On A Diet Of…

The Ulitimate Rule ought to be:  “If it sounds GOOD to YOU, it’s bitchen;  and if sounds BAD to YOU, it’s shitty.”  The more varied your musical experience, the easier it is to define for yourself what you like and what you don’t like.  American radio listeners, raised on a diet of ____ (fill in the blank), have experienced a musical universe so small they cannot begin to know what they like.
—     Frank Zappa
From his book:  “The Real Frank Zappa Book“
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On This Day In:
2021	A Model Democrat
	Listen Mister
2020	The Main Thing: Vote!
	No Other Reason
2019	A Big “IF”
2018	Committed To Thinking
2017	More Pictures From My (Family) Retirement Party
	A Fondness For Sins
2016	Are You Waiting?
2015	The Future Myth
2014	Hands
2013	Because You Have Lived
2012	47%
2011	Conservative Values: Low And Lax
2010	A Non-Zero Sum Game
	What If “c” Isn’t A Constant?
2009	Pictures from UCLA trip…

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10 (40)

This morning I completed my 10th 40hr water fast (at 9:00am) over the last 35 days.  A bit of a delay since #9 because of scheduled company over the weekend.  My weight has been bouncing around.  Fewer visible kidney stone / grains, but still fluctuating water retention (represented by 5± overnight weight gains / losses).  The actual full day (yesterday) of not eating didn’t seem particularly difficult.  We watched the NBA playoff games last night.  The constant food commercials didn’t really set me off on a psychological hunger binge.  (That’s good!)
I’ve moved from daily water pills (Rx) to every other day.  It doesn’t seem to impact water retention (bloating) as much as eating salty (or sweet) food.  I’ve noticed a start of ankle bloating after the two day skip, so it looks like I need the water pill at least every third day.  The bloating doesn’t seem to start in my hands on the same schedule.  It’s hard to tell because of the variability of food(s).  My GP was fairly emphatic to be on them as little as possible, but stay within my cardiologist’s recommendation.
Since my scale doesn’t indicate I’ve had any weight loss, all I can go by is how do I “feel” after and during my water fast days.  My body feels good.  My head (concentration), less so.  Not really headaches or anything, just general fatigue – which is not helped by the frequent night-time “breaks”.
It looks like I may end up with “only” two days a week fasting – in which case, I will probably pick days and build a schedule / lifestyle around it / them.  It seems that will be easier than on / off every second day rolling protocol.  So, it looks like there may be merit to the “5:2” daily fast regime – although not in the way my general review of the methodology indicates.  In any case, my “reality” is I’m sitting pretty close to “5:2” anyway, just because of “life happens” and it interferes with a true “on-again / off-again” 72 hrs rolling protocol.  Anyway, slowly…  slowly…  listen to my body and go with the flow.  (“Water retention” pun intended!)
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On This Day In:
2021	Still Learning (And Practicing) Guitar
	Still Ain’t Quite Right
	More Changes…
2020	Remembering…
	You KNEW That Man Was Trippin’
2019	Kingslanding
2018	I’d Bet On Taxes
	Ooops! I Spoke Too Soon
2017	A Cautionary Wish
2016	Slogging
	It’s About…
	Man / Man
2015	Memorial Day – 2015
	Content People Love To Share
2014	I Resemble That Remark
2013	Long Range Exploration
2012	UBI
2011	Opportunity

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9 (40) – Done

This morning I completed my 9th 40 hour water fast.  It wasn’t “really” difficult.  The only “hard” part was watching all of the food commercials during last night’s Warriors playoff win.
I dropped 8lbs from yesterday.  Obviously that was just water weight from the 15lbs over-night gain a few days back.  I don’t think my kidney grains (tiny stones) are blocking the tubes as much as I think they are simply irritating the filtering process itself.  I didn’t weigh myself before bed (I never do), but I was up multiple times during the night with a healthy flow – so that’s where the “weight” went to.  LoL…
The good news is that it dropped me into the 340’s at 349lbs.  I’m not celebrating (yet);  just acknowledging a minor achievement.  Slowly, slowly…
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On This Day In:
2021	Happy Meeting Day 37 (And Counting)
2020	Happy Meeting Day 36 (And Counting)
2019	Happy Meeting Day 35 (And Counting)
2018	Happy Meeting Day 34 (And Counting)
	Storytelling
2017	Happy Meeting Day 33 (And Counting)
2016	Picture Perfect
2015	Life Showed Compassion
2014	And Then I Met Her
2013	Defining Maleness
	The Run Continues
2012	All Set
2011	Not Always

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9 (40) Redux – And Tips To Make It Through The Day

