9 ms·

I’ll add one more anecdote to the mix here. Been doing intermittent fasting and extended fasting since February and I’m down 75 pounds in that time. I used to

I’ll add one more anecdote to the mix here. Been doing intermittent fasting and extended fasting since February and I’m down 75 pounds in that time. I used to snore like crazy, probably had sleep apnea but was too afraid to go get tested since my grandmother died from becoming dependent on the machine and her lungs failed. Now I don’t snore at all. My wife sleeps better, I sleep better; win win! I haven’t exercised at all and I don’t count calories. My biggest diet changes have been cutting out soda entirely and I try to keep my carbs under 100g a day. Many days I’m under 50. It’s honestly been amazing and I’m glad that I did it now while I’m still young and will be able to physically play with my kids in the future. One of the other big wins has been physiological and my relationship with food and the feeling of hunger. Living in America, and especially here in the south, food is a religion. Stopping whatever is going on to eat is never looked down on. Snacks all the time, large comfort food meals, etc. While the community aspects around food are a good thing, our dependence on it as a society has crossed over into causing more harm than help. After starting to fast, I’ve learned that hunger is just another feeling, like being too hot or too cold. Sure, it can be uncomfortable, but it won’t kill you and we can tolerate it a lot longer than we think. Right now, I’m in the middle of a 7 day fast where I’m only drinking water. Every week I normally fast 48 hours twice a week and then one meal a day for the other 5 days in the week. My relationship with food has morphed and now I’m totally in control of my body. Skipping a meal is no problem and I have no ill side effects. I’ll wrap this up by saying that I still enjoy food, a lot! When I do eat for my one meal a day, I can easily eat a large salad and a burger and a side. My favorite pastime is going to the movies and eating a meal and a large bucket of popcorn with my wife. Some days though, I eat a “normal” portion and call it good. Sometimes I have dessert. The difference is now that I can manage my love of food in a sustainable way for my body. Happy to answer any questions. AMA.

