During lunch, while I was scarfing a delicious ham sandwich (bad jew, I know), my friend Charlie Hoehn wasn’t eating.
I asked, “What’s up?”.
“Oh, I’m on a 7 day fast, ” Charlie said.
“WTF. Fer reals,” I said.
“Yea, while I was going through some things last year this was one of the few experiences that really helped make my life better,” Charlie said.
It also gave him mental clarity like nothing else which made me curious to try.
I decided that since I’ve done a 24 hour fast before, going for 60 hours would be pushing myself to the limit. Yes, I skipped right over the 48 hour fast (more on this later).
So for 60 hours, I was in. Queue weekend…
For the first hours of the fast, I was gold. This will be cake I thought (pun intended).
I did a 14-mile bike ride and then some light walking.
Bad idea.
“The wall” hit me around 4 pm.
Tired, low energy, just low everything!
Towards night time I could feel my stomach rumbling but it wasn’t unbearable.
Sunday is where it got really challenging.
Stupid me decided a 4-mile hike and 3 hours of disc golf were a great idea. They weren’t.
My energy was very low and I got extremely light headed whenever I tried to stand up.
This was a rough day, I’d go in-and-out of hunger and got weak very quickly throughout the day when I normally wouldn’t.
As night began I was extremely productive with work and creative with my writing. Maybe cause it was hard for me to move so typing on my couch seemed easier than usual.
The day was near done but I couldn’t sleep…
And I couldn’t sleep and it continued. Shit.
It scared me. I searched online for what a normal heartbeat should be which is 60-100.
I checked my pulse which was 68 and then tried to rest.. Finally, around 2:30 am I passed out.
BUT woke up again at 3:42 am.
My heart was going all zany again. WTF is going on. I got a bit scared.
Internally I was debating: “No way I can break my fast. I committed to myself, my fasting partner (very helpful) and others that I’d see this through to the end.”
Most of us think we are stubborn and I’m no exception.
I had to ponder if it was worth it to potentially damage myself long-term vs the ego that was challenging me at that moment.
I also struggled with maybe this is just the hard part I have to get past and suck it up.
My heart kept throbbing…
So I made the executive decision to make some oatmeal.
The downside risk of dying was not worth trying to reach an arbitrary goal.
…I still feel some guilt today for not going all the way.
Noah’s famous oatmeal
I felt better nearly instantly.
Lost 7 pounds (149) after not eating for 50 hours.
What can YOU learn from this?
Discipline is good. I’m super glad I had the self-control to not eat and reinforced that I can do this in other parts of my life. Short term not having discipline is okay but the long-term reward from it will make you much more likely to get what you want.
Reading is shit. Experience is gold. (< Click to tweet) You can read about how to start a business or a diet or anything you’ve been avoiding doing forever. The best way I’ve found to truly internalize knowledge is to experience it yourself.
Food = Energy. I never looked at food like gas to a car. When you give your body food it’s basically converted to energy so you can do the things you want it to do. Better food = better energy.
Question your habits. I’m SO used to just eating at put-food-in-my-mouth o’clock. Know what I mean?? It’s getting dark so that must mean it’s dinner time. But are you really hungry? This experience reset my expectations to really question if I’m hungry at that moment or not. (Back in 2008 I wrote a book review on Mindless Eating. Check it out for some healthy eating tips.)
Simplify your decisions. Yesterday, I realized while snacking that it’s easier to not have to decide with food. With fasting, I knew I wouldn’t eat but snacking on jerky yesterday I had to figure out how much I wanted to eat. This made me realize why the 100 calorie Almond packs are so powerful. If you know the decision will be hard or uncertain, figure out how you can pre-commit or reduce having to decide when you don’t want to.
Would I recommend this for you to do?
HELL no, if you want to do it as a diet. It’s not a bad kickstarter to a diet but it’s definitely not sustainable.
Yes, if you want to explore how far you can go, become more aware of when you actually need to eat, and want a challenge.
I actually realized that a 48 hour fast would have been a great challenge for myself too (without draining ALL my energy).
Would I do this again?
