The 5-Day Fasting Challenge — Stephen Thomas BSc (Hons)

What the last group said

Posted in the group during the week, or sent to Stephen straight after. Screenshots, so you can see they're real people.

Comment from Ellen Schmidt — Can only recommend this 5-day challenge! Although I did
fast a few times over the years and read Dr Fung's book about fasting, there were
quite a few nice gems waiting for me. The community support and accountability
helped to have a smooth journey through my 74 hour fast and I'm inspired to do more
regularly short fasts from now on. I feel great and healthy! Thank you, Stephen
Thomas!

Email to Stephen from Cindy Sample, subject Coach Stephen 5 Day Fasting
Challenge/Interview — Hello Coach Stephen! I so enjoyed the challenge that we did.
It was successful for me in so many ways. My brain fog was gone and continued
through most of the days, joint aches gone... anyway if you still need someone to
interview I would be available to do that. Thank you again for making these
challenges and learning opportunities available.

Group post from Helen Newberry, titled Feeling better! — Yesterday I was pretty
exhausted and thought I might have to stop fasting. I had a little salt and I think
that helped me turn a corner and I felt much better last night and managed to
continue! Exceeding my expectations and feel good today! Not sure I will make the
call tonight but will try. Well done everyone!

Group post from Apryl Parcher, titled Doing some better than last time. — Missed two
meetups, but doing better this time than last go-round. Made sure to drink water
with salt, also had some decaf coffee with a little cream and no issues. Not
fatigued at 72 hrs, no brain fog or dizziness. Have had a couple of slight hunger
pangs but they go away quickly. Am waking up at night some, but no anxiety and very
little hunger. So the plan is to finish to Friday night for 120 hours.

Group post from Ellen Schmidt, titled Little update — Today I will meet my goal of 96
hours fasting. It was again a smooth transition into it, day 2 in the late
afternoon/evening a few hunger pangs, but a cup of herbal tea and electrolytes in
water and a 30 minute walk with the dog helped to overcome this. Day 3 was fab and
today is so far going well. This week I was working as a locum, therefore couldn't
really take part in the meetings as I was planning, but the replays were good.
Everyone looks so glowing and very happy! See you all soon! xx

Group post from Karen Catlin — I have reached the 79th hour! I feel well enough
actually to continue the fast, but not wanting to push my luck, I have decided to
break my fast with a cup of beef broth and then a hamburger patty! My total weight
loss thus far is 2 pounds. I had hoped that number were to be bigger but I will fast
again in a month. Day 1 and 2, tinnitus, ringing in my ears became quite loud. I
have experienced tinnitus for many years. By day 4, after waking, the ringing has
dulled to a muted hum, almost unnoticeable! I am pleased! I do suspect that the
ringing will return after consuming a meal! Time will tell! Thank you Coach Stephen
and the fasting cohort!

These are individual members describing their own week. Fasting affects everyone differently and nothing here is a promise of the same result, or medical advice. If you are on medication or managing a condition, talk to your doctor before you fast.

Join the challenge · $27

Starts Monday 2 November · live daily 5pm UK

It isn't really about the fasting.

There is one thing that decides whether your body burns fat or stores it, and that is your insulin. While it is high you are locked in storage mode, and nothing you do about food quite works the way it should. The fastest way to bring it down is to stop eating for a while.

Fasting is not a diet and it is not a punishment. Think of an artist's studio that has been buried under clutter for years. Thirty brushes, junk on every surface. You cannot create anything in there, and it is not because you have lost your talent. You just cannot get to the table. A fast clears the table.

Five days. You pick your own target.

MondayPrep day. No fasting yet. We get you ready, answer your questions, get your head right.
Tuesday to FridayYou fast, building to whatever target you picked.
Every day, 5pm UKLive with Stephen. He walks you through it hour by hour, puts you with people doing the same length, and helps you go further if you have more in you.

4 hours1218 244872

There is no failing this. If you have never gone past a missed breakfast, twelve hours is a genuine win and it gets treated as one. If you have fasted before, your win is going further than you have been. Nobody is measured against anybody else.

What you get for $27

A live session with Stephen every single dayFive of them, 5pm UK. Recorded, so you have not missed it if you cannot make one.
A private group for the five daysEveryone doing it at the same time as you.
A prep guideSo you walk in ready instead of guessing.
The electrolyte protocolAlmost everything people blame on fasting, the headache, the dizziness, feeling wiped out, is salt and minerals. Get this right and you feel fine.
Refeed guidanceWhat you eat coming out matters as much as the fast. People undo good work in twenty minutes because nobody told them.
A daily trackerHours, hunger, energy, mood, sleep. You see what actually changed instead of guessing afterwards.

Who this is for

You have never fasted

This is the version with somebody there. You pick a small number, you find out it was easier than you thought, and you have a coach on a call every day of it.

You have fasted before

You already know the mechanics. What you have not had is a room of people going at the same time and someone telling you when you have more in the tank.

You have tried and it went badly

Usually that is electrolytes, or the refeed, or starting on the wrong day. All three are covered before you begin.

Questions people ask first

I have never fasted. Is this going to be too much?

No, because you choose the number. Plenty of people pick twelve hours and finish the week having done more than they thought they could. Monday is a prep day with no fasting at all, so you start knowing what you are doing.

What if I cannot make the live session?

Every session is recorded and goes into the group afterwards, so you have not missed it. The people who get the most out of it come live and ask their questions, but it is not a requirement.

Do I have to be eating carnivore already?

No. This is about the fast and what it does to your insulin. What you eat the rest of the time is a separate conversation, and one you can have with Stephen on any of the calls.

What if I feel awful?

Then you stop, and you tell Stephen, and he will help you work out what happened. Usually it is electrolytes. Nothing about this asks you to push through something that feels wrong.

Who is running it

Stephen Thomas, BSc (Hons). He has coached people through carnivore and fasting for years, and he has done it himself, which is a different thing from having read about it. On the calls he is the person asking what your blood work actually said and what you ate yesterday, rather than the one handing out a protocol and hoping.