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Comment by kubectl_h | Hacker News Reader

I just ended a 16 day fast today. Any caloric intake was limited to miso soup broth (< 35 cals) and a pickle every few days. Lots of coffee, black tea, some diet sports drinks and water (with electrolytes added). Was surprisingly easy, physically, but I also have a relatively high BMI. I ended because 1) it gets very boring, 2) I was constantly consumed with the idea that I was in a fast -- it could basically crowd out any other thoughts and my work suffered a bit.

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Thanks for sharing. I was always wondering why I was so distracted while fasting. But it looks to be normal thing.

I would categorize the mental focus struggle into two parts, the first being the first four days of the fast, where I was in an almost anxious, reflexive state of wanting to end the fast. After the fourth day this quickly gave way to a low level hum of fasting related thoughts. Kind of like the difference between acute, sharp pain and a dull aching pain.

I'm curious to know how your experience ending it today is like compared to before you started it. Do you feel like it's easier or harder to eat less compared to before your fast?

Easier to eat less by nature since my stomach is smaller, but overall I would say there is no expectation that the fast would magically regulate my an unhealthy relationship with food/consumption. My poor habits have to be addressed separately (particularly my beer consumption rose quite a bit in the last few years).

The fast served as a kickstart toward weight loss and in a way a test of my resolve.

I'm continuing to fast fwiw, doing what is known as "rolling 48s" which is just a large meal every other day. I went for a couple mile jog last night after starting to eat again and felt pretty good so I'm going to keep doing that while fasting for short periods and see where this takes me.

Curious why the pickle?

I craved salt bombs and the vinegar was a nice touch too. They are pretty negligible calorie sources and livened up the doldrums a bit.

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