Water Fasting....

[Samantha42]

i got cut off! =) are you supposed to increase your carbs if you have hypotension or is it a safe condition to have?

[Kayjwag]

Originally Posted by Samantha42

i got cut off! =) are you supposed to increase your carbs if you have hypotension or is it a safe condition to have?

Honestly, I don't know... I know when I am having more carbs/ calories I don't have those.. feel like I'm going to faint spells upon arising to fast.

[srsmom]

That is when it happens...when getting up. Eating makes it go away, but if you are doing a water fast, you cannot eat, KWIM?

[SCSthrnBell]

Kimmer - How long would you recommend someone doing a water fast if it is their first time? I am very interested in trying it for at least 3 days just to see if I could get through it. Maybe then I cold try a 7 day or 10 day. I think as long as I could have my Diet Pepsi and Crystal Light, I would be ok.

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by tita2005

Can you use fasting to get the last 10 (or 15) off?

Sure you could. You would probably have more of the "repairing" stuff that goes on since you have less body fat (that's when the serious repair goes on) ... but, do you have a plan that would maintain the loss?

If you're having trouble losing now, what will you do then? Just something to think about.

But this is a question for anyone who wants to water fast for weight loss.

SC-Bell, a 3 day is safe but you'll feel crummy most of the time (not to mention hungry!) A 7 day is "easier" because you'll feel better more of the time, LOL ... but it's a personal choice. If you've never fasted before, don't do any exercise type stuff.

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by srsmom

OK, so here's my question on fasting, for Kimmer or anyone else who has done it. If I do a clean induction, combined with only eating when I feel hungry, my blood sugar gets low. If I get up too fast I feel faint. I ususally respond to this with a small serving of protein and go on my merry way. Does this happen to any of you while fasting? I am a busy mother of three children, and I shudder to think what could happen if I were to feel faint, or God forbid, actually faint while driving to get them from somewhere or with them in the car. How did your body handle this? Thanks.

Keep in mind I am not a doctor and have no medical training!

On your WOE you list Atkins OWL which is higher carbs. How high are your carbs on a typical day? Net or whole? Sugar alcohols and how often? Wine, beer or othe alcohol and how often?

Purely IMO, my guess is low blood pressure (me too) and sugar swings, even if your daily carbs are in the relatively low 50-70 carb range.

[srsmom]

Originally Posted by Kimmer

Keep in mind I am not a doctor and have no medical training!

On your WOE you list Atkins OWL which is higher carbs. How high are your carbs on a typical day? Net or whole? Sugar alcohols and how often? Wine, beer or othe alcohol and how often?

Purely IMO, my guess is low blood pressure (me too) and sugar swings, even if your daily carbs are in the relatively low 50-70 carb range.

I am eating under 20 carbs per day right now...all measured. No sugar alcohols, whole carbs (not net). No alcoholic beverages. I am eating meats (a few processed, but I am counting those carbs)...mostly tuna, frozen (but plain) fish cooked in butter, ground beef and turkey, chicken breasts cooked with salt, pepper, and olive oil. No more than 4 ounces of cheese, most days less. I had to take myself off of peanut butter due to portion control issues. This faint feeling only happens when I am in ketosis, and only when I get up too fast. I know you are not a doctor, but you have extensive fasting experience. Did you ever actually faint while fasting? Or get dizzy while driving? Those are my concerns. When I am doing induction, it is not a big deal. I eat an egg or a string cheese and the feeling passes. But if you are water fasting, you cannot go grab that egg, KWIM?

[tita2005]

Yeah, you're right, I need a plan. Yes, I'm having trouble losing and maintaining my loss. I tend to cheat on the weekends.

I need to do some soul searching.....



Theresa

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by srsmom

I am eating under 20 carbs per day right now...all measured. No sugar alcohols, whole carbs (not net). No alcoholic beverages. I am eating meats (a few processed, but I am counting those carbs)...mostly tuna, frozen (but plain) fish cooked in butter, ground beef and turkey, chicken breasts cooked with salt, pepper, and olive oil. No more than 4 ounces of cheese, most days less. I had to take myself off of peanut butter due to portion control issues. This faint feeling only happens when I am in ketosis, and only when I get up too fast. I know you are not a doctor, but you have extensive fasting experience. Did you ever actually faint while fasting? Or get dizzy while driving? Those are my concerns. When I am doing induction, it is not a big deal. I eat an egg or a string cheese and the feeling passes. But if you are water fasting, you cannot go grab that egg, KWIM?

The thing with low blood sugar issues, is that protein doesn't elevate blood sugar so how is the egg (or chicken or ?) helping?

