Breaking a fast

Roggg

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286
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Type 2
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I know the advice to break a "longer" fast gently, and am prepared to do so if needed. The background here is I have done a variety of fasts over the last few months ranging between 16 hours (barely fasting at all) up to about 36 hours (skip a day). I have never given a second thought to how to break it and have never suffered any negative effects.

Today I'm at 40 hours fasting, and I feel pretty good so I'm considering just rolling with it until I feel like breaking it. My real question is, at what point is a fast long enough to need to be broken gently?
 

Goonergal

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I’ve only once gone as far as 48 hours fasting and was fine eating a normal sized meal. Can’t remember what it was though!
 

Brunneria

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Thinking back into pre-history to when I did my one and only week long fast, I knew I had to stop it when I started being repulsed by food and the head games started... it was also v difficult to start eating again.

no fantasies of roast beef and curries for me. A couple of mouthfuls was more than enough.

I suggest you start with a small, light meal. Give it a couple of hours and then decide whether you want more.
 
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bulkbiker

BANNED
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19,576
Type of diabetes
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I know the advice to break a "longer" fast gently, and am prepared to do so if needed. The background here is I have done a variety of fasts over the last few months ranging between 16 hours (barely fasting at all) up to about 36 hours (skip a day). I have never given a second thought to how to break it and have never suffered any negative effects.

Today I'm at 40 hours fasting, and I feel pretty good so I'm considering just rolling with it until I feel like breaking it. My real question is, at what point is a fast long enough to need to be broken gently?
I know the advice to break a "longer" fast gently, and am prepared to do so if needed. The background here is I have done a variety of fasts over the last few months ranging between 16 hours (barely fasting at all) up to about 36 hours (skip a day). I have never given a second thought to how to break it and have never suffered any negative effects.

Today I'm at 40 hours fasting, and I feel pretty good so I'm considering just rolling with it until I feel like breaking it. My real question is, at what point is a fast long enough to need to be broken gently?

How long were you thinking of going?
Definitely restart eating with something small.. I once broke a 7 day fast with a keto Sunday roast and suffered for it!
Maybe a slice of ham or a small piece of cheese or even a rasher or two of bacon.
 

Roggg

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Messages
286
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I ended up breaking my fast at... I think 46 hours. I broke it with normal (ie low carb) eating, and so far so good. It was easier than I expected. This is my first fast beyond 36 hours. I only broke it because I received a shipment of pork rinds, and I couldn't wait to try them.

Thanks for the advice all. I think I will probably think of 48 hours as the cut-off for extra care in breaking the fast unless something wonky happens.
 
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Merrylizard1314

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I am on day 6 of a 7day waterfast and I am feeling fine, perhaps a little tired. I am wondering if I should continue the fast for another 7 days or stop for 2/3 days and then do another shorter fast?
 

Roggg

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286
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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I am on day 6 of a 7day waterfast and I am feeling fine, perhaps a little tired. I am wondering if I should continue the fast for another 7 days or stop for 2/3 days and then do another shorter fast?
Just seeing this now. What did you decide, and how did it work out? I wouldn't personally go beyond about 4 days without a lot more experience in fasting. I would worry a lot about refeeding syndrome and other risks.
 

Merrylizard1314

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Actually, I am currently on another 8 day water fast and am on day 4 with no ill effects so far, but previously I continued that fast for 8 days and now I feel that 8 days is a comfortable length for me. I try to do it every 2months or so, but it is surprisingly difficult as I am the family cook. So far, I just have some soup at the end of the fast and ease back into low carb. I eat once or twice a day, with my last meal around 5.30/6 o' clock. It is working so far in keeping BGL and HbA1c within non diabetic limits, but I am certain that if I ate in the way that I tried 2 years ago, I would be in a very bad way.
 

Roggg

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286
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Hey Lizard. Good to hear from you and thanks for updating us. This forum is pretty quiet. For me, My long fasts stretched out to over 60 hours, but I had a bad experience breaking a fast, and haven't done a multi-day fast since. My time restricted eating has also suffered a bit of erosion over the last few months too. I think it's time I buckle down and get back at it. My weight has crept up a few pounds, and my BG has plateaued at a decent but not ideal level.
 

nutribolt

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523
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
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Diet only
I dont remember where I read but the advise stuck with me and I follow it. Works well for me.

I do 36 hours fast normally but i do throw in 48 hours, 60 hours, 72 hours, 84 hours, 96 hours, 108 hours and 120 hours fasts fairly regularly.

Irrespective of length, I always break my fast with 40gms of Extra mature cheddar cheese and then after 30 minutes I eat Flaxseed Porridge.

Extra mature cheddar cheese from what I read has prebiotic (not to be confused with probiotic) which helps ease body into digestion phase and fibre of flaxseed helps the gut fauna or so the theory goes if my memory serves me right.

Anyway it works well for me so hopefully it may work for others too. :)
 
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