The FastDay Forum

In about 2 weeks I'm planning to do the Seven Bridges Walk around Sydney Harbour, which is a 28 kilometre walk and generally takes all day. Today I did a longish walk (about 18 km - 4.5 hours) and I wanted to test whether it was wise to do a walk like this after a fasting day.

Well, I can report that all was well. I didn't run out of energy - in fact felt really good stamina-wise. Knees were a bit sore by the time I got home, but I'm expecting that. At least I have orthotics and have lost weight which takes the strain off the knees.

I took a packed lunch today and ate 2 hard boiled eggs, a little ham, and salad, but didn't need or particularly want the grapes and orange I'd also packed. I drank lots of water. When I got home what I really felt like was a cup of coffee.

Has anyone else done something like this following a fasting day?

If you've already tried and it worked, go for it!!

I personally feel more tired the day after a fast so I did a long distance swimming race on a fast day as it's then that I have the most energy, but everyone is different,so do what works for you!!

That's interesting Nicky. I think Michael Mosely advised against doing long sessions of exercise while fasting, but I'm not sure of the reasoning. What I found yesterday that surprised me was that I wasn't particularly hungry while walking or even for quite a while after I'd got home, but I did enjoy dinner and a couple of glasses of wine last night and I slept very well.

I'm doing a half-marathon on Saturday. I'm not planning on fasting on Friday or Saturday. Because it's an evening race, I would have fasted on Friday, it just didn't work out for other reasons.

My (limited) understanding is that it is hard to be your best in endurance events burning fat only.

Hi Pipsqueak, I did the local charity walk in May on a fasting day, and walked to the start and back, so a total of 17 miles in 4hrs 20mins. All this on one mug of coffee, I did not feel tempted to eat the banana that I carried all the way...
I have also done 30+ mile bike rides on fast days with no problems.
Always felt that days after fasts would be harder but I think several posters here say there is no problem. Good luck, I envy you!

I've actually decided to fast today (Friday) and to just eat sensibly and lightly tomorrow prior to the big walk on Sunday. It's just that we've got a lunch on tomorrow and fasting would have been awkward and impolite.

I actually think after you've been doing 5:2 for a while you can get into a fat-burning mode more easily than you could previously, and I'm sure going low carb helps with this. So, while you may not perform at your peak during an endurance event it is still possible to get through without doing any harm. But as you say, Pete, take a banana or something just in case.

Tomorrow's walk is not a race, we walk with friends, enjoy the views and have a great time, stopping for a coffee or a snack whenever we feel inclined.

I've done two 4.5 hour walks in the last couple of weeks and am feeling pretty fit and ready for Sunday. I'm also about 7 kg lighter than I was last year when I did this event. Knees were a problem last year and I think they'll be a problem again this year but I think I'll get through.

Ha ha pipsqueak when I saw the title of this thread I assumed it related to a big social occasion! Shows where my mind is. I have a big night out tomorrow night. Pre-dinner drinks, dinner, post-dinner drinks so I am preparing by fasting during the day. Haven't done the seven bridges walk but it is on my bucket list. Enjoy x

Good on you pipsqueak!
I haven't done the walk either, but might follow your example and try next year.
I'm more of a swimmer due to various arthritic joints, but it would be great.
Should be a good day for it on Sunday so enjoy!

Good luck pipsqueak

I did it! We were a group of 7, 6 women and 1 man, and it turned into a great day. About half of us had done it before, those that hadn't were raving about seeing parts of Sydney they'd never seen before. It turned into quite a social day, with people tending to pair up rather than walking in one large group and then meeting and having a short break at each village. We started at about 7:45 and finished at 2:45, which is an improvement on last year's time - but it's not a race, it's just a fun fitness event.

Gigi, I also have a lot of arthritis and was wondering how my knees would cope, but they were good. Yes, a bit sore, but no worse than when I do shorter walks. The next day it was buttocks that hurt which is just muscle soreness and totally expected.

I didn't fast the following day which would have been my normal fasting day, deciding to have a 6:1 week instead this week. I'm planning to fast again on Friday, and get back into my normal routine.

Well done squeaky,even more so as you have arthritis.
Sounds like it was a fun and very sociable event as well!
Yes i think you deffo deserve a 6:1 week! X