Hey, I have done 48h and 72h fast and I can’t find any answers to: what is the difference for the body or for the effects like healing if the cells etc, when I fast for e.g. 3 days with 0 calories vs when I fast with e.g. 400 calories.
The idea is: I want to keep a bit more muscle AND more importantly, I can not sleep when I don’t eat. I go into full hunting mode and I will not rest until I eat.
So I want to try 400 but I dont’t know if this will have any of the awesome benefits except “losing weight because calories in vs calories out”.
Thanks already for your wisdom :D
You can do omad. That way you’re getting a long fasting period to lower insulin. You’ll still see benefits. The reason you can’t sleep is adrenaline and reduced melatonin/ serotonin. But it’s ok, just inconvenient. You’ll be fine with a bit less sleep.
I have a serious medical condition. Zero calories is extremely hard on me, so I typically do what I call “semi fasting.” Basically what you are talking about.
I saw info once somewhere that if you drop your calorie intake by about 80 percent, your body decides you are starving and you see some of the same changes as you would with fasting.
My condition has improved with “semi fasting.”
I recommend you keep a food journal and experiment with it. What it theoretically should do according to some study is less valuable knowledge than what it actually in fact does do for you in practice.
In my experience, consuming fats and proteins but not carbs seems to help sustain the “starvation” metabolism while taking the edge off the misery that I endure when I fast.
400 calories is more than enough to cause a dramatic drop off in the heightened HGH endocrine release.
What you are doing is not fasting.
You are in a severe calorie restriction diet.
The body react EXTREMELY different to the two modes.
Not only does the body drop your metabolism to the floor in accordance with the rations - but the body resumes eating your muscles (since theyre no longer protected by HGH), and your body never fully reaches the proper autophagy phase.
This is not sustainable, and its not really healthy.
You might as well just fast properly, or eat normally.
If you’re trying to lose weight a slight, slow calorie deficit is the way if fasting is not for you.
I know ignorant people think fasting is hard and dangerous… But 400 calories /day… Now THATS dangerous.
I want to second u/explorer1357. 400 cal will undermine a lot of the best effects of IF. If you’re having difficulty falling asleep, try Citravarin. Its a non-stimulent appetite suppressant that I take on overnight fasts. Really cuts my hunger and makes it easier to sleep.
OP, yes, I cannot fast and sleep. Notwithstanding what anyone says. Unless I am post surgery, etc. But my understanding is that extremely low cal is terrible starvation and not a solution….I will be interested in the responses.