First attempts at fasting - how long to continue first extended fast?

[david1968]

Having gone from insulin onto metformin a couple of months ago, I've now decided to try fasting.

Started off with 18 hour fasts (skipping breakfast, then lunch about 1pm and evening meal between 6 and 7pm) then had a week of just eating one meal a day and this weekend I've tried an extended fast for the first time.

Last ate on Friday evening, so almost three days in now and it seems to be going really well. Not really had any hunger pangs and apart from a bit of a headache yesterday evening I've been feeling really good - senses are definitely heightened and I seem to be thinking very clearly.

The main benefit has been with my blood sugar levels though - my FBG was high on Saturday morning (9.1) but since then my levels have been good - 4.7 on Saturday evening, 4.3 Saturday night, 5.7 yesterday morning, 51. yesterday afternoon, 4.5 yesterday evening, 4.4 last night, 5.1 this morning and 4.4 at 2pm today.

I had originally intended to break the fast this eveing as I'm working tomorrow, but I'm in two minds about it. What I've read seems to say that three days would be sensible for a first attempy at an extended fast, but I feel fine at the moment.

Anybody any thoughts or experiences they could share please?

 

[bulkbiker]

I did my first extended for 3 days and then broke. That as you say was what was recommended. I then went on to do a few 7 day fasts but haven't done any for a while apart from daily intermittent. I would say that 3 days is great for a first attempt so why not break now and then try for a longer one in a few weeks. After all there's no point in pushing too much and having a bad experience when you have the rest of your life left to experiment with longer fasts? Just a thought..

 

[david1968]

I did my first extended for 3 days and then broke. That as you say was what was recommended. I then went on to do a few 7 day fasts but haven't done any for a while apart from daily intermittent. I would say that 3 days is great for a first attempt so why not break now and then try for a longer one in a few weeks. After all there's no point in pushing too much and having a bad experience when you have the rest of your life left to experiment with longer fasts? Just a thought..

Thanks for the input. Broke it at 7pm yesterday and was at 5.7 when I went to bed last night. 5.4 this morning, 4.2 at lunchtime, 4.1 before my evening meal and felt great all day.

Back to one meal a day for the rest of this week but may do another water fast at the weekend.

 

[rab5]

Thanks for the input. Broke it at 7pm yesterday and was at 5.7 when I went to bed last night. 5.4 this morning, 4.2 at lunchtime, 4.1 before my evening meal and felt great all day.

Back to one meal a day for the rest of this week but may do another water fast at the weekend.

Well done you........ very impressive.

 

[kokhongw]

Thanks for the input. Broke it at 7pm yesterday and was at 5.7 when I went to bed last night. 5.4 this morning, 4.2 at lunchtime, 4.1 before my evening meal and felt great all day.

Back to one meal a day for the rest of this week but may do another water fast at the weekend.

You have just discovered how glucose levels flatline...with fasting and it can also be maintained with ketogenic diet...

 

[LorraineM72]

Hi, I followed 5:2 for a little while prior to my T2 diagnosis. I've since been doing LCHF, but thought I'd try 5:2 again and started yesterday. I ate breakfast and nothing else for the rest of the day. I tested my fasting levels this morning and it was at 5.9!!!!! This is amazing for me, I'm usually around 8.2 first thing in the morning, and then throughout today my levels have remained under 6, which includes a slice of low carb bread (my first taste of any bread since October)! I'm so happy right now, and I'm keeping my fingers firmly crossed that I've found my diabetes control method

 

[Biggles2]

I tested my fasting levels this morning and it was at 5.9!!!!! This is amazing for me, I'm usually around 8.2 first thing in the morning, and then throughout today my levels have remained under 6, which includes a slice of low carb bread (my first taste of any bread since October)! I'm so happy right now, and I'm keeping my fingers firmly crossed that I've found my diabetes control method

That's wonderful! Well done...you must be thrilled!

 

[LorraineM72]

That's wonderful! Well done...you must be thrilled!

I absolutely am! I'd considered it when I was first diagnosed but was a bit worried that not eating would have a negative effect on my levels (I experienced the dawn phenomenon early on and also high levels after excerising so was worried that these were linked to not eating enough), but after not a huge amount of success with LCHF on it's own, I thought I'd give it another go. Obviously early days and I'm not sure I could do a long fasting period, but I'll definitely keep monitoring myself on 5:2 - to see my levels consistently under 6 today was such a boost!

 

[david1968]

Having been busy at work and having had surgery I've not done a fast for a while, but now things are settling down after the operation and whilst I'm off work, I've decided to try another water only fast for a few days.

