When is it okay to break a fast?

Do you follow any fasting styles, I've try to do something close to a dry fast but often find myself feeling a little light headed after 7 hours of being awake

I'd say it's ok. Maybe it's best to ask a doctor before trying a new diet.

Fasting is pretty silly; food is amazing and should be enjoyed, and you should take every opportunity within reason to eat foods. Especialyl when they're broken up by time of day; why deprive yourself of breakfast if you don't eat before noon? Or why deprive yourself of a nice sandwich from that deli if you don't eat during lunch hours?

Eat when you're hungry. Your body needs fuel and unless you're doing some serious body work and restricting calories for an actual, specific purpose, a general practice of fasting is not really necessary.

Just make sure you are hungry, though. It's often that people eat because they are bored or stressed.

I do try to not eat a couple hours before bed, I hate sleeping on a full stomach.

OK, go ahead and send me all your links and factoids about why fasting in awesome. You won't change my mind, but I figure I might as well be ready 😋

If you get light headed you should probably eat.

Not a doctor, but at best case scenario it means you aren't getting the macros you need. Worst case scenario it means you're not getting the vitamins you need and might be hospitalized at some point.

@girlusocrazy: @mrbojangles25:

The worst case scenario did happen once in 2020 ,my doctor said I was over at the hospital from being deficient in electrolytes most particularly in Iron count ...thing was I was eating on that day but had the issue of my body gradually shutting down that evening partly being contributed from stress and the fact I used to rely solely on caffiene for my energy ...it definitely help get the message through that I needed to chill

Got a doctor appointment coming up this week ,so I'll check with them about that

I like to fast from sunrise to sunset. It takes discipline and prayer, but it can be done. I try to refrain from mentioning to others that I'm fasting because that can lead to a self-righteous attitude; you're not doing it for God, you're doing it so that others will highly of you. There's nothing worse than a phony religious person, in my opinion. It's better to be an adulterer or an atheist than it is to be a counterfeit religious person.

So yeah, if you're going to fast, make sure that your motives are pure. Don't do it to show off.

**** damn

This is the kind of back-handed comments I'm used to getting as an atheist.

A religion of love and compassion my ass.

As an atheist, I agree with him.

You think atheists are comparable to adulterers?

To be fair that's kind of how it was initially was whenever trying to start a fast or diet but it's mainly for health related reasons and not for clout. Can't eat fast food and not expect too feel like shit ,it doesn't really burn clean

I tried fasting and only if I get hungry then I will eat. Being a diabetic I have to eat or my blood sugar drops low when taking medicine.

you're not going to be punished for breaking a fast.

if you're having issues, just fucking eat.

Prepare for a culture shock...

Intermittent fasting is good for certain reasons, like weight loss or weight control. But within moderation, of course. Fasting a whole day, for example, is totally unnecessary and does more harm than good. But fasting for a certain number of hours for a certain number of days can be effective.

I can endure 2h to 4h fasting periods. Yeah I'm pretty extreme.

Do you do this for religious reasons, though?

Also, just out of curiosity, what is your activity level like? IIRC you don't work or suffer from an illness or something?

I've heard stories of people going to jail for like a year or two--nothing major, just small crimes but still bad enough for a year or so--and what they do is restrict their calories. What it ends up doing is sending their body into hibernation mode so they basically sleep 16 hours a day. I guess boredom is a big problem in jail so if you can sleep for 2/3 of the time you're there, it's sort of a good way to make your sentence pass.

Just curious if that's more or less what you do to pass the time if you are unable to really have an active life.

Sorry if I offend, not trying to imply anything, just curious.

I mean, it's a given. But no, more on the "There's nothing worse than a phony religious person"

typically I break fast at breakfast

@mrbojangles25: Yes, my fasting is done for religious reasons (I'm a christian.) Fasting is mentioned in the Bible several times, so I like doing it. Even Jesus fasted. You're recollection is correct; I have a mental handicap called schizophrenia and it prevents me from having a job or a relationship/marriage. It's not that I refuse to work or refuse to date, I'm just not healthy enough to handle those responsibilities. Hopefully some day I will get to do both of those things. I don't want to have to live a celibate lifestyle that relies on disability benefits.

However, I do help pay my family's bills. Myself, my dad, mom, sister and brother all contribute. We each pay part of it. I have to, because the Bible says that a man who does not provide for his family is worse than an unbeliever. I help my family make ends meet.