[Disclaimer:  Please remember I am NOT a medical professional and the “tips” in this post are based on my anecdotal experience(s).  Consult your personal physician before starting any diet or exercise regime.    —    KMAB]
My last 40hrs water fast did not go well.  I didn’t complete the 40hr;  I only made it about 19 – 20hrs.  On the “full-day” portion of the fast, I had a late morning doctor’s appointment and some shopping chores.  The sum of this left me tired and HUNGRY.  I ended up breaking the fast just after noon.  Then I didn’t want to start over at 5pm, so I carried on normally through yesterday and started over at 6pm.  Today is the “new” 9th cycle full-fast day.
Why 6pm instead of 5pm?  LoL…  I took a nap and over-slept.  I was reading.  I felt tired.  I donned my CPAP mask and closed my eyes…  Next I knew, it was 4:55pm and I’d not eaten my dinner.  So, I rushed a couple of dogs onto the boil and had a cup of mint chip ice cream for dessert.  (Yes.  I know it’s a heck of a diet…)
My tips for successful short water fasts:
1)  Get the start time right…  Breakfast and lunch don’t matter, but you’ve got to be organized or you’ll never get the dinner cooked and eaten by the 5pm start time.  The later the start time, the later the end time.  (You want to end as close to getting up as possible.)
2)  Stay up a little later on the start day / evenings.  You’ve eaten a couple of meals that day and staying up a bit longer isn’t that much more difficult (hunger / eating wise).
3)  If you are allowed to…  sleep in a little later on the full fast day.  The less time you are awake, the less time you have to think about eating.
4)  Coffee / tea:  I drink a LOT of coffee – about 60 fluid ounces between getting up and 2 “ish” pm – on the full-fast day.  Coffee is a mild appetite suppressant and the volume makes your stomach “feel” full – which may itself BE the appetite suppressant.
The stomach doesn’t have a calorie gauge.  It does have a volume gauge.  If you eat (or drink) a lot, your stomach will tell your brain to turn off the hunger hormones simply because you are full.  The gauge doesn’t know about calories, proteins, carbs, nutrition, sugar, or any of that.  It only knows full, not empty and empty.  And it seems to have a bit of a delay processing between switching from “not empty” to “full”.  For most folks this delay seems to be about 15 to 30 minutes.
The “interesting” thing about black coffee is it gets to be an acquired taste.  I’ve been drinking “stand-up” coffee for about 40+ years and Bailey’s coffee most Saturdays for the last 20 years, so straight-up black coffee was something I had to adjust to.  Now, I must admit, I prefer it to my normal coffee.  (Although, I still enjoy my Saturday’s Bailey’s.)
Some readers may be asking:  “What’s a ‘stand-up’ coffee?”
A “stand-up” coffee is when you add enough CoffeeMate and sugar to your coffee so the plastic stirrer stands-up in your mug.  Super sweet / super creamy.  (And, yes, I have had people ask if I want a little coffee with my sweetened creamer.)  For those of you who may foolishly think to try this at home, I stopped it about 30 years ago when I developed kidney stones.  I (perhaps falsely) attributed the stones to the powdered creamer.   In any case, I’ve not used powder for well over 20 years and I still get kidney stones (grains).
5)  Take a nap on the full fast day.  I’m not a big “bed-napper” myself.  I’m more of TV watching me in the easy chair for a half-hour napper, but it does make the day go by faster.  The simple fact is most of your burned calories is your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) – how many calories you burn just to stay alive – and those get burned whether you’re awake or asleep.  And, I’m generally not aware of food / hunger when I’m asleep.
6)  Avoid watching sports on TV.  Sports are on TV to sell you cars, booze and food.  And, not necessarily in that order.  Except at dinner time:  then all TV is off limits – for the same reason, but mostly take-out food ads.  If you have to watch the evening news – watch public broadcasting.
7)  At meal time, go sit outside or to the far end of your house (away from the kitchen / dining area) when everyone else is eating.  It’s much easier to not feel hungry if you don’t smell the food cooking, being eaten, or lingering in the air.
8)  Drink at least two 8oz glasses of water in the evening.  I drink about 6pm and 8pm.  It fills the tummy a little and helps move anything in your digestive tract from the prior day.  Plus water is just good for you and most people don’t drink enough of it.
9)  You should probably “break fast” the following day with something healthy.  I almost never do.  Mea culpa, mea culpa… but it’s the truth.
10)  And this is probably the most important tip:  Lighten up and learn to forgive yourself.  If you don’t make it through the day – who really cares?  You are NOT a personal failure (in life or even “just” dieting) just because you didn’t make it through the day.  Your imagined state of self-discipline (or lack thereof) is just that:  imagined!  Eat slowly.  Enjoy the flavor(s) and the sensations of eating (smells, tastes, fullness, company) and being alive.  Start again tomorrow (or soon).
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On This Day In:
2021	And Yet I Still Pray
	I’m Still Listening To It
2020	What Am I Missing?
	If Only
2019	For Most #IncompetentDonald Followers
2018	I Dare You
2017	To Republicans Who Choose Party Over Country
2016	All About Control
2015	Liberty Is Extravagant
2014	Always Remember To Reach
	Have You Registered To Vote Yet?
2013	Ripples From The Water’s Edge
	Because I Was Alone
2012	POI vs Reality
	Dear And Sacred
2011	Chilled Again

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8 And 9 (40)

Yesterday (at 9am), I completed my 8th 40hr water fast and today (at 5pm) I’m starting my 9th.
Nothing really significant to report about the fast itself – it wasn’t easier or harder, that is.  I had a “sudden / overnight” weight gain of 15lbs leading into the start day of fasting.  I passed a medium sized kidney grain / stone in the evening and I dropped 7lbs for the morning of the full fast day.  Yesterday’s weight was another 5lbs down – so still up 3lbs from the low point (352).  Today I was up 2lbs, so I’m 3lbs up from the start of the last water fast.
And after almost 30 days of this water fasting / 40hrs program, I have lost exactly 0lbs and no inches from my “muffin” waist!!
Normally, this would be extremely discouraging…  However, in the same period I have had far fewer days of bloating, my clothes are fitting much better, I’ve had to shorten my watch band because it was too loose, and my waist is visibly smaller (the “muffin” top, anyway).  And, perhaps most importantly, I “feel” much better – slimmer / healthier – if not lighter.  In other words, I’m going to continue the program for a while…
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On This Day In:
2021	Or Faith In A Creator…
	It Seemed The Taste Was Not So Sweet
2020	Nearer My God To Thee, By George
	I’ve Got To Keep Working On It
2019	Laugh With Me
2018	Both Sides, Mr. President?
2017	Republicans Better Wake Up
2016	Truth Telling
2015	To Be Effective In The Modern World
2014	A Little Cover
2013	Binding
2012	Lift
2011	Another Good Movie, Another Excellent Book
	miSFits
	I’m Just Not Sure

