Day 2: Pain-free monthly cycle? I'll take it.

So the usual consensus around dry fasting and monthly cycles is that women shouldn't do it. Well Aunt Flo decided to show up in the middle of Day 1 of the dry fast and I just decided to go full speed ahead anyway. Turns out, I had zero painful cramping. Yes, it's tender around my belly/lower abdomen, but I feel great and I can't say I've had a good period since...ever? I also had a dull headache during Day 1 that finally broke on Day 2. As for Day 2, DH and I are going to do some more gardening. I'll do my usual Sunday chores and reorganize some clothes, followed by a bit of yin yoga tonight. As for stats: SW: 195 lbs CW: 189 lbs GW: 135 lbs Refeed: 500 calories = Coconut Water, Cucumber & Fish (might add seaweed for iodine since I am on my cycle). I'm happy that it took 40 hours to lose the 6 pounds I recently regained. Dry fasting surely casts a new light on my eating habits, revealing that the cure for overeating is to not eat and stop overeating. LASTLY, there will be progress photos. I'm giddy about them because I can actually see change in such a short time. It's one thing to lose 5 lbs and look the same. It's another to actually SEE and FEEL it, which is a game changer. So encouraging! And also, TMI, but I had a final BM at 43 hours (which explains the dull headache for me). I find it strange how the body's digestive transit takes so long. My last meal was chicken soup, tofu, veggies and pineapple. It just reinforces the fact that I could eat more high fiber, high water foods in the future. Hopefully dry fasting can help heal digestive problems so it's not so sluggish. Will I do 72s again? Yep, as long as I feel like this! I'll follow up at the end of Day 3, which is tomorrow at 3 pm.

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Update #1: I’m sitting at Tazikis Mediterranean Cafe with DH and I’m watching him eat this amazing chicken and rice platter and not flinching a single bit. Turns out I like the way I feel without food. The waitress has asked twice if I wanted a plate or a cup, to which I declined. Dry fasting has done something to my willpower for sure. Something about the results I’m getting has made it easy to say no to food and drink. It just doesn’t appeal to me to eat. The smells are nice though. 😌

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Update #2: DH and I just replaced all the front yard landscaping. It’s not a large yard by any means, but to pick up a shovel and dig up all of the bushes and replace them with new ones was quite a workout. I took ample breaks during the project but we finished and already started getting compliments from neighbors.

But what made this great was the fact that, while dry fasting, I could still manage to get so much done and not be preoccupied by “recharging” with food or water.

The reward: I dropped another 2 lbs since my first update posted earlier today.

This is by no means a call for folks to start exerting themselves while dry fasting. Definitely feel it out for yourself. But it seemed to be fine for me to have some moderate physical activity with breaks. Just wanted to share.

Refeed Meal is in the fridge. I’m having wet dreams about those cucumbers 🥒 ☺🤣

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go you! I’m gonna start dry fasting again! I used to do 1 24h dry fast a week but I’ve stopped because life got in the way😰. I plan to start daily 16 dry fasting tomorrow and I’m happy to hear there’s hope for my cramps, although I admit they are considerably more bearable the more I lose wieight. I have 15 or so last pounds to lose but I also want the mental clarity and the other benefits more tbh. I remember being absolutely hammered and weak after my weakly 24h dry fast, main reason why I quit. This time around, I will go through with it, I usually daily water fast 16h anyway, but the no water rule will surely be a challenge!