This is a post discussing a ‘true fat fast’ experiment. Eating nothing but coconut oil and butter, while drinking only water and black coffee for the duration. If you want to join me, tea is also okay but no sweeteners.
- Why a true ‘fat fast’?
- Fat fast early results
Why this is relevant for everyone, even for non-diabetics. Blood sugar levels in the upper ranges of ‘normal’ are linked to increased risks of disease including neuropathy and dementia. Click here for my blood sugar targets and why, I list studies showing the risk associated with elevated ‘normal’ blood sugars.
Periodic caloric restriction and fasting have numerous benefits for everyone, not ‘just’ diabetics. My fasting targets are 60-90 mg/dl, if your blood sugars are above 100 mg/dl, I urge you to consider following my low carb paleo meal plan and experimenting with true fat fasts.
Background
I am a formerly obese, formerly drug and insulin dependent diabetic who has been drug and insulin free since 2009!
I love personal experimentation and this experiment is duplicating a previous fat fast from 2011, you can read about it here. The fat fast then had to be cut short due to low blood sugars. That’s ironic when you think about it. Almost all diabetics have elevated blood sugars (above non-diabetic normal blood sugars) and I had to end an experiment due to low blood sugars.
There is a lesson there, if you are paying attention.
What is a True Fat Fast and Why?
I proved in previous experiments that a ‘true fat fast’ will drop my blood sugars, there is no doubt about it.
What is a true fat fast? Consuming only fats. My preferred fats are butter and coconut oil. That’s right, consuming only butter, coconut oil, water, black coffee and unsweetened tea.
One reason I do these experiments and posts is to show others … that fasting is something they should experiment with to lower their blood sugars.
My hope with my current experiment is my body will adjust and stabilize my blood sugars in the 60+ range this time around. I want to extend the fat fast past the four days I did in 2011. If my body is functioning properly, that should happen.
But why a fat fast? A fat fast is not as radical as a ‘water only fast’. Fat fasting is great because it removes the fuel for blood sugar increases (carbs and protein), yet provides the body with fuel (fats).
How Much Fat am I Eating?
I measured the butter and coconut oil a few times and averaged .5 ounces or 14g of each, butter and coconut oil per meal. That is approximately 1.5 ounces of butter and coconut oil per day. According to Nutritiondata.com this equates to approximately 300 calories from butter and 360 calories from coconut oil, for a total of 660 calories per day.
First 48 Hours
I test my blood sugars 4 times a day. Upon waking (fasting), at noon, around dinner (5 pm) and in the evening before bed. Here are the results thus far starting with the first full day, Sunday is Day 1.
Yellow is 2011 and Green is 2015’s experiment.
Notes
1) Day 1 – my blood sugars are 10-18 points lower on each test versus 2011. That was concerning, since my goal was to surpass the number of days in my 2011 fast.
Exercise – Day 1 riding my bike and doing various pull ups, dips and squats. The bike riding is strenuous, I ride ‘off road’ much of the time in grass. There was no energy shortage at all.
I did test my blood sugar after the exercise and it raised my blood sugar to 95 mg/dl, I was pleased. That’s what I would have expected on a typical day given the exercise.
2) Day 2 – the 61 mg/dl this morning was very troubling however my blood sugar apparently stabilized above 60 mg/dl.
I felt fine through most of the day but did begin to feel lethargic later.
This concludes the first 48 hours, noon Saturday to noon Monday.
First 48 Hours Lesson
As you can see from the green and yellow picture above, my blood sugars are trending lower on a true fat fasts.
This confirms other personal experiments… and the lesson I mentioned early?
If you have elevated blood sugars (above 100 mg/dl), you should consider performing fat fasts.
I maintain normal blood sugars, if fat fasts reduce my blood sugars, imagine how much they can help someone with elevated blood sugars.
In the next post I’ll sum up the results… stay tuned. :)
Thanks
Let me thank TotalDiabetesSupply.com. I could not test as much as I do if it were not for them providing me with free testing supplies. By the way, I am not compensated (other than free supplies) . They in no way influence my decisions or posting other than a ‘thank you’, occasionally. :)
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