Yes, I plan on fasting for only 24 hours once a month. I also plan on exploring a 48 hour fast once a quarter.
Less for the challenge and more for the reminder that I don’t really need to eat as much and bring my awareness of food to the front of my mind. It was amazing how much food consumed my thoughts when I didn’t have it for only 2 days…
Okay, action time. Leave a comment and take the challenge to fast for 24 hours.
413 responses to “What I Learned Not Eating for 60 Hours (48 Hour Fast Extended)”
Have you drank espresso or other beverages except water during these 50 hours?
I am basically from India and I follow Hinduism, I can totally relate with fasting. We have been told since childhood to do some fasting mostly linked with God days
I do take some liberty and eat some fruits and nuts but yes, total calorie intake is far less than regular days.
??? ‘the downside risk of dying’
You really think going without food for a couple days is going to somehow make your heart fail?? Maybe you should have done abit of intermittent fasting then 24 hours then 48 hours and then done a 60 hour fast after breaking yourself in over a few months if you were going to shit ur pants about it
I’ve been trying fasting with a goal of 72 hours one a week. Been going and am in 6th week. I cheat on the final morning with cappuccino, but otherwise pretty disciplined. Doing for weight loss (18 lbs so far) and ketosis health benefits. Plus just resetting my normal habits. I find it surprisingly easy.
Omg crazy I found your article on this I love the idea of a fasting lifestyle. And Ive since implemented it into my own life. I find I do purposefully self sabotage and eat shoveling every bad bit of junk or sugar I can find. Then woops restart again. Anyways, I first started with a 24 simple yes as cake lol. Then I moved up to 33 hours on new years 2019 and that was a dry fat by 27 hours I was really craving water once 2019 at midnight came I downed a bottle of water. And that was my longest fast ever. Well, again I wanted to try for longer and so I started this past Thursday and had a goal of 72 hours did I reach it no, so of course the same ego you I had I did too and I felt failure but then happy that I showed a test of will. I felt all the same damn things you felt and lastnight I got to bed at 3 a.m and woke up for boxing at 7 a.m I was fine, thinking I can do this but nope went from feeling decent to not so much hungry but my mental cognition was low, my brain felt foggy, I was shakey and just not feeling so well. So, I broke my fast at 54 hours with a banana, steak, avocado and 1 hard boiled egg, only Im considering that my REFEED and I started farthing after.Im going to continue this lifestyle as it dont feel so hard at all as LONG as I get to eat and REFEED. I’ll upfate more after my first full week of intermittent O.M.A.D fasting..
Doctors have told me not to eat if I’m not hungry. But what do I do now, because I’ rarely hungry at all. Have no interest in food. It’s been 24 hours & no urge to eat still. I’m overweight with EDS (Ehlers Danlos) Nutritionists say eat small meals because in the end fasting is not all that great. So idk
If you’re overweight then your body has plenty of stored energy. Fruit & fast !
Fasting is an opportunity for internal healing (enabled by processes like autophagy and phagocytosis), since the body gets a break from digestion.
Disease is Nature’s signal for obstruction or infection, and fasting is the cure for obstruction. Many of the diseases that cause suffering and end lives are due to congestion, or buildup- Of plague, acid, inflammation, toxins.
Fasting, combined with right eating, is the natural way of returning to a superhuman state of health, such that most would not even believe exists.
Read The Mucusless Diet Healing System by Arnold Ehret. Read everything you can. And be willing to change your diet and lifestyle completely if you seek to truly know about fasting and its potential for our growth.
Okay. Had a jar of oatmeal (write for my ought-to-be-famous oatmeal recipe) at about 8:00, I’ll have another at the next 8:00. But I will have tea. No sugar. Just tea.
I fasted 3 days but not by choice I had a flu bug. I ended up with a bleeding ulcer and required a 3 pints of blood to be transfused. I didn’t want the transfusion but the doctor said if I didn’t I would die. I am healed now but I have no appetite whatsoever. I only eat if I feel light headed. Congratulations on your efforts you won the battle but lost the war. Thank you for sharing your story.
