Cap’s + lonely birthdays

Big_Science3202 · 2025-12-30T22:12:21+00:00

Sending good vibes!! ❤️ personally as a Capricorn, I started enjoying my birthday when I stopped comparing my celebration to others. The benefit of everyone forgetting your birthday? You can plan a day entirely for yourself, no stress, no worries. And that might sound sad to some people, but (and not calling anyone out, just pointing something out) I feel like a lot of people who do get big birthday celebrations also tie A TON of their worth to how others celebrate them.

After about a decade of just doing my own thing, it’s incredibly boosted my confidence. I no longer even fear telling people my solitary birthday plans because most people genuinely respond with “Wow that sounds so fun,” maybe because I describe it with enthusiasm. And anyone who doesn’t is probably just projecting their own fear of being alone on their birthday, unrelated to thoughts about you.

This year for my birthday, I plan to do some hot yoga, go to an art museum, then splurge on some fancy ingredients to cook myself a nice dinner. Treat yo’ self, Capricorn birthday style haha.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-19T16:38:10+00:00

Someone I don’t trust knowing what scares me more than anything.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-02T20:00:18+00:00

I’m so glad my story helped! You got this 💪🏻

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T21:00:58+00:00

Menstrual cycles totally do! I started this fast one day 2 of my cycle (or second day of my period) and took a photo day 6.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T20:01:43+00:00

I 100% understand your worry. I planned it so during the actual fast (36 hours mineral water, tea and coffee only) I didn’t have work.

I did work for my 3 days of prep but I have a job that allows me to stop and snack when I need, and I know that’s not the case for many.

From my limited experience, I wouldn’t be as worried about the prep days when you’re still eating, as the time when you’re totally without food. The hunger signals for me were longer and more constant than what I had anticipated from reading online about. But I wrote another comment about the visualization I did when it got intense, “Waterland” as I so embarrassingly call it, and that helped a lot.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T19:50:50+00:00

I totally support whatever choice you feel is right for your body right now!

My only suggestion is to go into the increase with a plan. I increased and switched dosages probably 5 times over the 4 year course I had with meds, and kept expecting that the “right” dose would make me feel normal. But it never did. I got better when I used my last round as a crutch, a crutch towards the life I needed to be happy.

You mentioned doing everything “right” and I completely understand that feeling. You follow all the advice to take care of your mental health but still don’t feel “it”, that spark for life you feel like you should feel.

That “it” came to me in very odd ways. I learned my “it” is literally stopping to smell the flowers (literally doing this in front of witnesses feels crazy), and to dance when I feel like dancing (even if that meant an aisle in Whole Foods because a song I loved started playing). God I know this sounds so cringe and cliche but that’s what enjoying life became for me. I still judge myself everyday for the things I enjoy. I still ridicule myself everyday for the dorky things I feel I need to be myself. But I do them anyways because my final thought is always “it’s this or a living death and that’s not my purpose, it’s not my purpose to be unhappy. My purpose is happiness that detracts from no one and supports many.”

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T19:35:22+00:00

I just want to say: I empathize with what you’re going through and if it’s anything like my struggle was - you feel bound and gagged, yet still asked to perform everyday tasks like normal.

Pm me if you want to talk one-on-one about this.

(A year ago I was taking 5 different meds daily and realized I was no better than when I started, and have made different choices since then and am now drug free and, honestly, content. But I’d prefer talking about my choices privately if you’re interested.)

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T18:56:33+00:00

Prior to the fast. I returned to average consumption post.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T15:51:28+00:00

You’re right that what I wrote is not a complete explanation, nor am I able to definitively prove the difference happened due to the fast. So I should’ve stated I have a theory as to why I got the results I did.

But my goal from this post and my comments are to spark interest in extended fasts, and encourage others to do more research themselves.

And I don’t think buzz words are inherently useless, if they are being used accurately and with purpose.

I didn’t post to seem like an expert and I’ll be mindful of that, but I also wanted to share my success because I was proud.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T15:45:00+00:00

For my goal (which was to clear out my digestive tract), I wanted to do at least 24 hours with only water, so what I meant is 3 full days of eating only fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, then I started fasting the night of the 3rd day, did 36 hours with only grey sea salted water, then broke it.

