Hello, long time lurker. I’m currently 27h in my first ever 48h fast, and about to go to bed 😴 However I’m unsure how to break my fast tomorrow, so any advice would be welcomed. Here are the options I’ve been thinking about:
My 48h fast would end when I normally close my eating window. So I thought of having a light meal (boiled eggs, nuts, and a couple of fruits, a yoghurt maybe), then closing my window for my normal 18h fast until the following day.
Finishing my fast closer to 40h (I’m not that fussed about the number 48) with above light meal, then having a normal dinner before starting my usual 18h fast.
Any suggestions or amendment to the above are also welcome. I won’t be replying as it’s now sleep time but do look forward to reading any comments tomorrow when I get up.
I’d go for option 2 simply because I feel like you probably just shocked your body by doing 40hrs to begin with, so return to normalcy as soon as possible would be a good way to go after the very first. I haven’t done a 40hr yet (at least not intentionally, though I’ve been known to just lose my appetite in the past and sort of by happenstance push past 40), but I’d probably be so hungry if I try to sandwich just one meal in then go for another 18! Either option sounds good though.
When I do longer fasts (36 to 40 hours), I tend to break the fast with something light on the stomach - soft boiled eggs or a simple smoothie but in a smaller portion not a giant smoothie cup (my go-to is Dragon fruit, Banana, dark chocolate, peanut butter, Greek yogurt).
That’s very similar to your light meal to break.
Then about 90 minutes later, I like to load up on proteins (chicken, lean pork, fish), grains (black rice, quinoa) and root vegetables (carrots, beetroots). I’m very careful not to overload on green fibrous vegetables, you know bowel movement and all.
Definitely option number 2. One day - one whole calorie intake for the day.
I have read that after the longer fast, people tend to up their calories in the first meal to 30% more than usual. Be aware of that.
Plan a nice meal but cut in in stages. Eat, rest, eat, rest, and eat and rest. Start with proteins and fat. Not carbs, definitely not simple carbs.
I don’t care about the precise number of hours of fast either. I count them, and my app is jurnaling that data, but I don’t bend my life to IF. I would rather use the IF flexibility to my convenience.