I have never felt faint, although when I was younger I would have the dizzy feeling when standing up and my doctor chalked it up to low blood pressure. My BP has been low since forever (80/44 when I was 16 and pregnant).

I think you're smart to be concerned, especially about driving and especially because you've got younger children. Maybe don't fast? Maybe shave a few calories (4 oz of cheese is 350+) and see how that works?

Since you don't know for sure about why you get dizzy/faint, it just doesn't feel right to me to poke a stick at it to see what happens, KWIM? Kudos to you for being worried about what would happen while driving. You could injure (or worse) yourself, your children or any other innocent drivers on the road. Your kids could end up w/o a mom. Let's not chance that!

I think if you give lowering calories a try for a solid week, you'll see weight loss pick up.

PS - If you've got medical insurance, maybe get checked out?

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by tita2005

Yeah, you're right, I need a plan. Yes, I'm having trouble losing and maintaining my loss. I tend to cheat on the weekends.

I need to do some soul searching.....

I know the feeling. I can make excuses for anything, any reason to celebrate ... weekends were hard for me. The thing with fasting isn't that it's dangerous in itself, but what their personal state is ... good nutrition, mostly junk food nutrition, maybe too much alcohol nutrition?

When we break a fast, it's important to refeed to renourish the body and its reserves. What tends to happen instead is 2 days of good food, then we resort back to eating stuff that made us overweight to begin with.

But, to be fair, this happens a lot with Fat Fast too. Munching on cream cheese desserts while losing sounds pretty good, until you think of what you're doing to yourself ... and that a person probably wasn't focused on a variety of healthy veggies beforehand. It's human nature to "cheat", then find a quick fix.

I don't even know where I'm going with this, LOL!

[shadowzip]

Just a note to all asking questions about dizziness. I always experience dizziness when fasting and I have always thought it was low potassium. But I was at the grocery store the last time I fasted (11 days) and was really dizzy so I went over to the machine and checked my blood pressure and it was 71/'50. I was taking blood pressure meds. So I promptly took myself off of them while I was fasting and have been monitoring it ever since and it is usually around 90/ 60. I havent taken meds since

[srsmom]

All interesting info. And, Kimmer, thanks for taking the time to post all that out. My loss is not a problem...I am eating at induction levels and losing well (was at 153 just a few weeks ago!). I was not thinking of the water fast for weight loss. More to just give my body a break/time to detox. If the protein helps my dizzy spells, then maybe the dizzyness is NOT a blood sugar thing, but IS a blood pressure thing. Interesting. My pressure is usually 110-120/70-80 when I give blood every couple of months. Not terribly low. Maybe it gets lower when I sit down or dips then or something. Gosh, I don't know. It is only during strict induction/ketosis though...never if I eat moderate carbs or eat off plan. But like you said, why mess with it. Won't try fasting for the time being. Thanks for your help.

[Samantha42]

Originally Posted by Kimmer

The thing with low blood sugar issues, is that protein doesn't elevate blood sugar so how is the egg (or chicken or ?) helping?

Doesn't eating protein raise your blood sugar at all? Or is that only if excess protein is converted to glucose?

So if someones fasting blood glucose is 80 and they eat a chicken breast, their blood sugar won't go above 80 at all?

I'm just trying to see if I read that correctly, and I'm confused as to some other things I've heard.

Thanks!

[SCSthrnBell]

OK, I have given in. I am going to try the water fast to see how I feel about it. I thought about doing a 3 day fast at first an maybe a 7 day next week or the week after. I am going to try and do nothing but water, but I don't know how that is going to work out. I have some Crystal Light chilling in the fridge just in case and some protein shakes in case I get sick. I'll keep the stats posted. I am headed to the fasting challenge thread now. Good luck all!

[Samantha42]

Originally Posted by SCSthrnBell

OK, I have given in. I am going to try the water fast to see how I feel about it. I thought about doing a 3 day fast at first an maybe a 7 day next week or the week after. I am going to try and do nothing but water, but I don't know how that is going to work out. I have some Crystal Light chilling in the fridge just in case and some protein shakes in case I get sick. I'll keep the stats posted. I am headed to the fasting challenge thread now. Good luck all!

Good luck! LEt us know how things go... If I were you I'd really try just to water fast. Artificial sweeteners may just make it harder for you.

You can do it!

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by Samantha42

Doesn't eating protein raise your blood sugar at all? Or is that only if excess protein is converted to glucose?

So if someones fasting blood glucose is 80 and they eat a chicken breast, their blood sugar won't go above 80 at all?

Not much, if at all. That's the very basis of low-carb. Protein and fat doen't affect blood sugar so no insulin is released. Insulin is what causes excess glucose to be converted to body fat.

This is why carbs are so important. This is why Dr. Atkins said "severely restrict" carbs to reach ketosis which is a chemical state.

