This is a place for those of us using fasts of more than 24 hours either for fat burning or healing. It is a place where people can support each other as they fast or share information on research.

Please include me JGwenn. I have had to eat bread for last the 4 weeks for celiac test and it’s undone some of my weight loss as expected. I’m quite aenemic at the moment and have suffered with some level all my life. Also being tested for thyroid will know by Monday so I will wait till then to see when I can fast again as it has really worked for me this year, it was the longest time I have maintained a weight loss until the bread!!
Norma

Hi Dema,

I am sorry to hear about your struggle with anemia and thyroid issues I hope you get the result you want from the tests.

Hi JGwen.

Thank you so much for starting this thread. I need the support to keep going on my extended fasting, which I know I need to reverse IR.
I came across IF after discovering the BSD. Thankfully my blood sugar is back in the normal range (was prediabetic) but I know i have severe IR and that is what I need to focus on. I am finding that each subsequent fast does get easier, just like the book says. I just find it hard because I do a lot of cooking and baking at home for my husband and kids (we rarely eat out and I enjoy cooking) and sometimes I sabotage my own efforts with the smells…
Last week I was on day 4 of a 5 day fast and I cooked a liver dish- perfectly low carb but I wasn’t supposed to eat yet. I ate it for no other reason than I couldn’t control myself… I love the feeling of control that fasting gives me but I can’t say I’m always able to control myself- I suppose one of the reasons I became so overweight in the first place…
Anyway here I am, trying my best and hoping for some good losses this month whilst being aware that it is a very hectic month too. We might go visit the in-laws next week for the weekend. There is always a ton of food around there so that will be a challenge.
JGwen, keep sharing your knowledge of IF- you always amaze me with the info you have!
Norma, lets hope you lose the weight gained from the bread fast and get back to where you were in terms of weight and fasting!

Hi Happysnap,
I thought it was interesting how the views of a cardiologist who supports the work of Dr Fung has changed on IR. – In one of his podcasts he shares how when he started recommending fasting he was dismissive about the idea of needing to fast for more than 24 hours but through experience he now realises that there are people who need to do repeated 72h plus fasts to reverse IR.

I am certain that after a considerable period of eating low carb and discarding a lot of surplus weight I put back so much weight during covid because low carb even for a sustained period is not enough to reverse IR. So when the constant coughing of covid had left my throat so sore that I ate little but craved soft food so my daily meal would have been just a portion of soup, or a rice pudding or I confess particularly during the cough till vomiting months ice cream some of the weight quickly piled back on (my blood tests do show normal blood sugar levels so its all down to IR.)

There used to ba a theme on the Dr Fung facebook page where they set a weekly program for that week of fasts and everyone could join in chatting and supporting each other. That doesn’t happen any more (they have moved it to be one of the key benefits of their subscription service). Would you / others reading this thread like to join in something like that? As there are only a few of us, and we have different reasons for fasting we may be focusing on different lengths of fasts and different programs for refeeding, but it just helps to talk to others who understand what it feels like to fast.

Jgwen, sounds like an interesting idea. The question is how we would implement it? I am not on facebook or any social media. The only thing i use is email and the bsd forum. Is there a way we could make it work?

Just to update, I made myself a delicious roast chicken and cauliflower dinner last night, and I’m planning to fast from then until Friday afternoon. Drinking lots of water. I put up a big pot of broth this morning so that should see me through the next few days.
Weight this morning was 86.4kg, would love to hit 85 by next week.

I thought we could chat supporting each other through this thread on the forum. I am coming up to 42 hours on my current fast. – I noticed this morning that one of my skin tags has dropped, so the IR is improving.

I like the idea that I picked up from one of Megans posts that when working with people through the clinic they set a fasting program which aims to achieve targets within 6 months. – But then when I start with calculator working from target weight, half a lb of fat discarded per fasting day on average and 6 months, thats a lot of fasting and seems imposing. Maybe better for me to focus on a month at a time.

I am sure that the figure on average fat burned per fasting day must be different if IR to IS – When IR the time from start of fast to start of fat burning is obviously longer because of the time it takes Insulin to drop enough that your body starts to access your fat but I can’t find any research on the topic. – I do find TRE and falling into a longer fast comes naturally now, but I still have a mental block when it comes to facing months of extended fasts.

I did find an interesting (but sad) research project on healing via IF. – They proved during the refeeding day post a day of fasting wounds and burns heal more quickly in comparison to constant diet. But they confirmed this by inflicting wounds and burns on mice and monitoring how they healed so the research paper did n’t make comfortable reading. Now that has my mind puzzling on the optimum nutrition for refeeding days if focusing on healing.

JGwen, I’m so glad you got to visually see your IR starting to reverse!! i’m waiting for the day my skin tags will start dropping- hopefully soon…
I think its smart to take it one month at a time. Personally I find that focusing too far ahead makes me overwhelmed… I take it one week at a time.
I’m just discussing this WOE with a colleague who thinks i’m totally insane but it gives me pride- i’m proud for the choices i’m making. I’m proud to be aware of things that other people wouldn’t dream of- i’m proud of the knowledge I have, and the power this knowledge gives me.
Anyway so using the forum sounds like a good idea, i’m just not online all day every day… so be aware of that.

Hi everyone,
Interesting to read the info so far on this thread. I can’t wait for my skin tags to fall off. Some I’ve had since I was very young and others are more recent that I picked up during peri-menopause.
I kind of started my first fast by accident today. I didn’t have time for breakfast this morning (not that unusual and I skip it most of the time), but then I had an appointment with my vestibular physio over the lunch hour and didn’t want to eat before, and so then after the appointment I just decided to carry on and do at least 24 hours today. We’ll see how it goes. It’s nearly 3pm and I am feeling just a bit head-achy and definitely hungry, but otherwise fine. I was doing up to 42 hours previously, so I plan to build up to at least that and try for 3 a week.