Week-long fast every 3 months?

I watch Dr Mindy Pelz on YouTube as she’s big on fasting of all lengths and gives advice as to what happens to your body at different times of that fast. I’m still trying to work up to a 24 hour fast and I’m being a bit feeble with excuses!

DevGuy said:

Has anyone following CR or ADF successfully introduced a week-long fast every 3-4 months into their practice?
If so, have they seen any benefits or adverse effects?
Challenges?
Thanks in advance

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I don't know this person but I do follow Dr Jamnadas online. He's a heart specialist of some 30 years who also studies the effects of fasting for various illnesses, including Type 2 diabetes. Through his guidance I did a three and a half day fast a fortnight ago and didn't feel hungry once! Dr Jamnadas recommends intermittent fasting for most of us, and three day or longer fasts every 6 months for those with chronic illnesses. His online lectures are so interesting and easy to understand!

KennyA said:

I'm not sure what you mean by CR and ADF - can you give these in full please?

On the week-long fasts - I've never fasted for that length of time and don't feel the need to. I do regularly go 24 hours without eating and normally do 16-18 hours each day - eg last ate yesterday at 7pm and won't eat today until about 2.30pm.

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I know ADF means alternate day fasting but don’t know what CR means

MissMuffett said:

I know ADF means alternate day fasting but don’t know what CR means

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@MissMuffett Do you suppose CR might be Carb Restriction?

I find myself contributing my standard line on this - so forgive me if you have read me over the years saying the same darned thing .

I have experimented with all sorts of fasts, and long fasts. My longest, on bone broth, and cream in coffee as well as herb teas and black tea, was 10-11 days.

If we as a species found fasting easier as the days without food stretched out - we would be a very strange species indeed! The idea is - I believe, if we were running wild with scarce or no food - to get food pronto quick smart! And make no bones about it. Is the driving force. Prompted by - the rather hard to ignore signals of hunger. As in being rather, er, uncomfortable! Otherwise we as a species would not still be doing so well and in such plentiful numbers!

But, both my parents' cultural influences were not predominantly English. My understanding of English culture, and correct me if I am wrong - is it is considered decent and polite to understate states of discomfort, pain, and suffering. I believe I see evidence of this all over this particular 'global community', when coming from an English cultural perspective? Again - correct me if I am wrong.

My own take is, fasting is extremely 'uncomfortable'. (As are Very Low Calorie Diets, of which I have done twice.) The longer the fast (or VLCD) - the worse it is. Forgive me if I sound like a Vulcan, but is this not logical? (I've been sick at home for a few days, and holed up watching old episodes of Star Trek.) It does not, from my own pov, get easier the longer one is hungry, and lives with hunger. We have marvellous ways to adapt - my own being watching a lot of docos on all aspects of food, and sorting out my recipe collections - but adaptation to a very difficult state it is.

As an aside to the main discussion but in support of the above - yes it is in the English culture to understate. When an English person is "a bit under the weather" they are in reality going through some serious misery. Having been brought up that way, I'd never even considered the effect on different cultures until now. Useful to have it identified, so thank you.

Coincidentally, I am embarking on something similar. I am T2 since 2009, diet only control. I have finally reached my goal weight. I won't bore you with the whole saga, but I got the last 10 pounds off finally by doing 2 weeks of VLCD - 800-ish calories a day - followed by a "rest" week where I just try not to go mad. I know I can't stick to the VLCD for very long, I like food too much, but my cunning plan is to do one week on, one week off and see if I can keep the weight off and not just yo-yo it back on like I have in the past. My reasoning is, a VLCD is a shock to your body, but continually shocking it will become less effective. Maybe a week a month will be enough, I will find out!

I also do TRE and only eat between 12 midday and 8 in the evening, except for tea with skimmed milk. Due to health problems, I now can't do as much exercise as I used to, so now calorie restriction seems to be the only way that works for me.

I'd be interested to find out how you get on if you decide to try it!

I regularly do 3 and 4 day fasts and actually find the 3 day one much harder!!!

I will relax it once I’ve lost the last 7lb, but I’m a ‘healthy BMI’ now. Rest of the time, I am on very low carb and the weights literally dropped off me. Except Saturday when I more or less eat what I like (within reason), because without my Saturday treat, I would find the other days near impossible. I still steer clear of refined sugars and my diabetes (T2) is pretty much under control. I’m not a huge drinker ( over the year, it probably adds up to less than one unit a week), so that’s a bonus. My HB1AC was really good just one month after starting this way of eating and my nurse was stunned. After 5 months, I can’t wait to see what the new numbers are.

I have a number of health conditions, meaning I can’t exercise. Some of them aren’t affected by diabetes/excess weight but I’ve noticed a real positive difference in those that are. Once I’m at my goal weight, I will continue to restrict carbs and refined sugar, continue to drink loads of water and fast for 4 days once a month.

I have to cos, not only is it good for my health, but I have a whole wardrobe of ‘new’ clothes (thank you Vinted), and all my other clothes have gone to charity. My Diabetes diagnosis was a blessing. I was in denial for 3 or 4 years but it finally forced me to make some changes to my unhealthy eating habits and hopefully prolonged my life

Give it a go and best of luck!!