Fasting (no food) as Prep Test?

[Jackson]

For reasons other than prepping, I'm trying out a 3-4 day water-only fast. It occurred to me this experience and any lessons I learn about myself may have some applicability in a SHTF, disaster, or lost in the woods scenario.

Has anyone else tried this? Or does anyone else regularly restrict calories to get used to not eating all the time as most people do?

Most people I know have never intentionally gone more than a day without eating. I know I haven't. So I wanted to try it out.

I'm just beginning day 2 (Wednesday). I started tapering off both calories and carbs on Saturday because I thought it would be easier.

In the low cal/carb pre-fast days I didn't experience too many I'll effects. I did train Jiu Jitsu on Saturday and Monday. I felt a little slow and sluggish there. I also notice I'm a bit more sore than usual. I think it's harder to recover when diet is restricted and carbs are low.

Yesterday (day 1) I ate nothing. I felt hungry and had a lot of gurgling in my stomach. Otherwise there were no ill effects.

Today (day 2) I don't feel any gurgling but an empty feeling in my stomach. I have a slight headache. I woke up dehydrated though. So I'm not sure if it's the fast or the dry air. I'll be drinking a lot of water today. I planned to go for a slow jog this morning but my legs feel stiff and prone to cramping, so I skipped it. I also feel a little... slow I guess. Both mentally and physically just a little sluggish.

I'm curious to see how day 3 goes. If it feels good I'll go to the evening of day 4.

Anyway, just thought this would be an interesting experience for myself.

 

[GIJEW]

During the first 2 weeks of Israel's 1st Lebanon war, time constraints had us eating 1 smallish meal/day. I must have been to distracted to notice being hungry. Sleep deprivation was another matter. It was like my mind seemed to be limited to "gross motor skills"

 

[spencer rifle]

Have done several 3-day fasts (fruit juice and water only). Certainly serves to focus the mind. Noticed only a slight drop in energy, but more efficient use of what I had. No "hangriness" since I planned for it. I had heard of a study years ago that short fasts increased target shooting/hunting ability. Might try it out this deer season.

 

[jagee]

That sounds awful.

 

[Spear Dane]

You need carbs like you need a 5th hole in your head. In other words...you don't need to consume em at all. Your liver will take protein and turn it into glucose for your brain which runs on roughly 30% glucose and 70% ketones. You are going to feel like crap right now as your body adapts to running off of fat reserves. This is called Keto Flu. It only lasts for a few days and once you are fat adapted you should begin to feel great.

You don't 'have' to eat all the time and in fact it's terrible for you, to be blunt about it. Think about the history of humanity. Our heritage is one of feast and famine and our bodies are quite able to deal with that and do it well. Now I'm going to fuss at you for not doing your research before starting this. You should have. Go look up Keto diet AND therapeutic fasting. And autophagy. Seriously consider going 7 days on your water fast, assuming you don't have a medical condition that precludes it. You are likely to be amazed at what it does for you.

 

[bwframe]

I do the intermittent fasting daily for 14-16 hours. I've not fasted for more that 18-20 hours, but I notice the longer I go the less I feel hungry.

Obviously, staying busy makes it easier to keep your mind off of hunger. Another thing that seems very important is getting a solid 8 hours of sleep.

 

[Jackson]

You need carbs like you need a 5th hole in your head. In other words...you don't need to consume em at all. Your liver will take protein and turn it into glucose for your brain which runs on roughly 30% glucose and 70% ketones. You are going to feel like crap right now as your body adapts to running off of fat reserves. This is called Keto Flu. It only lasts for a few days and once you are fat adapted you should begin to feel great.

You don't 'have' to eat all the time and in fact it's terrible for you, to be blunt about it. Think about the history of humanity. Our heritage is one of feast and famine and our bodies are quite able to deal with that and do it well. Now I'm going to fuss at you for not doing your research before starting this. You should have. Go look up Keto diet AND therapeutic fasting. And autophagy. Seriously consider going 7 days on your water fast, assuming you don't have a medical condition that precludes it. You are likely to be amazed at what it does for you.

