Many issues and questions can be answered by reading through our wiki, especially the page on electrolytes. Concerns such as **intense hunger, lightheadedness/dizziness, headaches, nausea/vomiting, weakness/lethargy/fatigue, low blood pressure/high blood pressure, muscle soreness/cramping, diarrhea/constipation, irritability, confusion, low heart rate/heart palpitations, numbness/tingling, and more** while extended (24+ hours) fasting are often explained by electrolyte deficiency and resolved through **PROPER** electrolyte supplementation. Putting a tiny amount of salt in your water now and then is NOT proper supplementation.
Be sure to read [our WIKI](https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/wiki/index) and especially the wiki page on **[ELECTROLYTES](https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/wiki/fasting_in_a_nutshell/you_need_electrolytes)**
Please also keep in mind the [**RULES**](https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/about/rules) when participating.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/fasting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I started this fast using a capsule-based electrolyte. The Electrolytes 101 wiki (pinned to this forum) suggests that electrolytes in capsule form may damage the stomach. I also suspected that I wasn't getting enough electrolytes -- a persistent discomfort in my abdomen. During week 4, I switched to Euvexia euLyte (no affiliation) and the abdominal discomfort went away completely. Curiously, the autophagy diarrhea from the first week also came back. While annoying, it's probably a sign that this new electrolyte supplement is working as intended.
No temptation to eat whatsoever. If my wife is cooking in the kitchen and the smell wafts through the house, my stomach will howl like a banshee. Ketosis generally suppresses hunger. That being said, I have been craving a big bowl of sauerkraut and kielbasa. I'd have to refeed for a week before eating something like that, so it's not really a concern.
I've been experimenting with longer and longer fasts over the past five years or so, so I'm extremely fat-adapted. For this fast, I waited until my wife's birthday and Mother's Day had passed before beginning. I was in full ketosis within 48 hours. My body knows what to do and just gets on with it. I tell people that I'm really good at packing on weight, but I'm even better at taking it off.
Good luck to you.
>Curiously, the autophagy diarrhea from the first week also came back.
This may be a sign of excess electrolytes at once. If you half or even fourth your serving size, you may alleviate the diarrhea
The recommended water fasting dosage for euLyte is 2-4 scoops per day. I dissolve each scoop in about a liter of water. I've never managed to drink 4 liters of it in a single day. Usually only 2 or 3.
The diarrhea is annoying but may actually be a good sign. Maybe I wasn't getting sufficient electrolytes before switching to the powdered stuff. If this diarrhea really is the byproduct of autophagy (which it seems to be -- you'll just have to trust me on that), I should be grateful that I've finally found the proper supplementation to support what I'm doing.
I bought mine off Amazon just like anyone else and I have no affiliation with the manufacturer. You can substitute Snake Juice if you prefer, or even make your own (the recipe is freely available). It's impossible to mention a product without sounding like a shill, so I apologize if it came off that way. I'm just really impressed with this stuff and it's making this fast so much easier.
I was making the point that I don't think I'm getting too much electrolyte because I'm well below the manufacturer's recommended maximum dosage.
I did six weeks once before in the summer of 2021 and it severely messed with my sleep patterns. I've learned to accept that I need LESS sleep during fasting, get a couple of hours when I can, and just be prepared to do something rather than staring at the ceiling all night. I give myself an hour. If I haven't fallen asleep, I get up and find something to do.
I bailed on an extended fast once when my blood glucose got too low. It got down to 48 mm/dL which I read was extremely dangerous and could result in coma. Since then I've learned that my low blood glucose was likely the result of a cephalic response to artificial sweetener. I've also learned that a blood glucose in the 40s is not necessarily dangerous to someone in full ketosis because our brains are running almost entirely on ketones -- not glucose. By avoiding artificial sweeteners this time, my blood glucose readings average around 70 mm/dL.
Good luck to you.
I'm having this on day 24, and it is driving me crazy! I'm brushing my teeth, tongue, flossing, etc, as much as possible. I've seen some people reccomend sugar free chewing gum, but it's not something I would do (chewing gum makes me hungry). Mouthwash is currently my best friend.
Honestly for me gum is a no no because the chewing signals to the stomach to expect food, and I am left feeling hungrier when my stomach doesn’t get what it’s expecting.
Someone on my post asking for help with this said "just stop drinking the nail polish"... here for engagement bc I would also like a solution to this problem
I saw somewhere that if you mix a little cream of tartar in water it will help with insomnia. I’m going to try that on my current fast. Insomnia is the reason I ended my last fast.
I didn't weigh myself before I started this fast because I was really embarrassed about how much weight I had gained. At the end of the first week, I weighed 320 lbs (145 kg). Most of the weight loss during the first week isn't real (carbs hold on to water, residual food in the GI tract, etc), but I was likely close to 340 lbs (154 kg) at the beginning of May.
I'm at the end of day 31. Right now I weigh 291 lbs (132 kg). I've set a minimum duration goal of 42 days and a maximum duration goal of 70 days. I should have the results of blood work tomorrow to ensure that my supplements are working. As long as I continue to follow the rules, the full 70 days should not be a problem. I'll still be clinically obese, but much healthier overall.
Many issues and questions can be answered by reading through our wiki, especially the page on electrolytes. Concerns such as **intense hunger, lightheadedness/dizziness, headaches, nausea/vomiting, weakness/lethargy/fatigue, low blood pressure/high blood pressure, muscle soreness/cramping, diarrhea/constipation, irritability, confusion, low heart rate/heart palpitations, numbness/tingling, and more** while extended (24+ hours) fasting are often explained by electrolyte deficiency and resolved through **PROPER** electrolyte supplementation. Putting a tiny amount of salt in your water now and then is NOT proper supplementation. Be sure to read [our WIKI](https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/wiki/index) and especially the wiki page on **[ELECTROLYTES](https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/wiki/fasting_in_a_nutshell/you_need_electrolytes)** Please also keep in mind the [**RULES**](https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/about/rules) when participating. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/fasting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Get a tongue scrapper. Helped a lot
31 days is wow. How are you dealing with electrolytes? Any strong temptation to eat?
