Petra @newmiboWHAT IS A FAT FAST?
What on earth is a fat fast I hear you ask. Does it refer to losing fat or refraining from fat? Fat fasting means what it says, relying only on fats as a source of calories for an extended period. I put together my unique version, inspired by The Bulletproof Diet by Dave Asprey and The Fast Mimicking Diet developed by Dr Valter Longo.
I aimed to get into ketosis, burn fat, curb appetite and cravings and break through a weight-loss plateau.
Carry on reading if you’re curious to find out how it went, what I consumed and how I felt day by day.
MY RULES
My version consisted of liquids only. All the fat I consumed was blended into my hot beverages. I chose not to eat any solid food throughout this challenge. My limit was up to 6 tablespoons of fat, spread thought the day, depending on hunger. My fats of choice included virgin coconut oil, unsalted grass-fed butter, and full-fat cream. I kept the selection minimal.
DAY 1
On DAY 1 of the fat fast, I planned to have 2 tablespoons (TB) of fat to start with, perhaps more if I felt it was needed. In the morning, I made my usual black coffee and decided not to add any fat yet. At lunch-time, I added 1 tablespoon of coconut oil into my black coffee using a blender to make the coffee nice and creamy. It felt very filling. I took my time sipping on it slowly.
I drank water for the rest of the day.
In the evening, I had a tablespoon of full-fat cream and because I did not feel hungry much, I decided to call it a day and not eat any more.
Day 1 was very smooth going, with no problems at all.
DAY2
On both occasions, when I did this challenge, I woke up hungry on the second day despite having some calories from fat the day before.
Hunger always eventually passes. I waited it out, sipping on a black coffee. I decided to save my fat allowance for later in the day. I find having some calories before bedtime helps me sleep better.
SALT CRAVINGS
During the day, I experienced intense salt cravings and a slight headache. I only tend to use Electrolytes when I fast longer than 24 hours. I mixed some with water and the headache slowly went away. Later on, I had an extra teaspoon of Himalayan salt to replenish any loss of sodium.
By the evening, the headache, cravings and hunger diminished. So much that I felt as if I had eaten some food.
I ended up having around 3-4 tablespoons of fat. I added some coconut oil into my evening hot drink with a spoonful of full-fat cream.
I used a measuring spoon to keep all the portions the same.
KETOSIS
To measure ketosis, I used ketone sticks. On day 2 my ketone stick turned a very dark colour as I had hoped. My insulin levels remained low despite consuming calories because I only consumed fats. Fat has a negligible effect on blood sugar without eliciting an insulin response.
If you have done an extended fast and measured ketones, you would know how satisfying it feels when you hit that purple shade. You know you did it right, that your efforts are paying off, your body is cooperating, and the results confirm the science.
I also used the bathroom without issues, which may sometimes be a problem with calorie-free extended fasting. I treated myself to an Epsom salts bath before bed to relax my muscles and absorb some magnesium, another essential electrolyte.
Day 2 was a success.
DAY 3
I woke up feeling great, with no discomfort, not hungry, and not craving anything.
I used the bathroom again. You can only imagine my stomach at this stage, very flat for my standard. If you had seen my before picture you would know I keep all my fat in my stomach area, so having a flat-ish stomach is not an achievement to be frowned upon.
Constipation is often one of the problems people experience during extended fasting. It usually comes with bloating and may make you feel as though the fasting made you gain weight. It did not happen during this fat fast.
DRINKS ON DAY 3
For the third time, I started the day with black coffee. I drank water during the day and saved my fat for the late afternoon.
I had 2 tablespoons of fat with my coffee (1TB of coconut oil + 1 TB of unsalted butter) and 2 tablespoons of full-fat cream later on. All in all, I had 4 tablespoons of fat on day 3.
SALT AND CINNAMON
I also tried mixing in a pinch of pink salt and sprinkling some cinnamon on top to balance the salty taste. It was a meal in a mug, very filling and satisfying.
I felt so good that I decided to extend my initial 3-day challenge by an extra day.
DAY 4
I knew I would end the day with dinner, that is why I decided not to have any additional fat and do a no-calorie fast until my evening meal. I ended my fast with some cheese, followed by a low carb meal to maintain ketosis for longer.
SUMMARY
THE GOOD
I consumed around 10 tablespoons of fat within 4 DAYS, approximately 1300 kcal.
On DAY 2, I reached deep ketosis.
I maintained a fast mimicking state for 92 hours, just under 4 days.
I drank plenty of water, took electrolytes and extra salt until my salt cravings and headache went away.
I felt satisfied, my stomach shrank significantly and I had lost a noticeable amount of weight (my Xmas “gains” are almost entirely gone and it is still only mid-January at the time of writing)
I had no bloating and was regular in the bathroom.
I did not feel cold, unlike with no-calorie fasting.
My stomach was not grumbling with hunger.
My skin and lips felt moisturised despite the cold weather.
I slept like a baby.
THE NOT SO GOOD
I experienced slight headaches, dizziness and salt cravings.
My mind wanted food by day 3.
BENEFITS BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE
- diminished hunger just by including tablespoons of fat
- breaking through a weight-loss stall
- reaching heavy ketosis by Day 2
- rapid weight loss (mostly water weight)
- metabolic switch from burning sugar to burning fat for energy
- relief from constipation and bloating
- easier to fast longer
- another tool in a fasting toolbox
- saving time not preparing food
- saving money on food
- possible autophagy (intracellular repair)
- potential increase in human growth hormone (anti-ageing)
- drinking creamy coffee to lose weight is not bad at all
IF YOU WANT TO TRY IT
WORD OF CAUTION
Although I had a very positive experience both times I had tried this challenge, be prepared to expect some discomfort. You may experience headaches and weakness likely as a result of mineral depletion. I have been following a low carb diet and still experienced a mild headache and salt cravings.
If you do not follow a low carb diet, you will likely go through some keto flu symptoms. The body has to switch from burning sugar to burning fat. The first time will not feel pleasant because your body does not know how to do it effectively. Each time you do it, the switch will become easier.
I hope my experiment gave you an idea of what is possible and that you do not have to be afraid to try new things. The best way to know what works and what does not is to try it yourself.
REFERENCES:
The Complete Guide to Fasting, 2016, Jason Fung MD with Jimmy Moore
thefastingmethod.com What is Fat Fasting
Harvard health blog What is Keto Flu
