I’ve done 2-3 weeks of fasting numerous times now. But this month I kept getting really weak and had to use omad once a week to break up the fast to keep going.
It made me really wonder if People could still get great results fasting every other day. Aka Omad one day, fast the next. Basically fast 48 hours, then do another omad again.
Also i can’t do strictly keto sadly like most people can. Idk why it really messes me up. Which is why I thought it best to just ask if you can be as successful with weight loss doing the 48 hour fasts twice a week. Or if it’s not going to have as good as results from doing the 2-3 weeks straight.
Here is my understanding:
shorter fasts, such as those that only last a few days, pose little to no risk of refeeding syndrome
at some point, autophagy & HGH production peaks and plateaus (maybe even slows down?), I believe Fung says this happens within two or three days
hitting the point at which fasting generally becomes “easier” (generally associated with reaching ketosis) can often take two days or more for some folks
eating a lower carb or keto diet while eating can help you have an easier time when fasting
more days eating nothing means more weight lost but can come with more risks and challenges
So, you have to weigh the pros and cons and your personal concerns. When I take into account these points, in my mind a 48-72 hour fast each week for weight loss is an excellent choice. You have little risk of refeeding syndrome (though it seems you already have experience with preventing this), you still are likely hitting peak autophagy when fasting for at least 48-72 hours, you’re restricting calories (if weight loss is a concern), and for some individuals this may be a more realistic, doable form of fasting. It also allows a person to more easily incorporate food and drink in social settings, if that is important to them.
Some people love longer fasts, though, like anything, too much of a good thing can be bad. Longer fasts can mean you reach and stay in ketosis, and may have an easier time remaining fasted rather than refeeding and starting all over again. I think for some folks a longer fast once or multiple times in their entire life or even in just a year of their life can be an excellent choice. But, for the average person, at least for beginners or casual fasters - 48-72 hour fasts at whatever their preferred frequency offers many benefits with little risk and can be more easily achieved for many folks.
One last thought - please note I could be totally wrong here - I believe I once watched a video where Fung says that fasting helps your body to learn to switch to burning fat more easily - if I am remembering this right, then I’d interpret this as meaning that the more you do shorter fasts, the better your body gets are switching over to burning fat, the easier it becomes to slip into fasting after feeding. I will try to fact check this today and if anyone reading this knows whether this is correct or not, please do comment!