If you count two ears, two nostrils, and a mouth, I've already got a five. Lol

I'm aware of most of what you mentioned but have not researched in detail. I agree carbs aren't necessary, but unless a person is very well adapted to a carb free diet, performance in high itensity exercise will probably suffer. I planned to eat again before Jiu Jitsu on Saturday. I'm going by feel, mostly.

This won't be my last fast. Autophagy and some of the other effects what made me interested.

 

[Jackson]

Have done several 3-day fasts (fruit juice and water only). Certainly serves to focus the mind. Noticed only a slight drop in energy, but more efficient use of what I had. No "hangriness" since I planned for it. I had heard of a study years ago that short fasts increased target shooting/hunting ability. Might try it out this deer season.

I'm not sure if including fruit juice would achieve what I'm going for. Plenty of sugar in that.

I have heard of studies like that. I wonder what are the mechanisms that make that work?

 

[indiucky]

When I got sick I messed up on my fasting. I started 3 days earlier than I should and then the surgery got bumped up a few days....I went six days on a liquid diet and the last three days with only water....I was 197 lbs before I got sick and am 158 lbs now...I remember being with my wife and little girl on the 6th day as they went through the drive thru at McDonald's...To this day we laugh about it because as she was ordering she looked over and I had drool coming out of my mouth. The images on the menu seemed in 3D, I could smell EVERYTHING....It was intense...Everything was more colorful...I thought I could see grease coming off of the items on the menu and the items looked REAL....All I can say is everything seemed very intense...

I no longer eat as much as I did...I can now go a day or two without eating and it doesn't even phase me....

I am not joking about the drool.....My mouth could not stop watering and some began to trickle out of the corner of my mouth....My wife tried to control her laughter as she was ordering their food and each item she ordered she would look at me guiltily.....One of my favorite memories during that four months of hell....I think about it whenever I go through a drive thru......

So yes I think it's a good thing to do....That one time experience made it so I can easily go two days with no ill effects that I can tell.....

 

[Jackson]

You need carbs like you need a 5th hole in your head. In other words...you don't need to consume em at all. Your liver will take protein and turn it into glucose for your brain which runs on roughly 30% glucose and 70% ketones. You are going to feel like crap right now as your body adapts to running off of fat reserves. This is called Keto Flu. It only lasts for a few days and once you are fat adapted you should begin to feel great.

You don't 'have' to eat all the time and in fact it's terrible for you, to be blunt about it. Think about the history of humanity. Our heritage is one of feast and famine and our bodies are quite able to deal with that and do it well. Now I'm going to fuss at you for not doing your research before starting this. You should have. Go look up Keto diet AND therapeutic fasting. And autophagy. Seriously consider going 7 days on your water fast, assuming you don't have a medical condition that precludes it. You are likely to be amazed at what it does for you.

I should have asked:

What should I be reading? Any favorite articles, studies, or resources on fasting or keto?

 

[indiucky]

You need carbs like you need a 5th hole in your head. In other words...you don't need to consume em at all. Your liver will take protein and turn it into glucose for your brain which runs on roughly 30% glucose and 70% ketones. You are going to feel like crap right now as your body adapts to running off of fat reserves. This is called Keto Flu. It only lasts for a few days and once you are fat adapted you should begin to feel great.

You don't 'have' to eat all the time and in fact it's terrible for you, to be blunt about it. Think about the history of humanity. Our heritage is one of feast and famine and our bodies are quite able to deal with that and do it well. Now I'm going to fuss at you for not doing your research before starting this. You should have. Go look up Keto diet AND therapeutic fasting. And autophagy. Seriously consider going 7 days on your water fast, assuming you don't have a medical condition that precludes it. You are likely to be amazed at what it does for you.

One of my Twitter followers...Jenna Jameson, who used to act in romantic comedies or something like that, is a big fan of Keto....

 

[Jackson]

Lunch time day 3. I feel pretty good. I wouldn't want to run sprints right now, as I'm pretty low energy, but I'm not too hungry and not passing out. No real "keto flu" type stuff. At least not bad. I was trying to maintain a fairly "clean" and natural diet before, and I think that helps.

 

[DRob]

I thought about a multi-day fast but decided to mash my hand with a 8 lb hammer instead. Shooting myself in the foot was not an option because the hospital has to call the police when you show up with a gun shot wound. That would be embarrassing.