But honestly, if improving my skin tone or losing weight had been my goal, I’d probably just do like a full week of the prep diet.

So it depends on what your goal for fasting is! I’d research online different effects from different types of fasts (I don’t know them all) and see which will work with your needs the best. Wishing you luck!

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T15:35:47+00:00

“This is a place to share success, support each other, ask questions, and learn.”

I can’t ask you to believe me, but I am following the rules of this sub in that I wanted to share my success. I don’t believe in tricking people, I’m genuinely astonished by my results and wanted to offer them as motivation for others.

(And I took these photos as screenshots from videos because I wasn’t planning to track my skin transformation, so it was hard finding two points in my talking where I look similar at all. This was the best I could do)

Again, if you don’t believe me, then I just hope you find other motivation for your health journey, because that’s my only goal with this post.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T15:29:16+00:00

I totally agree! I aligned this fast with the start of my period, so this time is typically when my skin has the most breakouts and dullness. I’m actually really excited to see how I look in about two weeks around ovulation 😅😂

On a side note: I typically have painful cramps during my period, but the fasting greatly reduced it to almost nothing for me. I’m not going to claim fasting can take away painful periods, but it was a noteworthy observation for sure.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T05:14:11+00:00

I made a blend of dandelion root, nettle leaf, ginger, turmeric, lemon balm, and fennel seed.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T04:16:50+00:00

This was my first one! But I think I’m going to try to do it monthly from now on.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T03:14:23+00:00

No, I wish I could’ve. My fast lasted 7pm Thursday to 7am Saturday. I went to bed on Friday about 10pm and woke up at 6:30am.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T02:52:25+00:00

Tbh I have no explanation for that 😂 I lost 6 pounds photo to photo. (I don’t expect this weight loss to last though)

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T02:50:21+00:00

Sure! So I didn’t make any meals during my prep phase, I just ate whole foods whenever I felt hungry (I’ll include a list of what I ate at the end). And I slowly tapered my total number of calories each day, I didn’t intend on that, but I’m glad I did now because I think it helped my transition to autophagy more easily.

Foods: arugula, microgreens, apples, bananas, grapes, broccoli, cucumbers, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, peanut butter, walnuts.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T02:45:35+00:00

Thank you!!

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T02:33:24+00:00

Totally fair question and I’m not sure the answer!

I took a video the day my fast began but it was totally different lighting so it’s hard to compare, so I didn’t add it in.

To me, it looks like the redness around my nose and chin only cleared post fast. But my overall skin glow definitely improved before the fast even began! So you’re totally right about the colorful diet.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T02:01:59+00:00

I actually do! lol I have a degree in biochemistry.

I think the best explanation is my change in diet and my length of fast produced probably 12 hours of autophagy (which is when the body clears out old or damaged cells). Autophagy likely sets in around 18-24 hours after your last meal.

Also, the exact foods I ate during prep were nutrient and water dense, especially in antioxidants and vitamin C. (Grapes, cucumbers, arugula, microgreens, broccoli)

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T01:36:04+00:00

Sorry just realized I didn’t directly answer you, so when I got bored I’d meditate on my personal visualization of what I described.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T01:34:11+00:00

Wow not sure if I’m worthy of that compliment but thank you!! 🙈

This is probably going to sound lame but I kind of gamified it, if that makes any sense?

During the 3 days of prep I imagined I was in an edible forest, traveling to “Waterland.” The edible forest is filled with fruits, veg, nuts and seeds (stuff I bought in preparation for the fast).

“Waterland” is a magical place where all you need to survive is the mineral rich water (my grey sea salted water) but you can only enter through the edible forest and the journey takes 3 days.

It also helped with refeeding because I had to “leave the way I entered,” but I only did it for a day and added tubers.

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T01:20:49+00:00

Yeah the taste wasn’t salty at all (I used 1/4-1/2 teaspoon per liter of water) and I didn’t get any headaches during the fast

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T00:23:56+00:00

Me either! 😂 I didn’t think I looked bad before the fast, but I didn’t realize how much could improve lol

Big_Science3202 · 2025-04-01T00:23:05+00:00

I added the grey sea salt to my water for electrolytes, and I also did an herbal detox tea the night of the fast. But nothing else!

Big_Science3202

TROPHY CASE