u/antons83

A few minutes ago I was reading a story on reddit about someone going bikecamping. They wanted to quit during a very long portion of their trip. They pushed forward and described a mental switch. A reset that happened.

I have a friend who has started full day fasts and one of the first things he asked me was "I don't know what my body will do when I don't eat". This made me pause for a bit before, as I never really thought of it that way.

This subreddit brings together those who do regular fasts, with those who are on the cusp of starting and are slowly wading in. Many of you probably have these same questions. It is absolutely crucial to ask them, just like my friend did.

I am no doctor. This is all anecdotal.

I started fasting to battle my binging nature. My calorie intake during the week would be fine. I'd do intermittent fasting (16/8, 20/4) Monday through Thursday. My problem was those 4 or 8 hours of eating, and my weekend intake. I'd feel like I've "earned" the right to eat. Id eat everything in the fridge, and justified it as "I'm gonna fast again tomorrow anyway". Friday through Sunday, I'd eat regular hours. This went on for two years.

The scale would not move.

I was losing my mind. I thought I was doing everything right!

For a binge eater like me, food is looked at as a way to quiet the noise in my head. It would be loud and constant. And when I'm making, heating, or opening a package of food, I'd feel that noise just go away. In fact, I could focus on whatever tasks I did or wanted to do. "after I finish this bag of chips, I'm gonna mow the lawn"

Ofcourse that bag of chips was followed by microwaving last night's pasta, eating some of my daughters snacks, and so on and so on. And now there's more noise. I feel worse and lethargic. But again, I'll make it up to myself by going back to IF on Monday.

When I started full day fasts, it was more anger than curiosity. That's why my friends question made me pause. He was curious what his body would do if he doesn't eat. I was punishing my body by not eating.

I started on Sunday night. Last meal was 8pm. I fasted all day Monday. The hardest part was 5pm-7pm. It almost felt like the noise was the loudest. Then came the mental reset. That clarity.

I walked into the bathroom on the Tuesday and it was as if I could feel a light breeze. I turned the shower on, and I felt the water hit me. I felt the force of water, and I felt the heat. I dried off and felt the noise of the towel against my skin. I still hadn't clocked any of this consciously, but my brain was sending me these messages. I shower in dim lighting, because I like to wake up slowly. I turned the light brighter and I felt this sudden rush of feelings when I looked at myself in the mirror. I remember thinking "so this is the other side".

The noise in my head was gone. All my tasks were clearly defined in my head. The unfulfilled feelings and needs from yesterday were left in the past, and all I had left were today's goals. From simple things like getting ready for work, taking the dog out, cleaning the cat litter, to planning what I have to get done when I come home from work. Grocery run, yard work, budgeting and financial stuff. All we're laid out in front of me. All I had to was walk forward.

The mental clarity I felt was the closest thing to a spiritual moment I've ever felt. I wish I could bottle it and show everyone, but like most good things, it has to be experienced, rather than described. So hopefully my description is enough for now :).

Two things have happened since I started full day fasts. One - my binging as stopped because I physically don't want to do it anymore. My stomach hurts when I eat more. In the past I'd have to eat an entire lasagna before feeling any sort of discomfort or pain. Two - the "want" for food before or after tasks, is gone. My body doesn't need food as a motivator, or reward anymore.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Again I'm not a doctor. Just going on personal experience.

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I've been doing IF for about 7 years or so. Last five weeks, I've started a full day fast on Mondays. Like others mentioned, it took about 3 weeks of full-day fasts for the mental clarity to hit. When it hit, I couldn't un-feel it. Now I've been craving that clarity. Ive now added a 2nd day fast on Wednesday, so now I get that mental clarity through most of the week. I started fasting to mainly stop my binge eating. In my head, I knew I shouldn't binge, but my body was feeling so good doing it. Now when I get the urge to binge, or actually binge, I physically feel sick. That never happened before.

As for the mental clarity. For anyone curious, it's like being able to bounce from thoughts and actions without delays in either. Imagine having a goal, and seeing every individual task laid out in your mind like a roadmap with clear checkpoints and final destination.

One surprise. I am a regular casualbweed smoker. I'd roll a joint on Monday, and take puffs of it for about 3 days. After starting my regular full day fasts a month ago, I haven't had the need to "unwind" with a joint. I feel completely settled in my body. There is no unwinding. Just awareness and presence.

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I do one 24hr+ fast, and then 16hr daily.

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This is my schedule:

Last meal - Sunday 8pm

Next meal - Tuesday 3pm til 8pm

Repeat 16hr fasting schedule till Saturday morning.

Saturday is a free-for-all untill Sunday 8pm where I start my schedule again.

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What I've noticed.

My intermittent fasts have been good. I've been doing it for several years. I didn't find the inner peace I wanted. I still struggled with food intake. Prior to this schedule I would do random 24 and one 48 hr fast. I was just chasing the finish line.

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What has changed.

This is my 5th week of following this new schedule. So far the Monday full-fast days have gotten easier and I feel food-clarity. My stomach definitely has a variety of reactions when I break my fast after 24hrs. It ranges from exhaustion, to feeling bloated and lethargic. What I found worked well is chicken pho or ramen. Something soupy with chicken. Beef didn't sit too well.

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Results.

Belly fat is shrinking. I feel lighter on my toes. Most important discoveries: relationship with food has changed. I find myself making better decisions. Mental clarity is all week, rather than towards the end of a fast-day.

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Hope this helps. Feel free to ask.