I joined this board about a year ago. I did an 11 day fast last year and posted several times during that time but since then have been mostly a lurker. In addition to having done the 11 day fast, I've done a few 4 day fasts and since February of 2012 I've been practicing every-other-day fasting. On my fast days I start off with a cup of coffee with some soy milk, then fast on water only until the next morning (so about a 24 hour period). I'm loving this lifestyle. Because I keep myself in a partial state of ketosis, and because I've become so practiced at it, I never feel any hunger on my fast days. The real fun is that I get to eat really generously on my feed days - it's like Thanksgiving every other day. On my feed days I eat really healthy - primarily raw vegan, but will eat some meat on rare occasions (social obligations). I'm currently on day three of what will either be a 14 day fast or a 21 day fast (I'll just listen to my body and will break it whenever it feels right). I'm undertaking this fast partly because it's time to do my yearly longer-term fast and partly because my love of coffee is a little out of control. Contrary to what the media is telling us these days, it's a disaster on many levels. I want to quit and this fast is going to be my new beginning. I'm already feeling a little depressed at the thought of never having coffee again, so sad. So to get to the topic of my subject line, I read this board regularly and am a member of a few other fasting boards that I also read. I also have read every book and blog on fasting ever put out there. I'm no expert, but probably better read on the subject than most. What strikes me are the many (usually young) people who come on the board to DE CLARE they're going to undertake a fast to lose weight fast. I'm all for that, but I've read enough to realize that too many people don't understand fully what they're undertaking and what the potential consequences to your future weight might be, IF you don't do it right and carry on with a brand new mindset towards food and eating. Frequently I read that people who've managed to actually fast for any length of time often break their fasts in the most damaging ways - SAD (standard American diet). Not only does breaking a fast with meat and bread and dairy and such cause real harm, but it's an indicator that that person really has no intention of adopting new eating habits. What you need to understand is that fasting really slows down your metabolism; which, if you're health conscious, you would know is a good thing - the faster the metabolism, the faster we age. But if you think you're going to get to your magical weight and then revert to your old eating habits, you're going to gain it all back and will continue gaining weight more easily than you did before. If on the other hand you reach your magic weight and then carry on with healthy, low calorie eating, or adopt an every-other-day diet, you'll never be heavy again. Like I said earlier, I've been every-other-day fasting since Feb of 2012. On rare occasions I won't fast for a couple of days in a row, but always get back on track when the social obligation has passed. Recently I went to California for 10 days to be with family. I decided to put my every-other-day regimen on hold, but did carefully count my calories and never ate over 1,400 each day. That's not a lot of calories, but because my metabolism is now slower than a snails, I gained 5 lbs. in those 10 days. That's what I'm talkin bout - fasting slows your metabolism and you have to choose to forevermore be mindful of how you eat. Do it right and it's an awesome and freeing lifestyle, do it impetuously with no real conviction about your future habits and you're heading for bigger weight issues. Sorry to sound preachy, but I've come to believe too many people don't understand this and I feel really bad when I read the story of some sincere person who I recognize is going to fall back into the SAD food trap and will have a discouraging awakening at some point in the future. I wish everyone the best health and the thin, sexy bodies they dream of.