Enjoyed your Blog. I’m 37 with 3 kids 15, 11, and 6. I work fulltime. I’m trying to reach a 96 hr water fast. It’s seems okay except for the low energy and slight headaches. I’m at 87 hrs currently. I previously intermittent fast for about a month. I enjoy that better.
Got the flu…had no problem not eating for 60 hours lol
I’m 18 now and the longest time i have been without food is 72 hours. I only drank
about 3 cups of still water a day. It didn’t feel bad even though i walked 2km every day for those 3 days. I weight 45kg/99 lbs and i’m 161cm/ 5’2.
I am over 48 hours in this challenge ?? wonder how long I can keep going, the hunger is real
I’m on hour 45 of not eating. I’m almost ready for bed so that will bring it to 53 upon waking. I’m glad I found your article because so many times today, I wanted to break my fast and all I could think about was food. I kept myself busy, powered through, and am happy to report that I didn’t succumb. I love hearing others stories of fasting because it reminds me why I’m doing it for myself. Thanks for sharing
I fast regularly, I usually go 3-4 days its mental illness driven for me, my longest fast nil by mouth was 17 days, after day 3 it actually becomes easier, sure I was in a bad place and im not recommending it it turns your urine dark brown and leaves you with very little energy, I lost almost 10”on my waist 42 down to 32/34”
U had a wonderful experience..I fasted for three days without eating and drinking.but it was a spiritual fast..with prayers and meditation.not much physical movement. I believe dry fasting gives good results.
I just (less than 30 mins ago) finished a 132 hour fast – my 1st attempt at fasting ever. Was starving through most of it & I never got that clarity/burst of energy others seem to get. All good though. Just polished off bacon & eggs – delish. Will do it again in 3 months.
So far 48hrs into my water only fast, i work with food so i am assuming cooking and serving food for 8 hours a day might be a little harder.
Yes i am already thinking about my next meal how ever my meal of choice is going to be small and with soft food to give my intestines and stomach a chance. i will probably also have a thin soup before my meal to jump start my body into receiving food.
24 hours to go and on the plus side i am going to sleep 10 of them.
you have done this wrong. you must eat a low carb diet before you fast as this will keep your insulin levels low and you wont feel as hungry. you have to take electrolytes , for sleep. and working out so much pro not a good idea either.
I find that fasting makes you smarter assuming you don’t overdo it…
I’ve noticed that if I’m stressed to the point of fear, I cannot eat. So far I’m 44 hours in with only drinking water. So strategy to the whole gimmic is to be a university student ?
I have fasted for 24hours so far, water only. I feel more energetic. When I feel I want to eat, I find a distraction. It seems to be a will of the mind at the moment, my body has not started responding (other than tummy growling), no dizziness, no shakes. I still think about food, a lot. Smelling co-workers lunches is torture; but that is when I reach and search for a distraction.
That’s what we call anorexia, but that’s okay because as long as we feel good about ourselves at the end, right?
Eating disorders =/= fasting.
Anorexia is a fear of gaining weight and a repeated cycle of binging and purging food, plus a very negative body image. Fasting is a test of dicipline which takes inner strength and training, has many health benefits, and has nothing to do with anorexia….. :/
I haven’t had anything to eat for 124 1/2hours, that’s 5+ full days. And let me say that’s not by choice. It’s because I don’t have any money to buy food. The hunger pangs don’t go away, and any head movement makes me dizzy. Just today I’ve developed uncontrollable shaking in my hands and arms, Not fun…. When do I expect to eat again? I honestly don’t know.!!!!
Dude if you have access to the internet you have access to people and no one around you would let you starve like this. You need to go find someone to help, go to a hospital, a church, find a stranger. You do not need to be starving like that there are so many people who will help you.
Gbam! You hit the nail on the head. Thanks
I’m low on funds but I bought carrots (.98) and cucumbers (.50 a piece), 2 bananas (.98 a pound). So it’s carrot, water, salt, pepper in a pot and that’s my carrot soup. Cucumbers are my snack. Yeah, no eating out for me but I see myself getting a job offer soon (keep getting calls twice a day in the last week).