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7 (And 6) – 40

Last week I completed my 6th 40 hour fast.  There was nothing particularly significant about it and I didn’t bother posting.  Today (9am), I completed my latest (7th) 40 hour water fast.  I took an extra day off so I could eat with my family on Mother’s Day (last Sunday).  So, Monday, at 5pm, it was back on the wagon…
This one was difficult!  I’m not sure why.  It just was.  I wasn’t feeling well going into it and I felt pretty bad through most of the day.  (Yesterday was the full water fasting day.)  What does that mean?  Well, I have issues with my inner ear which I believe is caused by my CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine.  Basically, I snore and this machine pushes air into my nasal passage to prevent / reduce my snoring.  The problem is I also have other sinus issues:  I’ve had a runny nose since I was about 12 years old and I had a deviated septum straightened when I was in my late teens.  (The procedure was supposed to help with my constantly runny nose.  It didn’t.)
Because the CPAP machine requires me to wear a mask, I tend to sleep on my back most of the time.  This means the machine blows my “snot” / mucus back into my inner ear and I irregularly get a packed inner ear and then feel dizzy.  My relief tends to come from sleeping on my left side, but like I said, most of the time I “have” to sleep on my back.  So, I have pills for my dizziness and other pills for my congestion.  Both, increase tiredness, and together, they can make me “foggy” and tired.
That was a long way of saying I didn’t have a great day yesterday!  (LoL)
But I made it through and I get to eat today and tomorrow before I start again at 5pm…!
Actually, I guess I know pretty well why this last one seemed more difficult than others…
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On This Day In:
2021	Questioned By Life
	If There’ll Come A Time
2020	Trying To Grow Pearls?
2019	Instantly Turned
2018	Sitting
2017	No Right Way
2016	Still Ticklish
2015	Maybe Sooner Than You Think
2014	The Path Of Mastery
2013	Love’s Ignorance
2012	Here’s To Enjoyment
2011	Not Just The Facts, Ma’am

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5 – 40hrs

[This post is one of a series of posts about my current diet / lifestyle choice of performing 40 hour water fasts to try to lose fat and get healthier.  These posts are not intended as medical advice as I have next to no formal medical training.  The posts are based on my personal experiences / opinions and are purely anecdotal.  Please consult your personal doctor or other REAL health care professional before starting any diet or exercise regime.    —    KMAB]
Yesterday morning (9am) I completed my latest 40hour water fast (#5).  My first one started on the evening (5pm) of 19 April and I weighed 355lbs.  Today’s morning weight:  347lbs.  So, that’s down 8lbs.  This should be good news, but, in fact, it’s actually very mixed (if not bad) news.  The projection for ALL “healthy” weight loss is NOT more than 1 to 2 pounds per week.  In other words, with the exception of a daily dog walk (15 – 30 minutes) and a single swim (80 minutes), I’ve done next to no exercise, yet still lost about 4lbs per week.
The issue / problem is if I exceed the 2lb per week loss rate – for an “extended” period of time – my Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) will drop at a faster rate than would be indicated by the weight loss alone (the main factor in BMR is your weight) and I will set myself up for much more difficult on-going weight-loss.  Like I said, losing too much, too quickly is not necessarily a good thing…
Part of the “problem” is I don’t (science doesn’t) really know what the definition / parameter is for “extended” period of time.  I’ve read it may begin after as little as 96hrs of dieting with a reduction of only 200-300 calories per day.  Of course, one answer / response to this problem is to begin exercise (actually JUST weight / resistance training), which is supposed to raise your BMR by increasing your muscle mass.  (Muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells, even if you’re doing nothing but breathing to stay alive.)  Cardio exercise also burns more calories (during and after the exercise period) than simple rest, but cardio doesn’t necessarily promote muscle increase.
As stated in a prior post, I am monitoring my weight loss and will be re-evaluating the current protocol after another week or so.  …And I’ll be starting cycle #6 at 5pm, this evening.
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On This Day In:
2021	And Initiative Gets You Started
	Here’s My Story
2020	#IncometentDonald Says The Economy Will Rebound Quickly
	A Family Horror Story
2019	A State With No Business
2018	Reflections
2017	Opposites Attract
2016	Completely Unreasonable
	Starting To Be A Reacher
2015	Avengers Assemble II
	But If I Had To Perish Twice…
2014	Turning Pages
2013	We Are All Accountable
2012	American Sign Language
2011	Happy Disproof
2010	Book Review – Managing Your Government Career