betenoire 7y ago
> hunger is just another feeling Exactly! I've done intermittent fasting for many many years, it works for me. I've told people, "You know how a workout 'hurts so good'? Learn to think that way about hunger/cravings. Consider it the same way you would consider a workout pain, as progress not punishment".
- fifnir 7y ago
  I can think, I can wait, I can fast.
  - robertc2017 7y ago
    Wise, Sid
- cecilpl2 7y ago
  I like to think of hunger as "the feeling of my body burning fat."
- salimmadjd 7y ago
  >"You know how a workout 'hurts so good" This is what I exactly tell people. It's the only way to sustain it.
- StavrosK 7y ago
  Lately (the past few years) I've been struggling with weight gain I couldn't reverse. I have zero self-control and will snack if food is in close enough proximity. I will also not turn down food, so living in Greece, where great food is available 24/7, is hard on me. A few weeks ago I decided to try 8/16 IF, which basically means I don't eat past 10 pm (mornings are not a problem, I wake up late and never need breakfast). I'll usually wake up around noon, have my first meal at around 3 or 4, then have a small meal at 9 or just before 10 and that's it for the day. This has made a very big difference. I have already lost 2 kg without even thinking about it. It helps a lot that I will eat a small meal before I'm hungry (at 9), wheras before I'd wait until 1 am when I was starving and then would eat a large meal. It has also made compliance a breeze by just not giving me a choice. I'm unable to say "I've eaten a lot today so I shouldn't have this snack too", I would just think "eh I'll have this snack and eat less tomorrow", only for the cycle to repeat the next day. Now, if it's past 10 I don't eat anything, simple. I definitely recommend this to anyone with compliance problems. I can also 100% relate to your hunger statement, which I learnt the last time I dieted, years ago. Being hungry just means that my body is burning fat, and I can go 30+ hours between meals without really any ill effects.
- 7y ago
barking 7y ago
Well done, 75 lbs (or 5 stone, 5 pounds in real money) is incredible.
- amfsn 7y ago
  34 kilograms
- tom_ 7y ago
  Note for UK people: this is 5.35714 stone, or 5 stone and 2.27 kg.
  - barking 7y ago
    Why would you give a weight in a combination of imperial AND metric units?!
    - krick 7y ago
      If the purpose of using imperial units is to make it as confusing as possible, then this is probably a slight improvement.
      - barking 7y ago
        Good point, lol. Unfortunately for me I need convert to stones to get a feel for weight
  - dangravell 7y ago
    "UK people" use SI units, it's mostly the old who use imperial.
tomp 7y ago
I love (and I mean LOOOOOOVEEEEE) food, eating and feeling full or even overfed. So doing straight multi-day fasting is extremely hard for me, psychologically / motivationally. However, I'm quite lucky in that I don't really get hungry very soon, if I don't eat. It's quite a weird effect; if I eat in the morning, I'll be hungry throughout the day, but if I skip breakfast (or even lunch), I'll only get hungry towards the evening. So I just skip breakfast (almost always) and lunch (when I want to lose weight). Greatest diet hack I've ever discovered (actually, psychological hack).
- Izkata 7y ago
  > It's quite a weird effect; if I eat in the morning, I'll be hungry throughout the day, but if I skip breakfast (or even lunch), I'll only get hungry towards the evening. I think that's actually a pretty normal effect, though perhaps not usually as pronounced as "only get hungry towards the evening". You don't normally get hungry while asleep, so I think one of breakfast's purposes is to kick-start the metabolism, with the side-effect of getting hungry afterwards. Especially if you're on a diet and are sticking to small breakfasts, making that meal counterproductive.
- WheelsAtLarge 7y ago
  Here's a hack that seems to work. Reduce the sides of your serving plates. We have a tendency to finish all the food that's put in front of us. So many times we continue to eat even if we are not hungry. So by reducing the plate size we end up eating less.
- StavrosK 7y ago
  I'm exactly like you (except I hate the feeling of being overfed). I don't need to eat for 4-5 hours after I wake up, but if I do eat something when I wake up, I'll be hungry very soon afterwards. I've actually had fights with my dietician who insisted I eat breakfast as soon as I wake up, and wouldn't hear any of my links to published research, or even arguments of "if I'm not hungry, why eat extra calories that will just make me even hungrier?!" Just skip breakfast and eat the first meal when you're hungry (don't wait until you're starving, or you might overeat). You're literally not missing anything.
koolba 7y ago
Did you cut out alcohol as well? I’ve noticed it’s much harder to do in the summer as that cold beer at the end of a hot day is ever so enjoyable.
- lonelappde 7y ago
  Try a cold diet soda, or that classic, a cold water. It doesn't take long to lose the craving for sugar.
  - bjelkeman-again 7y ago
    Really good water, or occasionally a cold glass of milk. I stopped drinking sodas a very long time ago and I never miss it. I think decreasing my sugar intake has increased my appreciation for food in general.
    - anaphor 7y ago
      Milk can really spike your blood sugar levels as well, so I would be careful. Go for the whole fat type of milk rather than the skim milk or whatever.
      - fyfy18 7y ago
        What's wrong with skim milk? Is something added to replace the fat that was removed.
        corysama 7y ago
        I expect it’s that skim has the same amount of lactose sugar. But, with less fat you’ll likely drink more of it before being satisfied. Everyone should try lactose-free milk just once just to see how very sweet it is. It has the same sugar content as regular milk, but regular milk’s lactose is a form of sugar that we don’t taste as strongly.
        7y ago
WheelsAtLarge 7y ago
I cut my soda intake from a few a day to nil a day and replaced them with water. Within a few months I had lost 30 lbs. Cutting soda intake makes a big difference. It's not the magic bullet since I've stalled at my current weight but 30 lbs is a big difference given the small change.
- cptskippy 7y ago
  I think snacking in general is problematic for people.
- 0xDEFC0DE 7y ago
  I know I'd be at 250lbs if I still drank soda. I used to pound 3-6 mountain dew bottles a day at the computer (that's 12-20oz per bottle). I stopped and water is delicious and satisfying now. I drink small amounts impulsively now, it's like a fixation. Water is the most delicious healthy thing I consume and thank god for that.
  - akho 7y ago
