I’m trying to determine the difference between fasting for 40-48 hours and 60 - 65 hours.
For example, I’m experimenting with this eating schedule: finish eating on Sunday at 6pm and don’t eat until 6am on Wednesday. I then eat Wednesday and repeat this until Saturday morning.
In terms of fat loss, is there a big difference between 45-48hrs of fasting and 60 - 65 hours?
I feel like trying to estimate the results of a water fast is just pointless. It’s not like you have a faster alternative to lose weight, the estimate will likely be inaccurate since it depends on a lot of biological factors particular to you, and it has the potential to make you be frustrated due to unrealistic expectations instead of happy due to your solid results.
The longer you fast, the more weight you lose, I honestly feel like that’s the only information you actually need.
Just try to figure out what’s sustainable for you within that range. Maybe you’ll conclude that you can’t consistently pull of 65 hours fast every week, as perhaps it will get too much in the way of work (ex: feeling too lethargic) and/or social activities, and adjust for there to get something more sustainable.
fasted hours dont matter, but days skipped matter, and the calories you eat before/after the fast are what matters.
there are 3,500 calories in 1 lb of fat. lets say your hypothetical total weekly energy expenditure calories is 12,600 calories, which maintains your fat levels. all 7 days of the week, you need to eat 1,800 calories to reach that weekly maintenance total. you can water fast for 6 days (-10,800 calorie deficit) and eat 12,600 calories on fast-break day (day 7), and have maintained your weight.
since you are skipping monday and tuesday, you will be at a -3,600 calorie deficit for the week.
your body makes up for the deficit by using -3,600 calories in your own fat. on wednesday, the amount of time you fasted up to your fast-break meal wont matter if you eat maintenance calories this day, whether it is OMAD of 1,800, or 3MAD totaling 1,800. if you eat 1,300 calories on wednesday, you will now be at a -4,100 weekly calorie deficit. point is, if you are below your weekly maintenance, you will lose fat.
a 48 hr fast only skips one day, so you would be down -1,800 calories in body fat. if you eat 3,600 calories on fast-break day, then you erase the fat loss during the day skipped. what you eat on fast break day is what determines net fat loss.