I fasted for a couple of reasons. I don’t think I need to lose weight, but it is something that I recommend to clients who are interested in weight loss [1]. I wanted to make my transition into a fasting state easier, so I ate a salad, eggs, and fish sticks the night before to move my body into ketosis [2]. In general, I don’t eat as many carbs, and almost all of it I prepare myself (I like fried rice and challah). So, I did experience some rumbles and cravings, but no pain or anything like that.
One reason wanted to fast is simple: to see what it’s like. If I recommend something to others, I need to have been able to follow the program myself. I haven’t done a fast longer than an intermittent before. I understood that there were some benefits to human growth hormone [3] and ketone production as well [4]. At hour twenty getting the drive and energy to simply go out, play guitar, and talk to a couple of people was difficult by itself. I opened the fridge just to stare for a few seconds before closing it a couple of times.
In this state I did not want to run out of electrolytes and micro-nutrients [5]. There were some supplements I stopped so that I wouldn’t feel sick since I took them without food. I stopped taking my zinc and my nootropics. However, I still took my multivitamin, a vitamin d and k complex, and got the rest of everything from what I drank.
About a third of what I drank was water. Outside of that I had started adding Alpha Pack to my stack this week. My electrolytes and micronutrients were supplemented by Noonbrew Superfood Iced Tea, Pre:Step1, Intra, MudWtr, Fire Cider, tea, and some "snake juice". The last three solutions I concocted myself, and I can get you a hefty discount if you use my referral link in the navigation bar above for the products from Prestige Labs. From these drinks I got all my b-vitamins, potassium, adaptogens, and antioxidants.
When I had just finished the run and all my drinks but the water, I felt fairly focused, sore, and a pull toward the grass-fed steaks I saved for the end of the fast. I want to make the transition out of this state smooth by eating fats and avoid losing muscle with protein. A fast is difficult, and you can get many of the same benefits by cutting carbs out as much as possible [6] or reducing to just one or two meals in a window of less than 8 hours daily [7]. In fact, an intermittent fast is more effective in some ways [8].
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25540982/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25402637/
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19240267/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28599043/
[5] siimland.com/everything-about-getting-enough-electrolytes-while-fasting/
[6] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/keto-fat-fast
[7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32060194/
[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34135111/