    Do you drink fancy water, or just tap? (I replace my fancy beer cravings with fancy water)
    - 0xDEFC0DE 7y ago
      Just tap water, but my state/county has good tasting water and I also have a fridge filter. If the tap water tasted awful, I'd drink less water for sure.
electriclove 7y ago
Are you ingesting anything besides water during your 7 day fast? Coffee? Tea? Vitamins? I'm interested in doing something like this.
- fouc 7y ago
  With fasting you generally want to take to take some salt. Any time you feel dizzy or nauseous that's basically an indicator that you're lacking some electrolytes. I usually take a bit of table salt or sea salt on the edge of a spoon and then wash it down with water. Warning: Don't take too much salt all at once, because that can trigger a regurgitation..
  - JshWright 7y ago
    > Any time you feel dizzy or nauseous that's basically an indicator that you're lacking some electrolytes. If that were true (it's not), there are all sorts of important "electrolytes" that are not in table salt (Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, etc). The reason your technique resolves your dizziness is likely a combination of placebo and hydration.
    - fouc 7y ago
      Yeah I could've mentioned those, for a short fast it's not so important. For a longer fast, gotta supplement with those or sip on some bone broth.
- eridius 7y ago
  Don't do something like this. A 7 day fast of just water isn't healthy. Your body starts burning more than just your fat. Even when doing something like a highly-restricted-calorie diet such as 960Cal/day you don't want to do for more than 3 days without medical supervision.
  - yurishimo 7y ago
    While it is true that you do burn some muscle, the increased HGH levels immediately replace it when you refeed. This has been studied significantly. And for me, I don’t give a rip about muscle loss right now. I’m just trying to lose weight. Your body isn’t stupid. You won’t turn into a ball of fat if you fast regularly. Cavemen and even animals have long feast/famine cycles. Our bodies are designed to store fat and burn it when food is scarce. Now if folks are already in a healthy weight, then yea, extended fasting isn’t necessarily something you want to do a lot of, but for obese people, we have plenty of fat to keep things rolling as long as other essential nutrients are supplemented via multivitamins.
kostarelo 7y ago
I lost 10kgs in the past three months by doing IF. I didn't really need it but now I'm in the normal weight department instead of the slightly overweight. The best thing is that I learned how my body reacts to different occasions of hunger. By experimenting with different types of food and nutritions each time, I almost feel that now I can tune my body. Much like a digital system.
cheesymuffin 7y ago
When do you think you'll reach your goals, and how will you be feeling a year after you reach them?
- yurishimo 7y ago
  My current goal is to weigh 200 pounds by Christmas. So far I’m on track which would be 110 pounds in about 10.5 months. After that, I’m not sure what I’ll do. The “healthy” range for my height is a bit lower than 200 but I imagine I’ll cut back on the intensity and focus on reinforcing new habits that I’m starting to form. Already I’m making better food choices which is a huge first step but my portion control is not great. My drastically cut eating schedule let’s my eat a ton in a short period but I want to stop doing that eventually. It’s a daily grind though; hard to deal with as a software developer that is used to brute forcing any problem I have. Overall though, I’m excited for the future and happy I’ve learned this lesson while I’m still young and before I have kids.
johnchristopher 7y ago
> I used to snore like crazy, probably had sleep apnea but was too afraid to go get tested since my grandmother died from becoming dependent on the machine and her lungs failed. Wait, what ? Could you expand on that ?
- yurishimo 7y ago
  My grandmother had lost her job and was forced into retirement a bit early and spent a lot of time at home. Since she was single, there wasn’t much for her to do except eat and sleep until others got home from work in the evening. Well, she knew that she wasn’t supposed to sleep without her machine, so every time she got in bed, she’d put it on. This meant she was maybe spending 16 hours a day with this thing pumping air into her lungs. Now compound that with a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet over a couple of years and it makes sense. Her last days were spent in a hospital on a ventilator and every time the doctors tried to remove it for her to breathe on her own, her lungs just could not keep up. Obviously this is a special case. Many people use these machines with no ill side effects, but for me, since it’s so personal, I have an admittedly irrational fear of them. For me though, I’d rather not need it in the first place if I can avoid it. This also only happened a few years ago so it’s still fresh for me.
  - johnchristopher 7y ago
    > Obviously this is a special case. Many people use these machines with no ill side effects, but for me, since it’s so personal, I have an admittedly irrational fear of them. For me though, I’d rather not need it in the first place if I can avoid it. Thanks for sharing that. I have a CPAP and your account is one more point to something I have been suspecting for a while now, especially in the last few days.
donniefitz2 7y ago
I've been doing IF and LCHF for a few months now too. Previously, I only did Keto (no IF) and lost 70 pounds but later put some back on. The biggest benefit to me from IF isn't the weight loss, it's the increased energy level. I don't know how it works, but I have way more energy, consistently, after routinely fasting.
scruple 7y ago
I'm curious to know what your starting weight was and what is your goal weight is, if it's not too personal.
- yurishimo 7y ago
  I started at 310 pounds any my current goal is 200 by Christmas. I’m currently at 237 and I started this in February of this year! Feel free ask any more questions if you want. If this is too open of a forum for you, my DMs are open @DaronSpence on twitter.
xbdobd 7y ago
A 7 day fast is pretty intense. I’ve only gone 24 hr (super easy) How much of your ability to do that is because of previously stored fat (that you'll eventually burn out?) How much recharge time do you allow yourself? Food gives you nutrients aside from calories. Given your frequent fasts, how do you ensure that a 7 day fast won’t deplete them?
tootie 7y ago
I did it for a little over a month and gained a smidge. Felt really hungry half the day too. YMMV.
edisonchee 7y ago
