[Link to how I began IF, 14 months ago - and my latest blood results.]
Well, I did it! A complete fast of 48 hours - and, to be honest, I could have kept going.
I've been 24-hour fasting for about 6 months now, followed by a 600 calorie meal, and they've become a way of life for me. I built up to that figure over the previous few months by eating three small meals a day.
I began simply saying to myself one day, "I won't eat until I feel hungry!" so I had no breakfast - and then no lunch - and, in the evening I had dinner. But, much to my surprise, I didn't feel hungry, all day! I've since been wanting to try a longer fast, but, as it would only worry my wife, who thinks I've lost too much weight anyway, I've refrained.
Until this week - when my wife has had to go and look after her mother for a while, leaving me at home.
During the fast, the closest I came to 'hunger' was a slight feeling of 'something' in my tum on the second evening. A sip of water and it was gone.
I had three choices - I could have just carried on; I could have ended the fast with a 600 calorie meal; or I could have had a normal meal.
Except that I didn't! Have a normal meal, I mean. I grossly over-ate, I'm afraid.
I'd taken a pizza out of the freezer, and a corner of that had been tempting me, peeping out from under its cover, all afternoon. So I had a large piece of that along with some curried wedges I'd also defrosted, along with a large serving spoon full of chilli non carne I had tickled up a bit, plus a goodly portion of broccoli.
That was just the starter. I decided I deserved a pudding, so I knocked up a 'cake in a cereal bowl' (a variation on 'Cake in a mug'), which I had with some custard. Then, with my coffee I had a couple of pieces of chilli chocolate.
I broke my record with this cake - ready in 6 minutes 52 seconds:
3 dessertspoons sugar
Heaped teaspoon cocoa powder (mix the two together, the sharp edges of the sugar breaks up the lumps of cocoa powder)
3 dessertspoons s/r flour (mix all the dry ingredients to a uniform colour)
3 dessertspoons vegetable oil
6 dessertspoons water
Mix and microwave for two minutes.
This is supposed to be for two, or more, but I scoffed the lot.
And, within a couple of minutes of finishing all this, I felt terrible. It's the first time I've over-eaten since I began this WOL - and I'll tell you this, it's also the last!
I tried to lie back in an armchair to take the pressure off my stomach, but this wasn't enough - I had to lie down upstairs. My belt was loosened, of course, but I also had to unbutton my (2" too big) waistband.
Altogether, the feeling of discomfort lasted for couple of hours - and I really think I'll have to do a mini-fast tomorrow to make up for tonight's excesses.
Back to the fast: 6 months ago I would never have imagined I could go for 48 hours without solid food. Then I was very nervous about anything beyond 12 hours (which I'd had to do for a fasting blood test earlier).
I felt fine throughout. I did my pretty vigorous exercises on the two days, breaking 2 PBs on the first. I did over three hours of (unaccustomed) digging with no ill-effects - I just felt bloody good! I went to the dentist this afternoon - my muslim dentist was very impressed. I was the first non-muslim she'd ever met with any experience of fasting.
I doubt I'll do it again - I'm glad I did it, but I'm not sure what I got out of it that I don't get from 5:2 or 6:1. I did find it easy - I think if Mike Mosley had built up to his 3 day fast instead of going in blind, I reckon he too would have found it a lot easier than he did.
I just wanted to find out how long it would take before I experienced hunger - and I still don't know the answer!
I shall make sure I eat nutritiously over the next few days, to take account of of my lack of nutrition this week.
Well, I did it! A complete fast of 48 hours - and, to be honest, I could have kept going.
I've been 24-hour fasting for about 6 months now, followed by a 600 calorie meal, and they've become a way of life for me. I built up to that figure over the previous few months by eating three small meals a day.
I began simply saying to myself one day, "I won't eat until I feel hungry!" so I had no breakfast - and then no lunch - and, in the evening I had dinner. But, much to my surprise, I didn't feel hungry, all day! I've since been wanting to try a longer fast, but, as it would only worry my wife, who thinks I've lost too much weight anyway, I've refrained.
Until this week - when my wife has had to go and look after her mother for a while, leaving me at home.
During the fast, the closest I came to 'hunger' was a slight feeling of 'something' in my tum on the second evening. A sip of water and it was gone.
I had three choices - I could have just carried on; I could have ended the fast with a 600 calorie meal; or I could have had a normal meal.
Except that I didn't! Have a normal meal, I mean. I grossly over-ate, I'm afraid.
I'd taken a pizza out of the freezer, and a corner of that had been tempting me, peeping out from under its cover, all afternoon. So I had a large piece of that along with some curried wedges I'd also defrosted, along with a large serving spoon full of chilli non carne I had tickled up a bit, plus a goodly portion of broccoli.
That was just the starter. I decided I deserved a pudding, so I knocked up a 'cake in a cereal bowl' (a variation on 'Cake in a mug'), which I had with some custard. Then, with my coffee I had a couple of pieces of chilli chocolate.
I broke my record with this cake - ready in 6 minutes 52 seconds:
3 dessertspoons sugar
Heaped teaspoon cocoa powder (mix the two together, the sharp edges of the sugar breaks up the lumps of cocoa powder)
3 dessertspoons s/r flour (mix all the dry ingredients to a uniform colour)
3 dessertspoons vegetable oil
6 dessertspoons water
Mix and microwave for two minutes.
This is supposed to be for two, or more, but I scoffed the lot.
And, within a couple of minutes of finishing all this, I felt terrible. It's the first time I've over-eaten since I began this WOL - and I'll tell you this, it's also the last!
I tried to lie back in an armchair to take the pressure off my stomach, but this wasn't enough - I had to lie down upstairs. My belt was loosened, of course, but I also had to unbutton my (2" too big) waistband.
Altogether, the feeling of discomfort lasted for couple of hours - and I really think I'll have to do a mini-fast tomorrow to make up for tonight's excesses.
Back to the fast: 6 months ago I would never have imagined I could go for 48 hours without solid food. Then I was very nervous about anything beyond 12 hours (which I'd had to do for a fasting blood test earlier).
I felt fine throughout. I did my pretty vigorous exercises on the two days, breaking 2 PBs on the first. I did over three hours of (unaccustomed) digging with no ill-effects - I just felt bloody good! I went to the dentist this afternoon - my muslim dentist was very impressed. I was the first non-muslim she'd ever met with any experience of fasting.
I doubt I'll do it again - I'm glad I did it, but I'm not sure what I got out of it that I don't get from 5:2 or 6:1. I did find it easy - I think if Mike Mosley had built up to his 3 day fast instead of going in blind, I reckon he too would have found it a lot easier than he did.
I just wanted to find out how long it would take before I experienced hunger - and I still don't know the answer!
I shall make sure I eat nutritiously over the next few days, to take account of of my lack of nutrition this week.
Hi Paul
ReplyDeleteI find I can skip a meal quite happily if I'm engrossed in something but I couldn't see me managing a two day fast. While I'm unemployed I don't even see me managing the 5:2 diet as I tend to nibble out of boredom.
By the way, the clock on posts seems to be set to somewhere the other side of the Atlantic. To adjust this go to:
Settings>Language and Formatting
from the 'down arrow' on the 'dashboard' and select 'GMT' from the time settings options.
Hi Mike - thanks for the tip about the time settings! I adjusted them as soon as I saw your comment. I didn't come back here, since I'd answered you elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even know that page existed, but I've now also altered the settings for people to comment.
So, many thanks for your advice.
Hope you get something soon!
Cheers, Paul