Fasting: a 2 2/3rds Day Play-by-Play

Tuesday

11 AM: I’ve finished a meal of 3 eggs with cheese, coffee with heavy whipping cream, an avocado, and greek yogurt with some raspberries & blueberries. The stomach is definitely full. The previous day…two days even…carbs have slipped in the diet so I’m in a highly ketogenic state but it’s time to push. I’ve kicked on the Zero fasting app. Start timing would ideally be in the evening I think but

Noon: Sparkling water – Gerolsteiner – I have a box of them ready to go. This will be for both hydration and distraction. Previous fasts have honed my taste buds and the slightly higher concentration of minerals compared to the other mainstays of sparkling water as well as form factor of the bottles make this a winner.

2 PM: some hunger, mild. I drink regular water with some apple cider vinegar and some electrolytes.

8 PM: Felt a little low energy, skipped evening Crossfit options to head to YMCA sauna, which I do for 45 minutes in total (165 degrees). Is that pushing things too hard? My head does hurt a little bit after. Wet weather dissuaded me from doing any evening walk which was the plan. Weight post sauna a disappointingly high 231 on YMCA scale, but it is what it is, that’s why I’m doing this. Was considering not taking any measure of weight. This is about mastering discipline, including longer fasts into a process.

11 PM: Really at this point have only skipped one meal but feeling proud of myself. Taking a Trader Joe’s Sleep Formula pill.

Wednesday

9 AM: sleep late – though I only took one of the recommended two pills, which meant 1.5mg of melatonin not three. Is it more powerful on an empty stomach? Sleep has been an issue during previous three day fasts. Perhaps I should have done this only on the next night.

10 AM: Coffee, but with some heavy whipping cream – perhaps 100 calories. A fasting cheat? Have I killed autophagy or set the timer back? I almost did this thoughtlessly as it is my typical morning routine, and there are more calories in heavy whipping cream than I would have guessed.

7 PM: mild hunger, but feels more like out of habit. Still a bit low energy and wimping out of hard exercise. I’m not actually starving. Walked to and from sauna, just 17 minutes and 5 in steam room.

Thursday

3 AM: at 2 I thought I was finally getting to sleep, then woke again to nearly fully awake state. Took the full 2 pills in TJ sleep formula, not sure when I got to sleep.

7 AM: woke, and faded in and out of sleep til 9. No coffee, one sparkling water later in the morning. Good news is 226.1 on the home fitbit.

2 PM: forty minute or so nap. Definitely feeling very low energy, and fighting off thoughts of calling off the fast before tomorrow morning’s 3 day mark. Grim and cold water not helping.

4 PM: Evening errands starting and energy rebounding a bit with a caffeinated Dr. Zevia. I am choosing to skip hitting the sauna given an emergent headache.

10 PM: I don’t think I took enough electrolytes (sodium & potassium), and I also wimped out having more apple cider vinegar despite an increasingly pouting stomach. I am just not up for rectifying that now, thinking it would throw off sleep further.

Friday

3 AM: Sleep being wrecked again, I called off the fast with some high fiber cereal in grass fed/finished milk. There was no question of me doing two more days, I had too much work to do on Friday and bad sleep, low energy was going to be a bad combo.

I felt severe dizziness after the bowl of cereal in the wee hours, but re-stablized, had some protein chips as well and ultimately drifted off to sleep around 4:30 AM.

9 AM: Actually feel fine, and decently rested. Not really that hungry though I had eggs with cheese later and the (pink himalayan sea) salt and pepper on them also helped with the recovery I think.

So we’re done at 2 2/3rds days, just short of the 3 goal. This is my third or fourth three day fast and they’ve all more or less gone this way. The more ACV & minerals the better, and I probably need to work that into the schedule to be able to hit a 5 day mark. Reportedly many of the autophagy benefits kick in beyond day 3, but perhaps it will take a few runs before I can get to that.

I think it would also be easier to hit 5 days when on vacation and when it is warmer. Will take another run at that sometime this year.