Hello group,

I have recently begun to experiment with an intermittent fasting
regimen, also called alternate day fasting. I recorded my thoughts
and experiences on the first day fasting on this regimen (began last
week) and thought it would be of interest to those in the group. My
experience might be of particular interest to those considering such
a dietary regimen. I have pasted my record (in the form of a journal
entry) below.

***

07.14.08

I just began the practice of intermittent fasting (IF) starting
yesterday at noon. My regimen is as follows:

•Ad-libitum feeding for 24 hour period
•Fasted, (non-caloric) for 24 hour period

I am currently 12hrs, 15 minutes into the first fasting day and I
wanted to document my subjective experiences.

I finished eating today at 11:55am and had a large breakfast
consisting of:

•3 poached eggs (210 kcal)
•Yogurt breakfast (20g whey protein, 150g yogurt, 30g cocoa
nibs, 10g raw peanuts, 75g crushed pineapple, ½ tsp cinnamon; ~500
kcal)
•3 pieces of bread (100 kcal, 6g fiber, 4g protein ea.) w/
sugar-free blackberry preserves (~350 kcal total)
•6 pieces of 85% cocoa dark chocolate (5g ea., 30g total; ~200
kcal)
•coffee (o kcal)
•Total kcal: ~1250

I worked on the garage roof today from 3pm to 5:45pm and noted very
little hunger. I drank approximately 2 quarts of sugar-free Kool-
Aid, both because of being in the sun and being thirsty and because
it helped assuage the hunger. I noted that during the time period I
worked on the garage my energy level was high and remained so. The
work seemed effortless (light lifting, standing on an incline for a
few hours).

At approx. 7pm I began to feel hunger to the point of nausea. I
promptly drank 2 glasses of the Kool-Aid (non-caloric, sweetened with
Stevia) and a mug of green tea, which assuaged the hunger. I noted
that it was interesting that even though I ate an enormous amount of
calories for breakfast, I experienced hunger to the point of nausea
only 7 hours after the meal. This is evidence that the human body
has poor long-term hunger management capability. Or perhaps it is
that humans evolved best when frequently motivated to seek food (via
hunger). That is, "I better get hunting now, because it might be
hours or days before I find food".

The hunger continued approx. 45 minutes when I drank another glass of
Kool-Aid and another mug of green tea. At approximately 8:30pm I
noticed what I thought to be the action of stress hormones, as my
alertness increased and I felt a bit jittery-edgy – somewhat similar
to coffee consumption. It is now 12:30am and I still feel this
mental alertness as I type. I do not feel much hunger, although my
stomach is noticeably empty.

***

After having been on this regimen for the last week (and continuing)
I have noticed that, after the first 24 hour period of fasting I no
longer experienced the intense hunger I did on the first day. On the
second day of fasting I expected to be very hungry around 7-8pm and
it never occured. I also expected to be quite hungry between 9am and
noon the next day, and I noticed this was also absent.

In summary, so far I have found that I like this dietary regimen. I
found that while trying to practice moderate (20%) calorie
restriction in the past I was constantly denying myself large
portions of food, which may have caused me some irritation, rarely
allowing myself to eat and feel fullness. I still continue to eat
what I understand to be healthy foods (whole grains, vegetables,
fruits, frozen and canned salmon, beans, cocoa, tea, yogurt, eggs,
and a focus on controlling spikes in blood sugar.) This diet has
allowed me the freedom to not track calories on the days I eat ad-
libitum. In tracking my food intake but not attempting to control
it, I have noticed that I still maintain a caloric deficit (I consume
between 3200-4200 calories in a 24 hour period, which has been in a
downward trend over the past week). But, I find the period during
which I eat much more contenting than constantly attempting to
restrict calories to the same level, and I find the fasting period
quite easy to endure, and it is often surprisingly energizing (as
described in my entry above). I also understand there to be positive
health effects associated with periods of fasting, which helps me to
rationalize and endure the 24 hour period of fasting.

I have also found the 24 hour intermittent fasting regimen to have a
positive effect on my thoughts about food. I find that during the
fasting period I can resolve to think about food very little, if at
all. No meal planning, no returning home for food, no cooking, and
no washing dishes. I can simply go about the rest of my day and the
early morning of the next day not paying attention to food. This is
a welcome change compared to my previous 4-5 small meal per day
regimen, which was laborious to plan and execute. Additionally, the
hunger and modest lack of energy that comes in the end of my fasting
period makes me look forward to food and gives me the opportunity to
enjoy it fully, allowing me to eat a variety of foods to satiation
and not feel guilty or displeased with myself.

I would be interested in hearing others' comments about my posting
above, and am willing to answer questions about it.

---
Steve