? Sounds kinda corny, but it’ll do for now. Thanks again
