As I'm typing this, I'm about 49 hours into my 72-hour fast. I've done this duration before, and should know by now what I need during the time period to ensure my minerals and hydration are functioning properly. I wrote in detail about my first three-day fast a few months ago, with the main takeaway being that it was surprisingly easy: https://steemit.com/health/@troubledsoles/thoughts-after-my-first-three-day-fast.
So, being a relatively-intelligent adult, I should have had no problem following protocol to ensure my current fast would go smoothly, right?
One of the most common tips for ensuring you have an easy fast is to make sure you're supplementing with magnesium, as your muscles need the minerals/electrolytes to function properly. A simple way to know if you're magnesium deficient (even if you're not fasting) is muscle cramping. Which is exactly what happened today. During my extended fasts, I do weight training to ensure I don't lose much muscle mass, and was pumped up for my session today. What I overlooked was the fact that I had taken my last magnesium pills yesterday (and had already been rationing them due to low supply). I knew my new bottle was scheduled to be delivered sometime soon, but I foolishly didn't bother to check the exact expected delivery date, and figured I could make it through the fast without.
Boy was I wrong.
My first exercise in the workout was with two 25-lb dumbbells, doing a simple get-up exercise where you do a bicep curl with each arm while on your knees, stand up, then kneel down and repeat the curls. I made it through four sets of these before I experienced some of the worst muscle cramps I can remember having in recent memory. My thighs were absolutely cooked after about a minute of work. I could barely make it down the stairs to get to my car, but drove to my nearest vitamin store where I bought an emergency bottle of mag and proceeded to make up for the lost dosage with a day's worth of pills. Happy to report that I was able to finish my workout a few hours later (while making sure to avoid the legs, I can still feel the deadness in them).
Moral of the long-winded story: if you're planning on fasting for an extended amount of time, magnesium is almost a non-negotiable. I also drink a lot of water with celtic sea salt for the minerals, but nothing can compare to actually supplementing with mag during the fast. Don't be like me. Plan ahead, enjoy your fast, and relish the fact that we do this is a choice when millions around the world do it due to necessity. Let me know if you have any other fasting tips!
"A Single Seed" is my attempt to get out one idea every day that I've learned or accumulated over the years, with the hope that it may stick in someone else's memory bank as well. The idea may be related to fitness, business, life, or philosophy, but I think you'll find that many can change domains if you wish them to. With each seed planted, a new life awaits.
Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/132826082@N06/33450627661
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Korean_sea_salt