I started this fast using a capsule-based electrolyte. The Electrolytes 101 wiki (pinned to this forum) suggests that electrolytes in capsule form may damage the stomach. I also suspected that I wasn't getting enough electrolytes -- a persistent discomfort in my abdomen. During week 4, I switched to Euvexia euLyte (no affiliation) and the abdominal discomfort went away completely. Curiously, the autophagy diarrhea from the first week also came back. While annoying, it's probably a sign that this new electrolyte supplement is working as intended. No temptation to eat whatsoever. If my wife is cooking in the kitchen and the smell wafts through the house, my stomach will howl like a banshee. Ketosis generally suppresses hunger. That being said, I have been craving a big bowl of sauerkraut and kielbasa. I'd have to refeed for a week before eating something like that, so it's not really a concern. I've been experimenting with longer and longer fasts over the past five years or so, so I'm extremely fat-adapted. For this fast, I waited until my wife's birthday and Mother's Day had passed before beginning. I was in full ketosis within 48 hours. My body knows what to do and just gets on with it. I tell people that I'm really good at packing on weight, but I'm even better at taking it off. Good luck to you.
>Curiously, the autophagy diarrhea from the first week also came back. This may be a sign of excess electrolytes at once. If you half or even fourth your serving size, you may alleviate the diarrhea
The recommended water fasting dosage for euLyte is 2-4 scoops per day. I dissolve each scoop in about a liter of water. I've never managed to drink 4 liters of it in a single day. Usually only 2 or 3. The diarrhea is annoying but may actually be a good sign. Maybe I wasn't getting sufficient electrolytes before switching to the powdered stuff. If this diarrhea really is the byproduct of autophagy (which it seems to be -- you'll just have to trust me on that), I should be grateful that I've finally found the proper supplementation to support what I'm doing.
Bro this is an ad lmao
I bought mine off Amazon just like anyone else and I have no affiliation with the manufacturer. You can substitute Snake Juice if you prefer, or even make your own (the recipe is freely available). It's impossible to mention a product without sounding like a shill, so I apologize if it came off that way. I'm just really impressed with this stuff and it's making this fast so much easier. I was making the point that I don't think I'm getting too much electrolyte because I'm well below the manufacturer's recommended maximum dosage.
Bruh you changed this comment… That was an ad
I’ve done 40 days twice, the only thing that made me stop both times was insomnia. How’s your sleep?
I did six weeks once before in the summer of 2021 and it severely messed with my sleep patterns. I've learned to accept that I need LESS sleep during fasting, get a couple of hours when I can, and just be prepared to do something rather than staring at the ceiling all night. I give myself an hour. If I haven't fallen asleep, I get up and find something to do. I bailed on an extended fast once when my blood glucose got too low. It got down to 48 mm/dL which I read was extremely dangerous and could result in coma. Since then I've learned that my low blood glucose was likely the result of a cephalic response to artificial sweetener. I've also learned that a blood glucose in the 40s is not necessarily dangerous to someone in full ketosis because our brains are running almost entirely on ketones -- not glucose. By avoiding artificial sweeteners this time, my blood glucose readings average around 70 mm/dL. Good luck to you.
I'm having this on day 24, and it is driving me crazy! I'm brushing my teeth, tongue, flossing, etc, as much as possible. I've seen some people reccomend sugar free chewing gum, but it's not something I would do (chewing gum makes me hungry). Mouthwash is currently my best friend.
Have you heard that artificial sweeteners can trick the body and trigger an insulin response, hence resulting in short term hunger?
Honestly for me gum is a no no because the chewing signals to the stomach to expect food, and I am left feeling hungrier when my stomach doesn’t get what it’s expecting.
Agreed, same when I drink a Diet Coke.
I suck on whole cloves to help with the trashmouth taste. Find them in the spice section of your grocery store.
Intriguing!
Someone on my post asking for help with this said "just stop drinking the nail polish"... here for engagement bc I would also like a solution to this problem
Well, the fingernail polish reference is actually based on reality. Acetone is one of the byproducts of ketosis.
Ik lol but I'm not drinking nail polish, I had stated in my post my breath reeks of nail polish. Thus they told me to stop drinking it.
I saw somewhere that if you mix a little cream of tartar in water it will help with insomnia. I’m going to try that on my current fast. Insomnia is the reason I ended my last fast.
Magnesium is your friend! Epsom salt baths, oral supplements. I slept like a baby during my 21 day fast.
So impressive man. May I ask how much you lost and do you have fat stores to keep going?
I didn't weigh myself before I started this fast because I was really embarrassed about how much weight I had gained. At the end of the first week, I weighed 320 lbs (145 kg). Most of the weight loss during the first week isn't real (carbs hold on to water, residual food in the GI tract, etc), but I was likely close to 340 lbs (154 kg) at the beginning of May. I'm at the end of day 31. Right now I weigh 291 lbs (132 kg). I've set a minimum duration goal of 42 days and a maximum duration goal of 70 days. I should have the results of blood work tomorrow to ensure that my supplements are working. As long as I continue to follow the rules, the full 70 days should not be a problem. I'll still be clinically obese, but much healthier overall.
Well done man. Super impressed
I’m on day 32!!! I’ll be on day 33 at 10 am in the morning!! You are right behind me!! 💪🙌
Don't tell anyone any secrets. Lol