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4 – 40hrs

[This post is a LONG one…  If you are not interested in diets or my specific notes on a diet / lifestyle / fasting, feel free to leave now and come back some other day.  You’ve been warned…  (LOL!)
This post is one of a series of posts about my current diet / lifestyle choice of performing 40 hour water fasts to try to lose fat and get healthier.  These posts are not intended as medical advice as I have next to no formal medical training.  The posts are based on my personal experiences / opinions and are purely anecdotal.  Please consult your personal doctor or other REAL health care professional before starting any diet or exercise regime.    —    KMAB]
This morning I completed my fourth 40 hour water fast.  I hope at some point I’ll start looking forward to them.  So far, they are more of just a grind (before I start).  Once I get going, they are not too bad.  The time does go by more quickly than you would think – and it “really” is just one day.  Then, you have “effectively” two days to eat.
General reaction…  I’m feeling fine.  Maybe a little healthier, even.  I’m not losing any significant amounts of weight (qualified statement), yet.  When I do veggie-juice fasting, I tend to lose a pound a day (sometimes two pounds).  This makes jumping on the scale every morning VERY psychologically encouraging / re-enforcing.  This method of fasting (40hr water fast) is not “intended” (by me) to lose weight as much as it is for losing fat.  The weight will come off as a by-product of fat reduction and is itself not the primary objective / goal.
The morning before my first 40 hours (Tuesday 19 April), I weighed in at 355lbs.  Today, I’ve had my second consecutive day at 350lbs.  This is 5lbs in roughly 11 days.  That is actually excessive!  The short term goal is .5 to 1lb per week.  This rate is meant to ensure I don’t over stimulate my metabolic response to a lack of calories.  For anyone who doesn’t know:  a prolonged shortage of daily caloric intake stimulates a “starvation reaction” in your body which results in a lowered metabolic rate (BMR).  This lowered BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) means you will burn fewer calories to maintain / retain as much energy (fat stores) as possible.  Your body doesn’t know you’re fasting.  It thinks you’re starving and therefore it starts “shutting down” / reducing cellular activities to extend the calories (fat) it knows it has.
More specifically (as I understand it…):
Triglycerides (in your bloodstream) provide energy for warmth, but they also provide energy for all of the other functions of the cell.  We all have cells, called “fat cells” (brown and white) whose job it is to extract “extra” triglycerides and cholesterol from the blood and convert them into “true” fat for longer term energy use when called on / needed.  First we burn the energy in the cell.  Then we burn the energy in the bloodstream.  Then we burn the energy in the fat cells.  The body – as an organism and as individual cells – is continuously monitoring how much energy is available and sending out messages (via chemicals / hormones – mainly insulin from our pancreas) about the needs for energy.  There is a spectrum of reaction.  It is not a true “light-switch” – on or off.
Fasting:  I start each fast period at 5pm…  (Info about hours in the fasting process is from various fasting websites.  All times should be taken as “about / around”, and not as absolutes.  No one’s body reactions function as on-off switches set to fixed timers.)
12 hours.  Food consumed has been burned. …  (to me 5am)
14 hours.  Body has converted to using stored fat as energy. …  (to me 7am)
16 hours.  Body starts to ramp up the fat burning.  …  (to me 9am)
18 hours.  Human Growth Hormone starts to skyrocket.  …  (to me 11am)
24 hours.  Autophagy begins.  …  (to me 5pm)
36 hours.  Autophagy 300% increase.   …  (to me 5am)
48 hours.  Autophagy increases 30% more.   …  (to me, 40 hours ends at 9am)
72 hours.  Autophagy maxes out.   …  (I don’t go here / this long.)
During autophagy, the cells remove unwanted molecules and dysfunctional parts.  Sometimes, autophagy destroys some of these molecules and parts.  Other times, the cell recycles these parts into new components.  The term “autophagy” derives from the Ancient Greek for “self-eating.”
Depending on the individual’s metabolism, significant autophagy may take two to four days of fasting in our bodies.  Autophagy is believed to begin when glucose and insulin levels drop considerably.  Animal studies have shown evidence of autophagy after 24 hours of fasting, which starts peaking at around 48 hours of fasting.  (These last three sentences are “evolving” science.  I have not found a definition of “significant autophagy”.  As near as I can tell, we don’t know the trigger levels or the peak point(s).  I think there is likely to be a spectrum for both.)
A key sign of autophagy is reduced appetite.  It’s likely due to changed levels of hormones like glucagon and insulin.  Specifically, levels of glucagon tend to increase during autophagy.  Glucagon helps manage your blood sugar levels and has been shown to suppress appetite.
Cells use autophagy to get rid of damaged proteins and organelles.  Autophagy “may” counteract “some of” the negative effects of ageing on the body.  Despite advertising claims, I don’t believe this (anti-ageing claim) is settled science.
While it may be difficult to properly measure autophagy, here are some signs of autophagy:  Low blood glucose – When your blood sugar drops, your body raises cortisol, growth hormones, and ketones.  This can enable the beginning of autophagy.  Elevated ketones – as your blood sugar lowers, your ketones elevate.  You can buy strips over the counter (OTC) for home use in measuring ketones in urine.  You can also get OTC blood meters.  I do not currently use either method for testing and am not planning to.  I do get blood workups prior to my doctor appointments at least twice a year.
Because you are fasting and you need a source of energy, your body will use stored fat.  Ketones are chemicals made in your liver.  They are known as “endogenous” ketones because they’re produced by your body.  Your liver turns fat into ketones, then sends the ketones into your bloodstream.  Your muscles and other tissues can use the ketones (energy molecules) for fuel similarly to glucose / sugar.
You produce ketones when you don’t have enough of the hormone insulin in your body to turn sugar (or “glucose”) into energy.  An insulin response (increase) occurs whenever we eat.  The level of response varies, but seems to relate to the amount of sugar molecules in the food.  Insulin regulates the use / burning of carbohydrates, fats and protein by promoting the absorption of glucose / sugar molecules from the blood into liver, fat and skeletal muscle cells.
All of this is kind of a circular explanation and very much a lay-person’s explanation for how (I understand) our bodies work.
Basically, AFTER 72 hours, your body has reached the maximum RATE of self-healing / anti-ageing.  Depending on the amount of fat you have in your body, you will continue to burn FAT (and other tissue) until your body chemistry says “I think we’re starving!”  At that point, your metabolic rate will start to fall as the body first tries to reduce energy consumption.  If that fails (you don’t resume eating), the body will begin to digest muscles and organs for their energy and proteins to protect the most critical body functions (mainly the heart and kidneys).  At this point, fasting for fat / weight loss is self-defeating, because you are losing proportionately more non-fat cells than fat cells.
Because I cut off my water fasts at 40 hours, I “only” have a maximum of 4 hours at the 300% increase rate in each cycle.  It remains to be seen how long it will take my body to adapt a long term response to this fasting regimen.  According to the fasting proselytizers, I (we) can continue the cycle indefinitely until I (we) reach a desired weight / fat level and then I / you simply play with the number of hours between cycles to establish a personal maintenance level.  I guess I’ll find out…
In the meantime, my plan is to continue my current alternating cycles for another 10 days to see how much weight I lose.  If it continues at this rate (5lbs lost over 10 days), I will extend the number of hours between fast cycles by 24 hours to slow down the loss (goal is .5lb to 1lbs per week).  Remember, the “goal” is fat reduction, NOT weight loss, while maintaining my metabolic rate (BMR).  This will (hopefully) maximize fat loss, weight loss and health all at the same time…
Two final points:  1)  Bile is stored in the gall bladder.  I had my gall bladder removed 10 years ago.  The body uses bile to emulsify (mix) fat in with water (blood) for transport around the body.  The gall bladder does not make bile.  Bile is made in the liver (like ketones).  Bile is made continuously and excess is stored in the gall bladder for quick release when we ingest fatty foods.  Bile use (gall bladder) and production (liver) is increased when we eat fatty foods, but it is a delayed response.  I have not been able to determine how this (use or production) effects fasting per se.  I do know if I “binge” on something fatty on breaking fast, I will have indigestion and get the trots – at least that’s what these first four cycles have shown.  Your response to renewed eating may vary.  And…
2)  I have seen numerous videos about “one-meal-a-day” and “alternate-day” fasting, which state most people cannot eat sufficient calories on an eat-day to make up for the calories not eaten on a fast day.  This is NOT true for me.  For whatever reason, I seem to be more than capable of making up for calories missed over a single day of fasting.  I spent almost two years trying OMAD, intermittent timed fasting and alternate day fasting.  All three seem to work (for me) for maintenance (slowed regaining) periods, but none of them worked for extended weight loss.  In other words:  they would help me maintain a plateau, but they didn’t help me continue to lose weight.  I should restate:  my goals for those diets / fasts / lifestyles were weight reduction, not fat loss;  and, both the intermittent timed fasts and the alternate day fasts were severe calorie restriction diets (days) – typically between 500 – 700 calories, NOT water fasts (days) – 0 – or near 0 calories.  I NEVER got to the 18hr (let alone the 24hr) mark without eating something.
Why do either of these points matter?  1)  because I am trying to reduce body fat, so it seems reasonable (to me) to assume fat transport is a factor.  And, 2)  because while 0 and near 0 days sounds more extreme than restriction, at least they offer an explanation for why you need to do it.  It appears physiological time (time between meals) is at least as important as calories.  This is an interesting wrinkle for me.
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On This Day In:
2021	Our Identity Crisis Continues
	There’s No Hiding Place
2020	In Need Of Concerted Action
2019	Anything / Everything
2018	Touching A Nerve
	Good Fences Make Good Neighbors
	I Have Realities In My Past
2017	Did I See You In Chapter 13?
2016	As I Recall
2015	Less And More Irritation
2014	That Marvelous Feeling
2013	Exceptional
2012	A Wild And Crazy Believer
2011	A Lack Of Scarcity
	The Joy Of Prevention

