AZCountryFlower,
Well done! You've started beautifully and can look forward to much success.
It sounds like you're one of the many people who tolerate Chantix well but hopefully you know what side effects are possible both while being on the drug and when ceasing it.
As far as knowing when to break the fast, should you not recognise hunger you can be on the lookout for other vital signs that indicate you're moving from fasting mode (ketosis) to starvation, as expressed by Dr. Alec Burton (
http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/how-to-break-a-fast/the-great-day.html)
(Recognising hunger)
"HUNGER USUALLY ONLY OCCURS IN THE VERY LONG FAST AND THEN ONLY WITH THE ALMOST COMPLETE EXHAUSTION OF THE NUTRITIVE RESERVES. HOWEVER, IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE PRACTITIONER SHOULD NOT RELY ON TOO MUCH, AS IT IS ENTIRELY SUBJECTIVE AND THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED ABOUT IT. FURTHERMORE, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED 'TRUE' HUNGER (I.E., THE SENSATION THAT IS SAID TO ACCOMPANY THE EXHAUSTION OF THE RESERVES), THEY REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR. MANY PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THEY ARE HUNGRY OR NOT. BECAUSE HUNGER IS SUBJECTIVE, IT SHOULD BE EVALUATED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MORE OBJECTIVE PHENOMENA. FOR INSTANCE, HUNGER IS INVARIABLY ACCOMPANIED BY A FLOW OF SALIVA, WHEREAS A DRY MOUTH IS INCONSISTENT WITH HUNGER."
(Indications the completion of the fast)
"WHEN A FAST IS REACHING A CONCLUSION AND THE PERSON STARTS TO INCREASE PROTEIN BREAKDOWN, THERE IS WHAT IS CALLED A PREMORTAL RISE IN NITROGEN EXCRETION, AND THAT IS VERY, VERY HARD TO DETERMINE WITHOUT DOING SOME BIOCHEMISTRY.
IN THAT STAGE YOUR BODY SWITCHES FROM SUBSISTING LARGELY FROM KETONE SUPPLIED BY THE FAT, TO REQUIRING FURTHER BREAKDOWN OF BODY PROTEIN, AND ONE DOESN’T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. NOW, OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE OTHER VITAL SIGNS THAT CAN BE LOOKED TO SUCH AS AN ERRATIC PULSE, DIFFICULT BREATHING, RAPID DROP IN BLOOD PRESSURE OR BODY TEMPERATURE."
So, should you not be feeling the hunger but start to experience other signs of distress, consider the possibility that it's time to reintroduce food.
NH...