Sky's Daily Journal

[Sky]

Hi! I’m Sky…or that’s my internet name, anyway. I’m a yoyo dieter and never can seem to keep weight off. I’m in my 50s and have been dieting since my teen years. Usually, I reach my goal and don’t even keep the weight off a week. My longest lasting weight loss was with hcg where I maintained my loss for several years. I’m used to fasting for 24 hrs several times a year for religious reasons. Longer fasts are new to me within the past couple months. In searching the internet for more information, I found Yasemin’s youtube videos and was inspired.

My reason for fasting is to fit into a smaller size clothing so I don’t feel so self consciously large, to lessen or eliminate some joint and knee pain that is getting more severe with age and weight gain, to learn some self discipline, and to deepen my spiritual and prayer life. I’d also like to learn to control my bingeing.

My goal is to get to 135-140lbs.

My biggest challenge is simply lack of discipline and a love of eating a lot. I also have some health issues which make consistent exercise challenging and may make me have to limit my time fasting. I’ll learn more about what my body can handle as I incorporate longer and longer fasts.

I plan to experiment with some different lengths of fasts before determining a set plan. I’d like to work my way up to doing at least one long fast of 21 days.

[Sky]

A review of my recent fast experiences for my own record:

July 2-5 I did a 72 hour fast with no issues except a need for an afternoon nap. Surprised at how easy this was as I was expecting more hunger. I’m sure there will be days…

July 12 I began a 36 hour fast and then decided to keep going a few more days. The first 2 days, I had absolutely zero hunger or other ill effects except I needed an afternoon nap on the 2nd day. I was quite busy those days and just didn’t even think about eating. I did have a cup of black coffee the 2nd day at work. Day 3 I developed a headache and some dizziness. I was still able to keep my normal activities. That night, I couldn’t sleep due to increasing joint discomfort/pain. In the morning that lessened dramatically, but I was still headachey. On Day 4, I was enervated, dizzy, weak. I started to really want to eat, but can’t say I was hungry. I managed a shorter walk than usual and also went to the grocery store, but spent most of the day on the couch. That night, my joints again became painful. Day 5, I was too weak to function and also hungry, weak, dizzy, nauseous. I broke my fast, 4 hours shy of completing 5 days, with some broth, 1/4 avocado, bite of kimchee and a few celery and carrot slices leftover from making the broth. Day 6 I was still very weak with some dizziness. I had broth, 1 egg, 1 bacon, 1/4 avocado, a small portion liver and some soft vegetables that day. Day 7, I was still feeling a little off, but almost normal. Day 8 I was back to normal. Lesson: try to get in ketosis or at least closer to it before starting another longer fast.

Post dinner July 21 to breakfast July 23 39 hour fast. Easy peasy. Super full of energy these days.

Today, I began another 36 hour fast. I’m struggling with not drinking coffee. I am an addict, but I want to have only water today.

I plan to fast 72 hours each week for a while. I’m vacillating between MWF 24 hour fasts or two 36 hour fasts or one 3 day fast. I may just mix that up and try all of them. And bigger goal is to eat responsibly on non-fast days. Goal is to lose 1-2 lbs a week.

[Sky]

Fasting today. Goal is to try 5 days again. I’ve had a lot more energy than usual post fast, but expecting extreme fatigue/dizziness by day 3 or 4 again so I’ll plan to spend most of my time doing nothing this week. I bought some Gerolsteiner water to see if the calcium/magnesium in that helps. I have trace mineral drops, too if needed, and supplements. I lost about 10 lbs on my previous 5 day fast and gained 3 lbs back after which made me very happy. I’m hoping for some similar result this time.

I noticed a small cyst I have had on my back for about 15 years has disappeared and a weird purple veiny spot I’ve had on my tongue for a couple years is also almost gone. I’m attributing both to the fasting.

[Sky]

Day 2 is going well. I’m not hungry yet. I slept very well last night. I’m feeling a little lazy today. Weight is 173.6. My allergies are acting up this morning. I’m hoping this fast helps lessen them.

[Natalie]

Good luck on Day 2 Sky. I am on Day 1 so you are 1 day ahead of me.
I’m very excited about this.

[Sky]

Thanks Natalie. Good luck to you, too.

On to day 3; 171.2 lbs. I’m feeling better than I expected. I’m very lethargic so far this morning, but I don’t feel weak or dizzy. I have to go to work today so I hope I don’t get weak as the day goes on. Still hoping to make it past day 5 this time.

My “seasonal” allergies are just out of control. Last night my body went crazy with sneezing, itching, runny nose etc. I even got a little rash on my neck and my lips started to swell up a little. I stopped taking Claritin about 3 weeks ago thinking the fasting might help my allergies and it has. This morning, I’m somewhat better, but I still have a runny nose and my ear has some fluid in it. I’m hoping all that is just a detox or herxheimer crisis…one enormous blast of allergies while my body releases toxins. I have had that sort of thing happen in the past.

I didn’t sleep well, in part because of the allergies and in part because my new upstairs neighbor decided 1:30am was a good time to be moving furniture around. And also, I got up about 5 times to go to the bathroom. I’m fine with lots of noise from a new neighbor while they’re settling in and getting furniture in the right place and pictures on the walls, but the middle of the night is a really bad time to do that.