> hunger is just another feeling Personally, one of the first things I had to learn when starting IF is to be okay with hunger. Then, I had to learn what was real hunger. Because of IF I don’t get hungry when I wake up in the morning anymore. But after a week on a holiday with breakfast as a norm, it’s as if my body expects food in the morning and gets hungry just because. Took some time to reconcile what I experienced with what I was taught growing up, that hunger was bad.
MichaelMoser123 7y ago
For me hunger is a major distraction and doesn't quite help me to stay focused. How does one manage to keep going at work with the hunger?
- jsilence 7y ago
  It comes in waves, so after a while the sensation of hunger just goes away. Learn ride out the waves and you'll be fine.
- Slimbo 7y ago
  I find the feeling of hunger goes away quite quickly when you're fasting, provided you haven't eaten anything already. Things that help: - Drinking water - Drinking Coffee - Gentle exercise (something like a walk)
- loco5niner 7y ago
  I've started bringing popcorn to work in the mornings. Kills the cravings and basically empty food.
abraham_s 7y ago
>>>I used to snore like crazy, probably had sleep apnea but was too afraid to go get tested since my grandmother died from becoming dependent on the machine and her lungs failed I would like to hear more details on this. Being a CPAP machine user I have never heard of this (lungs failing) before.
- erik_seaberg 7y ago
  CPAP just splints the airway open, but BiPAP actually has an inhale/exhale cycle, so maybe they use it for people who have trouble breathing on their own?
- yurishimo 7y ago
  My grandmother had lost her job and was forced into retirement a bit early and spent a lot of time at home. Since she was single, there wasn’t much for her to do except eat and sleep until others got home from work in the evening. Well, she knew that she wasn’t supposed to sleep without her machine, so every time she got in bed, she’d put it on. This meant she was maybe spending 16 hours a day with this thing pumping air into her lungs. Now compound that with a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet over a couple of years and it makes sense. Her last days were spent in a hospital on a ventilator and every time the doctors tried to remove it for her to breathe on her own, her lungs just could not keep up. Obviously this is a special case. Many people use these machines with no ill side effects, but for me, since it’s so personal, I have an admitently irrational fear of them.
- yurishimo 7y ago
  My grandmother had lost her job and was forced into retirement a bit early and spent a lot of time at home. Since she was single, there wasn’t much for her to do except eat and sleep until others got home from work in the evening. Well, she knew that she wasn’t supposed to sleep without her machine, so every time she got in bed, she’d put it on. This meant she was maybe spending 16 hours a day with this thing pumping air into her lungs. Now compound that with a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet over a couple of years and it makes sense. Her last days were spent in a hospital on a ventilator and every time the doctors tried to remove it for her to breathe on her own, her lungs just could not keep up. Obviously this is a special case. Many people use these machines with no ill side effects, but for me, since it’s so personal, I have an admittedly irrational fear of them. For me though, I’d rather not need it in the first place if I can avoid it. This also only happened a few years ago so it’s still fresh for me.
houqp 7y ago
Could you give more details on how the machine caused lung failure? I am thinking of getting a CPAP for my family. Would like to do more research on it.
- badreader 7y ago
  Do get CPAP if your sleep study says you need one. It's a complete game changer, depending on the severity of your OSA.
- yurishimo 7y ago
  My grandmother had lost her job and was forced into retirement a bit early and spent a lot of time at home. Since she was single, there wasn’t much for her to do except eat and sleep until others got home from work in the evening. Well, she knew that she wasn’t supposed to sleep without her machine, so every time she got in bed, she’d put it on. This meant she was maybe spending 16 hours a day with this thing pumping air into her lungs. Now compound that with a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet over a couple of years and it makes sense. Her last days were spent in a hospital on a ventilator and every time the doctors tried to remove it for her to breathe on her own, her lungs just could not keep up. Obviously this is a special case. Many people use these machines with no ill side effects, but for me, since it’s so personal, I have an admittedly irrational fear of them. For me though, I’d rather not need it in the first place if I can avoid it. This also only happened a few years ago so it’s still fresh for me.
Tharkun 7y ago
I keep reading mixed reviews about intermittent fasting. One study says it lowers the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, because your blood sugar level is pretty low during the fast. The next study says this actually increases the risk, because your blood sugar spikes when you break the fast. This quickly becomes confusing.
- yurishimo 7y ago
  For me, I was technically over the threshold for type 2 diabetes before I started IF. After 3 weeks of IF and healthier eating, that number had already dropped below the threshold to just pre-diabetes. Within 3 months I had reversed that as well. This was all verified by bloodwork. Now it is true, when you eat, even when not doing IF, insulin spikes. That’s how our bodies process food. During extended fasting, your body will become more sensitive to insulin so it is important that when you eat again, not to stuff yourself with high carb foods that will only exacerbate that. Now how much you’d have to eat to do hurt yourself, I don’t know, but I guarantee the first time you break a fast with just a bit too many carbs you will feel it. The first time was enough for me!
rick22 7y ago
Thanks for sharing. How do you manage the 48 hour and 7 day fast ? I presume you only consume water and nothing else. I skip breakfast always and can skip lunch and breakfast on alternate days. Are there any trick's to learn to fast for more than 20 hours while being mentally active like coding ?
- yurishimo 7y ago
  I know I'm a little late here, but intermittent fasting is actually a pretty trendy thing in the valley right now because of increased mental clarity. I didn't start it for the mental side effects, but I haven't noticed any strong negatives during my day job. I get 4-6 hours of meaningful work done and then my brain is about finished like most days. Many people who do IF actually suggest working/playing to keep your mind off the hunger as it's easier to ignore when you're busy.

