3 day fast challenge

[McSweeney]

Ah yes, nothing like waking up in the morning and having a nice, filling, delicious ... bottle of water.

No actually this blows!

[Doppleganger]

I've going to stuff my face with mushrooms in 17 hours.

[The Morg]

Well that was unexpected. If you both already started without me, I'll just do mine at the end of the month when I'm not traveling.

I do however agree with the electrolytes. GET THOSE ELECTROLYTES. My goal will be to consume no calories, but I will be taking vitamins, salt, water, etc.

[Doppleganger]

I'll join you...because I officially failed, unlike last year, coming in at a less impressive 66 hours.

The problem was when BPK had mentioned he wanted to start, I had already a light meal day on the 10th with a candy bar to eat over the remaining 8 hours of that day. So I was undeprepared for the fast and I was already starting to have kidney distress today.

I also violated one of the tenants of the last fast which was to do light exercise each day, so this was just a remarkable fail. =3=

[McSweeney]

One more day to go. I don't have the headaches I had last year; just kind of light headed. I got my "second wind" and feel okay for the most part, so long as I don't look at pictures of food. I even found an old potato chip on the floor while I was cleaning and craved that thing so badly!

[Doppleganger]

I also got through day 2 pretty soundly, but I wasn't exercising. And the ketosis was just so bad it was murdering my kidneys even with potassium.

[The Morg]

Ketosis makes me feel good. Really good. Just keep up with those electrolytes. Run to the drugstore and grab yourself a jar of Ultima. It's an electrolyte powder that you mix into water and has no calories (as opposed to most sports drinks). I use it whenever I'm on a keto diet or fasting and it makes everything way easier.

Good to have you on board for another attempt. Let me ask you, how do you observe US Thanksgiving? Would you schedule a fast around that? I feel like that weekend is the easiest one to run an experiment like this (unless you're in retail).

[Doppleganger]

Stuffing whole dead bodies of turkeys into ovens just to undercook them disgusts me. I have no problem not eating on that barbaric day. If anything, there wouldn't be anything in my stomach anyway, since I am one to heave up uncooked bird meat.

I don't drink electrolyte drinks during the challenge fast since I consider it cheating. Even if there's no calories it still stimulates your digestive tissues to release enzymes even if there's nothing caloric to be gleaned from it.

I have done it during my weekly fasts because those are not-so-serious. However, I won't lose again!

[The Morg]

I don't really care about the presence or absence of digestive enzymes because the benefits of fasting show up (for me) either way.

I was going to suggest you have your last meal at Thanksgiving before beginning the fast, but you want to fast on that day too? I think this is a unique enough situation where I could do it, Normally I like my barbaric traditions. =3=

[Doppleganger]

I'm cool with starting after Thanksgiving.

[McSweeney]

I'M COOKIN SOME DELICIOUS BEEF BITS AND RICE ... GETTING READY TO BREAK THE FAST IN 12 MINUTES!

[McSweeney]

Post-fast report:

It was easier than last year. Once again, I felt the worst on day 2. I wonder if my body goes through a type of "denial, acceptance" phase: during day 2 it's fighting back and trying to send me the message to feed it. By day 3 it's like, "Welp, I guess this is how it is now. No more food from now on" and adjusts accordingly.

[Doppleganger]

It was worse for me. I had severe ketosis and it was pounding my heart and brain. Then again, exercise might have helped...

[The Morg]

This is coming up. Let's get online and commiserate. Discord is the only one I care to use at the moment. You have that still?

[Doppleganger]

I'll go up on Thanksgiving night. I got a lot of work ahead of me before I try and kill myself.

[The Morg]

I'm ready when you are. Eat a big meal and let the games begin!

[Doppleganger]

I'm actually not going to start until 5:00 AM on 11/25, just because that means I can sleep the night and wake up ready to eat. So about 9 hours from now.

[Doppleganger]

I'm on the clock!

[The Morg]

I started yesterday afternoon, so we're mostly on the same clock.

Feeling fine so far. Just adjusting to having to override any ingrained habits. Can't grab snacks at random. =3=

[phoopes]

good luck y'all!

[Doppleganger]

Yeah, um.

I went to bed at 6:00 PM with the intent of taking an hour nap. I slept six hours and had a horrible nightmare where I was being eaten by lions and leopards.

I then checked my phone and slept for five hours where I dreamed I was taking 2 hour shower. Except, it was five hours.

When you fast you start to go into ketolysis as fats break down to get you through the day. It also impairs your thinking.

[The Morg]

Almost done with day 2. I've been using ketone test strips to track my progress. I went from "Light" on day 1 all the way to "Heavy" on day 2. I guess that second day makes all the difference! I'll probably pivot into a ketogenic diet after the fast is done, since ketosis generally makes me feel good.

Interestingly, I haven't been feeling hungry except during my usual meal times. I feel just fine! I think day 1 might have been worse.

[McSweeney]

In the few days after I broke my fast, I didn't feel much different. But now, I really do feel like my brain is clearer. Maybe it's just placebo effect (but if that's the case then why did it take a week or two to kick in?).

[The Morg]

It's almost over! Still feeling fine, almost like I could go on indefinitely. Must be the ketones at work!

[Doppleganger]

I felt better but lightheaded after exercising. BPK says "15 minutes" but I walk for 2.5 hours since I'm so faaat.

It does nothing to me. But man do I not do well when under a challenge to my brain. Either this, or alcohol or super caffeine, I don't function well at all.