Good morning (EST), fellow fork-droppers!
Quick bio: 39M sw 330 cw 296 gw 235
So I’ve been back into prolonged fasting the last couple weeks and have gotten some amazing response from my body. Water with sodium, potassium and magnesium the whole way. First week I managed a full 7-day fast and lost 28lbs (mostly water weight from bad eating habits leading up to that fast) and after a 2 day refeed I jumped right back into a 5-day fast. Lost 13lbs and felt great, but now I’m wondering if I overdid it, because I feel completely burned out after my refeed and struggling to jump back on a fast. Gained 7lbs back so far. I’ve started my fast like 3 times in the past 48h, with last night at midnight being my latest attempt. So far so good, but I keep thinking of ways to self-sabotage or excuses to just eat normally and go on longer fasts later. So what was the reason for feeling burned out? The fact I rolled a 5-day right after a 7-day? Was my food intake not enough to sustain both fasts? Or does that even matter if I’m overweight? I’m usually really good a listening to my body, and I do feel like I’m lacking some sort of nutrient or hormone. Thoughts, advice, criticism, all welcome. Thx for reading ❤️
Fasting fatigue is very real. And each fast is different. That’s been my experience.No matter my intentions, sometimes I just can’t jump into another one, my body fights me. Sometimes no matter how perfectly I eat/train/etc, the body sometimes won’t cooperate. It’s frustrating, but I also have to respect it. I’ve learned that it’s NOT a lack of discipline.
I almost feel like my longest fasts were percentages of will, discipline and honestly, some luck, that my body was ready.
Good luck!
Like someone else said, fasting fatigue is real. I found I have to nurture myself psychologically to be able to fast. For example, I tried to roll a 3-day and a 4-day every week, which makes a total 5 days fasted and 2 days eating per week. I managed a 3, 4, 3, then I just couldn’t bear the thought for 4 more whole days without food, and I tapped out. Now, I’m fasting weekdays and eating weekends, which also makes a total 5 days fasted and 2 days eating per week. I’m doing great and loving it because the back-to-back eating days feels luscious psychologically and makes me feel heavy physically (on the second day) and I WANT to fast.
All that to say, know your psychological limits. Practically speaking, if you can’t get yourself into another long fast, do a short one. OMAD or ADF will still get you hella results and could be a nice break for a week or two while you psych up to another longer fast.
Always start slow when it comes to fasting. One has to ease our body and mainly the mind to get accustomed for the change. Start with Intermittent fasting and slowly get onto OMAD. Post that you could try long duration fasts. With all these make sure to get some sort of exercise daily for 30 min. You will see wonders happening in three months! All the best and you can do this!