betenoire 7y ago

> hunger is just another feeling Exactly! I've done intermittent fasting for many many years, it works for me. I've told people, "You know how a workout 'hurts so good'? Learn to think that way about hunger/cravings. Consider it the same way you would consider a workout pain, as progress not punishment".

fifnir 7y ago
I can think, I can wait, I can fast.
- robertc2017 7y ago
  Wise, Sid
cecilpl2 7y ago
I like to think of hunger as "the feeling of my body burning fat."
salimmadjd 7y ago
>"You know how a workout 'hurts so good" This is what I exactly tell people. It's the only way to sustain it.
StavrosK 7y ago
Lately (the past few years) I've been struggling with weight gain I couldn't reverse. I have zero self-control and will snack if food is in close enough proximity. I will also not turn down food, so living in Greece, where great food is available 24/7, is hard on me. A few weeks ago I decided to try 8/16 IF, which basically means I don't eat past 10 pm (mornings are not a problem, I wake up late and never need breakfast). I'll usually wake up around noon, have my first meal at around 3 or 4, then have a small meal at 9 or just before 10 and that's it for the day. This has made a very big difference. I have already lost 2 kg without even thinking about it. It helps a lot that I will eat a small meal before I'm hungry (at 9), wheras before I'd wait until 1 am when I was starving and then would eat a large meal. It has also made compliance a breeze by just not giving me a choice. I'm unable to say "I've eaten a lot today so I shouldn't have this snack too", I would just think "eh I'll have this snack and eat less tomorrow", only for the cycle to repeat the next day. Now, if it's past 10 I don't eat anything, simple. I definitely recommend this to anyone with compliance problems. I can also 100% relate to your hunger statement, which I learnt the last time I dieted, years ago. Being hungry just means that my body is burning fat, and I can go 30+ hours between meals without really any ill effects.
7y ago

barking 7y ago

Well done, 75 lbs (or 5 stone, 5 pounds in real money) is incredible.

amfsn 7y ago
34 kilograms
tom_ 7y ago
Note for UK people: this is 5.35714 stone, or 5 stone and 2.27 kg.
- barking 7y ago
  Why would you give a weight in a combination of imperial AND metric units?!
  - krick 7y ago
    If the purpose of using imperial units is to make it as confusing as possible, then this is probably a slight improvement.
    - barking 7y ago
      Good point, lol. Unfortunately for me I need convert to stones to get a feel for weight
- dangravell 7y ago
  "UK people" use SI units, it's mostly the old who use imperial.

tomp 7y ago

I love (and I mean LOOOOOOVEEEEE) food, eating and feeling full or even overfed. So doing straight multi-day fasting is extremely hard for me, psychologically / motivationally. However, I'm quite lucky in that I don't really get hungry very soon, if I don't eat. It's quite a weird effect; if I eat in the morning, I'll be hungry throughout the day, but if I skip breakfast (or even lunch), I'll only get hungry towards the evening. So I just skip breakfast (almost always) and lunch (when I want to lose weight). Greatest diet hack I've ever discovered (actually, psychological hack).

