Thoughts on 16-20 hour fasts and their effect on the body over time.

Over the past 4-5 years I’ve likely spent over 50% of my days intermittent fasting.

And looking back it was always the same thing. A reality that seemed to hold benefit. And overall I’d say fasting is a necessary tool for every single human being, and should be done more often.

Now that I spend my week doing high levels of physical work that requires attention and lots of endurance…I’ve realized fasting has gotten in the way. So many days I felt great, but now I realize that I was disconnected from a vivid self. My body got too good at recycling while fasting. And I believe my body learned to use fat/muscle to an optimized extent. It’s why I could work a 14 hour shift, no breaks, punishing environment, and not feel hungry at all. My body optimized what it would take from me. It kept me at a place where I was tunnel vision. Tunnel vision with a less vivid body connection. I also did cold showers for 2 years straight, and now I see how unnecessary they are for people who are mostly fit. Hot showers provide my body with far more relaxed energy. Cold showers are for hot days.

I won’t give up fasting, but now that my body demands calories. Still not that hungry, but I will forcefully finally eat lunch, and so on. So I do 10-12 hour fasts, and that’s only because of big meals 2-3 hours before bed. And my body is finally telling me years of going overboard on what is considered to only have benefit can also have detriment. Although I still have larger fasts, it’s amazing to me how much stronger I am. Endurance is no different as that is also based on mood and motivation, but strength and body proprioception is very smooth now. Life is back to building up to something larger because all the demands of more (healthy) food and more long-term exercise. Rather than a tunnel vision existence where you feel great, but you don’t truly have the relaxed endurance you’d like. It’s usually a strained, rigid endurance with the fasting/cold shower crowd.