The FastDay Forum

Anyone interested in co-operating to produce a mathematical model (I can do the maths and computer model) that allows different versions of fasting to be compared for their health benefits? It will just be a theory that we can try and disprove/tweak, if we can find data but there's a lot of information across different studies, and some people here may be able to test their ketone production.
I want to compare varieties of 5:2, 16:8, consecutive 5:2 and others I've seen mentioned by researchers. I have ideas about how the health benefits might develop over the fasting period and would like to discuss them with others who probably know more than I do. My first very simple version models ketones, and assumes ketone production commences after 12 hours has elapsed, then increases linearly over 4 days, but is set back by food intake.

Great post but I now have to lie down in a dark room, with wine, have litle sleep and think about it,

Ballerina x

Don't worry, I can't do Ballet.

Well, that made me laugh, thank you, I always need a little chuckle before sleep, not sure if I can do ballet any more without looking like Degas's famous painting of the 'one legged ballet dancer'

night night,

Ballerina x

Sounds interesting, but are the underlying mathematical relationships available ?

I don't know, depends how simple the model is. We can probably get reasonable figures for energy consumption when asleep, awake and exercising but I've not found production rates for IGF-1, HGH or ketones, though haven't looked properly yet. As we discover more information we can improve it and in the meantime make intelligent guesses which at least lay bare the assumptions.
Is there any other way of comparing the myriad of different fasting regimes ? For example I'm wondering if a shortened version of consecutive 5:2 is better than 2 non consecutive 5:2 days and how 16:8 compares.

[Moogie]

Sorry but I just need to point out that discussion of extended fasting isn't allowed here so the 4 day fasts and 47 hour fasts you mention will have to be edited out of your posts.

Yes and that's also what I voted for but I took "do not allow the discussion of extended fasting (near-0-calorie fasts for longer than 36 hours) except in the context of discussion of research in this field" to mean it was OK to mention it in the context of research, and in any case I wasn't thinking of zero calorie fasting and I mentioned it only as a reference point. Anyway I've removed the offending words about 4 days.
I thought two consecutive days of 5:2 would be 24+24+12 = 60 and so 47 wouldn't cause a problem. I'll change that as well.

Sounds interesting, but are the underlying mathematical relationships available ?

As there's little interest for this here and we can't mention some aspects of the model, I can continue it in the group https://www.facebook.com/groups/5.2HIITlifestyle/
which is unused at the moment and only has me in it. I hope that is the link you need above. I've got comparisons between all the varieties of intermittent fast I can think of and will set out the assumptions and post the spreadsheet if anyone wants.

[Moogie]

Just to clarify regarding the point you made about research of extended fasting, here's the forum policy:

Note that we may make exceptions for topics in the 5:2 Lab forum which may wish to discuss the results, findings and methodologies etc relating to formal research on extended fasting.

Sorry to be a party pooper here but I hope you manage to get some interest on your FB group

Thanks. My post might have been better in that forum. Anyway probably better to keep to a small group as it won't be producing anything reliable, just maybe better than guessing.