Hi guys, I wanted to let you know that today felt like the day to end my fast. So I am gently weaning myself off. I had some avocado, some vegetable juice, some tomato soup.

Tomorrow I will try some other gentle ways to continue to let my body get used to eating again. No meat yet, I'm not ready for it, but soon.

I plan to go back on Atkins after a few days of easing back into eating. I'm going to try my hardest to keep off the weight I've lost (minus whatever water I start to hold onto). I also plan to work hard at exercising (after I'm completely done with the readjustment period) so that I can build back whatever muscle I might have lost.

I'll continue posting to let you know how much weight comes back on and whatever other issues happen. I may do this again some where down the road a bit, but I'm done for now.

Sherry: Have you considered using protein shakes as you transition back into food? EAS AdvantEdge Carb Control has 12 g of protein and 100 calories. It might be a gentle yet healthy way to ease back into solid food.

So how much did you lose total during your fast?

I went from 245 to 230---15 pounds. Today it is at 231. I'm sure the salt in my V8 juice last night might be a factor in that.

Protein shakes? No. That sounds like more than I'm ready for. Part of the reason for fasting is for a cleanse, and that sounds too unnatural for me right now. I'm sure they contain chemicals.

To answer someone else's question about my husband's job. I was planning (originally) to fast for 2 days starting last Monday. It was Monday evening when my husband announced he had lost his job that day. So his job loss wasn't a factor in my decision to fast, but the fast did help me cope with the stress of it. I continued the fast beyond the 2 days because it made me feel so good and the weight loss was getting me beyond a point that I had been at where I was wanting to give up this weight loss effort. I needed to break a stall and push beyond a point that had lasted a month or longer of going down 5 pounds and then back up.

The fast was not difficult. I really enjoyed it and will likely do it again if the weight loss stalls again. I suffered no adverse effects from it that I can see, except that my tummy (on the inside and out) is smaller and I think that as long as I don't stretch it out by eating too much, I think it is going to be much easier to practice portion control and to eat less. That isn't "adverse" exactly. I consider that a GOOD thing. But it is different. Almost like having your stomach stapled without the trauma!

Of course our stomachs are stretchable and so I must be careful on that score.

Protein shakes can be really good for you and usually the only chemicals you usually find in protein powders are any sweeteners they may add. I've started incorporating protein shakes into my diet because I realized I needed more protein in my diet without adding the calories. Lately, my breakfast choice has been protein powder, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt. I've also started adding lowfat/nonfat cottage cheese because it does have a good amount of protein.

I'm glad that it well for you. Thank you for bringing up such an interesting topic.

Quick update:

I've been eating for parts of 3 days now. I'm finding that only natural foods (particularly vegetables) have been appealing to me right now. I drank a little "light" juice today and I didn't even like that bit of sugar in it.

Tonight I had cravings for salmon. For some reason salmon seemed like the most wonderful possible choice (and boy was it GOOD!). I haven't slipped back into Atkins yet, but most of what I've been eating (with the exception of some corn) has been Atkins friendly.

Scale is up a little. Not excessive, just a bit. I expected this. I think the "cleanse" if that is what it was worked. I'm amazed at how wonderful fresh and natural food tastes. I'm trying hard not to reintroduce any processed food or chemical filled foods. They aren't even appealing, not even chocolate which is usually my big weakness.

Glad things are going well for you Sherry. Keep us updated as your transition progresses.

Denise

The interesting thing to me is that since my fast, I'm much more aware of what food is "good" and what is "bad". And it isn't a mental knowledge, it is a physical knowledge. It is like I will tastes something and my body says "no you shouldn't eat that it isn't right". Maybe there is something to that "cleanse" idea after all. We get so used to processed chemical laden foods, that maybe we don't even notice after awhile. My body is telling me now when something is unnatural.

After my fasts, I could taste the chemicals in certain foods (like produce) and the fat from greasey foods would coat my tongue. Greasey foods became a total turn off.

I think that is something that happens after you change your eating habits as well. I have a hard time eating salty foods, such as canned soups. Also, when I eat out sometimes, I can notice the salt content. Also, fatty foods are more noticeable. It I used to be one of the vegetable avoiders but now I couldn't imagine that.

nelie, I agree with you.

Everything I have read and what my trainer told me was that by fasting more than one day a week, you can lose muscle that is essential to weight loss. The more muscle, the faster you lose. Also if you fast more than that, your body will go into starvation mode that causes it to store all fat once you begin to eat again. Which can cause your thyroid to go beserk...like mine did. The problem with that is that once your thyroid does that, it is a permanent thing. I suggest to be very careful and first see your doctor.

Lill/Elva

Your body does not go into starvation mode. After three days (sometimes 4 or 5) your body goes into a state called autolysis. Because it's no longer digesting it slips into a "cleaning mode" getting rid of dead/diseased/dying cells, tumors and caked on fecal matter. It also eliminates fat cells. Muscle is the last to go and by that time your body is telling you that your done fasting. (hunger comes back)

BUT fasting is NOT for everyone, it's not a cure all and it's not a ticket to skinny and then eat whatever you want. :)

Oh, and thyroid problems can be cured, unless you've been on a synthetic thyroid harmone for over a year. I'm living proof of curing hypthyroidism.

Just bumping this up, was wondering how Sherry is doing now that it has been a couple of weeks since she finished her fast.

Me too!

After hearing about this 1 man that fasted for 9 days to get the courts to hear him out, and seeing one of my patients die of anorexia (started off as fasting) I would never fast again.

See he's got to have dialist, possibly a colostomy bog (if he can't get the stool out soon), and so many other problems that he will have to deal with for the rest of his life. She was so weak by the time she made it to the hospital, she had left her appartment crawling to the stairs, then slided down face first. We had to give her a feeding tube and full blown IV but it was just too late . Her body had shut down on her.

Fasting could be a good thing for a day or 2 but it should never go farther than that.

Look into the effects of a long terms fasting regime before making it a way of weight lost.

When you do start eating , do introduce food into your system slowly.