I wish I could fast whole again. I used to do it 3/4 times a week for 24 hours during my early fitness life. I held firm to the biblical accounts then reading research about Cell Regeneration due to low carbs, I was dedicated. My plan for it was to use it on personal days, because I would tolerate the discomfort with no high level stress like work duties. It worked fairly well. Sometimes I had to much energy I couldn't sleep probably due to the ketones. During the day, I couldn't feel achy when doing chores so I kept going. I tried to get back to the old way for the past 2 years, but I've only managed to stick to a one meal a day plan 24 hr fast. The stressors in my life are active more, so I've had to use food to calm down. My weight stayed low, I bulked muscle to 180 pounds and sleep on time gratefully.

Had to break my intermittent dry fast after 11 days and 10 hours when I felt that the fatigue was getting much...outside of physical benefit i noticed that my mind feels more clearer and are able to attain information alot more quicker

I finished 37 about 2-3 weeks ago.

I would not recommend it, instead would recommend 3-5 days, eat day, and continuing this loop until it becomes habit.

Experience was different. Once you get past the "hump" which can be 5-7-11+ days, you're body adapts, hunger goes away and energy is mostly the same. You'll reach a strange point where forget what food tastes like.

The main problem was bile, towards the end the build up was such that I was constantly gagging.

Which is why I suggest 3-5+ day loops, which should help alleviate or completely stop this from happening.

Also important is electrolytes, make sure you take these, along with victims or you will feel like shit, and it can become dangerous.

@uninspiredcup: how do you deal with upset stomach when fasting? I know people vary, but don't most folks get a rumbly tummy if they go like 8+ hours without eating? I sure do, at least.

Do you drink something to settle it?

I get borderline nauseous if I don't eat. Not like sick sick, but I definitely feel bad.

As mentioned you get a hump. About roughly day 5-7 is worst depending on the person, then it disappears. You you'll feel the same if not better than when you were eating, body just switches over to different source.

At day 30+ I was operating as normally as I would if I were eating normal, it was just the bile and gagging, going into a constant state of "I'm gonna puke", ain't fun.

Didn't really get that symptom though it's a pretty daunting task to go through the dry spells though ... boy can only imagine the level of dehydration i'd feel in summer

As mentioned, make sure you get electrolytes.

Another simple thing you can do is put abit of salt in coffee, which isn't pleasant, can try hide it with the taste of coffee, but generally found the electrolytes. (which they falsely advertised tasteless), worse

The bile stuff is late stage, if you're doing something like 7-11, maybe even 15 days probably won't get it.

Which is why I think going that loop, repeatedly, is better than prolonged.

@mrbojangles25: Fasting is important especially when you're supposed to fast the day before a check up appointment at the hospital/clinic so they can do a blood draw to see how your health is.

after that you can go back to eating your junk food or whatever

Fasting isn't especially important, it's only important before a check up (or other very specific medical reason). And no junk food here, my friend, only good food 😁

This week for meal prep I did a nice quiche Lorraine for breakfast, chicken piccata with some grilled veggies for lunch, and some chile verde pork (tomatillos, various green chiles, onion, etc) with some beans for dinner.

Yum yum yum, good wholesome food. Macros and micros, lots of protein, vegetables, fiber. Last blood panel had me at 95 total cholesterol, no diabetes risk, pretty much flawless vitamin panel.

Like I said: I find fasting kind of silly when you could be eating. If you think it has some benefit, or if you're one of those sociopaths that doesn't like eating (i.e. "I would just eat a food pill if it meant I didn't have to eat"), you do you...but for the rest of us, just realize it's probably because when you're not fasting you're eating poorly. So the logic behind "I feel better when I fast" is somewhat flawed because the conclusion you should draw is "I Feel better when I fast [because I am avoiding crap]."

You could eat good food and feel better, but there's big money making videos about benefits of fasting and podcasting about fasting and selling books about fasting and blah blah blah.

Just cook the food you eat, don't eat crap, and enjoy one of the best parts about life. There's a reason why 90% of the content generated is about food, fucking, or fighting.

Obviously I'm very opinionated on the subject, but I think people should be learning how to cook and eating better instead of going down the road of fasting as some sort of alternative to the health epidemic (at least in the US and other western countries).

Have tried your coffee with Himalayan salt? It's the only way I can down strong tasting instant coffee without gagging.

Yea tried pink Himalayan salt, tbh have a god awful memory and can't remember much of it.

Whatever works for you, and if it's safe, do it.

Usually when I wake up, I break fast.