Reshea1950 Daily Journal

reshea1950 · July 1, 2020, 10:36am

Since I cannot talk about this at home; I may as well start a ‘Daily Journal.’

I am 70. Had ‘dabbled’ with fasting between Oct 2019 and Jan 2020. Started at 212. Saw a low of 179.
‘Fell off’ the ‘wagon’ when I started working from home. I had said Ashley here, the refrigerator was just too close. Got back up to 199 at the end of May. ‘Panic’ set in at the thought of seeing a ‘2’ be the first number in my weight.

I am 5’ 9". So, the belly tells all. Now at 188.

Today (Jul 1) is the start of the 4th day of (at least) a 7 day fast. Last meal at 5:00 PM Saturday.
I am glad that I did kinda’ cut back on sugar and high carb’ stuff for weeks prior to entertaining – again, pursuing multiple day fasting… Still, the 2nd and 3rd days are still the worse. But, I could tell — this time–not nearly as bad as what happened back in October.

In late December 2019 I had an A1c of 6.0 (from 6.8 earlier in the year). Rose to 6.4 in June 6th.
So, I felt I needed to ‘do something.’ Soooo, ‘Fasting’ came to mind.

I put 170 as a goal. I see from some charts that puts me about 2 pounds over the ‘good weight’ for my height. I will take that–once there. And work to keep myself there…

It will be work. I noted that the weight would not come off until I performed what I will call ‘hardcore’ fasting. wish I would have known about this modality sooner — but, as everyone is doing here, we all are looking forward.

As I said when I started this ‘treatise’, I cannot talk about this at home. So, I will ‘talk’ here.

Thanks to everyone for listening.

Van · July 1, 2020, 11:47am

Good luck. Looking forward to reading your journal and progress!

Compdude · July 1, 2020, 2:16pm

Welcome to our fasting community!

I’ve lowered my HA1c from 6.3 as of 8/8/19 to 5.0 as of 6/5/20.

Let me know how I can help!

reshea1950 · July 1, 2020, 4:00pm

Thanks!!! This (not eating) is such a mental game…

reshea1950 · July 1, 2020, 4:04pm

OK Appreciate that help offer.

I may look in August to see where my A1c is… Want to use July to to accustom myself to low carbs… Very little or no sugar. Looking hard at the Keto diet to keep the weigh off. Seen some really interesting and what look to be tasty ‘simple’ recipes (I am not a cook – but, will ‘get my hands dirty’)

reshea1950 · July 2, 2020, 8:22pm

On day 5 of my water fast. Amazingly, I do feel rather good. I thought I would be shaking and then ‘move’ to break the fast. But, I do feel I can see day 6. With doing day 5, I am now in territory that I never imagined.
I can see, I am losing a little over one pound per day (the past 3 days).
I am adding a little Himalayan salt to ‘help’ a bit. Started that on day 3.

I do feel a bit sluggish. I guess that is expected. Anyway, let us see what day 6 brings…

Compdude · July 2, 2020, 10:09pm

Sounds like you have fully transitioned into ketosis. You will have days of up and down energy as your body is not used to running on fat instead of glucose. Also don’t get discouraged when you have plateau days. They are temporary as the body makes adjustments.

reshea1950 · July 3, 2020, 12:46am

Funny, I laid down today at 4:30 PM. Just felt the need to lay down and sleep. 3 hrs later — Woke up feeling good.
I admit to not being discouraged (at least yet ).

I did want to fast long enough to see if, indeed, my body would use the fat – since the glucose would have been ‘used up.’ I may have reached ketosis. I’ve had that ‘funny taste’ in my mouth since day 3.
I can hear the hoarseness in my voice. These are things I had happen in prior fasts.

Whew!!! These ‘adjustments’ are certainly more than interesting…

Work does help in keeping my mind busy. Have yet to retire. I do love what I do. Computer programming/business analyst. Been fortunate enough to work from home the last three months. I do try to keep myself ‘relevant’ by taking those $10 Udemy computer related courses. Still like learning.
These things help.