 

[sloughfoot]

I have been intermittent fasting for the past three months. I eat once everyday about 6 PM. I started out at 315 and am now at 260. My goal is 225 by Spring. Energy level and mental clarity is astounding. My gall bladder stones are gone. I can tell that there is no longer inflammation. I am no longer on blood pressure meds. I run 120/70. My sleep apnea is gone. I am 67.

I eat high fat, moderate protein, and low carb. Sometimes I forget to eat and skip a day. Three days is easy. I drink a lot of water with sea salt added. I still need the electrolytes and sea salt does not raise blood pressure.

My wife has totally cured her type II diabetes and is no longer injecting insulin by intermittent fasting and diet change. Her blood sugar is now normal.

Totally applicable to SHTF. Most of us have hundreds of thousands of stored calories.

 

[HonkieKowboy]

Not really fasting persay, but I remember back in highschool, I’d skip out on lunch to spend lunch money on things like a gaming desktop or tactical gear... then I realized that two meals a day was good to keep me full. Plenty of money was saved in those years.

 

[Jackson]

I have been intermittent fasting for the past three months. I eat once everyday about 6 PM. I started out at 315 and am now at 260. My goal is 225 by Spring. Energy level and mental clarity is astounding. My gall bladder stones are gone. I can tell that there is no longer inflammation. I am no longer on blood pressure meds. I run 120/70. My sleep apnea is gone. I am 67.

I eat high fat, moderate protein, and low carb. Sometimes I forget to eat and skip a day. Three days is easy. I drink a lot of water with sea salt added. I still need the electrolytes and sea salt does not raise blood pressure.

My wife has totally cured her type II diabetes and is no longer injecting insulin by intermittent fasting and diet change. Her blood sugar is now normal.

Totally applicable to SHTF. Most of us have hundreds of thousands of stored calories.

It's great to hear about your improved health. I was not low carb by any means before this, but was trying to eat primarily whole foods (with mixed compliance). I do think tapering off the carbs before I did it helped quite a bit. Especially with the cravings.

 

[Spear Dane]

I should have asked:

What should I be reading? Any favorite articles, studies, or resources on fasting or keto?

I forgot one thing earlier. ELECTROLYTES. Water alone won't cut it. You need salt, potassium, manganese. Look up a recipe to make your own. anything ending in -ade is crap. Pedialyte is crap. Look at the labels if you prefer to buy. And no fruit unless it's lemon juice for your drink. Fruit is sugar and sugar is the devil.

Jimmy Moore: Keto Clarity. 4 channels on YT, all MD's Dr Ken Berry, Dr. Boz (Annette Bozworth, Dr Jason Fung and Dr. Shawn Baker. Baker is more Carnivore but when you see him you will go wow. He's in his mid 50s and he is stone cold BUILT. Berry and Boz are both GP's. Jason Fung is a nephrologist in Canada and probably THE leading voice on Keto. Oh I forgot our own Dr Sarah Halberg, she runs a clinic in Lafayette devoted to diabetes reversal using Keto.

 

[Spear Dane]

One of my Twitter followers...Jenna Jameson, who used to act in romantic comedies or something like that, is a big fan of Keto....

She follows you?????????????? Or did you mean the other way around?

 

[Jackson]

I forgot one thing earlier. ELECTROLYTES. Water alone won't cut it. You need salt, potassium, manganese. Look up a recipe to make your own. anything ending in -ade is crap. Pedialyte is crap. Look at the labels if you prefer to buy. And no fruit unless it's lemon juice for your drink. Fruit is sugar and sugar is the devil.

.

I've not had anything with sugar or calories. I have felt the electrolyte issue. I feel it in my legs and how quickly I seem to be going through water. I will definitely be looking this up for longer fasts.

 

[Jackson]

Beginning of day 4. Still not dying. I feel pretty good. I will probably eat later today. That was the original plan and I'm not really interested in losing any more weight. I've lost 5lb in 4 days.

That being said, if I went back to my starting weight (40-50lbs heavier) I would definitely incorporate multi-day fasting as a weight loss tool. It does not seem onerous or unsafe if you approach it right and the weight just falls off. My waist measurement has dropped half an inch in these 4 days.