I hope your fortunes have changed – assuming you read this reply – but for others who may be in a similar position either through fasting or lack of funds, remember that a pinch of salt a day is not “cheating” – no calories at all – but without it, you can get cramps, shakes and after a time, you risk issues with your heart.
Even with no money, I am sure very few neighbours (or food serving pubs) would begrudge you a sachet / pinch of salt.
As I say, I hope your fortunes have changed for the better – and that others remember that long fasts NEED salt to keep the heart happy – ESPECIALLY if you are drinking a lot of water to “feel full” – as this flushes what electrolytes you DO have, away in the urine.
Fasting for 60 hrs is totally doable for everyone as long as you have enough willpower to accomplish it. Our bodies were designed to last days without food. We’re all just too conditioned to eating every few hours because we’ve been tricked by the fitness community that this is healthy and necessary to be healthy. Fasting has been proven to have numerous health beanefit.
I am 53 hours into a 72 hour fast. Over the last few months I have tried to restrict myself to a 2 hour eating window everyday with water and coffee as needed throughout the day. On a few occasions I have endured a 30 hour fast. It seems the literature is saying 72 hours is the goal to shoot for. I’ve literally only had 2 cups of coffee and about 2 liters of sparkling water. I worked out normally the first few days but the second of those was a beast. I will weight tomorrow to see how much weight I am down.
Why? Discipline. Don’t let the food control me. I think controlling what you put in your mouth is the key to controlling your weight long term. Everyone thinks it is crazy. But since over 60% of the US population is overweight or obese…. majority thought is not what I think I should trust
I am 36 hours in to a 72 hour fasting period. What I am curious abt is I have had over 160oz of water and my urine output has been very low. It’s weird I would have expected to have a higher urine output because of the amount of water. I would expect it if I was t consuming salt because of water retention yet I am adding a pinch of salt to the water to regain my electrolytes. I will keep going for the sakes of understanding how my body reacts but I am curious if anyone has found an explanation for this or has experienced it
Hey just wanted to say that reading all these comments helped me get through the hardest part for me. I have been suffering from irritable bowel syndrome on and off all my life and more recently some sort of autoimmune problem…many symptoms of fibromyalgia.. I am trying all I can to help heal myself. I have always feared fasting as I remembered the gnawing feeling of my stomach when I attempted in college. Never thought about it again. Now here I am again. Made it through the first day able to work, walk the dogs etc. stomach burning around 1 pm, Nightime burning was more pronounced..couldn’t go to sleep until late. I woke up today and was determined to get to 6 pm. Worst symptoms ever..super tired, not able to focus, headache, and extreme burning sensation in my stomach, horrible mood, emotional. I was writing in my journal basic symptoms and could barely hold the pen. I suffered through the day in bed. Every time I got up I was super dizzy and felt like I was going to pass out but would reside fairly quickly, heart beating super fast and could feel the blood pumping in my head. I started looking for these symptoms online as everything I had read was people feeling not too hungry, having energy and feeling good. I read some people taking salt and decided to have a Pelligrino mineral water and almost immediately started feeling better. I am drinking salt water now and could be the missing ingredient to why I was feeling so bad. I also talked to some friends…a good distraction. I am on 48 hours now and will go through to the morning and try to reach 60 hours…wow quite an experience that I am not sure I want to go through again but will look forward to starting an intermittent fasting regime…thanks for all the comments. I has helped get through the hardest part, I hope 🙂
Hi Heather,
ibs is a real pain and I have had it off an on for the last 30 years.
I go on 24 hour oat milk only fasts.
I have 2 litres of oat milk in a 24 hour period.(First glass 6am on the 2nd day)
this can supply 800-1000 calories.
eat in the evening on day 1 and don’t have solid food again until 24 hours later
if still suffering do another day following on from day2
Other non dairy milks work as well just make sure sugar below 4 grams per 100
I buy alpro oat original at a £1 a carton from asda.
2 cartons = 860 calories.
early in the day can still feel rough but by about 12.30 really start to pick up
and by 3 the hunger pangs have gone and I feel great
I advise 3 days a week if you are having bad times but once under control just
2 or three times a month helps a lot.