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3rd (40)

Yesterday, I completed my third 40 hour water fast.  My original intent was to do one per week starting on each Tuesday evening (5pm) and going until the following Thursday morning (9am).  However, I was due to have a cardiac stress test this week (Tues and Wed), so I went ahead and did a second fast.  It wasn’t as “easy” as the first time, but it wasn’t particularly difficult either, so I thought:  why should I let the stress test disrupt the schedule?
Interestingly (to me at least), this would give me a chance to complete my first “true” 40 hour water fast.  The water fast allows for you to drink black coffee or tea.  Actually, “black” just means no milk, creamer or other additive.  It is not a descriptor of color.  Tea can be black, green or herbal.  Again, just with no additives.
Anyway, the chemical cardiac stress test I was taking did not allow for the ingestion of caffeine (coffee, teas, soft drinks or chocolate), so this would be a “true” water fast.
My after-fast reaction is that I didn’t seem to notice any significant difference in my body / hunger in this third go round from my previous two.  I was more tired, but not more hungry.  Also, I didn’t get (or didn’t feel) my “normal” caffeine withdrawal headache.
I completed the cardiac procedure and the results posted last night:  I have no obvious cardiac blockages and I do not appear to have suffered a “minor” heart attack (as my GP feared).  So, that’s a BIG plus, too!
As an aside:  My second day test was supposed to go from 7am to 9:30am, but there was difficulty getting my IV in place (five failed attempts before a successful sixth needle using an ultrasound to direct the insert), so the whole thing ended up taking until noon.  In between the “marker” drug and the second set of imaging, I was told to go to the cafeteria and have a large breakfast:  “eggs, bacon, coffee, and a donut or waffle – and maybe some cereal.”  To make sure this happened, the nurse showed (“escorted”) me the way to the canteen and watched me start down the line.  (LoL!  I didn’t realize I had been escorted – to ensure compliance – until I got home and thought about what happened.)
I was advised by one of the nurses:  “Make sure when you get home after this, you have a couple of donuts and two large cups of coffee.  You need to have two large meals for lunch and dinner and make sure you either have a salad with both or a large salad with one or the other.  And drink a lot of water for the rest of the day and evening.”  There was also this:  “We’re not really supposed to say anything, but some of the marker chemicals can be bad for your liver, so you need the fluids and salads to flush them from your system as quick as you can.”
LoL…  I had “failed” to mention I was coming off a 40 hour water fast.  …And here I was being given a “prescription” of donuts and coffee!  Life is full or its own ironies.
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On This Day In:
2021	Keep Growing
	I Keep Looking
2020	I Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Plans
	One Earth
2019	Beautiful Rules
2018	Skepticism
2017	WWGD?
2016	Growing Greatness
2015	When It Is Darkest
2014	Knowledge And Doubt
2013	Three Thoughts
2012	Gentle Reader
2011	Leave The Light On For Me Anyway