Izkata 7y ago
> It's quite a weird effect; if I eat in the morning, I'll be hungry throughout the day, but if I skip breakfast (or even lunch), I'll only get hungry towards the evening. I think that's actually a pretty normal effect, though perhaps not usually as pronounced as "only get hungry towards the evening". You don't normally get hungry while asleep, so I think one of breakfast's purposes is to kick-start the metabolism, with the side-effect of getting hungry afterwards. Especially if you're on a diet and are sticking to small breakfasts, making that meal counterproductive.
WheelsAtLarge 7y ago
Here's a hack that seems to work. Reduce the sides of your serving plates. We have a tendency to finish all the food that's put in front of us. So many times we continue to eat even if we are not hungry. So by reducing the plate size we end up eating less.
StavrosK 7y ago
I'm exactly like you (except I hate the feeling of being overfed). I don't need to eat for 4-5 hours after I wake up, but if I do eat something when I wake up, I'll be hungry very soon afterwards. I've actually had fights with my dietician who insisted I eat breakfast as soon as I wake up, and wouldn't hear any of my links to published research, or even arguments of "if I'm not hungry, why eat extra calories that will just make me even hungrier?!" Just skip breakfast and eat the first meal when you're hungry (don't wait until you're starving, or you might overeat). You're literally not missing anything.

koolba 7y ago

Did you cut out alcohol as well? I’ve noticed it’s much harder to do in the summer as that cold beer at the end of a hot day is ever so enjoyable.

lonelappde 7y ago
Try a cold diet soda, or that classic, a cold water. It doesn't take long to lose the craving for sugar.
- bjelkeman-again 7y ago
  Really good water, or occasionally a cold glass of milk. I stopped drinking sodas a very long time ago and I never miss it. I think decreasing my sugar intake has increased my appreciation for food in general.
  - anaphor 7y ago
    Milk can really spike your blood sugar levels as well, so I would be careful. Go for the whole fat type of milk rather than the skim milk or whatever.
    - fyfy18 7y ago
      What's wrong with skim milk? Is something added to replace the fat that was removed.
      - corysama 7y ago
        I expect it’s that skim has the same amount of lactose sugar. But, with less fat you’ll likely drink more of it before being satisfied. Everyone should try lactose-free milk just once just to see how very sweet it is. It has the same sugar content as regular milk, but regular milk’s lactose is a form of sugar that we don’t taste as strongly.
        7y ago

WheelsAtLarge 7y ago

I cut my soda intake from a few a day to nil a day and replaced them with water. Within a few months I had lost 30 lbs. Cutting soda intake makes a big difference. It's not the magic bullet since I've stalled at my current weight but 30 lbs is a big difference given the small change.

cptskippy 7y ago
I think snacking in general is problematic for people.
0xDEFC0DE 7y ago
I know I'd be at 250lbs if I still drank soda. I used to pound 3-6 mountain dew bottles a day at the computer (that's 12-20oz per bottle). I stopped and water is delicious and satisfying now. I drink small amounts impulsively now, it's like a fixation. Water is the most delicious healthy thing I consume and thank god for that.
- akho 7y ago
  Do you drink fancy water, or just tap? (I replace my fancy beer cravings with fancy water)
  - 0xDEFC0DE 7y ago
    Just tap water, but my state/county has good tasting water and I also have a fridge filter. If the tap water tasted awful, I'd drink less water for sure.

electriclove 7y ago

Are you ingesting anything besides water during your 7 day fast? Coffee? Tea? Vitamins? I'm interested in doing something like this.

fouc 7y ago
With fasting you generally want to take to take some salt. Any time you feel dizzy or nauseous that's basically an indicator that you're lacking some electrolytes. I usually take a bit of table salt or sea salt on the edge of a spoon and then wash it down with water. Warning: Don't take too much salt all at once, because that can trigger a regurgitation..
- JshWright 7y ago
  > Any time you feel dizzy or nauseous that's basically an indicator that you're lacking some electrolytes. If that were true (it's not), there are all sorts of important "electrolytes" that are not in table salt (Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, etc). The reason your technique resolves your dizziness is likely a combination of placebo and hydration.
  - fouc 7y ago
    Yeah I could've mentioned those, for a short fast it's not so important. For a longer fast, gotta supplement with those or sip on some bone broth.
eridius 7y ago
Don't do something like this. A 7 day fast of just water isn't healthy. Your body starts burning more than just your fat. Even when doing something like a highly-restricted-calorie diet such as 960Cal/day you don't want to do for more than 3 days without medical supervision.
- yurishimo 7y ago
  While it is true that you do burn some muscle, the increased HGH levels immediately replace it when you refeed. This has been studied significantly. And for me, I don’t give a rip about muscle loss right now. I’m just trying to lose weight. Your body isn’t stupid. You won’t turn into a ball of fat if you fast regularly. Cavemen and even animals have long feast/famine cycles. Our bodies are designed to store fat and burn it when food is scarce. Now if folks are already in a healthy weight, then yea, extended fasting isn’t necessarily something you want to do a lot of, but for obese people, we have plenty of fat to keep things rolling as long as other essential nutrients are supplemented via multivitamins.

