The Wins You Don’t See Coming
Day 3 of my refeed. I lost a pound this morning, energy was brilliant all day, and digestion was spot on until I overate at tea. Again.
But that’s not the story here.
The story is playing with Alan — my stepdaughter’s long-haired dachshund — for four hours straight without reaching for an inhaler. Four years ago, I couldn’t be in the same room with him for five minutes without my chest tightening.
And the bigger one? Twenty-five years of gout. Uric acid crystals built up on my big toe joint. They’ve all but disappeared. I walked four miles in Birkenstocks today — shoes I haven’t been able to wear in years — without a flinch.
Weight loss gets the headlines. But the cellular repair happening inside? That’s the real transformation.
The Overeating Pattern (Still Learning)
Physically, I felt energetic all day. Seven hours sleep. Two good bowel movements. Mood was steady, stress-free.
Then tea happened.
I piled too much on my plate. Trout, salad, chips. A big portion. And I finished it, because I always finish what’s there. That’s the habit I’m still wrestling with.
By 7pm, I was bloated and sleepy. The digestion that had been perfect all day? Gone. Just like that.
The lesson: Portion control isn’t about willpower during the meal. It’s about what you put on the plate before you start eating. Tomorrow, I’m using a smaller plate. Simple fix.
The Invisible Wins (Gout, Allergies, Autophagy)
Here’s what made today remarkable:
The dog test. Four hours with Alan. No inhaler. No antihistamines. No reactions. Four years ago, my asthma and allergies were so bad I couldn’t be near him. Now? Nothing.
The gout disappearance. I’ve had gout since 2000. Allopurinol for years. Crystals on my big toe joint that made certain shoes unwearable. Over the last 18 months — and especially this refeed — they’ve cleared. Nearly gone.
I wore Birkenstocks. Walked four miles. No pain. No discomfort.
That’s not normal. That’s autophagy doing its work.
What’s Autophagy Got to Do with Refeed?
Autophagy — your body’s cellular recycling system — doesn’t just stop when you start eating again.
During a refeed, the process continues clearing out damaged cells, old proteins, and yes, even uric acid crystals. It’s like the repair crew finishing the job even after you’ve moved back into the house.
The most immediate benefit of fasting is often weight loss. But the health benefits inside and out can be outstanding. My health has turned around so much in the last 18 months. It’s insane.
And a lot of that is happening during refeed, not just during the fast.
The Day in Detail
Food:
- Beetroot soup
- Carrot and ginger soup
- Fennel, cabbage, and leek soup (I do like my soups on a refeed)
- Sneaky ice cream this afternoon
- Trout, salad, and chips (too big a portion)
Movement:
- 90 minutes walking in the sunshine
- Four hours playing with Alan (the dachshund)
Hydration: Could’ve been better with the heat. Something to improve tomorrow.
Weight: Lost a pound at the start of the day. Likely put it back on with tea.
Digestion: Perfect until the overeating this evening. Bloating kicked in after tea.
Sleep: Solid seven hours. Really pleased with that.
What I’m Taking Forward
Tomorrow, I’m serving tea on a smaller plate. That’s the fix. I know I’ll finish what’s there, so the control happens before I sit down, not during the meal.
And I’m celebrating the wins that don’t show up on the scales. The gout clearing. The allergies gone. The four miles in Birkenstocks without pain.
That’s the stuff that changes your life, not just your weight.
🎯 Key Takeaways
Weight loss is a side effect — The real transformation is cellular health
Autophagy continues during refeed — Cellular repair doesn’t stop when you start eating
Gout cleared in 18 months — 25 years of uric acid buildup, now nearly gone
Allergies vanished — 4 hours with a dog, no inhaler needed (used to need it in 5 minutes)
Portion control is plate control — Fix the serving size before you sit down
Ready to Start Your Own Rhythm Reset?
If you’re navigating post-fast glucose spikes, refeeds, or any other metabolic surprises, the 14-Day Rhythm Reset walks you through the body’s repair logic — not just the textbook version.
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🔽 Read the Video Transcript
0:00Hey everyone, it’s day three of my
0:02refeed and what a day it’s been.
0:04Physically, I felt really energetic all
0:07day until about 7:00 when I over ate
0:10again and I felt bloated and sleepy
0:13since then. Digestion was spot on until
0:16this evening, but I did get a solid 7
0:18hours sleep, which I’m really pleased
0:20about. And I’ve had two good bowel
0:22movements today and no other symptoms
0:25until tonight. My mood’s been good and
0:27emotionally I felt great today. really
0:29steady. It’s been a stress-free day
0:31overall.
0:33But what made things a bit harder was
0:34that old habit of piling too much on my
0:36plate. I know I always finish what’s
0:38there. So that’s something to be mindful
0:40of going forward. To support my refeed
0:43and recovery today, I did about an hour
0:44and a half’s walking in the sunshine and
0:47I had a lovely relax in it, too.
0:49Hydration could have been better um with
0:51the heat, but I’m happy with my sleep
0:53and rest overall.
0:56Apart from the overeating, there weren’t
0:58really any other challenges or
0:59temptations. Food-wise, today was a mix.
1:02Beetroot soup, a carrot and ginger soup,
1:04and a fennel cabbage and leak soup. Um,
1:07I do like my soups on a refeed. Uh, I
1:09had a sneaky ice cream this afternoon,
1:11and dinner was trout salad and chips,
1:13but again, I made that just too big. I
1:16lost a pound at the start of the day,
1:18but I fear I may have put that back on
1:19with my tea. Digestion’s been fine,
1:22except for the bloating this evening.
1:24One thing I really want to celebrate is
1:26playing with Alan, my stepdaughter’s
1:28long-haired dashhound, for four hours
1:29this afternoon with absolutely no
1:31reactions. Four years ago, I couldn’t
1:33even be in the same room with him for 5
1:35minutes without reaching for an inhaler.
1:38And another huge win. I’ve had gout for
1:41over 25 years with a big buildup of uric
1:43acid crystals on my big toe joint.
1:45They’ve all but disappeared. I even wore
1:47my Birkenstocks today. shoes I’ve been
1:49able to wear for years and walked four
1:52miles in them without a flinch.
1:56To my future self and anyone else
1:58following this journey, while the most
1:59immediate and noticeable benefits of
2:01fasting is often weight loss, the health
2:03benefits inside and out can be truly
2:06outstanding to thanks to the autophagy
2:08process. My health has turned around so
2:11much in the last 18 months. It’s insane.
2:16I thought during refeed the body’s still
2:18repairing on a cellular level. Autophagy
2:21that clever psych cellular recycling is
2:24still continuing to clear out damaged
2:26cells and old crystals like uric acid
2:28which might explain why my gout has
2:31physically improved so dramatically over
2:33the last couple of days.
2:36Note for myself tomorrow I will try
2:39serving my meal my tea on a slightly
2:41smaller plate. I have to get that
2:44portion control under s um portion size
2:46under control.
2:48If you like this video, please hit like
2:50and subscribe. It really helps get this
2:52message out to more people. I’ll see you
2:54tomorrow on refeed day four.
⚠️ Important: This is educational content based on evidence and personal experience. It is not medical advice. Speak to your GP before making changes to your fasting pattern, diet, or medication.
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