S2E8 21-Day Dreams Fast Journal

[Compdude]

Day 1/10 - ReFeed

Weight gain/loss: +3 lbs Total gain/loss: 3 lbs
BGL (Blood Glucose Level): +5 above Normal
IE/TRE: No fasting
Energy: ( In Pain, Tired, Ok, Strong)
Exercise: Rest

Personal Section:

Day 1:

Yesterday:

6am: Cottage cheese w/blueberries, a croissant and a handful of salt/vinegar chips. 1/2 cup of coffee w/stevia

Noon: Homemade vegetable & beef soup & chips

6pm: Peanuts

1. Per MaryAnn’s request I’m documenting my refeed.

2. Still tired today as body’s converting those stem cells. I caught up on some of my lack of sleep with an afternoon nap. I woke up hungry. Resisted the urge to binge on chips and instead ate peanuts to keep feeding the body protein.

3. Looking at the calendar it looks like July 26th is when I start fasting again to burn off the loose skin after my standard 10-day refeed and 30-day workout phases.

4. Having now done 4 prolonged fasts I know that my body will replenish its glycogen stores. This is normal and healthy. For me its about 10 to 11 pounds of water weight. I’m going to need that glycogen, especially the ones stored in the muscles when I start working out again.

Exercise Section

Still fatigued. Taking today off and probably tomorrow also.

Sat 6/13 - Rest
Sun 6/14 - Rest

Speaking

Will work on the PowerPoints today.

Writing

Postponed until 6/14.

NASM CEU Course:

Postponed until 6/14.

Water Fasting Warriors

1. Tomorrow follow-up with graphics artist on logo.

2. Haven’t heard from Parsons HR. Follow-up Monday.

3. Email follow-up to Registered Dietician. Too mentally tired yesterday to compose a coherent inquiry.

[Compdude]

Project Plan: Burning Off Loose Skin

[Miramar]

I’m curious about the carbs and cheese on your refeed first day.

Was that a keto croissant?
Not too early for cheese?
And tell me more about those salt and vinegar chips please

I have a rock iron stomach, but not sure how my stomach is going to do after this fast.

Never went this long without eating.

[Compdude]

If you have a cast iron stomach like me, you are one of the lucky one! LOL.

First of all, I did my research into Keto. It offers benefits but it has several issues:

1. It doesn’t address the fact that our diverse gut biome requires a wide variety of carbohydrates, some of which are verboten under keto guidelines.

2. I think to goes to some extremes on some of the recipes. From my experience as a computer systems designer and a personal trainer, if something is NOT simple it’s NOT sustainable.

3. I believe the real issue is refined carbohydrate addiction (specifically HFCS) reinforced by the 5 to 6 small meals a day propaganda and by the deluge of food commercial that have trained us like Pavlov’s dogs to get hungry.

With that out of the way as context:

1. Regularly buttery Costco croissant
2. Gluten-free salt and vinegar chips

And as you can see, eating the occasional refined carb has NOT stopped me from achieving my goals. Our bodies are VERY resilient. The issue is the refined carb addiction which causes cravings during a fast and binges on refeed.

NOTE: This is my 4th refeed after a prolonged fast of a minimum 21-days. My body has adapted. Another example of the adaptation is I didn’t have a single bowel movement during the recent fast. Then had my 1st bowel movement yesterday at the end of my 1st refeed day. Think the body is getting smart knowing when its going into fast.

Sorry, got on my soap box there! LOL

[Miramar]

Good to hear!

I agree about the keto thing. Not sustainable long term (part of why I gained back my 77 lbs I lost long ago).

I was eating about 600-800 calories a day, and walking 3 miles every day.

Had trouble keeping my fat up. I’m not big on red meat and ate a lot of chicken, eggs, and tuna.

I was eating every day though.

Fasting makes more sense. I don’t typically eat breakfast. Do love half n half in my coffee, and that was a regular morning ritual. Coffee time will just have to be every other day.

I like freedom in the kitchen as well when I’m cooking.

[H2Oat5280]

Congratulations on your great feat! Very impressive planning and documentation. Sounds like you know your body well and have the process nailed down! Your results are insane! Well done! Very inspiring. I’ll be watching you for sure!

[Compdude]

It’s one thing we computer nerds do well. Planning and documentation.

