The FastDay Forum

Just a question to those doing the full 36 hours fast (i.e. not even the 500 calories) - is it worth it? have you seen better/faster results?
Cheers,
Lucy

Mmmm, I'd be interested to see the replies, I'm considering a 36 hr liquid fast for this saturday .....

Also going to give it a go for the first time so results would be interesting.

Morning , I do 2 36hrs and 1 24hr each week. As I haven't weighed myself regularly I'm not sure if the weight loss is faster. However I feel much better on the 36hr fluid only fasts. Also people are commenting on my changing body, it's not just weight loss it appears to be shape changing too, which when your my shape is no bad thing! Also when you do a fluid fast you always have that 500cal buffer if you have a fast day that is just too hard and you don't feel like you haven't achieved the fast! Good lick and looking forward to hearing I'd you give it a go

This is my second week (so 4th fast) of 36 hours just liquid, but I had been having less than 500 calories for a few weeks too. I don't know if I'm losing more weight, but I actually find not eating anything makes it easier. It's like my hunger switch doesn't get turned on.

My weight loss has been small anyway, but I've lost lots in waist cms, and I'm fine with a slow loss. I'm' also very much doing it for more than just the weight loss, Im very interested in the other health benefits. I do think the research points to having a proper fast for a lot of those benefits (so doing the 24 hours of no food already.)

[wildmissus]

Is it worth it?

Well, firstly, I always understood you would get greater health benefits by not eating over that period of time. I feel better, ie. more energy. I now actually find it easier not to eat as I'm not flicking the hunger switch on. I can read my body more, eg. I am aware that my body it programmed to want food at lunch time and dinner time even though I don't need it.

Secondly, weight loss. My first week I lost 3lb having played around with the same pound or two over the previous 3 or 4 weeks. Week 2 I put on a pound but it was TOTM. Week 3, I weigh in tomorrow and I'm nervous about that as I was away for a long weekend which involved a lot of food and alcohol.

36 isn't for everyone. I wasn't sure it was for me but I like it and as doodle says you have the 500 cals in reserve if life gets in the way. By the way doodle where abouts are you. I'm in Nairn.

I started doing water fasts after about a month of doing normal 5:2 with 500 cals. I found I was eating a small evening meal even though I wasn't hungry just because I thought zero cals would be unsustainable. But I found the small meal made me hungry and I spent the rest of the evening struggling and thinking about food. Water fasting doesn't trigger the appetite so is pretty easy to get used to. I find it very easy now after 3 months of water fasting twice a week, usually for 40 hours (evening day 1 - lunch day 3). I don't think about food at all on fast days and can cook for others without it bothering me.

My weight loss in march and April was a bit faster than the average 1lb per week. I've lost 1.7lb on average and up to 3lb in some weeks. It's slowing a bit in the last couple of weeks. Probably because I am now genuinely skinny at 10s 3 and 5ft 8 and I've had a heavy couple of weekends lately.

I'd recommend trying it even just once to prove you can do it and not eating for a day won't kill you. But I understand it's not for everyone - especially if you have medical conditions. Losing a pound a week on normal 5:2 is great and if it's sustainable then that's all that matters.

Normal 5:2 does seem to have provided a stepping stone to water fasting for many. Dr Mosley recommended 500 cals because it's less daunting than none. I plan to move to one water fast per week for maintenance after I lose the last few pounds and do that for life as I find it so easy now.

hi Doodle,
Just worked out that you are in fasting mode for more than half of the week - 96 hours out of a week (168 hours). That is surely too much on a regular basis? I hope that newcomers to this WOL especially do not dive in like this, but have a bit of faith (and patience) in the method outlined in the book and at least give their bodies time to adjust to a couple of low calorie days before attempting this.

Well it's 18h15 on a standard fast day & I'm starving!! I can't see me ever going 36 hours

I've done six 36hr fasts now, started 5:2 in January on 500 cals a day. My weight loss was averaging 1.2lbs a week but has definitely speeded up on 36hr fasts, lost 2lbs the first week and a further lb the second week, weigh in is Monday for me so not sure if it will slow up a bit. I also like the flexibility and it feels like it evens out any overindulgence days. I too find it quite straight forward to go right through and once past my 'dinner window' I find my appetite subsides. I don't think it's for everyone, but it's working for me at the moment and I will continue but with the view of if I need 500 cal meal then I will have it!

This is my third week of water fasting, 6 fasts in total, 1st week lost 1.5kg, 2nd week 400 g (wasn't expecting a big loss, was glad I lost since I had a very big loss on the first week), 3rd weigh in on Saturday. I started the 5:2 plan in February, enjoyed the 500 day fasts although like redhead said that as soon as I used to have my evening meal then I used to feel more hungry, so I prefer the water fasts as the hunger switch doesn't get switched on plus I feel amazing and light after a water fast day. I agree it's not for everyone and I wouldn't have been able to do it when I started.

I just done 36hr liquid fast for the 1st time on Tuesday, was starving at night but managed to get through and not break the fast but i wont be doing it again, its not for me i was tossing and turning the whole night woke up lightheaded with jelly legs, not sure if its going to make a difference to my weight loss, will be fasting tomorrow but im back on the 500 cals,

On my 4th water fast today - too early to say if its leading to more weight loss, but logic would suggest it will, due to the reduction in calories.

Its no harder to me to fast this way. Fasting days are always a bit uncomfortable, and I'm always looking forward to my next meal, whether it was the fast day evening meal of 500 cals as I used to do, or my breakfast when the fast is over as I'm looking forward to now.

Hi dhana I know it sounds a lot but in practice it is what suits my needs just now. I have a fair bit to loose and the other health benefits are well recorded so I am kick starting myself. I have had a bad run of Ill health so really felt I needed a good clear out of the system. I will probably not keep this pace for more than a month and then return to the 5:2 but doing 36hrs. Sorry if I sounded extreme to any newbies, listening to our bodies is really important so follow the fast that suits you .
Wildmissus , I work in Nairn! Small world x

Thanks for the responses! AT the moment I still eat twice on a fast day, but working on pushing it back to once in teh evenng. Once I have got that under my belt, I might have to give a 36 hour fast a go!