What makes some people fast easily?

amother

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 4:15 pm

I often wonder about this. Bh I don't find it terribly difficult to fast. I never go out the house when fasting, and usually have a program/ playscheme for the kids, but I am so grateful that it is not impossibly hard for me, and I usually even manage to bake and cook stuff on a fast. I am so grateful for this, and don't take it for granted!

The funny thing is, I am not a physically strong person at all. On a normal day, I can't go for long stretches without food, or I start to feel weak. I definitely have less energy than many people I know, and I often need to sit down and rest during the day...

So when I hear about people who need to lie in bed all day, have terrible migraines, and suffer so much on a fast... I wonder: are there factors (aside from pregnancy and nursing) that would make people 'better' or 'worse' fasters?
I'm in my low thirties, for reference.

amother

Crocus

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 4:21 pm

I know that when I was a girl and even newly married I fasted every single fast without fail.

And I cooked and baked and went out.
Im also in my early thirties and since the last couple of years I just really find it so difficult.

I dont usually fast except tisha bov and yom kippur and I usually end up staying in bed from mid afternoon.
I dont go out, I literally do the bare minimum.

Today was really really hard.
After hours in bed I started feeling nauseous and my head was throbbing.
Even after the fast was out it tok me a while to feel better. Usually im fine.

I also often wonder what lead to this transformsation?
I have n 11 year old daughter who will be fasting next year, and I told her to reassure her that its only since im a mommy hat fasting is so much harder for me.

Eta: this was my first fast I started drinking water a good 3 days before.
I drank at least 2 litres of water from Monday.
I was really banking on this.
Did not find it helped me.

justforfun87

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 4:37 pm

I use to get violently ill and not realize why. Barfing, migraines, etc. I discovered that it was a caffeine withdrawal and I have used caffeine stuff since and haven't been as sick since.

amother

Bisque

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 4:43 pm

I think it has a lot to do with adrenals. And the rest of the hpa axis. Plays an outsized role in regulating blood sugar and Electrolyte balance, and most fasting symptoms are related to blood sugar or Electrolyte dysregulation.

amother

Lily

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 4:45 pm

Something to do with metabolism? Or the way the body retains fluids? I don't know why, but it's a bracha.

I don't drink coffee, which probably helps.

The first year I fasted Yom Kippur, when I was twelve, everyone around me seemed much more nervous for me than I was. By the end of the day, I was wondering what all the fuss was about. It wouldn't have bothered me to carry on a few more hours.

amother

Copper

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 4:49 pm

Hydration, not just the day before
Caffeine & chemical (food additives, preservatives) withdrawal
Blood sugar stability
And to the opposite, do not eat a large meal before the fast, davka eat smaller than usual helps the fast go easier

flowerpower

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 4:51 pm

I’m a great faster bh and fasted through every pregnancy and nursing newborns. The secret is -
Never ever drink coffee
Drink 10 cups of water a day
Dont eat all day every day( I eat 3 meals only)
The week of the fast up your water intake
The day before the fast eat food that stays long in your body

amother

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 5:00 pm

Interesting points. I do drink coffee-- one or max 2 a day, but I can go a day or two without coffee too.
I'm remembering now that as a girl, I used to get more headaches on a fast, and yes-- I definitely didn't hydrate enough, and these days I'm way more on top of that. And I eat healthier these days too. (Not healthy enough, but ok)

I sometimes think that perhaps it's the carbs and dairy etc that make me more sluggish, and tired on a normal day-- which is why I handle the fast well in comparison. Like perhaps I'm better off not eating at all, then getting myself full with stuff my body does not handle so well.

flowerpower

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 5:01 pm

amother OP wrote:

Your body needs food every day. Not a good idea to starve yourself! Just shift your diet a tiny drop!

amother

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 5:02 pm

amother Crocus wrote:

That's not easy Sad

Can it be it's because even with just the basics, you still have way more to deplete you than you did as a girl? Or is it just general horrible fasting?

amother

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 5:05 pm

flowerpower wrote:

Your body needs food every day. Not a good idea to starve yourself! Just shift your diet a tiny drop!

Yes, I know Smile

I'm far from going down that road! I love my food too much!

I'm just starting to think that maybe my low energy is more food related than I think.

gootlfriends

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 5:14 pm

I think it's genetics. My husband and his mother are amazing faster. My parents are not. I am not a good faster. My grandfather was but I don't think I got his genes at all. He fasted at 103 with no issues. I do think hydrating well before and not drinking coffee helps but there are other factors such as how you occupy your day while fasting. I made the mistake of cleaning up a little and I got shaky. Had to rest.

amother

Fuchsia

Thu, Jul 27 2023, 6:20 pm

I fasted this year on 17 Taamus and was feeling sick, after breaking the fast I vomited everything twice (a cup of water with some juice, and like five mini snackers. second was pretzels instead of snackers) and went to sleep after sipping 2 cups of tea. woke up during the night and ate some pretzels and sipped some water. The next morning I couldn't stop eating and drinking I was famished.
no one told me to fast I simply woke up that morning and decided so. I did zero preparation. in fact I had 3 coffees... you get the picture,

now, from the week before the fast, I upped my water intake, upped my fruits, veg., and protein intake, lowered my coffee intake to only 1 cup per day, and from shabbos like a 1/8 tsp. coffee beans per coffee- very very light coffee.

the day before the fast I had about 15 oz. of homemade smoothie in addition to eating healthy balanced meals.

it's almost time to break the fast and I feel phenomenal BH.

so hydrating well + lowering caffeine intake before the fast did a major job on me.