I'm not a pro, but I've done a few fasts so far, and am on Day 3 of a very long one right now. I'm also obese (another 80 to go).

Really, it's up to you and your body. As you fast, listen to what your body is saying. Not your stomach, tastebuds, etc. I have found it difficult to get past 3 weeks because that's when my joint pain becomes unbearable. This time, I'm not tied to a regular job, so I'm gonna push through.

I've read and have been told that the longer fasts allow your body to do deeper cleaning. For me, this translates to more pockets of fat emptied, so I'm going to go for the longer fast. I'm planning to stay fasting until I hit a specific weight goal, not for a certain number of days. I will also be doing other things (using my colema board and getting massages) along the way. Hopefully, this will help my cleanse be more successful.

Personally, I lose about 2 pounds per day for 5 days, then it drops and eventually settles to about 5 pounds per week. I'm sure it will slow as we get closer to our goal weights. Another thing to consider is that when your weight "stalls", your body is probably turning attention to something else that we can't measure on a scale. Something it needs to take care of. Wait it out (no pun intended). Also, use measurements to keep track of your progress. This can really help when you're at a point that exercise is adding muscle. You may not drop weight, but you may lose inches. Once the weight loss slows down, try to not weigh as often, and go with how you're feeling, how your clothes are fitting, etc. Watch for milestones along the way (I noticed how much more strap was left at the end of the airline seatbelt compared to last year.) Little things keep the joy in fasting. Celebrate the small successes, and reward the big ones (not with food, of course.) You WILL get where you want to be if you keep on (or near) the path to health.

Rhonda