Why I fasted for 100 hours

Monday, June 2, 2025 was the date for the monthly TREat Trackers extended fast. The target was 30 hours. And being the coach that I am, I challenged the group to push beyond their comfort zones, because I know the enormous benefits that await. And as it is incumbent upon me to lead by example, I decided to extend my target to 100 hours. The result? Well, I'll tell you after this brief message from our amazing sponsor...

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Introducing the TBM TREat Tracker!

You've heard me say it. I have become an evangelist for Time-Restricted Eating (or as I call it, TREating. After all, it is a treat!). After spending quite a bit of time immersed in the science and art of "controlling the window in which one eats", and then implementing it for myself, seeing and feeling the enormous impact, I have become convinced that every human should be doing this to some degree. Moreover, I also realize it is difficult to fully explain this without sounding like I have discovered the fountain of youth...Well, perhaps I have! Have you seen my numbers?

Anyway, I started working on a new software system for TBM (yes, I also love to write code), which will allow mechaniacs to access a web app to schedule classes and private sessions, and I decided to extend this to include a TREat Tracker app. This app is designed to make it very easy and fun to track your fasts, and I am updating its functionality regularly, based upon feedback. In effect, my idea is to gamify TREating in order to make it easier and to include group support. I have put A LOT of effort and time into this, all because I want to encourage you with all my heart to give this a try, and learn how to make TREating a lifelong habit. I have said this so many times: "I don't accept any claim that isn't supported by data and careful reasoning. Gut reasoning is unreliable, and will cause you to fall for pretty much anything. Careful reasoning involves learning and understanding true critical thinking and researching. This takes time and effort, and most people don't have the desire to pursue it. I do! And I study it daily (not an exaggeration). The first thing I do with any claim is try to poke holes in it. If I can poke holes in the claim, that is a good indicator that it is fallacious. If I can't poke holes, it doesn't mean the claim is necessarily valid and sound, it just means I have decent reason to believe in it. So, if I have looked into a claim (like TREating) and concluded that it is worth pursuing, you can bet I have turned over lots of stones and poked at it from many angles, to my satisfaction."

The TBM scheduling functionality won't be fully available until sometime in July. However, you can use the TREat Tracker right now! All you need to do is click on this link and register by creating a username and password, then login. You will have instant access. Please do try it out, and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. Please join us and become a TREat Tracker, and we will still be having this conversation 70 years from now💪🏾

P.S. You will eventually have to register in my new web app in order to sign up for classes or private sessions, so why not do it now? Click the link here, and you can explore the TREat Tracker. I also have videos you can watch there to learn more!

And now, back to your program

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I can not fully explain to you what it feels like when the brain is running primarily on ketones. But, you can experience this for yourself. The numbers above were taken around 94 hours into my fast. You can research this, but I was in DEEP ketosis. My body was breaking down and using stored fat like crazy. My energy was high, and I felt stronger than I had in a very long time. I did not know how my pursuit of 100 hours would go. I chose 100 because it is a nice number, and I was convinced that 4 days (96 hours) was a healthy length. The only potential downside was some muscle loss, but the benefits were so massive that I was willing to lose a bit of muscle. However, as you will see in a later post, not only did I not lose muscle, I actually gained muscle mass!

As you may know, I got the news that my mother passed away on June 4...right in the middle of my fast. This was very painful and stressful, and I thought about ending the fast, as it is generally not a good idea to do a long fast when one is already stressed. But, I am also very much type A and driven, to the nth degree. I know how to push myself, but the challenge was to control my stress and tension even as I pushed to the 100 hours. I had to insist on making it to 100 hours because that was my goal. At the same time, I was prepared to end the fast if I were to become overwhelmed. I monitored my symptoms. By Friday, I understood fully that this is very much what I have been teaching for so many years --

"Set big goals, so big you may not know if you can reach them. Insist on reaching those goals. Insist that nothing will stop you. At the same time (the exact same time), understand that you may not reach the goal you set. Realize that the goal is not the goal at all. The goal is just the target you aim for. You are the archer shooting at the target, attempting to hit the bulls eye, one arrow after the other. The actual goal is always YOU. The actual goal is to get better; to become a more improved version of yourself; to get better at getting better. Even though you push yourself to hit the bullseye, you are perfectly happy with whatever the result, because you know you gave your best."

I learned a lot in just 4 days 4 hours and 40 minutes. I am changed, for the better. And I want you to learn from my actions. Until next time...