Intermittent Fasting: 24-Hour Trial Fast in Review

Hard, but not unattainable.

The 24-Hour Trial Fast is complete. I started the fast at 206 lbs on Sunday night. Monday morning I weighed in at 198 lbs. That's a change of 8 pounds in 24 hours. Not to shabby. I had a good weight training session this afternoon and surprisingly my energy was great. I plan to continue to do one 24 hour fast per week, every Sunday.

Here are a few things that walked away with.

• The difference between mental hunger (snacking, grazing, eating for comfort) and body hunger.
• Patience, determination, and how to trick your self into thinking you are not really hungry.
• A few more reasons why wheat sucks (Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis).
• Reading helped keep my mind off of food.
• I learned that I think about food constantly.
• I was much, much more aware of food advertising.
• Eating is a privilege. I appreciate being able to eat when I please, not when food is available

And here is what Zach Strom had to say about the 24-Hour Trial Fast.

"I thought this was a great way to test yourself, to see if you had the mental strength and drive to complete something that sounds very easy but is extremely hard. The body itself is a very complex system and during the fast I lost between 6lbs, and it tested my mental strength more than anything has before. It really showed me and let me understand what the difference is between mental hunger and actual hunger."

I had some eggies at the end. Fantastic.

"For the majority of the day it was a mental hunger, and I would have cravings for food for about 20-30 minutes and then it would go away. I really struggled the most around 4 or 5pm because it was Sunday and I usually start making dinner after the Bronco game, and my body knows that too. By 8pm it just turned into a waiting game and it was as much fun as watching paint dry! I ran out of things to actually do, my favorite show (The Walking Dead) was already over for the night, the Sunday night football game sucked, and there was really nothing else on TV. I pushed through and just kept my mind on other things, and once 9pm hit I knew I was going to make it."

"At 9:45pm I started prepping my 4 egg omelet with feta cheese, a small amount of chopped potatoes, cheddar cheese, and nice tall glass of milk. Food never tasted so good!!! To reward myself I had 2 small York Peppermint Patties. DELICIOUSNESS!!"

"I can't wait to try this every Sunday."


Zach made a couple great points. It was tough, but not so hard that it was unattainable. I was much, much more aware of all the crappy foods that we see multiple times a day. I was also much more aware of my habit to eat when I had a craving (a want, not a need).

And here is a final review of the fast at 10 PM Sunday Night.
Hunger: 7/10
Mood: 7/10
Energy: 8/10
Willingness to try again: 10/10

Interested in trying a fast for yourself? Feel free to post a comment and I will get back to you.

Intermittent Fasting: The 24-Hour Trial Fast

Listen to this: Mishka & Willie Nelson - Homegrown

The crew over at Precision Nutrition just posted a free e-book download on Intermittent Fasting (http://www.precisionnutrition.com/intermittent-fasting). Having been interested in IF since hearing about it from a good friend, Jon Pope, I decided to give it a read. There are not many books or studies (not that I read scientific studies) on the subject, so finding quality information from a trusted source is tough. Precision Nutrition is a very well-respected nutrition coaching company - in fact, Jonathan Pope is Precision Nutrition certified. I look at PN as the basis for body transformation. Once I got my hands (or my mouse clicker) on the IF e-book, I finished it up and began planning my first trial fast!

Meat. I can't wait till 10 pm.

With Halloween coming up tomorrow, I know that I am going to house some candy. That is the unavoidable truth. So, why not do a 24-Hour Fast prior to that day to reduce my average weekly calorie intake? I haven't tested myself mentally like this in a long time, and I am always up for trying new things. So this is perfect. Today was a great opportunity to attempt a 24-Hour Trial Fast, and my good buddy Zach Strom, author of Ski to Work or Work to Ski, is doing the fast as well. We've been exchanging text messages about what we are going to eat once this fast is over!

Here is the 24-Hour Trial Fast protocol, as laid forth by John Berardi, author of Experiments with Intermittent Fasting, 2011. Before attempting this, make sure you have all the required supplements. The BCAA's (branched chain amino acids) will help conserve muscle while the Greens supplement will ensure you are getting the necessary vitamins and nutrients.

10 PM Saturday:
- Eat your last meal of the day
- Drink 500 mL of water

10 AM Sunday:
- Drink 1 L of water + 1 serving Greens supplement
- Drink 250 mL of green tea
- Take 5 grams BCAA

3 PM Sunday:
- Drink 1 L of water + 1 serving Greens supplement
- Drink 250 mL of green tea
- Take 5 grams BCAA

10 PM Sunday:
- Eat a small snack before bed
- Drink 500 mL of water

Monday:
- Eat normally

I am fifteen hours into the fast as I write this post. I just beat one intense little episode of cravings, but nothing too serious yet. I am beginning to understand the difference between psychological hunger (mental hunger), and physiological hunger (body hunger - aka REAL hunger). Having beaten that little episode, I feel confident that I can make it to 10 pm.

Here is some feedback thus far on a 1-10 scale, because 1-10 scales are easy to understand:
Hunger: 3/10
Mood: 8/10
Energy: 8/10
Determination to Finish: 10/10


Truthfully, I am really NOT that hungry. I haven't eaten in fifteen hours, and I feel just fine. I have good energy, good focus and a positive outlook on the fast. Writing about it sure helps, as does staying busy. Like I mentioned earlier, I went through a quick episode (about 20 minutes) of intense FOOD cravings, but it was a mental thing, not a HUNGER thing. 

I work tonight. 

At a steakhouse. 

Dealing with hungry customers who pay me on how I serve them.

The challenge lies ahead.

Old Man Wisdom

From Dave Draper - I highly suggest you subscribe.

"Muscle shape, leanness and a strong, healthy system are the early motivators, worthy and always before us. However, gather the riches along the way that develop solidness, depth and width to the character and mind. Each and every workout provides reward, encouragement and good cheer. The gym experience never fails; the lifting, the straining, the winning and the losing make you stronger.

           

Every workout is an uncovering of fortitude, the further excavation of patience and persistence and a prosperous mining of discipline and humility.

           

The uncomfortable truth is too many who begin exercise and wholesome eating habits give up, quit abandon the glorious tasks too soon to realize their sub-surface bounty. The qualities they lacked to keep them going are among the qualities they were about to discover! Strength is a product of strength. A charge to your advantage: be strong and courageous; above all, be wise.”

Charles C., thank you for the inspiration this morning.