johncaruso's Journal, 23 July 2015

This past Monday evening after a late dinner, I started fasting. I broke the fast Thursday afternoon, resulting in about a 65 hour fast, the longest I've ever done. Since I was already pretty fat-adapted, I did not experience much hunger at all, and was actually amazed at how I felt after the 3rd day. I easily could have gone longer, and plan to do longer fasts in the future. Looking at cycles of 4 day fast, 3 day feed (probably Fri-Sun to allow for eating out on weekends).

Intermittent fasting has numerous benefits and although I'd already done a form of IF by compressing my feeding period (an 18:6 fast - typically breakfast after 1pm and dinner before 7pm) I decided to start doing longer fasts to achieve more of their health benefits.

It was after reviewing videos and articles by Dr. Jason Fung and learning about the success of his diabetic patients in both losing weight and reversing diabetes, that I decided to take this next step in my weight loss / health improvement journey. His youtube series on the Aetiology of Obesity is quite informative, as is a continuing series of blogs on fasting. (His site: https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/ )

Fasting does an excellent job (probably the best without using drugs) in reducing blood glucose levels, insulin levels, and apparently helps reverse insulin resistance. Many of his patients have been able to completely stop using insulin and other diabetic meds as a result of fasting.

Fung says many people who have lost weight on LC diets end up gaining it back because they have not necessarily addressed their insulin resistance, which he says is the reason most people (with metabolic syndrome) gained the weight in the first place.

By incorporating fasting - and particularly longer term fasting - I hope to reverse my insulin resistance so that once I do achieve my goal weight, I can more easily maintain my weight and reduce the risk of gaining weight if I indulge in higher carb meals on occasion.

I also think IF will help break through the multi-week stalls that have experienced at times on LCHF. These stalls may have something to do with body weight set point - which IF also helps lower.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a true believer that low carb high fat, particularly for people like me with metabolic syndrome, is an optimal diet (or WoE), but once I reach my goal weight, I don't want to feel like I can never again, for the rest of my life, enjoy all the courses of a multi-course dinner at a "foodie" restaurant, including whatever wonderful dessert creation it includes.

This is in contrast to experimenting with a Zero Carb, or better named, Meat Only diet. I read hundreds of pages of forum posts and blogs on the subject, and what I learned is that while many people are enjoying weigh loss and health successes with this WoE - including people who had some success with LCHF, but may have stalled - their mind set is that "food is fuel, not entertainment."

So some people for example just eat 1-2 lbs of ground beef every day, or just ribeye steaks. And drink water. And that's it. "Eat meat, drink water" is a sort slogan heard over and over. Now, there are some amazing success stories, so this might just be the ticket to health some people need.

However, much like LCHF not necessarily addressing the root cause of insulin resistance, if you need to be meat only for the rest of your life, perhaps it's not really addressing the root cause of your problem. Perhaps it's only treating the symptoms.

For me, I don't want food to be only fuel. I really enjoy food as entertainment - from trying out various cultural cuisines and the crazy, creative ideas some chefs have, to the social aspect of gathering around the table with friends and family.

I don't want to be the guy who brings my own pre-made cup of ground beef "fuel" to consume while others are enjoying and commenting on some delicacy on the table before them.

Food is truly an integral part of our culture.

I believe it is possible to at least mostly repair my damaged metabolic system, continue eating healthy lower carb higher fat meals the majority of the time, but still be able to fully engage in the culture of food on occasion.

What I know for sure that I can not and must not do is: eat a pizza or two, a pint or two of Ben & Jerry's, and a few bottles of wine every week and expect to remain slim. (For anyone looking to gain weight, the above recipe is freely provided.)

Pizza remains my all time favorite, but after extensive experimentation (trust me) I have determined I must have the gene that causes pizza overconsumption.

One positive note: I've discovered "Crustless Pizza" from Lou Malnati's here in Chicago - made with a sausage crust. It was quite awesome to enjoy a couple slices of pizza with everyone else while at a friends house for a gaming night.

Oh by the way, I recently bought a Withings Activite Pop watch that tracks steps (walking) and sleeping. I used to have a fitbit, but it got washed with the laundry once, and I ended up returning as I just couldn't trust that something like that wouldn't happen again. The Withings watch is great - looks like a normal analog watch, and I know it won't accidentally fall off or get washed with the laundry.

For the past 3 weeks I've averaged over 35000 steps (about 20 mi) per week including, over 10000 steps (~6 mi) on each of my fast days. Yes, you read correctly. I had no food for three days and managed to walk 6 mi every day without passing out from lack of energy or exhaustion.

And during the second day of my fast, not only did I walk over 6 mi, but I did a full body kettlebell interval workout. Clearly my body was getting plenty of energy from my own stored fat.

My goal is to average 70k steps/week. And ultimately 2-4 days/week of kettlebell exercise - but walking is the higher priority. I am otherwise extremely sedentary.

This Withing watch marks my third product purchase. I have a scale and bp cuff. It's really great to see my weight, fat %, sleep, and bp all charted out on a single dashboard.

BTW, with the walking and fasting, I've managed to reduce my bp meds to an all time low. I used to take Metoprolol 150mg 2x/day. More recently with LCHF-induced weightloss I got down to 25mg 2x/day. Now I'm down to 12.5mg 2x/day.

When I'm not fasting, I'm eating LCHF (mainly Personal Trainer Food meals), and supplementing with cod liver oil and recently added apple cider vinegar (many health benefits including helping control blood glucose).

When fasting it'll be: water, coffee (maybe with some cream but no sweetener), chicken stock or bone broth with potassium chloride (lite salt), ACV, a multivitamin and if needed (due to leg cramps, or insomnia) magnesium citrate (Calm rasberry-lemon flavor - once I'm out of this I think I'll switch to something without sweetener, or maybe epsom salt baths).

Whew! Long journal entry, but wanted to capture what's been going on for reference in the future - and for all you members lurking around.

TL;DR: Fasting can be a safe and effective way to lose weight and improve your health. Google Dr Jason Fung for more info.

224.7 lb Lost so far: 40.3 lb.    Still to go: 59.7 lb.    Diet followed reasonably well.

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1951 kcal

Fat: 136.83g | Prot: 123.20g | Carb: 32.42g.   Breakfast: Organics Heavy Whipping Cream, Coffee (Brewed From Grounds). Lunch: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Simply Nature 100% Grass Fed Ground Beef, Lettuce Salad with Cheese, Tomato and/or Carrots, Market Pantry Pepper Jack Deli-Style Cheese Slices. Dinner: Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter, Market Pantry Raspberry Reduced-Fat Vinaigrette, Athenos Feta Cheese, Personal Trainer Food PTF Blend, Baby Spinach, Personal Trainer Food Fajita Steak Strips, Personal Trainer Food Teriyaki Chicken, Red Table Wine. Snacks/Other: Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Kirkland Signature Dry Roasted Macadamia Nuts with Sea Salt, Columbus Salame Italian Dry Salame, Carlson Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, Philadelphia Deli Style Cream Cheese. more...