5 ms·

I lost 35 pounds. I didn't measure anything else, and since ending the fast 2 months ago I regained about 5 pounds. For several weeks following the fast I only

by aviv 11y ago

I lost 35 pounds. I didn't measure anything else, and since ending the fast 2 months ago I regained about 5 pounds. For several weeks following the fast I only ate fruits and veggies which is why I think the weight gain has been so little compared to those who fast and then resume their old diet fairly quickly. Also, in the first 48 hours of the fast I did a rather extensive physical workout program which is meant to bring your body into a keto state much earlier than it would otherwise. At the end of the day I feel like I got to know my own body on a whole new level. I didn't do it with the intention of losing the weight, but of course it was a welcome addition to all the other benefits I took away from this experience. In a year or two I plan on doing another one for 40 days.

abrookewood 11y ago
Is this safe? How do you know what your limits are? I thought around 21 days you were at the point of starvation? What about your weight? How over weight are you (if you don't mind me asking)? I'm assuming someone with a normal BMI couldn't do something like this for so long???
- aviv 11y ago
  Just about anyone can do it safely, with the exception of people with very specific health situations. Even very skinny people who need to but cannot gain weight seem to reverse that trend following a prolonged fast. The body is very smart in turning a prolonged fast into a series of corrective actions needed to maintain its own well being. For two years prior to this fast I suffered from mild pain in my left knee which made it very difficult to get up from the floor or run for more than a few minutes. Two weeks into the fast, that knee began to hurt like crazy. By day 16 I was unable to bend it. But that was somewhat expected. Many peopl who undertake a prolonged fast report what is referred to as a "healing crisis"- when the body is in a state of self healing during which pre-existing symptoms flare up as the body works to get rid of them. Who knows what I had in my knee. Gout, pre arthritis, some nasty build up of fluids... Either way, it's all gone. After 3 days of being unable to stand or even slightly bend that knee - it all disappeared. I woke up on day 19 and it was as if I had a new knee. All symptoms are gone since then and I have resumed my hiking and biking activities and am glad I let it heal itself. And to answer your other question, at 5'9 I weighted 182 at the beginning of the fast and 147 on day 23. I wasn't terribly overweight, and now at my ideal weight. And day 21 is far from being at the point of true starvation. That doesn't normally happen until at least day 45.
js2 11y ago
Thanks for the info. I'm interested in fasting just because I like to do these sorts of experiments. I fast once a year for 24 hours and I'm pretty hungry by the end... so I'm not sure I have the resolve to go through the hunger pangs much longer than that. How long do those last? My other concern is that I run 50+ miles/week and I assume that would be impossible while fasting. I'd also be bummed about loss of muscle mass.

by aviv 11y ago

abrookewood 11y ago

Is this safe? How do you know what your limits are? I thought around 21 days you were at the point of starvation? What about your weight? How over weight are you (if you don't mind me asking)? I'm assuming someone with a normal BMI couldn't do something like this for so long???

aviv 11y ago
Just about anyone can do it safely, with the exception of people with very specific health situations. Even very skinny people who need to but cannot gain weight seem to reverse that trend following a prolonged fast. The body is very smart in turning a prolonged fast into a series of corrective actions needed to maintain its own well being. For two years prior to this fast I suffered from mild pain in my left knee which made it very difficult to get up from the floor or run for more than a few minutes. Two weeks into the fast, that knee began to hurt like crazy. By day 16 I was unable to bend it. But that was somewhat expected. Many peopl who undertake a prolonged fast report what is referred to as a "healing crisis"- when the body is in a state of self healing during which pre-existing symptoms flare up as the body works to get rid of them. Who knows what I had in my knee. Gout, pre arthritis, some nasty build up of fluids... Either way, it's all gone. After 3 days of being unable to stand or even slightly bend that knee - it all disappeared. I woke up on day 19 and it was as if I had a new knee. All symptoms are gone since then and I have resumed my hiking and biking activities and am glad I let it heal itself. And to answer your other question, at 5'9 I weighted 182 at the beginning of the fast and 147 on day 23. I wasn't terribly overweight, and now at my ideal weight. And day 21 is far from being at the point of true starvation. That doesn't normally happen until at least day 45.

js2 11y ago

Thanks for the info. I'm interested in fasting just because I like to do these sorts of experiments. I fast once a year for 24 hours and I'm pretty hungry by the end... so I'm not sure I have the resolve to go through the hunger pangs much longer than that. How long do those last? My other concern is that I run 50+ miles/week and I assume that would be impossible while fasting. I'd also be bummed about loss of muscle mass.