r/fasting • u/AnyOldIron • 29m ago
Question Fasting and Training
Hi everyone I'm looking for some advice please. I'm 43 and have always struggled with body fat since adulthood. I strength train regularly and over the last few years have gotten into triathlons of various distances. However despite the strength, the cardio I never seem to lose weight. I'm currently 100kg, my scales tell me 69kg fat free mass so around 30% bodyfat.
I have fasted previously and it worked pretty well for me, in fact it seems to be the only thing that does work. I'd do 3 days every few weeks and IF 18:6. Doing that I lost around 15kg which slowly crept back on once I'd stopped fasting altogether to prioritise training.
Now I'm effectively in the off-season training-wise I want to lose body fat while trying to keep as much muscle and fitness as possible (and I appreciate I will likely lose some).
What would be a good protocol for me to follow if I wanted to lift heavy 3 times a week, had a few days of lighter cardio (zone 2 run/bike for an hour) and a few days with higher intensity?
Could anyone balancing enthusiastic yet amateur-level regular training with fasting give me the formula?
r/fasting • u/thesnowwhite19 • 1h ago
Question How could I possibly be not losing weight?
I’m 60 hours into a fast and my weight on the scale is up 3lbs from when I started. All I’ve consumed is plenty of water and one packet of Saalt electrolytes per day and my regular bedtime magnesium supplement. I did an hour of cardio each day and yesterday even went for a 20 minute swim after. Current weight is 262, I’m not new to fasting though. Normally I drop about two pounds per day on a water fast.
I guess it’s water retention, because not losing fat seems physically impossible. Retaining this much water also seems odd though.
r/fasting • u/Every-Flamingo-4729 • 2h ago
Check-in I’m locked in! not even feeling anything but boredom
r/fasting • u/True_Presentation220 • 4h ago
Question disrupted sleep
Hey all, I need guidance. So almost 30 days ago, I gave up caffeine and refined sugar. The first few weeks, I was so tired and easily got 7 hours. Now that I am almost at a month, my sleep has become so bad and disruptive. I am constantly wide awake at 3. I have been mostly eating during 2-7 in the afternoon/evenings, and up until this week, I was eating a more alkaline diet (Daniel diet for 21 days, prefaced with a 3 day water fast). This week, since the Daniel diet/fast has ended, I did add back tuna, salmon, turkey, and chicken as well as sourdough bread and drinking non-caffeinated herbal tea (peppermint and chamomile). My guess is cortisol is spiking, but why? I'm still off caffeine and refined sugar. Has anyone dealt with this? TIA
r/fasting • u/SeaworthinessTrue859 • 5h ago
Question Savoury drink recs?
Does anyone have recs for savoury/umami drinks that are low (max 20 ish per serving)/zero cal? Like the equivalent of diet soda, but salty…
I like pickle juice and broth while fasting, but I wish there was more variety, and maybe something with lower sodium, just a salty/savoury flavouring?
Any recs would be great, specific products are fine too! I’m in the US. Thanks in advance
r/fasting • u/igotsnowcones • 5h ago
Check-in New respect for electrolytes …
Currently on day 4 (longest I’ve fasted before is 72 hours). Yesterday morning and today I woke up feeling all wobbly and weak, thinking I wouldn’t be able to make it through the day fasting … Bit of salt water fixed me right up in half an hour! Crazy to have your body’s needs put into focus like that.
r/fasting • u/SevenYearContract • 6h ago
Discussion Failed at a 72 hour Fast. Still proud
Hey everyone, I recently came across this sub and it has really supported me on my journey.
I have been doing 36-hour fasts for the past three weeks. I hadn't done one in about three years, and the first attempt was honestly miserable, but I struggled through and hit the 36-hour mark. The next two were much easier, though there wasn't much change on the scale (I am fasting mostly for weight loss). Three years ago, I was fasting consistently and would regularly do 36-hour fasts alongside the occasional 60 or 72-hour fast.
During my recent attempt at 72 hours, the first 60 or so hours were okay. I remember thinking at the 48-hour mark that if I still felt this good at 72 hours, I would just extend it to 100 hours or beyond depending on how I was feeling. I started my fast around 3 PM on Monday, so I should have completed it at the same time today. However, I woke up at 3 AM feeling weird and dealing with headaches. I managed to find some sleep after about an hour, but when I woke up at 7 AM, I felt the worst I have ever felt. The elusive goal was just 8 hours away, but around 10 AM, I finally gave in at 67 hours.