SCSouthernBell, what kind of "sick"? You're going to feel lousy for 1-3 days, that's a promise! If you eat carbs you'll feel better but stop any cleaning or ketosis. Hang in until Day 4-5 and you'll see why some people love fasting!

[SCSthrnBell]

OK guys. Day 1 is down and I don't feel as bad as I thought I would. I am no hungrier than I usually am at 9:30 at night. I am surprised that I didn't have bad stomach cramps form the lack of food. I am still asking myself, "Why in the heck amd I giving up great tasting food for a gallon of water?" I hope to find the answers to that question within the next couple of days.

[c-u-lean]

Hi everyone, this is my first post to this forum. After reading this thread, I have been "water" fasting (I am drinking water and Diet Dr. Pepper) for 48 hours. Suprisingly I feel fine. I had an episode of grumbly tumbly today and just drank my diet dp. I have not been faint, or tired. I actually think I may be more alert, but that may just be because I am more "alert" to what everyone around me are eating!

Kimmers, I heard about you on another LC forum and had to come check out your story. I am not used to this forum, and am having a hard time navigating. I was hoping to find a journal, or blog about your success. I heard you lost 100lbs+ in only 7 months. Is that true? If so GOOD FOR YOU!! And how did you do it????

Good luck to all those water fasting. I am going to try and stick to if for 7 days. I already lost 4 pounds in two days (I currently weigh 220)

[SCSthrnBell]

Day 1 completed with a 3 pound loss! Yay me!

[c-u-lean]

Originally Posted by SCSthrnBell

Day 1 completed with a 3 pound loss! Yay me!

Good for you! I am currently on day three and as of this morning have lost 6.5 pounds! This is great, and I hope I can stick to it the entire 7 days.

[Samantha42]

OOOh! You guys are totally inspiring me. My only issue is having to tell people, I'd so much rather have it a personal thing that I don't have to explain to anyone else. People think you're nuts if you go 12 hours without food... let alone 7 days!

[SCSthrnBell]

Samantha - Don't tell anyone. My boss yelled at me about it. He said that your body needs food. I said my body has had too much food and needs to eat itself first instead of something else. Yada yada yada. You can figure how the rest of the story went. My DH is very supportive and my mom said it sounded like the one diet she COULD do since she drinks stuff all day long and doesn't eat much anyway. Everyone else I told laughs and says I will never make it and I think they are taking bets on it.

[eggonmyface]

One hour left to finish my second day of water fast. I feel normal.
SCDBell, I hope you don't think of me as the pot calling the kettle black but I just want to warn you that not eating at your present weight might not be so good for you. When I 200lb, the first time around, I went on a liquid diet for several weeks. Since I was use to eating very large portions and then no portions my body reacted and I ended up neting more lbs than what I started with. Note my starting weight. I think low carb and the eat if you are hungry is a good starting spot. IMHO.

[Samantha42]

su wren-- I'm confused about what you meant... you went on a liquid diet for a few weeks and gained weight? How come? What were you consuming? Do you think weight influences whether or not you should water fast?

Thanks!

[SCSthrnBell]

SU - Thanks for the input. I have been doing low carb for a couple of months now and I am getting used to eating the very small portions. Before I started the fast, I did M/E for 3 days and barely did that because I have no appetite. After my first child, about 4 yrs ago, I went on diet with 2 protein shakes and a meal every day. I was put on this by my doctor and I lost 35 pounds in less than 3 months. I think I will be ok on the water fast, but if I start feeling sick or gaining I can tell you I won't hesitate to eat. I am at the point now where this baby weight has to come off of me at whatever cost. My baby is 7 months old and I am still in my maternity clothes.

[jskn]

fasting can be a wonderful experience. Your body can detox, you may experience a clarity in thinking and you will lose weight. During my fasts I do exercise, but my body gets weaker, I also get dizzy spells and need to slow down the pace of my life. To maintain the detox benefits and weight loss it is IMPERITIVE that you break your fasts properly - (I have never been able to do this)- otherwise all the weight comes back in a matter of days

[SCSthrnBell]

What is the best way to break a fast? I have heard some say that they eat some raw veggis every hour. Some say that they eat veggies for a week after. I plan on going back to strict induction afterwards so that I can keep losing.

Has anyone acutally had success breaking the fast and keeping the weight off? Also, how often should you fast for weight loss and what is the best length of time to go? I know there are going to be different opinions on that, but I am interested to hear some.

[DEBI IN OHIO]

SRSMOM-----sent u a PM

I just completed a 38 hour fast......well, havent had anything yet..but planned on it being at least 36 hours......just has gone over

I have done 2 seven day fasts.....I didnt break either one very well,