The body handles oats well and because you are having two litres a day it helps against dehydration as well.
Don’t drink it cold from the fridge as it can cause cramps.
I tried so many other methods but this for me at least is the best
hope it helps
Pete
Salt water, that sounds like a good tip. How much salt per serving, and what would a serving be considered, and how often? Sorry about all the questions, I don’t want to screw it up and be turned off by it immediately. Can I add lemon to help with taste?
I had CFS for decades. I was trying to cure IBS when I found out that the cause of the IBS was not gluten but wheat, rye and barley.
But it was also the cause of my CFS, which disappeared immediately – and my life was transformed forever !
I’m currently on day one of the Prüvit 60 Hour Reboot (Keto) fast. It’s basically liquids. Disgusting liquids. They do not taste good. Trying to choke them down reminds me of when you try to drink alcohol that’s you’ve been sick off of before. For me it’s jaeger. It triggers that reflex. I honestly don’t think I can make it. This article makes me feel a little better knowing I’m not some weirdo for feeling super icky during a fast!
This is the same fast I just did. Agreed. The packets taste horrible, especially if you have a Stevia sensitivity (it’s all I could taste). I lost 5 lbs and my ketones were high as hell (5.9 mmol this morning) but I feel worse than I’ve felt since I started Keto 6 months ago. I’ll miss 2 days of working out and could barely function at my job because I’m so weak and fatigued. I’m fully expecting those 5 lbs to be back in the next day or two as well. The whole thing was a bust for me. I just hope that I didn’t do any irreparable damage to my body/energy level and that tomorrow I feel back to normal. Never again.
Hi, I just did a 3 day fast but the same thing you went through I went through I thought I was going to die. I couldn’t sleep and when I finally fell asleep I woke up an hour later throwing up like crazy. I was pale and all. at that moment I knew I had to eat so like you I had an oat meal and a banana. It was a scary experience. I still feel out of it even tho I’m eating. Idk how to kick start myself back up! Guys be safe! Lol
Hi am on 20th hour of water fast.. Simply am drinking hot green tea with lemon and altrrnating it with hot water and lemon and am feeling gr8.
The key to successful fasting is rest. It allows your body to focus all its energy on healing and mobilizing fat stores. When you exercise during a fast, you are disrupting that balance. This applies to any extended fasts, not intermittent fasting or time restricted eating.
Probable reason why you were so hungry during your short 60h fast was because you ate a lot of carbs and tiny amount of proteins and fats. Carbs make you hungry.
Ummmm he was fasting, the very definition of that is that he wasn’t eating…. so I don’t think your comment is really relevant is it?
it is. when we eat carbs our body has 15% of energy to explore. thats why we get hungry all the time. but if we eat good fats hat gives to our body 85% of energy to burn.
I am not eating 2 days if and I am not sleeping 2 days I don’t know what happe
I tried to do the the 7-day fast as well. I chose this because I’ve gained some unwanted weight in college, and before this year i’ve struggled to keep weight on and now i’m seeing the opposite. I finished three days of not taking in any calories and just drinking water. I had to stop because I felt the same symptoms you did and it was unpleasant. However, I stepped on the scale after three days and gained 3 pounds. I have no idea how this is possible and i’m quite confused.
Hi the true measure is circumference, not weight. Also, the reason fasting is effective is that with insulin out of the way you turn to fat for energy. However there is another hormone that will store fat and that is cortisol. Cortisol is how your body responds to stressful situations. Were you undergoing psychological stress during this three day period?
The snake diet is a fasting plan. You drink what they call snake juice which is water, Himalayan salt, baking soda, you can even add lemon, Epsom salt ( edible kind) and vinegar. This drink is what replaces your electrolytes so you do not feel as if you have no energy, low energy or feel like eating. Look into it. It is on you tube and there is a Facebook page.
Our bodys crave sodium during the fasted state even on omad its salt that gives us the steady heart rate potassium has its place but not mearly as much as salt ive found myself ingesting 3 tsp in a large cup of water lasting me 5 – 6 hours without heart rate elevation just to test myself and myself too follows Cole Robinson snake diet. Trail and error everyones salt intake and needs will be different.
