Regarding RadialGal’s comment about eating until “90% Full”, that is a tricky one. It takes about 20minutes after ingesting the last bite for the brain to get the message that one is “full”. So, unless someone has significant self control, it is very easy to over-eat. Portion Control is the key. Don’t fill your plate! Get a food scale and measure your food. Eventually you will be able to visually “eyeball it” and avoid consuming too big of portions. When the wife and I eat out, we split an entree OR ask for “to go boxes” right away when the meal is served. Then we place half the contents in the box for lunch the next day. As Americans we eat WAY too much food, and many of us make poor food choices IMHO.

Not eating for really long times is a great way to develop stomach ulcers.

Got a medical study or citation for that? I've had ulcers in the past.

Because my gastroentenologist didn't mention a thing, nor did my flight surgeon seem to care.

NSAID use (lets face it, eating 800mg motrins like candy, Navy style is abuse of them) compounded with going through a divorce at the same time I was recovering from multiple surgeries is the only time I've ever had an ulcer.

Not a peep of a flare up doing fasting.

The stomach has gastric acids and stomach lining. Not eating for very long periods casues the acids to overtime damage the lining and hence damage the stomach. The damage to the stomach is manifested in the form of ulcers.

I’m down to two meals a day when on the road and one when I’m at home.
At home a protein shake in the morning and dinner.
You can’t fix the size if you can’t fix the problem.
Honestly I wish the FAA would tighten up on this.
You can’t be at the stage where you consider gastric bypass and hold a First Class medical.

I'm aware if you lose the mucus coating that leads to ulcers. What I haven't seen is the mechanism that the mucus gets depleted if you don't eat.

Not saying you are wrong, I'm curious about the mechanism if you are right.

Also curious why two docs who are familiar with what I am doing (one endocrinologist one gastroenterologist) haven't said anything about that.

Was warned about NSAID use on an empty stomach, which I have heeded.

Endo had only one concern about the fasts coupled with my workouts, ketoacidosis, which I do monitor for beyond 24 hour fasts, but have never approached.

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I was running half marathons at 310 pounds.

I had zero comorbidities associated with being fat. No high blood pressure. No cardiac or breathing problems. Cholesterol ok. Not prediabetic.

I have Sleep Apnea but that's most likely from a good part of my face being smashed and plated and wired back together (started after a stint in the hospital after a bad helicopter crash)

BMI is a horrible indicator.

I know very unhealthy people with a great BMI.

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There's such a thing as an outlier. Your "running half marathons at 310 lbs" is an extreme outlier.

Kind of like "my grandfather smoked three packs a day and died at 97." Those cases exist, but no one is following that up with "therefore there is no negative ramification from heavy smoking, and doctors are irresponsible to suggest otherwise."

I dont disagree that I was fat.

But i do disagree with yanking medicals on BMI alone.

Now an actual body fat standard, maybe but has to be a tank measured one, not the BS rope and choke the military uses.

At 295 i taped in at 25% BF.
At 245, i taped in at 30%

Same muscle mass. Only 2 months between tapings.

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I wish I could edit my prior post. I didn't read the entire thread and for that I didn't read "the rest of the story" and I apologise.


You actually have an inspiring story. I also think that BMI, while certainly a factor in an overall equation, isn't the be all and end all.


Keep up all your great work!