When I was younger I did multi-day fasts every so often. Now, I've switched to regular intermittent fasting, as in not eating for about 16 hours every day. I find this to be the easiest to do habitually, basically by just skipping breakfast and not eating snacks in the evening.

I did multiple 3 day fasts earlier this year, because I was convinced that they're very important to long term health. I didn't do it to lose weight, rather for the purpose of overall health. I had a lipoma that shrank by about half, also a weird scaly area of skin that got completely better. Both of these issues had been around for decades. I also had a few other weird health improvements.

You might want to look at Thomas Seyfried's work. Very interesting. Also Alan Goldhamer. He runs a fasting clinic in CA. It's vegan, and I think he's wrong on veganism being healthier than a whole-foods type diet, but I believe he has some good insights.

Also - look up information on autophagy and fasting. It's really amazing stuff that mainstream science will not and, I believe can not (because of funding sources) ever give us good information on.

Once you're convinced that it's really important and helpful, you do it. And once you've done one or more 3 or 4 day fasts, you will likely have some minor or major health issues improve or clear up completely. Especially if you're older. Autophagy can be amazing.

I think a one day fast is useful, and probably nobody does a longer fast without doing a one day fast, but I think the real benefits come after a few days.

But it's tough. I don't have any weight to lose, so I'm not at all energetic after the first day of a fast. I think it may be easier if you have some extra fat. After day 2, I spent hours looking at recipes online. Didn't get much done (except, hopefully, healing).

I have a recommendation, which is to take some good photos of your hands and face if you have anything like age spots, before fasting. I think some of them disappeared, but I don't know for sure.

Nuanced issue. I recommend listening to Peter Attia's podcast episodes (and potentially reading his book Outlive) about this. In short, it can be useful for metabolic health for some people but you must balance altering metabolism and losing muscle mass with prolonged fasting. Intermittent fasting hasn't been shown to be better for weight loss but some people do find success so its an individualized story (rather than a one size fits all). Intermittent fasting (e.g., 16 hour fast, 8 hour eat) can be a great primer to doing a longer fast. In my experience, meditation (and intermittent fasting leading up to) was quite helpful in setting the stage and drinking salt water during a 72 hour (prolonged) fast makes it much easier. Apparently, weight training during long fasts can help minimize muscle breakdown. I think its a great experience to try this at least once to see how interesting the mindfulness experience (and gut rest) can be. Thin people (or those nearing and after age 50) should approach this with a nuanced approach so as to not lose muscle mass. Also, refeeding after 60 to 72 hours isn't necessarily harmful but can be associated with watery stool urgency for a couple hours after refeed so you want to be somewhere safe when breaking a long fast. I've gone from doing it once a month to maybe once or twice a year now bc my main goal is avoiding loss of muscle mass and avoidance of deranging my metabolism. Don't be dogmatic. It's good to experiment but develop a nuanced strategy for fasting rather than doing it because everyone else is doing it.

I did a one day fast not too long ago. I'd do it again, interesting experience. I didn't notice improvements in clarity or focus, but stacking the extra sats is nice.

i’ve started working at an office recently and seem to be more productive with better ideas and clearer thinking.

i never think ahead and pack a lunch so i end up not eating most of the day… wonder if these two are related.

I do 16 hour fasting every day and 3 day fasting once in 6 months. After seeing what I do, many of my family folks have changed as well. Lots of benefits as you mentioned.

Only feedback is, after fasting don't go over board and eat fast or dump it in your mouth. Take at least 30 mins to finish the meal. (I keep reminding myself this)

I was fasting and praying almost every week when was young. Black fasting, not eating the whole day. Only drinking water. Now, I can't do it regularly, but from time to time. Water fasting is very good for the health. Some of my children are using intermittent fasting and they feel good.

Peter Attia has some great resources on fasting: https://peterattiamd.com/category/nutritional-biochemistry/fasting/

Just go carnivore, then it's easy to do intermittent fasting.

I have and do this here n there longest was 72 how it was pretty tough until you realize it's all in your mind we were made to be able to withstand long periods without eating as long as we have water I believe in giving your body a break also from always working and breaking down food took massive cleansing dumps when I tasted by the end felt good I don't do it all the time but will time to time especially after a high calorie day I'll skip breakfast and lunch

cheat code against extra fat

I've been eating only between 1pm and 8pm for the last 2+ years and its transformed my overall health. I've never been as productive as I am now, lost around 25kg, and I've got more energy than I've had since I was a child. Cannot recommend it enough.

My gf says watch out for hair loss when over doing it.

It's too difficult for me but I eat light meals most of the times.

I personally know a few people do it for their mental wellness and it seems to work really well. Very strong emotional control.

I don't necessarily fast on purpose, but rather because it's a side effect of my routine. I'll eat enough steak and eggs for breakfast to satiate me for the day, mostly because I dislike the food prep, cooking, and cleanup that comes with eating.

If I do develop an appetite later on, I'll try to not eat anything too late, and will usually have a glass or two of water instead, because it seems to disturb my sleep. Bowel movements are like clockwork, too.

If I do make a poor dietary decision and feel like I need to abstain from consumption the next day, then that's what I do, and it is not difficult at all. I believe that the steak and egg routine eliminated the craving for sugar, making fasting easier, and also find that my mental clarity is higher than normal. My longest period of fasting was two days and I felt more clear-minded and sharper than before, making the fasting case more provocative than ever. Hell, eating nothing but steak and eggs helped dramatically with improving mental clarity in general.

Apparently you can get 80% of the benefit of full fasting just by restricting when you eat each day. I typically fast each day from 6pm to 7am and it has done wonders for my health. Best thing I did over the past decade health wise. It's called Time Restricted Feeding.

Fasting is a great way of encouraging autophagy and keeping your insulin levels low. Contrary to what some people think, fasting will quicken your metabolism, making you burn more stored fat and also saving muscle.

In the paleolithic starvation was common, and your body didn't just shut down due to lack of food. On the contrary, the fasting state increases our mental focus and our physical readiness, so we can go out there and hunt.

In my opinion, fasting is a physiological state, we have just grown accustomed to eating ALL THE TIME.