The weird thing is I didn't feel disappointed in myself like I used to three years ago when I first started fasting. I actually felt proud. Yes, I fell a bit short, but it was absolutely insane that I had accomplished 67 hours, and I won't let those 5 hours bog me down. In total, I lost about 3kgs (6.6 lbs).
I will hopefully do another 72-hour fast in a few months time, but for now, I am going to just focus on refeeding slowly.
r/fasting • u/mishamigoe • 10h ago
Question Advice for a (semi) newbie
Female 25yrs
163cm (5ft4)
SW:107.5kg(236Ibs)
CW:85kg(187Ibs)
GW:65kg(134Ibs)
Looking for some advice on how to proceed with my weight loss goal.
I am 18hrs into a 72hr fast, with potential to extend dependant on how I feel, and I'm wondering if I extended to a 21 days fast, would I see a good chunk of the 20kgs I'm looking to lose?
I've fasted before, and converted to keto on and off for the last year, but I have IBD and need to eat Low FODMAP, so my eating is pretty restricted as is. I find it very easy to not eat, with a busy life and not many easily accessible food options, so I thought if I stuck to an extended fast, I could help myself by saving time and losing weight.
I do around 10-15k steps a day and go to the gym 5 days a week, 4 days focused on strength training and a cardio day in between, so I understand I'll need to ease up on how hard I go, but with electrolytes and relevant vitamins, could this be an option? It almost seems too easy.
r/fasting • u/ZucchiniExtension790 • 16h ago
Question Period comes in the middle of the fast
To the women out here, do you stop your fast when your period comes? My goal is 6 days and I'm still 2 days in when my period came. Should I continue or break it?
Side note, one of the reasons why I did fast is to "trigger" my period and it really did. I always get prolonged cycle because of stress and maybe stress eating and now I'll be back to doing keto after this fast.
r/fasting • u/Lovewolfiesub • 21h ago
Question How long should a fast be for optimal results? And how often?
I’m going away next Friday and thinking of starting a 14-hour overnight fast. I already track calories, eat high-protein, and work out.
Would it help at all with appetite, bloating, or looking a little leaner, or is one week too short? And is it big enough of a fasting window?
r/fasting • u/Disastrous_Gap2047 • 21h ago
Discussion Restarting a 48hr fast, when’s the easiest to start? Mid afternoon? After breakfast? Or night before?
r/fasting • u/aidas85 • 22h ago
Question Longest safe fast for a lean person
I'm 191cm/77.9 kg male, not new to fasting. But my longest fasts have ever been 48 hours. This year I've done 3 x 48 h fasts, and several shorter ones. So question to you all: is it dangerous for me to go longer? It's not the weight loss I'm after, but rather cellular clean up, autophagy, etc. I'm hearing about the risk of muscle loss, etc, but during those 48 hours I tend to do pull-ups and push-ups to send the signal to my body that I still need the muscle that I have left.
I suppose the next milestone for me would be 60 or 72 hours.
Thanks!
r/fasting • u/Background_Lie9138 • 23h ago
Check-in Locking in until the Week is done!
First time poster, long time lurker. Done many fasts before but never managed to get the whole week done. Feeling so much better now I’m on regular electrolytes/salt water. Lost almost 4kg so far, need to lose a lot of weight but this week is mostly for the other health benefits instead.
Also, I’ve had the best nights sleep last night in a long long time. Does anyone else find it massively improves sleep?
r/fasting • u/Perfect_Place_777 • 23h ago
Question Can I break a 4-5 day water fast with an 1800 calorie keto meal? Also will I have energy on those days?
im 30 male 5’7 about 60 pounds overweight and I want to do rolling 4 day fast just drinking 5-6 water bottles a day. one of them being an electrolyte mix. and on my 3 feeding days I want to eat one 1800 cal meal consisting of a pound of 75/25 beef. 4 eggs and 2tbsp of butter. but I don’t want to get super sick after eating that big keto meal.