[Compdude]

Day 2/10 - ReFeed

Weight gain/loss: +8 lbs Total gain/loss: 11 lbs
BGL (Blood Glucose Level): +13 above Normal
IE/TRF: No fasting
Energy: ( In Pain, Tired, Ok, Strong)
Exercise: Rest

Personal Section:

Day 2:

Yesterday:

6:30am: Cottage cheese w/blueberries and a croissant. A cup of coffee w/stevia and cinnamon.

9:30am: Homemade vegetable & beef soup & walnuts

1:30pm: Homemade vegetable & beef soup & almonds

9pm: Peanuts

1. I’m seeing a common pattern that ALWAYS happens early on in my refeeds; especially after the last two 21-day fasts. I tried to research it to confirm it which included the latest overview of Intermittent Fasting by the New England Medical Journal (published 12/26/19 - updated 2/2/20). Instead I was told to look to Europe for research into Prolonged Fasting as it was acknowledged by NEJM they had more experience.

Anyway, I’m calling the process DOCC (Delayed Onset Cell Creation). Taken after DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) from the exercise world, it’s the process where stem cells are converted into new cells. The visible symptoms are fatigue immediately after eating a meal, increased bowel movement and elevated blood glucose (transporting ATP energy molecules produced from the liver increasing required for new cell creation). Similar to the phenomenon where new muscle cells require a lot of energy for creation and is delayed during a prolonged fast, its the same for conversion of stem cells.

The hypothesis explains the hunger for protein rather than carbohydrates during this time and one of the reasons for rapid weight gain (along with water weight).

Again, the length of the process varies fast to fast. During the refeed after the 2nd 21-day fast, it was a process that lasted 4 days where at times I was having 2 bowel movements a day.

So far, this began the evening of the 1st day of refeed. The earliest its ever started. I credit that to the fact from my body becoming more facile in metabolic switching from experience.

I’ll run my hypothesis by the USC medical school endocrinologist and see what he has to say.

2. Got the email confirmation that I WILL have a face-to-face appointment with my primary physician this Tuesday at 11:30am instead of the proposed phone consultation.

Seeing the look on his skeptical face when he sees the results both from my blood panels and the body transformation is something I’m looking forward to. Will try to get a nurse to take a picture with the doctor.

Exercise Section

Not as tired but taking today off to give as much of my body’s energy to new cell creation.

Sat 6/13 - Rest
Sun 6/14 - Rest
Mon 6/15 - ?
Tue 6/16 - 1.8 mile walk to primary physician’s office

Speaking

1. Careful reading of New England Journal of Medicine overview article on Intermittent Fasting published December last year to make sure all of the science in my PowerPoints is current since this is a rapidly developing field.

2. Created 2nd draft or PowerPoint #2

3. Minor revisions to PowerPoint #1

Writing

Postponed until 6/14.

NASM CEU Course:

Downloaded the NASM documentation on CE course content review criteria, scope of practice and content provider requirements and reviewed them.

Water Fasting Warriors

1. Graphics artist sick yesterday. Will follow-up tonight.

2. Follow-up Monday, Parsons HR

3. Email follow-up to Registered Dietician today. Delayed this because I got wrapped up in the Speaking projects.

[Miramar]

Just looked this up - apparently our stem cells can also replicate themselves. That is promising.

[Compdude]

Source of information?

[Miramar]

https://dolly.roslin.ed.ac.uk/facts/stem-cells-faqs/index.html

[Compdude]

Day 3/10 - ReFeed

Weight gain/loss: +5 lbs Total gain/loss: 16 lbs
BGL (Blood Glucose Level): Forgot
IE/TRF: No fasting
Energy: ( In Pain, Tired, Ok, Strong)
Exercise: Rest

Personal Section:

Day 3:

Yesterday:

7:30am: Cottage cheese w/blueberries and a croissant. A cup of coffee w/stevia and cinnamon.

1:30pm: Homemade vegetable & beef soup & walnuts

6pm: Cashews & chips

1. Guess I better address the elephant in the room. 16 pounds weight gain in 3 days. I’m NOT freaked out about it as most people would. Keep in mind, at least 11 pounds of it is water weight. At this point, I should reveal I’m conducting a larger and longer experiment of which the recently completed 6-month “6-pack at 60” is just one part of.

2. Energy level is picking up but not enough yet to re-start my daily walk. Will wait until tomorrow when I make the .9 mile hike to my primary physician’ office. Will celebrate by stopping on the way back for a Chipotle burrito with chips and salsa at the grocery store.

Exercise Section

One more day off.