I broke a 64 hour fast yesterday, felt great but I got my period and I had to break my fast because I have a tendency towards anemia. For anyone with anemic tendencies, you can still fast! just be very careful that your iron supply is good. Go to the doctor, get your blood tested, then you can fast. Keep away from coffee, as caffeine inhibits iron uptake, and you need to keep your iron and energy levels high. This is very important! Some people can fast with coffee but it is not a good idea for everyone especially menstruating women or any man with internal blood issues (a hernia for example). Tea/herbal tea is ok.
After 3 days, i broke my fast and had a small meal because I was really feeling tired. However, after eating just a little bit (literally much less than I usually do, one small salad and one fruit bowl/peanut butter) I feel great! It seems like those greens and fruit was all i needed in terms of vitamins. I realized during this fast i have very poor portion control with fruit (its ‘healthy’ so i overdo it) and oil/nut butters.
I’m feeling great, slightly less bloated and cramping less than usual, which says a lot (I have one 10cm fibroid, due for surgery in a month, ovarian cysts, and general estrogen dominance issues that make me look pregnant). My goal is the next time I’m full, my belly will be full of food and not of tumors.
If you are young (less than 25 years old) and DO NOT have weight issues or health issues i wouldn’t recommend a super long fast. I was absolutely always hungry at that age, younger people need those calories. For those people a cleaner diet and intermittent fasting can work just fine. It’s when you’re older/bloated/and have some sort of inflammatory disease that fasting makes you , feel much better. My stomach is always ‘full’, so this is really giving me a lot of energy/freedom from the constant bloating. Im hoping to go the next 4 days without food, since i broke my 3 day fast. Will keep you posted!
I haven’t eaten in 5 days. the reasons I don’t feel the urge to and I’m really depressed. the only I really had is a little sandwich and little bit of snakes and that’s about it. I don’t have a problem with my body like I don’t think I’m fat.
I wasn’t fasting but I somehow managed to get through a whole day without eating and for once in a very long time I didn’t feel fat. I’m only 14 so I don’t wanan hurt myself but it really sucks cause I always feel fat and Today I felt more confident I haven’t worn pants since the 5th grade because it’s depressing because I love my family but they don’t understand how I feel so that really sucks but I have no one to talk to about;(
I’m 57 now and spent my whole life thinking I was fat. I look back on pictures and think. …I wasn’t that fat. We are too hard on ourselves. You’re probably very beautiful and I can tell you have a huge Heart. (Something some skinny people Don’t have) I’m fastening for 60 hrs. It is a little hard but not unbearable. I feel a little smaller too. Good for us! I’m going to do it a couple times a month. I know I’ll lose. But more importantly,I’ll feel better about myself. Hang in there. Don’t let it consume your life like I did. Live, laugh and eat. (Just cut down here and there) it will work. 🙂
At 14 you need to eat regularly to grow. You are on your way to an eating disorder with that thinking. Feed yourself healthy foods and love your body or make yourself sick. The choice is yours
I am 14 as well and i feel so bad about my weight, I am 5’8 and 153pounds I always feel bad and usually eat under 1000 calories a day but can’t lose weight I get dissy often for my whole life so I am hesitant about fasting but I’ll probably do it
I know you posted this awhile ago now, but I’m the same height as you and I was probably about the same weight in middle school. I felt the same way in middle school and high school, fat and like I needed to lose weight all the time. Looking back at pictures, I was not fat at all. You are in a healthy weight range for your height. Focus on clean eating and staying active to maintain your weight. Later in life you will be happy you chose that path instead of the one you’re on, which sounds like you’re developing an eating disorder. I really hope that doesn’t happen though. That’s hard to come back from. Remember you are already beautiful and perfectly fine as you are. Focus on health so you can live long, not your weight. All the best.
I am having weird and bad lower stomach cramps the next morning. I eat everyday until 11am or 12pm and fast the remaining I’m still breastfeeding my toddler trying to ween her. I am 5:8 135 and at first I had more energy but I’m developing bad cramps in the morning in my bladder? Cannot find anything online about it. I am taking herbs new chapter pure energy. I do not fast 24 hours as I have 2 parrots and 2 toddler I need energy but something is changing.