[Myhnabird]

I’m glad you’re taking electrolytes. That weakness, etc you described on day 4 sounds like you’re a little low…

[Sky]

Yes, I take mag at night and potassium several times throughout the day. I also take some Himalayan salt. My body responds better to gray salt, but pink is what I have in the cupboard right now. I’ve been drinking Gerolsteiner water this time because it has quite a few electrolytes in it. I think it is helping. From past experiences with hcg, the dizziness tends to pass after 5-7 days, but I do get faint/dizzy no matter the electrolytes up until that point.

[Sky]

Day 4 and a long workday ahead. It should be mildly physically strenuous, but mostly just long. And I’m out of practice after 4 months. 169.6 this morning. Yay, a new “decade”. I feel tired, but not exhausted or dizzy and only a little weak. So much better than last fast. Keto strip is darkest color.

[Sky]

Just about completed day 5. I’m not sure when I’ll break my fast as 5 days was my original goal, but I’ll just keep going until I feel it’s time to stop. I found at work my biggest problem was worrying that I was going to be too dizzy or weak to work, but I was okay. I have felt days 3-5 about how I felt on day 3 of my last fast. I’ve been a little tired, had some occasional dizziness and weakness, but mostly felt okay. I was also having difficulty figuring out how much water to drink while traveling and I forgot how dry Denver is so I got a little dehydrated there. I’m glad to be home now for a couple more days of just relaxing.

My brain won’t turn off, but I’m not concentrating very well. I’ve had some nausea on and off since yesterday afternoon. I’m a little hungry today. When I had my temperature taken at work this morning, the temperature-taker lady stopped me in concern and retook it. It was 94.2. I took it later and it was my normal-for-an-electronic-thermometer 96 point something. With a mercury thermometer, I can usually get it up to the high 97s.

I keep reading that after day 5 things get easier. I’m looking forward to tomorrow to see if things are better, worse or the same.

[Sky]

The nausea of the past couple days got to me. I’m breaking my fast in a few minutes. I have some broth thawing and as soon as I can get it out of the jar and into the pan, I’m eating (or sipping). I made it 132 hours or 5 1/2 days, my longest fast and my weight is 165.6. My goal is to keep it in the 160s during my refeed. I lost about 17 lbs in July which is absolutely amazing. I’m wearing some summer linen pants today I haven’t been able to fit into for a long time. I have a spot on my forehead of precancerous skin that I get frozen off every few years. It’s been time to visit the dermatologist to get that taken care of again. Yesterday, that whole area flaked off. I’ll wait a few days and see if it might have resolved itself…I truly hope so, but it seems to good to be true.

Goal going forward is to lose 10 lbs a month for the next 3 months. That sounds too ambitious to me right now, but I’ll give it a try. I plan to use shorter fasts of 1-3 days.

[Sky]

I seem to feel worse the day or two after my fast than I do fasting. Maybe it’s my precarious health and I shouldn’t stress my body by fasting longer than a day or three. I was both really nauseous and really hungry yesterday. I ate about 3x as much as I planned and still was awake half the night because I was so hungry. I was also super dizzy all day and could barely get off the couch. Today, I’m still lethargic, but feeling better. I decided to skip church because I’m not sure I should be driving yet. Sent a text I wouldn’t be volunteering at church today and got a reply, “OK, see you soon.” Hmmm.

I had too big a breakfast, but I’m finally not hungry. Yesterday’s menu was bone broth, kimchee, an egg, some Budgetbytes spinach-mushroom ramen soup with zoodles instead of ramen, oysters, 1/3 avocado and a cauliflower wrap. Strange conglomeration of food, but it worked ok. Today, I had a baked egg in creamed spinach for breakfast with bone broth. I was planning a salad and BLT on cauli wrap for lunch, but haven’t gotten around to it. And will have liver for dinner with some vegetable. I like the great nutrition of liver for a refeed.

[Myhnabird]

Sounds like you handled your refeed really well - it’s all about listening to our bodies, isn’t it?

[Sky]

Was 169 this morning. Kind of expecting it after a pretty heavy menu with a lot of dairy yesterday, but now I need to be careful not to go higher. I’m feeling much more normal today. Did a 3 1/2 mile walk on the beach and enjoyed the dolphins. I’ll probably have 2 meals today…late breakfast and early-ish dinner. I’m not good at OMAD, but TMAD works for me.

[Sky]

Doing my usual 36 hour Wed fast today. I had pizza and a margarita yesterday and gained too much, also knocked myself out of ketosis. Back on the wagon today.

[Miramar]

Are you a rocks and salt like me?

I bartended at a southwest restaurant years ago and had to squeeze all the limes as it was all a homemade mix. I got spoiled and now have to make my own. If we ever meet I’ll make you one.

I’m a vodka girl at heart, but once in a blue moon I switch it up.

[Sky]

I usually prefer them frozen at my favorite Mexican restaurant. But this one was a pre-made bottle of Jose Cuervo I had in the refrigerator, on the rocks. I’m not a big drinker. I probably should have had a nice glass of red wine and saved the sugary cocktails for some night out. Except I haven’t had a night out since early March.

Oh well, 170.6 this morning.

[Sky]

169.0 this morning. I’ll do a 5 day fast this coming week, tentatively starting Wednesday.

[Sky]

Started Tuesday. Committed to 5 days.

[Sky]

167.6 this morning. Yesterday was unpleasant which has not been my day 1 experience in the past. I spent most of the day in bed or on the couch except for my daily walk. I had a vicious headache, chills and bad allergies. I did start to drink a cup of coffee, but started getting nausea. I wonder if I’m getting sick since that all seems like a weird reaction for the first day of a fast.