48 HOUR FAST - IT'S A DODDLE!

[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.