Two Ways to Use Fasting to Boost Results

I am sorry to say I have not had much success with post feast day fasting – I do ok till the early afternoon but start feeling not too well afterwards and cannot work out efficiently as I have to pause all the time to get my breath back. Perhaps it is due to low blood pressure. However, I had a question : how does one know about one’s leptin level ? Is it proven that it will be high in everybody during 24 to 36 hours after a so-called cheat day ? Or are there ways to measure it ?
Thanks for the posts.

Hey Joel. I will “have to” water fast for 30 days (25 to 40 days) for health issues (allergie), not fat loss. But it will serve for “weight” loss also. Theoretically I expect to have lost about 25 kilograms.

1- can you guess ratios of lost fat-muscle and water? I hate losing muscle, even thinking is a nightmare.
2- Is it very hard to compensate my muscle loss after a such situation?

My wife has tried the cheat day but found an increase in weight the following day so has gone off the idea. I read some where that next day weight may be greater due to water retention so measuring the spare tyre is a better indicator of fat loss. I ve just read your idea for a post cheat fast day so i will put this idea to my wife to try.
mel

I’ve just finished my first fast day on the 25 day trial. I work as a doctor and I found that I was lethargic more than hungry. Its the tiredness rather than the hunger pangs which is the real struggle. I checked my blood sugar levels throughout the day (handy sometimes being a doctor!) and they were absolutely within the normal ranges. Even this morning, after fasting all day yesterday and doing a 40minute exercise, my sugar levels were absolutely fine.
Its absolutely do-able. And today, following my first shake, I feel amazing. The hardest part is listening to friends who look at you with horror at the thought of going 1 day without food.

Hello there

I am a 51 years-old Asian male, standing at 1.74m at 68kgs and have trouble getting rid of the stubborn tyre around my waist.

I am on a low-carb, high vegetable, fruits and protein diet and I am already on a one-meal-a-day diet everyday. Okay, I do take my fair share of alcohol every night which I believe could be the excess carb I am having and the cause of the tyre around my waist.

Is there anything else I can do to get rid of my problem, please? I am at wits-end.

Thank you for your assistance.
Ken

I think fasting gets me acid reflex going so I’m afraid to try it..

Joel, I’ve tried the fasting and it is brutal. It is easier for me to have 2 days at 500 calories rather than one fast day followed by my 2000 calorie regular days. I’m still able to work out as well. Is the this bad/worse/ok?

I’ve used the 24 hour fast which keeps me on my favourite belt setting. Also last winter had the 36 hour fast inflicted on me twice within a couple of weeks and lost 7lbs (4%) of body weight and at least an inch off the waist, slept through most of it. Put a few pounds back on now but kept the waist down. I suppose a lot of discoveries are found by chance.

I just had an unintended 2-day fast after a cheat day due to a stomach flu. Unfortunately, I was pretty beat, so I wasn’t up to doing any training. The scale said 2,5 Kilos less than before, but I bet it is mostly water weight. Question: what should I do if something like this (getting sick) would happen during the 25-day XFLD?

I bought your XFLD and can’t wait to start…it all makes so much sense..thanks Joel

I have been using 24 hour fasts for a while now, and am convinced that this is the perfect nutritional lifestyle for me. I find that I somehow have more energy and mental clarity on my fast days, so love it. Also, it really makes me aware that a lot of the time I eat because of boredom or routine, not because I am actually hungry.

I have not done a 36 hour fast, so may have to try that out after a massive cheat day someday.

Hi Joel
Just got your XFLD, in the planning stage at the moment, looking forward to starting. I just have one concern before starting the XFLD, I have an underactive thyroid condition. Will this hinder me in any way or be affected by the XFLD in your opinion? Going to try the cheat day followed by fast day straight away which sounds tough, but fingers crossed it’ll go well.

Hi Joel, so you say non-calorie drinks only? That basically means WATER :-) So I have a few Q’s.

Beer. That’s calorie free. It’s 96% water. It has ‘virtual’ calories that will add weght/fat to your body when eating because it replaces the actual calories from the food. You put on weight/fat from the food. NOT FROM THE BEER The beer is NUTRIENT FREE. It contains no discernible fats, carbs or proteins. So from the pov of weight gain/fat loss, would it be okay to drink beer on your fast day then?

