Will my weight stabilize at some point during prolong fast 21+ days? Naturally lean guy, and have done 16 days at most

Hello
I’ve completed 13,16, and most recently 12 day water fast. During each experience, detox symptoms were intense although I have a healthy diet. What are your thoughts on salt water flushes during fast? Also, if you’ve completed 21 + days, will body weight stabilize at some point?

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I don’t think they’re necessary. Since Oct 27th of last year, I’ve completed one 40-day and three 21-day fasts. From research and experience, you go full autophagy after 7 days. Autophagy will rejuvenate senescence cells throughout the body (including the GI tract wall) or force unsalvageable cells into apoptosis (programmed cell death). Also your liver will crank up production of homeostatic stem cells that use protein during refeed to repopulate the major organs (including the GI tract was) with new cells.

Personally I have experienced better digestion, faster and more frequent bowel movements.

Hope this answers your questions.

Thanks. I would like to fast again. Since I’ve just completed 12 day fast and have lost 12 pounds, is it wise to fully regain initial weight before next fast?

No. The #1 rule of thumb is a refeed half the length of the fast to give time for the body to recover as fasting, by its nature, is stressful to the body. It shouldn’t be based on weight regain.

Understood. Thanks for the input. During your 40 day fast, did you steadily lose weight? My only concern, if 170lbs is my natural weight, I would drop to 130 during a 40 day fast. It’s a little daunting to envision. Have you experienced any complications during prolonged fast? And how did you feel during days 20 to 40? Were you completely emaciated or could you function and still work?

Thank you

FAQ #2

Q1. During your 40 day fast, did you steadily lose weight?
A1. No. I hit some plateaus. One day I gained 2 pounds. Overall I lost 41 pounds.

Q2. My only concern, if 170lbs is my natural weight, I would drop to 130 during a 40 day fast. It’s a little daunting to envision.
A2. Why would you want to drop below your natural weight? I’m assuming “natural weight” means your target healthy weight.

Q3. Have you experienced any complications during prolonged fast?
A3. The only complication I ran into was when I was going through serious detoxification. I have compromised kidneys due to having Chronic Kidney Disease. The 1st detox episode made my kidneys work overtime and it felt like someone had kicked me in the lower back. The pain went away as the episode only lasted 1 day. I had 2 more detox episodes and my kidneys got used to it as each succeeding episode was less painful.

Q4. How did you feel during days 20 to 40?
A4. With the exception of detox days, I’d have up and down days with my energy level; but, that was primarily due to the fact that my body was not used to running on fat rather than on glucose. The final week was tough as the detoxification left residue in my stomach that combined with the acetone (a keytone) made me puke out the liquid from esophagus. Each time that happened I felt better immediately.

Q5. Were you completely emaciated?
A5. With a BMI of 43.3 defined as morbidly obese, even with dropping 41 pounds I was still overweight. So there was no way I would become emaciated.

Q6. Could you function and still work?
A6. Yes, except for that initial difficult detox day. I should note that I work from home and control my schedule. So when I became fatigued I could take a quick nap.

NOTE: If you are considering going beyond your personal record of 12 days, I would aim for a 21 day fast. The ONLY reason I did a 40-day was I had spent 2 months building up my body through breaking my refined carbohydrate addiction, doing increasingly stricter Intermittent Fasting schedules up to OMAD (One Meal a Day) and then 4, 5 & 7 day fasts.

I did the 40-day water fast (only water and a daily 1 to 2 mile walk) as a final Boss Challenge to myself. As a Type A, I get motivated tackling Mt Everest-type challenges. Of course it occasionally gets me in trouble! LOL

Hope this answers all of your questions.

Thanks for answering each question.

My natural weight, meaning I weigh 170 lbs when I’m not fasting. I’m naturally lean. Should I try to gain healthy weight prior to a prolonged fast to compensate for loss of weight? Also, would it be safe to drop to roughly 130 pounds if I were to fast 40 days.?

I have gone 16 days before and lost roughly 1 pound a day.

Before answering your further questions, please answer this:

“What’s your goal?”

For myself it was to get metabolically healthy. For others its for mental health. I need a contextual framework here so I can better focus my answers.

Goal is far fetched but it is something I need to see for myself. Since a youth, I’ve had oral cold sores. I’m hoping the fast will eliminate the virus.

Not that far fetched especially as it sounds related to your immune system. I’ve seen one woman who suffered from cervical bone spurs pain for 25 years become pain-free after a 36 day fast. Another woman in the FB group alleviate symptoms from a thyroid-related illness that had been deemed incurable.

FAQ #3

Q1. Should I try to gain healthy weight prior to a prolonged fast to compensate for loss of weight?

A1. No.

The fasting process entails switching from glucose to fat for energy. Its estimated that up to 30% of lean individuals are “skinny fat”, meaning they have too much visceral fat around their organs which is a factor in compromising metabolic health. Compromised metabolic health is the other side of the coin to an impaired immune system. You’ll gain weight back when you go into refeed, some from regaining lost water weight, some from new cells replacing cannibalized dead cells from the fast and the rest as your body strives to get back to its natural body set point.

Q2. Also, would it be safe to drop to roughly 130 pounds if I were to fast 40 days?

A2. Since you are looking to address a condition related to your immune system, I don’t think you need to take as long a prolonged fast as most of the members here. Instead you may want to consider a series of shorter fasts. For example, in January, I began a 6-month campaign “6-pack at 60” whose goal was to get in the same physical shape I was when I was 18. I accomplished that with 3 21-day fasts interspersed with 10-day refeeds and 30-day workout phases.

Ok, maybe I’ll try the three 21 day fast.

How have you refed your body once breaking fast. Of the three times I fasted I feel I did not refeed correctly, eating solids too quickly and feeling sick.

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First of all, I should note I have an iron clad stomach.

With that said, after my 40-day I did Vegetable & Beef soup for 3 days before eating anything solid. I’ve noticed that my body gets better at metabolic switching with each succeeding refeed. The refeed after my latest 21-day fast I started with cottage cheese & blueberries and a croissant for my 1st meal, 2nd meal was vegetable & beef soup & a handful of chips. 3rd meal was peanuts.

From what I’ve observed its something you have to figure out for yourself as everyone seems to have their own refeed plan. Here’s a good alternative that was posted by a friend of mine and which was endorsed by Yasemine:

I do have an additional question unrelated to discussion. In the near future, I may need to have labrum repair surgery on shoulder. Would it be wise to fast during recovery to minimize inflammation and reinforce healing in shoulder?