a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment by mk
mk  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: December 3, 2014

I haven't consumed a single calorie since 6:30PM on Sunday night. I will have a nice T-Bone steak at 6:30PM tonight. The hunger comes in waves now. At this very moment, I don't really feel any hunger at all. I do feel a bit spacey though.





thenewgreen  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

This is why the site crashed this morning. Get some damn calories!

Are you sure that a T-Bone steak is the best re-entry food? Good luck

mk  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    Are you sure that a T-Bone steak is the best re-entry food?

Well, I am having a beer too.

thenewgreen  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

The beer may be enough.

So, did you have any juice or was it strictly water for 72 hours?

mk  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

No juice. Just water, black coffee, tea, and a couple of 0 calorie Powerades. I've also had a few dashes of salt.

steve  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

doesn't all of the chemical crap in the 0 calorie powerades counteract the point of cleansing? I'm not trying to sound preachy - just curious.

mk  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Probably, but it's not about cleansing, It's about starving my body to the point that it cannibalizes my white blood cells, the replaces them with healthier ones when I begin to eat again.

Here's the post that led to me, mike and katakowsj to try it.

steve  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I guess "cleansing" was the wrong choice of words… you're supposed to just know what I mean - not what I say! ;-)

I remember reading that article when it was posted here, and we spoke about it in Portland. I know this isn't your first rodeo, but how often are you doing it? Or do you even have a schedule in mind?

mk  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'm just trying it this one time. I get sick all the time. If by some chance I go several months without falling ill, maybe I'll consider doing it again.

Part of the motivation is just the challenge, and curiosity. I've never gone so long without getting a single calorie. It's not a lot of fun, but I have definitely learned something in the process.

steve  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'm completely intrigued.

I fast about once a month for religious reasons - but it's no food or water - NPO for 2 meals or about 24 hours. It's crazy. Right at the end, you hit this wall, and then break through to crazy clarity.

I had a friend who went water only for 5 days and said it felt amazing. He claimed clarity, vigor, and even the disappearance of some knee pain… but that sounded suspect to me.

That's it - I'm trying it. I'm not sure when, but I'll post about it.

mk  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    I had a friend who went water only for 5 days and said it felt amazing. He claimed clarity, vigor, and even the disappearance of some knee pain…

That is a weird thing. My shoulder has been killing me for about 2 weeks, so much so that it hurt to put on my jacket. Yesterday evening, I realized it was gone. I do think that they might be related. Maybe inflammation drops when you don't have the energy to spare.

    That's it - I'm trying it. I'm not sure when, but I'll post about it.

You can do it. It's rough at times, but really, 66 hours in, I feel remarkably ok.

steve  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    Yesterday evening, I realized it was gone.

Unbelievable! That's super cool. I'm a little more excited than I was before. Thanks for sharing.

mike  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Good on you! I did my 72 hour fast this summer and I'll be doing another one this month. Every six months is my goal.

Last night I was traveling and didn't eat dinner. I got into the hotel hungry and thought about going out to find a restaurant. Realized I didn't really need to eat. Missing ONE dinner? Easy! Fasting makes you realize you aren't dependent on eating all the time and that you will survive just fine if you go a little while without food.

mk  ·  3402 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Thanks. I think six months is about as soon as I would want to do that again. It wasn't as difficult as I imagined it might be, but it wasn't a lot of fun either. I found it difficult to focus at times.

It is true that I learned something about myself. I definitely will see feelings of 'hunger' in a different light.

ecib  ·  3403 days ago  ·  link  ·  

How did it taste and did you track how much weight you lost (not that that was the point just curious)?

mk  ·  3402 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It tasted great. Really fantastic. It was nice having a bone to chew meat off of, it made the experience feel primal.

I went from 147 to 142 lbs. I expect that I'll put two back very quickly. That was a nice benefit. I have been 3-5 lbs. over my ideal weight (I've weighed about 144 lbs. for 20 years) for some time. Hopefully this will reset me down a bit.

steve  ·  3402 days ago  ·  link  ·  

if I got totally stagnant and ate a SHIT ton of food, I could be 2xmk by years end.

Fortunately for my health, I have made adjustments and have started heading in the other direction.

but still…. 2xmk would be a strange/interesting thing.

ecib  ·  3402 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Will your ideal weight even allow you to donate blood? Lol...

mk  ·  3402 days ago  ·  link  ·  

If I drink a Gatorade at the same time I won't die.

ecib  ·  3401 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Off topic, do you have Netflix?

mk  ·  3401 days ago  ·  link  ·  

What? Yes.

ecib  ·  3401 days ago  ·  link  ·  

You should totally watch Happy People: A Year in the Taiga.

mk  ·  3401 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Ok, will do. I've been recommended that before. By b_b, I think?

ButterflyEffect  ·  3401 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Hopping on this to say that Happy People is a very interesting film, and that's a ming from someone who is naturally opposed to anything with the word happy in the title.

ecib  ·  3400 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I actualky found the title odd, as the film didn't seem to me to fit the narrative suggested in the title.

But it was a really interesting portrait of a different sort of person.