| | Water Fasting

Help! 17.5 hrs into my first 36 hr fast

I [early 30s F] first started keto and fasting 5 years ago and have been off and on ever since.

My longest fast to date was 27 hours, but usually I stick to somewhere between 16 and 23 depending on the time of the month.

We recently returned to a low carb way of eating after way too long back on the standard American diet (SAD). Last night, we had carb-heavy food out with my parents, and I woke up feeling bloated and having joint pain, which was the first time we ate that way since getting back on track. It was an excellent reminder of why I prefer fasting and keto/low carb over the SAD.

Today, I decided I should use a 36 hour fast to quickly work through the carbs and allow my joints time to heal after being inflamed.

I was doing great and just hit the 17.5 hour mark when my husband ate lunch. Now I’m feeling grumpy and a little shakey.

The fact that I was totally fine up until he ate makes me think that it’s more mental than my body actually needing to eat, especially since I do 20+ hours fairly regularly.

I’ve wanted to break into ADF for months but always run into this same issue - when he eats, i want to. Even if I’m in a different room, smelling the food makes me want some, too.

I broke out some bone broth to use as a crutch to help me continue my fast but am wondering if anyone has any additional advice. I suffer from PCOS and other hormonal issues and ADF would be so fantastic for me. I also struggle to lose weight and keto/shorter fasts aren’t as impactful as I think a longer fast would be for my hormones.

Stop Fasting Alone.

Get a private coach and accountability partner for daily check-in's and to help you reach your fasting goals. Any kind of fasting protocol is supported.

Request more information and pricing.

Answer

Same thing happens with me on longer fasts when the fam is making and eating dinner. Technically you did break your fast if you consumed bone broth, but might not have impacted your ketosis. My recommendation would be to have some black coffee or herbal tea while he makes a meal or eats when you are not…seems to help me a lot. Also you could try to replenish some electrolytes ahead of the missed meal (1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt, 1 tblsp apple cider vinegar, 10oz water) and that also seems to help me as well. Good luck…you can do this!!!

Related Fasting Blogs