Sat 6/13 - Rest
Sun 6/14 - Rest
Mon 6/16 - Rest
Tue 6/16 - 1.8 mile walk to primary physician’s office

Speaking

1. Revisions to PowerPoint #2

2. Minor revisions to PowerPoint #1
   NOTE: Waiting on comments from USC endocrinologist

Writing

1. Finishing up research into latest developments into the topic of autophagy.

2. Completed research into getting rid of loose skin from weight loss due to fasting. Working on a write up that I’ll post soon as its my process to make sure my understanding is comprehensive. Look forward to the feedback.

NASM CEU Course:

Downloaded the NASM documentation on CE course content review criteria, scope of practice and content provider requirements and reviewed them.

Water Fasting Warriors

1. Graphics artist sick and burnt-out. Told him to follow up with me when he feels better.

2. Follow-up later today with Parsons HR

3. Follow-up with Chief Scientist at Intermedia, Tuesday.

4. Received email response from Registered Dietician. Not a match. She’s interested in the application of Eastern medicine. Said thanks, but no thanks. I do have a better lead but I’m going to nail down a few things on my end before approaching her. First, her office is only 2 miles away. Second, besides being an RD she is board certified in Renal Nutrition: diabetes and kidney health. I looked up her rates compared to other local RDs. She’s the most expensive because of her specialization and busy with local hospitals.

[Compdude]

Day 4/10 - ReFeed

Weight gain/loss: +2 lbs Total gain/loss: 18 lbs
BGL (Blood Glucose Level): Normal
IE/TRF: No fasting
Energy: ( In Pain, Tired, Ok, Strong)
Exercise: 1.8 mile walk

Personal Section:

Day 4:

Yesterday:

5:30am: Cottage cheese w/blueberries and 2 pandesal (Filipino sweet bread rolls). A cup of coffee w/stevia and cinnamon.

10:30am: Homemade Chicken Caesar Salad, walnuts, almonds & peanuts

2:30pm: Chicken Caesar Salad

6pm: Peanuts

Figured out where the rest of the weight gain is coming from. Added lean muscle mass from the workouts I did during the fast. I noticed in the mirror that my upper arms have more definition and less loose skin. I’ve known intellectually this would happen based on my research but to personally experience it is something else.

As I started the hike to my doctor’s office this morning, I could still a bit of a continuing energy drain in stem cell conversion and adding the delayed lean muscle mass. However, I think I’m finishing up this accelerated re-building phase as I only added 2lbs this morning. However, today is the 2nd day in a row of 2 bowel movements per day. Its not finished yet!

Visit with primary physician went as well as expected. The nurse told me after getting looked over, the doctor said it was like looking at a different person. Another skeptic won over!

Exercise Section

Knee was achy on the walk. I attribute that to the long layoff. Otherwise, its safe to say I can resume my daily walks.

Sat 6/13 - Rest
Sun 6/14 - Rest
Mon 6/16 - Rest
Tue 6/16 - 1.8 mile walk to primary physician’s office
Wed 6/17 - 1 mile walk

Speaking

1. Will work on #2 today in preparation for my evaluation session with my professional speaker mentor tomorrow morning.

2. USC endocrinologist promised to review #1 this week. He’s also very pleased with my latest blood panels and the 6-Pack result to goal picture comparison.

Writing

1. Need to create my speaking notes for #2

2. Need to write the loose skin post.

NASM CEU Course:

On hold for now

Water Fasting Warriors

1. Graphics artist and I finalized the logo and logo with text. What do you guys and gals think?

2. Postponed until tomorrow with Parsons HR

3. Postponed until tomorrow with Chief Scientist at Intermedia,

[Compdude]

Day 5/10 - ReFeed

Weight gain/loss: +3 lbs Total gain/loss: 21 lbs
BGL (Blood Glucose Level): +6 above
IE/TRF: No fasting
Energy: ( In Pain, Tired, Ok, Strong)
Exercise: 1 walk

Personal Section:

Day 5:

Yesterday:

6am: Cottage cheese w/blueberries and 2 pandesal (Filipino sweet bread rolls). A cup of coffee w/stevia and cinnamon.

1:30pm: Chipotle burrito, chips & salsa, Orange Creme & Diet Cokes, Snickers candy bar & toffee peanuts

9pm: Cashews

Really celebrated the doctor’s visit. Oh btw, here’s the proof the body’s been adding the delayed lean muscle mass created during the fast. Not quite up to Jason Momoa’s Triceps standards as judged by Betty White; but, I’ll get there!