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Second 40

Earlier in the week I completed a 40 hour water fast.  My response was good, so I decided to try again next week.  A health test has come up, though, for mid-week (two-day cardiac stress test), so I pushed ahead and just completed a second 40hrs from Friday evening through 9am today (Sunday).
I feel terrific (again) today, but I do feel yesterday was somehow a bit more difficult as a “full-day” fast.  Maybe it was because I only had a half pot of coffee instead of a full pot.  Or maybe, my wife’s cooking just smelled better yesterday than Thursday.  (LoL)
Anyway, like I said, I feel good and it wasn’t really any problem, so I’ll probably keep doing one per week and see how it goes…
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On This Day In:
2021	Adding Spice
	Be Who You Must
2020	Mo, Cilla, Mushy Peas And Rain
	No New Wars
2019	An Epitaph For #45 (#LyingDonald)
2018	Before And After
2017	Verbs
2016	Not Too Tidy
2015	Little Understanding
2014	Open Early
2013	Movies And A Lifetime Of Lyrics
	This Truth
2012	Cheaper To Hold
2011	Resistance Is Futile
	One Great, One Enjoyable, One Terrible…
	Unfortunately, No Approval Is Required

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40Hrs

On Tuesday, my sister called me up and asked if I wanted to do a “water fast” with her.  I asked what was involved.  She said:  “We start at 5pm today and go to 9am on Thursday.  You can have water, black coffee or straight tea – black, green or herbal.”  I said, sure, why not?  I’ll try it…
I finished dinner at 4:45pm and “started” the fast.  Other than water, all I had to drink was a pot of black coffee (68 ozs).
Initial reaction:  It wasn’t anywhere near as difficult as I thought it would be…  By starting in the evening, you miss the first day (8 – 12 hrs) of thinking about food.  By ending at 9am, you don’t have to do much to end the second day, but wake up.  I drank the coffee between 10am and 4pm and except for a rather poor night’s sleep, it didn’t bother me either.  I normally drink mostly cold black coffee anyway, so it was no big deal.  The coffee substantially reduced my hunger.  I don’t know if the late coffee (after 2pm) caused the poor night’s sleep as I’ve been experiencing poor sleep off and on for almost a year.
Post reaction:  Well, I dropped three(3) pounds – so that was interesting.  With no caloric input to speak of and a “normal” calorie burn of over 3,400, I would have expected a loss of no more than a single pound.  (Supposedly, one pound of weight is 3,500 calories.)  I didn’t do any exercise other than walking my dog for 20minutes, so that didn’t add anything to the calorie burn calculation.  Yesterday was a “water pill” day.  I take a water pill for my water retention on alternating days, but I didn’t feel bloated going into the fast and I don’t feel bloated today.  (A non-water pill day.)  From about 7pm to 10:30pm (last night), I had one of those “clarity” periods, where you feel 10 years younger (and slimmer) and your mind seems totally invigorated – so there is that…
Final thoughts:  Given my generally positive physical response, I think I’d like to try it again for a couple of weeks to see if it has any lasting benefits.  I think the Tuesday to Thursday protocol is also a good fit for me.  I’ll  post again if I have another go next week…
Oh, and my sister found it so good / easy, she added a couple of hours and did a 42hr fast!
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On This Day In:
2021	All I See Are Nails
	More Money
2020	We Will Get Through This
2019	I Asked My Family Doctor Just What I Had
2018	You Have Just Begun To Climb
2017	Equal Protection Under Law
2016	A Stubbornly Persistent Illusion
2015	Or You Don’t
2014	If You Ever Fall…
2013	Glory Days (part 2)
2012	They Follow A Pattern – If You Know What I Mean
	What I Live For (Precis)
2011	Giving