At this point, since I am in ‘unknown’ territory, I am taking your advice — to take things a day at a time.
Researching to formulate plan to sustain

Compdude · July 3, 2020, 1:32am

My 1st 8 years in computers was in corporate IT: aerospace, construction engineering, entertainment, automotive and with a HMO. Worked my way up to Sr Programmer/Analyst, became a consultant, got sick of the politics and jumped into software engineering for awhile.

reshea1950 · July 3, 2020, 12:15pm

I started as a computer operator. Moved to programmer. Really a ‘generalist’ for years. I admit to really liking that. Now working for a hospital corporation. We’re looking at changing software. And, I do admit to not ‘dreading’ the conversion. I consider this yet another ‘adventure.’

On the fasting front, I felt a little nausea this morning (at the 5 1/2 day fasting period).
Thought I should stop. Get the bone broth and ease into eating. Even take a couple of days. I am one that if I try to eat as ‘normal’ too soon, I will have a ‘problem.’
Thinking I should use this to put into place a dietary plan to not gain the weight back.

Came back a few hours later—I did use a tiny bit of Himalayan salt — That did help. I That ‘little nausea’ feeling is gone… I can now continue with the fast. Keeping the thought – Day at a Time…

Compdude · July 3, 2020, 12:46pm

Conversions are definitely an adventure. The fun is in the analysis and laying out the implementation plan. Then comes the hard part, the implementation. That’s when Murphy’s Law usually rears his/her mischievous head called “human error” aka human stupidity.

Memorable ones I’ve suffered through:

24 hour data backup job that got accidentally interrupted at the 23rd hour during the operators shift and the previous shift forgot to inform the new guys about the job running in the background. So of course when they flushed out the RAM there went the backup! The consultant almost committed workplace homicide right there! LOL
Had another long backup job running at Paramount Pictures. The Project Manager decided to login and check things out. She accidentally deleted it and had her login taken away. LOL

Glad you are feeling better. Nothing a little salt can’t cure!

reshea1950 · July 3, 2020, 10:22pm

My best conversion story is when the Windows-based UI ‘broke’ on the Saturday of when we scheduled to go live on Monday.
The consultant was on the phone with the software that night. I believe we just ‘caved’ and went with the text-based UI.
This was in '97. Quite frankly, the network ‘horsepower’ was not there to really handle heavy graphics that the application required. All of the ‘training’ was based on the Windows-based UI.

You can imagine the fallout from that – But, that is where we were – and moved with a ‘lightweight’ text based UI.
A few years later, I did get the chance to tell the project ‘sponsor’ that that ‘breakage’ was the best thing that happened. I believe, even the software vendor was holding ‘breath’ as to whether things would work. The text-based UI performed quickly. I believe the network would have ‘choked’ on the heavy graphics UI.

Fasting: I believe I will make this the last day. It’s about 5:00PM… That makes it a full 6 days. I am feeling inside that I better stop. Will be getting the chicken broth and other ‘light’ things to get the eating engine going. Will look to eat such that I do not gain the weight back.
Of course, I will (and research) how to proceed from here.

My ‘spirits’ are buoyed that I could lose nearly 9 pounds over 8 days.
I am within about 15 pounds of 170 (a goal) to get to a ‘healthy’ BMI.
And want to stay within that ‘marker.’

My ‘goal’ of 7 days – laudable — But, I know I have hit the limit — this time…
I absolutely do not feel bad about not getting the 7 days ‘goal’… Heck… I got this far:smile:

reshea1950 · July 11, 2020, 4:51am

I did go through a 48 hour fast (Thurs and Friday) this week.
I could tell after about 20 hours, I start getting that ‘funny taste’ in my mouth. Fasting mouth?
Had to ‘push through’ hunger on the 2nd day. I believe that was due to my ‘knowing’ the cafeteria was nearby. I went into work for the first time in almost 4 months. My going to work on Friday (July 10) was what kinda’ made be fast beyond 24 hours – and do another day. Yes, it was ‘not easy.’
Everyone here knows ‘fasting is not easy.’

Feel I need to ‘regularize’ my fasting. And look at getting the diet right.
Ah!! Goals. Just will keep pushing forward.

Miramar · July 11, 2020, 1:44pm

Could be keto breath kicking in?

Great job getting through 2 days!

I will debate with you on the belief that “fasting is not easy.” That’s a programming. Its getting easier and easier as I go. Think of it like a new sport you are in training for. There’s a learning curve and then it can become 2nd nature.