Exercise Section

Yesterday, I pushed the pace too much on the walk fueled by adrenaline in looking to see my doctor’s reaction. This morning slowed it down quite a bit. Also the sugar hangover and working hard on PowerPoint #2 into early this morning factors in my fatigue.

Sat 6/13 - Rest
Sun 6/14 - Rest
Mon 6/16 - Rest
Tue 6/16 - 1.8 mile walk to primary physician’s office
Wed 6/17 - 1 mile walk
Thu 6/18 - 1 mile walk

Speaking

Got a lot of work done on PowerPoint #2. Just a light review and I’ll be ready for my professional speaker mentor’s Zoom evaluation at 11am later this morning.

Writing

1. Working on this still - speaking notes for #2

2. Need to write the loose skin post.

NASM CEU Course:

On hold for now

Water Fasting Warriors

BREAKING DEVELOPMENT

1. Early yesterday, I got an email notification that my EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) application was out of the queue and being processed by the US government Small Business Administration. Its been months since I filed. I had forgotten about it. Early evening I got another email from an SBA employee asking for supporting business documentation. “Wow!” I thought. “That was fast.” So I sent the required docs back within the hour. This morning I got another email requesting my bank info so they can deposit the money. So I jumped all over it after I got back from my walk.

What’s great about this is that despite the title there is a grant part and a loan part. I only applied for the grant meaning I don’t have to pay it back.

I was just wondering how I was going to rustle up money for the trademark filing application fee and BOOM! Here it is. Guess the old adage is TRUE!

“The harder I work. The luckier I get!”

• Samuel Goldwyn - Hollywood Film Producer

[Miramar]

You are manifesting! Awesome work!

[Compdude]

Day 6/10 - ReFeed

Weight gain/loss: +3 lbs Total gain/loss: 24 lbs
BGL (Blood Glucose Level): +14 above
IE/TRF: No fasting
Energy: ( In Pain, Tired, Ok, Strong)
Exercise: .5 walk

Personal Section:

Day 6:

Yesterday:

5:30am: Cottage cheese w/blueberries and 2 pandesal. A cup of coffee w/stevia and cinnamon.

9:30am: 2 McDonalds Sausage McMuffins & 2 hash browns.

3:30pm: Orange cream soda, toffee peanuts & cashews.

9pm: Peanuts

Broke nutrition discipline as this was an unscheduled break. Couldn’t turn down a free breakfast from family.

Discovered that my challenge comes from being happily focused on a creative project, losing track of time, getting hungry and reverting back to computer nerd grazing habits. Too busy to slow down for the time-consuming task of preparing a nutritious meal. Next month will stock up on healthy low carb snacks for times like this.

Exercise Section

Walked to the Toastmasters meeting this morning. After giving a 25 minute PowerPoint presentation and handling a 15 minute Q&A piled on top of updating my PowerPoint the last couple of days first in preparation of an evaluation by my professional speaker mentor and then integrating his suggestions into this morning’s version just wiped me out so just hitched a ride home than walking the 1/2 mile back.

Sat 6/13 - Rest
Sun 6/14 - Rest
Mon 6/16 - Rest
Tue 6/16 - 1.8 mile walk to primary physician’s office
Wed 6/17 - 1 mile walk
Thu 6/18 - .5 mile walk
Fri 6/19 - 1 mile walk

Speaking

My mentor’s evaluation was short and to the point. Since I handled the hard task of developing the structure of my Zoom PowerPoint presentation 2 weeks ago, it was easier creating Part 2.

Had two members of the forum attend. The feedback was positive.

Next Steps:

1. Still waiting on endocrinologist review of PowerPoint #1
2. Start tackling requirements to become a Qualified Speaker with the Inland Empire’s Speakers Bureau.

Writing

1. Need to revise my notes so I have in one place all the latest on autophagy research.

2. Changed my mind on writing a single post. Instead I’ll apportion the contents over the Daily Journal entries of my next 21-day fast for the “Cannibalization of Loose Skin Campagn” which will officially begins with the preceding 30-day workout phase that begins in 4 days.

NASM CEU Course:

On hold for now

Water Fasting Warriors

1. Received official SBA notice that my EIDL grant application was approved. Just a matter of the funds showing up in my business account.

2. Phone meeting from an old Pasadena Jaycees friend of mine from my community volunteering days. He’s a high-end financial advisor. I updated him on what I’m doing and where I thought he could help me leveraging his investor network. He wants to attend my next Zoom presentation.