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7 Done, 12 Down

Caution:  This is a long post.  If you are bored about other people’s diets – stop here and come back some other day (LoL)…   You have been warned!
I am a borderline compulsive acquirer / hoarder.  Books, DVDs, CDs, clothes / shoes and now guitars (LoL!).  Way back in December, my wife was observing my closet and said I REALLY need to get rid of some of my clothes.  (She offered to help.)  I have a large number of items which were bought for work (shirts, pants, ties, etc.) which I don’t have a need for – and many of which haven’t fit for some time.  This is because I have been yo-yoing in weight for soooo many years.
Anyway, I told her I’d begin going through my stuff and getting rid of things – mainly items I’ve been keeping because they are slightly damaged and I could then wear them for dirty work around the house before tossing them.  Well, I accumulated them faster than I’ve worked, so I’ve now got a stack buried in the back of my closet…
Since that conversation, I’ve tossed several pairs of shoes and about a half dozen old shirts (which has surprised and pleased the wife!).  Because they are too worn or damaged, the items have not been suitable for donating to charity.
As an addendum, I said anything I can’t fit into by my next birthday (end of March), she can toss or donate.  She was very pleased by this offer…  (She is not the hoarder I am.)
So, on the Monday after Christmas I started my latest “juice / blend” fast and scaled up my workouts to start losing some pounds.  My weigh-in was 374lbs.  Today / this morning, my weigh-in was 362lbs.  Basically, at the end of seven days of not chewing, I’m down 12lbs.
Juicing / Blending:
First off, this is NOT a traditional / “strict” juicing “fast” as defined by Joe Cross or any number of doctors.  Over the last eight to ten years, I’ve been on multiple strict vegetable juice fasts.  They all worked for rapid weight loss.  None of them were useful as lifestyle options.  For the last five years (or so), I’ve been trying alternate day fasting and intermittent timed fasting.  My success with these fasts have been much more limited.  Mostly because I’ve not been strict enough (portion control) in my eating periods.
So, what am I doing?  One 16oz fruit blend in the morning and the same for lunch.  I then have a much larger (34 to 64ozs) vegetable blend for dinner.  I also have a couple of mugs of tea (green or herbal) during the day.  Occasionally, I will have a bottle of warm water with a couple of tablespoons of lemon concentrate in the evening.  Whenever I do this, I keep a smaller bottle to swish in my mouth after drinking from the larger bottle.  This reduces acidic exposure for my teeth.
The “typical” vegetable blend is:  spinach, broccoli, cucumber, onion, celery, bananas, carrot juice and enough fruit juice to make the roughage into what I affectionately call “swamp juice”.  Yes, I do have a “real” juicer machine.  Yes, I have used it in the past.  Yes, it is much better at making “juice”.  The problem I have is / are two-fold:  1)  I think tossing the roughage is a terrible waste of nutrients, and, 2)  juicing on its own does not produce enough body waste (“poop”) – in me, anyway.  This second “problem” means I would have to relieve myself with either a oral laxative or a suppository – neither of which are thrilling options.
Technically then, I’m NOT “juicing” at all.  I’m just not chewing.  Does this matter?  If you want to do a strict juice / health fast, I believe it does.  If you are not that bothered (like me), then the answer is “nope, not in the least”.  The weight loss is not as quick my way, but I’m also okay with that.
My longest strict “juice” fast was 30 days and I lost 30 to 40 lbs.  I’ve done this type (length) of fast four times in my life and it is cleansing.  It’s just not sustainable and I’m not convinced it’s healthy (due to yo-yoing).  I’ve also done much shorter (7, 10, 14 and 20 days) juice fasts – mostly in the last ten years.  My longest fast was alternating juice with blend days and I went forty-two days and lost 72lbs.  This fast was documented on my blog a few years back.
I haven’t decided how long this session will go, but I seriously doubt I’ll be doing it until the end of March.  At the moment, I’m thinking ten days and then switch to alternating days with stricter portion control on my eating days.  But, I’ll just have to see how it goes…
I case you’re interested – I am feeling terrific in myself, but I tire quickly (after 3 – 5 minutes of “light / continuous” exertion).
Workouts:
There are two universal dieting platitudes:  you can’t spot lose; and, you can’t outwork a bad diet…  I don’t believe the first.  I firmly believe the second.
A couple of months ago (12 Oct 2021), I began working out daily with the idea of of completing a “30-day / 100 push-up per day challenge” and then building a complete body workout which I could continue more or less indefinitely.
I started with presses.  I did 100 presses with 40lbs on a standard 20lbs bar (60lbs total).  I had a number of bad weather days, so I began doing inclined push-ups instead.  In a standard (from the floor) pushup, you are lifting about 60% of your body weight; an inclined push-up at two-feet is about 40% of your body weight.  In my case, this would be 220lbs and 145lbs respectively.  Obviously, there is a BIG difference between 40lbs and 145lbs (let alone 220lbs), so instead of a single set of 100, I did 10 sets of 10 repetitions.  I am now doing 5 sets of 20 repetitions.  I am hoping to move from inclined to floor, but I will have to drop back to 10 (or maybe even 5) reps – so many more sets.
After a while, I added pull-downs (straight, curls and inclined).  Initially with 40lbs and then I upped the weight to 43lbs.  I do 100 pull-downs (via cables), then 50 curls, then 100 inclined pull-downs, and I finish with a second set of 50 curls.  This is a total of 300 pull-down motions (reps).  The number of reps was chosen to provide equivalence between 100 push-ups (at 145lbs) and 300 pull-downs (at 43lbs).  At some point, I hope to be able to do a hanging pull-up, but that’s way in the future (LoL).
As of the start of the juicing, I’ve added “Niko Niko” (smile) pace jogging and crunches.  Niko Niko is what I used to call “slogging”:  slow, ass jogging, but the Japanese name sounds so much nicer (LoL).  Once around my block is .4 miles.  I do three laps: 1.25 miles (according to my FitBit).
For the crunches, I do five sets of sixty for 300 hundred reps in total.  Because I have lower back (a pinched nerve) issues, I do them balancing on a fitball rather than from the floor.
I also spend about 5 – 10 minutes on my inversion stand after completing my workout.  If my back is hurting, I’ll do a shorter hang mixed in-between the sets of crunches.
So, (at long last) that’s it for now…  Thanks to any readers who’ve made it this far.  I will be posting about this at least through the end of March, but (mercifully for you and me) it won’t be every day as I’ve done in the past.  If anyone has any questions, please add a comment to one of the posts and I’ll try to answer as best I can…
Please remember:  I am NOT a doctor and nothing on this blog should be taken as medical advice.  Consult with your personal doctor before beginning ANY diet or exercise program.
“Live long and prosper!“
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On This Day In:
2021	More New Year’s Exercises
	7 Done, 12 Down
2021	Another Public Service Message
	Greetin’ The Sun
2020	From The Mountains To The Shores
2019	Watering The Trees And Seeds
	1221
2018	Take Care Of Me…
2017	Make Some Difference
2016	Still 99%
2015	Adolescent Opinion
2014	In A Big World
2013	Vacancy For God
2012	Sweat Equity
	Try It… You’ll Like It
2011	Still Incomplete
2010	Happy New Year – 2010