kostarelo 7y ago

I lost 10kgs in the past three months by doing IF. I didn't really need it but now I'm in the normal weight department instead of the slightly overweight. The best thing is that I learned how my body reacts to different occasions of hunger. By experimenting with different types of food and nutritions each time, I almost feel that now I can tune my body. Much like a digital system.

cheesymuffin 7y ago

When do you think you'll reach your goals, and how will you be feeling a year after you reach them?

yurishimo 7y ago
My current goal is to weigh 200 pounds by Christmas. So far I’m on track which would be 110 pounds in about 10.5 months. After that, I’m not sure what I’ll do. The “healthy” range for my height is a bit lower than 200 but I imagine I’ll cut back on the intensity and focus on reinforcing new habits that I’m starting to form. Already I’m making better food choices which is a huge first step but my portion control is not great. My drastically cut eating schedule let’s my eat a ton in a short period but I want to stop doing that eventually. It’s a daily grind though; hard to deal with as a software developer that is used to brute forcing any problem I have. Overall though, I’m excited for the future and happy I’ve learned this lesson while I’m still young and before I have kids.

johnchristopher 7y ago

> I used to snore like crazy, probably had sleep apnea but was too afraid to go get tested since my grandmother died from becoming dependent on the machine and her lungs failed. Wait, what ? Could you expand on that ?

yurishimo 7y ago
My grandmother had lost her job and was forced into retirement a bit early and spent a lot of time at home. Since she was single, there wasn’t much for her to do except eat and sleep until others got home from work in the evening. Well, she knew that she wasn’t supposed to sleep without her machine, so every time she got in bed, she’d put it on. This meant she was maybe spending 16 hours a day with this thing pumping air into her lungs. Now compound that with a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet over a couple of years and it makes sense. Her last days were spent in a hospital on a ventilator and every time the doctors tried to remove it for her to breathe on her own, her lungs just could not keep up. Obviously this is a special case. Many people use these machines with no ill side effects, but for me, since it’s so personal, I have an admittedly irrational fear of them. For me though, I’d rather not need it in the first place if I can avoid it. This also only happened a few years ago so it’s still fresh for me.
- johnchristopher 7y ago
  > Obviously this is a special case. Many people use these machines with no ill side effects, but for me, since it’s so personal, I have an admittedly irrational fear of them. For me though, I’d rather not need it in the first place if I can avoid it. Thanks for sharing that. I have a CPAP and your account is one more point to something I have been suspecting for a while now, especially in the last few days.

donniefitz2 7y ago

I've been doing IF and LCHF for a few months now too. Previously, I only did Keto (no IF) and lost 70 pounds but later put some back on. The biggest benefit to me from IF isn't the weight loss, it's the increased energy level. I don't know how it works, but I have way more energy, consistently, after routinely fasting.

scruple 7y ago

I'm curious to know what your starting weight was and what is your goal weight is, if it's not too personal.

yurishimo 7y ago
I started at 310 pounds any my current goal is 200 by Christmas. I’m currently at 237 and I started this in February of this year! Feel free ask any more questions if you want. If this is too open of a forum for you, my DMs are open @DaronSpence on twitter.

xbdobd 7y ago

A 7 day fast is pretty intense. I’ve only gone 24 hr (super easy) How much of your ability to do that is because of previously stored fat (that you'll eventually burn out?) How much recharge time do you allow yourself? Food gives you nutrients aside from calories. Given your frequent fasts, how do you ensure that a 7 day fast won’t deplete them?

tootie 7y ago

I did it for a little over a month and gained a smidge. Felt really hungry half the day too. YMMV.

edisonchee 7y ago

> hunger is just another feeling Personally, one of the first things I had to learn when starting IF is to be okay with hunger. Then, I had to learn what was real hunger. Because of IF I don’t get hungry when I wake up in the morning anymore. But after a week on a holiday with breakfast as a norm, it’s as if my body expects food in the morning and gets hungry just because. Took some time to reconcile what I experienced with what I was taught growing up, that hunger was bad.