I’ve tried two fast days now. On Sundays. That’s my easiest day. I don’t feel I can do a days physical work without nourishment. Lack of food can also cause lack of mental concentration. Not a good idea using power saws and other equally potentially dangerous tools in the construction industry. I haven’t done a complete fast. Going back to the ‘calorie free drinks’. I have, throughout the day drank my ‘supplement drinks’. Consisting of one BCAA, one Whey Protein Isolate (2 scoops), one Carbs/Protein (2 scoops) and one Casein Protein (2 scoops). I’ve done this because as a Hardgainer I’m not entirely convinced that my body would use stored fat for energy and not muscle tissue. It’s my understanding that the body is a bit lazy and that it gets its nourishment from the easiest source. It is easier to break down protein (muscle) than fat. That the muscles are easier to reach to break down than the fat stores. The body doesn’t like carrying extra muscle anyway, because it requires more calories to maintain than fat. So, double whammy. Break down muscle. Provide energy and use less energy at the same time. That is what I’ve read and understood in just about every report I’ve read. What’s your view on that? And, is my fast day a fast day if I’m drinking nutrient rich supplements? Can you categorically say that I will lose fat and not any muscle on a calorie drink free fast day?

Then we get into the calories from solids and calories from liquids Q. Can you gain more weight/fat from solid cals than liquid cals (of an equivalent nutrient source)? I think the liquid cals are more manageable and controllable than from solids. You pretty much know exactly what is in a liquid, but it’s more difficult to ascertain the exact proportions of nutrients in a pound of meat. So, linked with the supplement drinks Q, will I still lose fat drinking protein shakes (sensible amounts)? And, could I gain weight/fat from drinking them?

Over to you Joel

Losing 2 pounds of PURE FAT in one day would mean to create a caloric deficit of somewhere around 7000 calories, am i right? Does your body really need that much energy just to produce more leptin and T3/T4?

Hi Dr K – just a quick question – why wouldnt your body go into fat storage mode during/after the fast on the basis that our system is designed to store fat for the ‘lean and starvation’ times?
Thanks
Mili (UK)

Hi Joel – I ordered your XFLD program and in the planning stages, just waiting for all my supplies. So excited to get started. I was wondering about the post-cheat fast day you mention above. How often would you recommend doing this?

Hi! I just started the XFLD this week and so far am loving it! The fast day is not nearly as bad as it sounds because of all of the extra energy that you have left over from the cheat day before. I found that as long as I stayed busy, and drank lots of water I really didn’t feel hungry. This is not to say that I didn’t feel like eating at meal times, but that is more habit than hunger. Good luck everyone!

Wow! Not sure why so many people having trouble fasting. Muslims around the world fast 1 whole month every year since more than 1432 years ago and in Malaysia, fasting month not holiday months.So we fast but still go to work, school etc as normal. Our fasting is no foods and drinks at all from sunrise to sunset, so basically less than 24 hrs. We normally start fasting since 5-7 yrs old. We have no problem with that. Fasting month will come again in August this year.

I think if anyone choose to fast for any reasons and having trouble to start, you can start with 5-8hrs then try to extend the time day by day. Eventually 24 hrs with 0-calorie drinks will become really easy, if it’s too difficult, my bloodlines should be extinct 1432 yrs ago LOL!

@ Khanh truong:
36 hours because u eat dinner then go to bed then wake up thats already about 12 hour fast there, then add the fast day till next morniing and u have 36 hours!

I tried ESE fasts in the last turbulence training contest (TC10). I wasn’t a fan of 24 hour fasting. I am now doing 16 hour fasts leangains style for TC11. I find these work well. I do them daily so have my last meal at 8-9 and break it at 12-1.

Hey Joel

So do you not have any post workout meal/shake when you fast?

I am in the first cycle of the XFLD (so far so good) and I timed my first fast day for a Sunday. The BCAA supplement plus additional water and lots of green tea kept me feeling as though there was something in my belly all day. Training on this day was fine as it followed the cheat day. My advice: BCAA, lots of water, factor in lots of non edible rewards for sticking with the program and send note to self: it’s only one day.

Love xfld. Finished one 5 day cycle and had heaps of people tell me how good I am looking! After ONE cycle….oh I am sticking with this baby!

Wow! I purchased the XFLD last week and have just started my first Cheat Day. Tomorrow will be my first fast. I was really worried I wouldn’t make it through the fast day. I’m terrible…I eat many times a day. But after reading so many positive comments from people who have been doing fast days for a while, I feel so much better! I think that if I do my cheat day right, I should be great during the day tomorrow. I do have a question…if I want to drink some tea with stevia in it, is that okay? I was thinking it should be, but just wanted some confirmation. Thanks Joel! I’m excited to see what my results will be in 25 days! <3

Hi Joel! I usually go on a calorie deficit diet for 2 weeks every month. Been doing it for the last 6 months, from the time I tried my first one and lost 20 lbs in one month. Now I use this system to balance out my workouts and diet plan. I will keep you informed on how the 25-day plan works for me. :-) Cheers!