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More Than Satisfying Hunger

When we sit at the table, there is more going on than satisfying hunger.  It is sad to think of those who eat simply to satisfy their hunger and who do not permit themselves to linger under the many spells offered by a good meal – the satisfaction of our hearts, our minds and our spirits.
—    Dr. Leo F. Buscaglia
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On This Day In:
2021	I Hope To See You Later
	To Do With You
2020	More Than Satisfying Hunger
	End Of Year Thoughts Of Those Gone Before Us
2019	Still Hoping To Soar
2018	Why America Stinks More Than It Did 50 Years Ago
2017	No Universal Thinking
2016	Supervise The Results
2015	Just Magic!
2014	It Lies Ahead…
2013	At Least One Difference
2012	Are We, Are We?
	On Not Playing The Game
	Scale
2011	Nutcracker And Nooks
	Seeing Differences

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ITF (365) – Update

So, today I am completing my 365th day of Intermediate Time Fasting (ITF), which has “really” been a mix of ITF and One-Meal-A-Day (OMAD) mixed eating and it’s time for an update:
My weight is down from 364lbs to 345lbs.
19lbs in 12 months or “roughly” 1.5lbs per month.
Had I been on a “strict” ITF – or my modified three(3) day cycle) (MITF), today would have been day:  3 of cycle:  119
As it was, this was day:  267 of ITF / MITF and day 98 of OMAD.  Now, of course, there were multiple “normal” days mixed in during the year, but by and large I tried to stick to the time guidelines / eating periods.  Surprisingly, (to me) there was very little exercise done other than my daily walking of our pet dog.  This would be between 15 minutes / .4 miles;  30 minutes / 1 mile;  and, 45minutes / 1.3 miles.  There would be some minor deviations in time or distance, but these were the overwhelmingly most common times and distances.
I would amend I was doing some body-weight exercises for about 45 to 60 minutes each day, but they did not result in significant weight loss or gain.  Although I felt much better at the end of the 60 day period.  At the start of August, I began suffering from vertigo and lower back pain, so I curtailed the exercises.  The main accomplishment was going from zero(“0”) pushups (from the floor) to 15 pushups.  I was pushing myself through a 30 day / 100 pushups a day challenge.  I started with 20 sets of five(5) inclined pushups and worked from 10 X 10 to 5 sets of 20 (inclined), with mixing in one or two sets from the floor on alternating days.
I am still dealing with the vertigo (off and on, mostly off), but my back issues seem to have cleared up.
An observant reader might ask about my food plan…  The reality is / was there was virtually NONE.  Every third day was ALL YOU CAN EAT / anything you want, within the eating 2Hr window and I did just that.  I started off with pizzas and cakes, fried chicken, chow mein and ice cream, and…  Well, you get the idea.  Almost nothing healthy every third day for almost three months.  I did tone it back after that, but I “just” toned it down to “crazy” every 6th day.  I did not stop.  My test was to see if controlling the time windows (6Hr, 4Hr and 2Hr) would work as a diet / lifestyle variable.  I would say, it does seem to have worked.  Relatively little exercise for most (10 months) of the year and a gross amount of unhealthy food every third (6th) day (but only within 2Hrs) and I still lost weight.  I can only imagine how much I would have lost had I adopted a healthier food program (at least on the third / 6th day) and added a modest exercise program to go with it.  Or alternatively, if I had just done the every other day eat / fast regime which seems to be more commonly recommended.
And that’s where I stand moving forward…  I am hoping to continue both the OMAD and a workout routine to continue to lose weight and get healthier.
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On This Day In:
2021	I Think They Mean It
	An Endless Stream
2020	ITF (365) – Update
	Word Up!
	My Fear: A Second More Tyrannous Term
2019	Reality And Imperfection
	Day 8: One Stone
2018	Pity The Nation (Part 1)
	Day 41: Hiccup Or End Of Days?
2017	Sharp-Edged Beauty
2016	Start, Keep, Finish
2015	Lifetime Friends
2014	Acknowledgement
2013	Longevity, Tenacity and Diversity
2012	What Reagan Really Cared About
2011	Seeming Sane (Or Not)

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Diets And Lifestyle Changes

It is far easier to write ten volumes of philosophy than to put a single precept into practice.
—     Leo Tolstoy
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On This Day In:
2021	Back To Paying Dues
	Keep Rollin’
2020	Diets And Lifestyle Changes
	Pay Attention
	Just Not Sure, And That’s Okay
2019	The Right Questions
	Day 3: Still Difficult
2018	A Thought For Those Continuing To Support President Trump
	Day 36: Pushing On
2017	Imagining Humor
2016	So Go On And Deal With It
2015	From A Letter To A Friend
2014	Your Part (Here)
2013	Complements
2012	Sound And Light
2011	Two Politicians Visit A Farm…
2010	Labor Day And Honorable Men

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