The fasting journal · matched to fast day 56
Day 56. It Took Years to Build
Day 56 is a Friday. John is under the gazebo in a gray shirt with the gnome in its stars and stripes hat. He wishes everyone a happy Friday and then gets to the question people keep asking him.
Numbers first. 186.5 pounds this morning. That is 0.9 pound below yesterday. Total change is 42.1 pounds in 56 days from the 228.6 start on August 1. BMI 28.3, body fat 30.7 percent, muscle 37.6 percent, 1964 calories burned. Ketones logged at zero.
Stable now
At this point I fluctuate in weight.
He goes up half a pound. He comes down half a pound. He calls that stable and says it is going to be an everyday kind of occurrence. On day 55 the scale moved a tenth. Today it moved nine tenths down. Both fit the range he is describing.
Not gonna get it all back
I know that one of the issues that people talk about is okay, well now you lost all this weight and now you are going to get it all back.
His answer is two words. Not true.
The 40 pounds that I lost has to do with visceral fat. That takes months. That takes years to build back up.
He has called the 40 pounds of visceral fat his own estimate before. He cannot measure it at home, which is why day 50 calls the monthly bloodwork the real scorecard. Cleveland Clinic explains that visceral fat sits deep in the belly and that genetics play a part in how much you carry. It also says everyday choices influence it.
He knows what those choices would look like. Pizza three or four times a day. Chips, sodas, fruit drinks, burgers. He does not have that in his plans.
The ketone strips are retired. He stopped testing on day 53 when every morning read zero. The site logs ketones as 0 from here and the photo above is the last strip he tested.
The 2027 plan
So what do I plan to do? My overall goal is to be more healthier.
He lists a couple of parameters. The first is a number. He wants to get down to 150 pounds and he says that is what the scales are showing. The plan is to get there during 2027. He wants to do it in steps with new habits.
Then he describes a healthier person. Someone who stays away from illness, to the extent that you can. Someone strong and also flexible with regard to food. Someone who keeps mental clarity.
I want to make sure that I can remember things. Not just now but as long as I possibly can.
MedlinePlus says more than 70 percent of adults in the United States are overweight or have obesity. It also says regular exercise can help you manage your weight and that it is never too late to start slowly.
Burning fat while eating
The main goal is to keep burning visceral fat while he eats. He says he is taking a heavy look at that. Minor changes. Nothing epic. Just things that are going to help. He will share them once he knows exactly what they look like.
Cleveland Clinic lists staying active and managing what you eat as ways to lower visceral fat. Every change John makes goes through his doctor first. She watches the monthly bloodwork.
The count
Day 56 of the 90 day calendar. The water fast ended on day 45 and the refeed keeps going. There are 34 days left on the calendar. Enjoy your Friday and the start of the weekend, he says. Cheers.
Quick answers
Does John think he will gain the weight back after the fast?
No. On day 56 he says people tell him that now he lost all this weight he is going to get it all back. His answer is not true. He says the weight he lost has to do with visceral fat and that took months and years to build. To build it back fast he says he would have to eat pizza three or four times a day with chips, sodas, fruit drinks and burgers. He does not have that in his plans. Cleveland Clinic notes that genetics play a part in visceral fat and that everyday choices also influence it.
What is John's goal weight after the 90 days?
150 pounds. He says that is what the scales are showing and that is where he wants to be. He is not rushing it. The plan is to get there during 2027 in steps, with new habits built along the way. He logged 186.5 pounds on day 56, so the goal sits a little over 36 pounds below where he is now. Every step runs past his doctor first.
What does John mean by a healthier person?
He gives four parts. A person who stays away from illness, to the extent that you can. A person who is strong and also flexible with regard to food. A person who keeps mental clarity so he can remember things for as long as he possibly can. And a person who keeps burning visceral fat while eating. MedlinePlus says regular exercise can help you manage your weight and that it is never too late to start slowly.
Is John's weight stable on day 56?
He says so. On day 56 he describes it as going up half a pound and coming down half a pound. He considers that stable and expects it to be an everyday thing from here. This morning the scale showed a 0.9 pound drop to 186.5.