Last ate on Friday evening, so well into the second day and feeling good so far. Already feel sharper mentally than I have done for a couple of weeks and more focussed than I have been.

Not sure how long I'm going to be on it for, but would like to do at least three days.

Continuing to monitor my blood sugar and has been good so far, though had a bit of a blip this morning - went from 6.4 at 7.35 to 7.4 at 12.15 - must have been the stress of trying to put my finances in some sort of order!

 

[david1968]

Well into the third day now and still feeling good. Blood sugars are doing well too - 5.2 at 7 this morning and 5.7 about 2 hours ago after a two and a half mile walk. Said walk took me past a few food shops but managed to resist and safely back home without being tempted!

 

[david1968]

Feeling very light headed this afternoon so have broken the fast after four days, but I was getting excellent readings over the last 24 hours - 4.3 yesterday evening, last night and this morning, and 4.2 this afternoon.

 

[bulkbiker]

Excellent results but always good to eat if you feel "off".
Well done for 4 days seriously impressive.

 

[AloeSvea]

Well, sure, but fasting means not eating .

I'm one of those people who always feels 'off' for the first few days, after years of safely fasting - until the ketones really kick in. And feeling off for me doesn't mean any big deal, health wise. I continue to do it even though it doesn't feel great, and it really is no fun at all, because T2D is no fun at all and I don't like using medications as a rule.

My first fast (water only) was three days. Long enough to notice the BG improvements. To note what happens without food. Not too long to be a big deal, but long enough to make a VLCD seem like a walk in the park in comparison, which was good for me.

I like to add, in these sorts of discussions, that being hungry is not supposed to feel good! Otherwise hunger wouldn't work as inspiration to go out with a bow and arrow and shoot a wee creature and roast it over a fire, or you know - go to a supermarket and push a shopping cart around for food, go home and cook it. (I hate supermarkets!) And all of us sentient beings need inspiration to do such energetic enterprises!

Different folks experience hunger in different ways with different intensities. I go the whole 9 yards with hunger - including wanting to die sometimes, or at least loudly exclaiming that I want to . I am certainly not physically active while fasting, and cannot imagine working with other human beings on an extended fast - it would not be fair to them! And it feels like I am coming down with the flu anyway, so not good for being highly productive.

I have no scientific evidence for this - but I imagine that different levels of the hunger hormones do make a difference, and is why in some families hunger can be felt intensely, and experienced with perceived large appetites (which is a feeling rather than indicative of caloric intake in my experience). My family of origin is like this, and the loved ones of my adult children say it is the same for them! . (As does every spouse or partner of me and my many siblings say about us.) (yeah - I am talking about 'hanger' .)

If inexperienced with fasting (or with semi starving/VLCD regimes) - be monitored by medical professionals (which could be online) in the know about treating T2 this way, and let them help guide you, absolutely. It means them watching your health indicators of course, with tests and listening to you for indications of something going amiss. Then you don't need to quit or not do it due to feeling 'off'. My fabulous diabetes nurse in Sweden, who was experienced at guiding T2s with various ways of lowering or limiting food, suggested I up my caloric content when I was semi-starving for instance, in order to deal with sub-arctic weather conditions. I would not have thought to do this otherwise (coming from the subtropics as I do), and it did make me feel better. Just an example.

 

[eddie07]

Hi all
2nd attempt at longer term liquid only fasting.
1st attempt was 5 days in September and managed to reduce blood sugar levels and weight considerably.
But having gone to eat normally both weight and blood glucose levels have gone up.
I'm interested in seeing how long I can keep going.
FBG 7.5 and weight 65 kg.
Ideal FBG 4.0 and weight 60 kg.

 

[Fenn]

You fast for 3, 5 and 7 days without eating anything at all?

 

[bulkbiker]

Hi all
2nd attempt at longer term liquid only fasting.
1st attempt was 5 days in September and managed to reduce blood sugar levels and weight considerably.
But having gone to eat normally both weight and blood glucose levels have gone up.
I'm interested in seeing how long I can keep going.
FBG 7.5 and weight 65 kg.
Ideal FBG 4.0 and weight 60 kg.

Hi Eddie
Might be worth starting your own thread you might even get some fasting companions along the way..

 

[eddie07]

Thanks for the advice. Will try to learn how to do it.

 

[bulkbiker]

Thanks for the advice. Will try to learn how to do it.

Click on this link

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/fasting.78/

then click on the "Post new thread" box and have fun..