MichaelMoser123 7y ago

For me hunger is a major distraction and doesn't quite help me to stay focused. How does one manage to keep going at work with the hunger?

jsilence 7y ago
It comes in waves, so after a while the sensation of hunger just goes away. Learn ride out the waves and you'll be fine.
Slimbo 7y ago
I find the feeling of hunger goes away quite quickly when you're fasting, provided you haven't eaten anything already. Things that help: - Drinking water - Drinking Coffee - Gentle exercise (something like a walk)
loco5niner 7y ago
I've started bringing popcorn to work in the mornings. Kills the cravings and basically empty food.

abraham_s 7y ago

>>>I used to snore like crazy, probably had sleep apnea but was too afraid to go get tested since my grandmother died from becoming dependent on the machine and her lungs failed I would like to hear more details on this. Being a CPAP machine user I have never heard of this (lungs failing) before.

erik_seaberg 7y ago
CPAP just splints the airway open, but BiPAP actually has an inhale/exhale cycle, so maybe they use it for people who have trouble breathing on their own?
yurishimo 7y ago
My grandmother had lost her job and was forced into retirement a bit early and spent a lot of time at home. Since she was single, there wasn’t much for her to do except eat and sleep until others got home from work in the evening. Well, she knew that she wasn’t supposed to sleep without her machine, so every time she got in bed, she’d put it on. This meant she was maybe spending 16 hours a day with this thing pumping air into her lungs. Now compound that with a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet over a couple of years and it makes sense. Her last days were spent in a hospital on a ventilator and every time the doctors tried to remove it for her to breathe on her own, her lungs just could not keep up. Obviously this is a special case. Many people use these machines with no ill side effects, but for me, since it’s so personal, I have an admitently irrational fear of them.
yurishimo 7y ago
My grandmother had lost her job and was forced into retirement a bit early and spent a lot of time at home. Since she was single, there wasn’t much for her to do except eat and sleep until others got home from work in the evening. Well, she knew that she wasn’t supposed to sleep without her machine, so every time she got in bed, she’d put it on. This meant she was maybe spending 16 hours a day with this thing pumping air into her lungs. Now compound that with a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet over a couple of years and it makes sense. Her last days were spent in a hospital on a ventilator and every time the doctors tried to remove it for her to breathe on her own, her lungs just could not keep up. Obviously this is a special case. Many people use these machines with no ill side effects, but for me, since it’s so personal, I have an admittedly irrational fear of them. For me though, I’d rather not need it in the first place if I can avoid it. This also only happened a few years ago so it’s still fresh for me.

houqp 7y ago

Could you give more details on how the machine caused lung failure? I am thinking of getting a CPAP for my family. Would like to do more research on it.

badreader 7y ago
Do get CPAP if your sleep study says you need one. It's a complete game changer, depending on the severity of your OSA.
yurishimo 7y ago
My grandmother had lost her job and was forced into retirement a bit early and spent a lot of time at home. Since she was single, there wasn’t much for her to do except eat and sleep until others got home from work in the evening. Well, she knew that she wasn’t supposed to sleep without her machine, so every time she got in bed, she’d put it on. This meant she was maybe spending 16 hours a day with this thing pumping air into her lungs. Now compound that with a sedentary lifestyle and a poor diet over a couple of years and it makes sense. Her last days were spent in a hospital on a ventilator and every time the doctors tried to remove it for her to breathe on her own, her lungs just could not keep up. Obviously this is a special case. Many people use these machines with no ill side effects, but for me, since it’s so personal, I have an admittedly irrational fear of them. For me though, I’d rather not need it in the first place if I can avoid it. This also only happened a few years ago so it’s still fresh for me.

Tharkun 7y ago

I keep reading mixed reviews about intermittent fasting. One study says it lowers the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, because your blood sugar level is pretty low during the fast. The next study says this actually increases the risk, because your blood sugar spikes when you break the fast. This quickly becomes confusing.

yurishimo 7y ago
For me, I was technically over the threshold for type 2 diabetes before I started IF. After 3 weeks of IF and healthier eating, that number had already dropped below the threshold to just pre-diabetes. Within 3 months I had reversed that as well. This was all verified by bloodwork. Now it is true, when you eat, even when not doing IF, insulin spikes. That’s how our bodies process food. During extended fasting, your body will become more sensitive to insulin so it is important that when you eat again, not to stuff yourself with high carb foods that will only exacerbate that. Now how much you’d have to eat to do hurt yourself, I don’t know, but I guarantee the first time you break a fast with just a bit too many carbs you will feel it. The first time was enough for me!

rick22 7y ago

Thanks for sharing. How do you manage the 48 hour and 7 day fast ? I presume you only consume water and nothing else. I skip breakfast always and can skip lunch and breakfast on alternate days. Are there any trick's to learn to fast for more than 20 hours while being mentally active like coding ?

yurishimo 7y ago
I know I'm a little late here, but intermittent fasting is actually a pretty trendy thing in the valley right now because of increased mental clarity. I didn't start it for the mental side effects, but I haven't noticed any strong negatives during my day job. I get 4-6 hours of meaningful work done and then my brain is about finished like most days. Many people who do IF actually suggest working/playing to keep your mind off the hunger as it's easier to ignore when you're busy.