3. One of my old personal training clients reached out to me through LinkedIn. She wants me to give career advice to her daughter a newly minted kinesiology undergrad. Hmmm…reminds me of an old saying I read somewhere, “God does NOT do coincidences.” I have a Zoom meeting this Saturday with both of them.

“If you can dream it up, you can team it up.”

• Richie Norton - Author of “Resumes are Dead”

[Compdude]

Day 7/10 - ReFeed

Weight gain/loss: +1 lb Total gain/loss: 25 lbs
BGL (Blood Glucose Level): +22 above
IE/TRF: No fasting
Energy: ( In Pain, Tired, Ok, Strong)
Exercise: Rest

Personal Section:

Day 7:

Yesterday:

5:30am: Cottage cheese w/blueberries and 2 pandesal. A cup of coffee w/stevia and cinnamon.

9am: Peanuts

4:30pm: Homemade Cobb Salad & Cashews

9pm: Peanuts

Ok well deserved vacation after my 6-month long exercise in discipline is over. Weight gain has slowed to a single pound so that tells me rebuild is over which makes sense since its been a week. Also having a BGL of 122 is concerning as I haven’t had it that high since I was still diabetic. I know its temporary because of eating late at night. But still … LOL

At least yesterday I got going on the healthy eating with the Cobb salad. Today will get back on 2MAD 18:6 TRF. I still plan to take it easy for the remaining days of the refeed. As I’ve mentioned in past entries I’ve tried to short change the cycle and always regretted it.

Next 6-Month project is “Cannibalze Loose Skin Campaign.” From research, as a male I need to drop my body fat % to 9%. I don’t plan to make it my long-term body fat % as its NOT sustainable from a healthy standpoint for a busy professional who is NOT in any of the image industries. I.e. acting, broadcast news, etc.

I plan on starting the new cycle with the 30-day workout phase scheduled for Tuesday, June 23rd which places the start of my next 21-day fast at Thursday, July 23rd.

Exercise Section

Took a rest day. Had a hard time sleeping from the adrenaline rush of accomplishing so much lately and having the high BGL reading.

Sat 6/13 - Rest
Sun 6/14 - Rest
Mon 6/16 - Rest
Tue 6/16 - 1.8 mile walk to primary physician’s office
Wed 6/17 - 1 mile walk
Thu 6/18 - .5 mile walk
Fri 6/19 - Rest
Sat 6/20 - Rest

Speaking

Got an excellent evaluation from the person assigned to the Q&A part of my presentation. I requested her as she does 1 to 2 presentations a month. It will help me when I do my next Zoom presentation with a Q&A.

Got good tips from the person assigned to do the evaluation of my PowerPoint. Besides being a long-time Toastmaster she has been a professional speaker working for a time with a seminar company.

Next Steps:

1. Still waiting on endocrinologist review of PowerPoint #1
2. Start tackling requirements to become a Qualified Speaker with the Inland Empire’s Speakers Bureau.

Writing

Need to revise my notes so I have in one place all the latest on autophagy research.

NASM CEU Course:

On hold for now

Water Fasting Warriors

1. Got my EIDL money this morning. Went on a mini-shopping spree for the business which I kept classified as Personal Training one. So all my purchases made sense as business expenses:

A Basebar (Got a 10% discount from a YouTube channel I follow:

Body fat calipers for body fat measurement.

New blood pressure cuff measurement machine

Endurance Exercise Nutrition book. I read a web article by the author which made me put her book on my Amazon Wish list.

This weekend I have to watch the video series on IP protection that the US Copyright office has on their website.

This is a repeat of a video from the movie, “The Peaceful Warrior” that I felt appropriate for the day:

[H2Oat5280]

Where is the loose skin post?
LOVE the LOGO!!! Bold and Strong

[H2Oat5280]

Looking forward to June 23rd 30 day workout phase posts.

[Compdude]

Thanks about the logo. Its the 2nd iteration. The 1st iteration had a Spartan spearman. After reflecting on it, I had it replaced with a Native American Indian brave. It would better reflect its North American origins and also wanted to stress the “inner strength” of being a warrior versus the “external aggressive” character traits.

The Cannibalize Loose Skin Campaign will begin with S3E1 (Series 3 Episode 1) 30-day Strength Workout Daily Journal. As for pics, I WILL take the Before ones then. But won’t show them until the end when I do the comparison collage.