My longest is 4 days.
on my 115hours or near to 5days of fasting just some more 5 hours to go. looks crazy just like u trying to challenge myself and Im still loving IF
Why are there f-ing tacos all over! I’m starving
I usually do a 24 fast everyday. I’ve been doing this for a few years now. I decided to try a longer fast. My plan was to stop at 48 hours but I’m still not hungry and have lots of energy. I only drink coffee and water (with some sea salt). I did some walking, cycling and weight training today. Nothing too excessive but enough to get my heart rate up. I thought I’d be a lot hungrier. But I’m just not interested in food at all right now.
I just recently did a 48 fast with water only. Yes food thoughts consumed me too. Felt weak but knew my body needed the break. I too had porridge on day 2. I think water is important to keep hydrated. Next 24 hours too once a month.
Hey all..
I have a question if you all don’t mind answering.. With all fasting (even water fasting or just drinking liquids for multiple days 5- 10) when you finally did eat food was your neck an throat muscles sore an strained feeling.. I work all the time an I stay so busy there’s really no time even for a snack an when I finally get home I’m so tired that after a shower i just climb in bed an I’m out.. Not paying any attention (to how long i hadnt ate an attemped but failed) where I’ve been so busy I finally made myself eat something an its like hours later my throat is feeling sore an my neck feels like I’ve laid the wrong way all night but I haven’t even been home long from work.. I’m thinking I’ve over worked an over done it with trying to eat something since it had been 5 days but I knew I needed to get something in my stomach or I knew I would eventually have a lot more problems then I could deal with.. Should I be worried or is it normal since ive only drank liquids an will it go back to normal fast? Plez I need answers!!!!!
Hi all,
I am on 98 hours strictly just water no additional nutrients or additives. I believe it is purely person to person how a fast will affect you. It’s definitely better if you start small and build up. I am planning to do 12 days this time.
I have had no bad side effects except one sleepless night but I just got out of bed at 3am when I couldn’t sleep and I was still extremely productive all day and slept like a rock the next night. My activity level has been high as well but not strenuous due to excess energy I try to walk about 5miles each day and have been successful this far.
I highly recommend keeping it up if you can! The heath benefits are amazing at least for me not just the weight loss but I deal with pretty bad anxiety and depression and by day 3 of any fast I have done my symptoms are virtually gone.
Best wishes to all who attempt to Fast!
At least drink a little bone broth to get some salts into your system.
Take it easy with those 12 days. Please.
How did it go Matthew? I fast 4 times a year for 9 days. Comments on here are very accurate. Day 3 is when ketosis sets in normally but after fasting regularly it sets in the evening of day two for me now. I have done a 21 day fast and lost all sensation of hunger and regained energy between day 4-8 (that was one of my earlier fasts). Now I am low in energy day 3 and part of 4 and am fine the rest of the days. I hope it worked out well for you! Fasting is so beneficial but if you are in poor health you should absolutely have a doctors/qualified support involved. It is tough to get through the transition into ketosis but so worth the benefits of renewed systems! I am on day 4 of a 9 day fast right now. 🙂
But what are the benefits? I can’t even imagine doing 21 days. I literally think I would die or at least be hospitalized.
About 10 months ago I wanted to do a 7 day Water fast. I broke at 67 hours.
You bailed at the toughest part , too bad, gets much much easier after three days ( which is what is required for true ketosis). The same time you did yours, I did an 11 day fast in October 2017. Days 7-10 were a breeze, 11 wasn’t bad just boring-this is water only. So, fasting is extremely beneficial and to do it right , you need a long one once a year
ive been doing 16/8 since january and i commend anyone that makes it past a day. once i hit the 20 hour mark if i happen to be out and can’t eat i feel like i’m dead. then i eat more than normal once i’m off the fast.
I like pizza
You needed electrolytes! Sodium and potassium! I dump pink salt and nu-salt (POTASSIUM bicarbonate) into an evian water (has to be evian or you will just pee the electrolytes out) and there is no weird jumpy heart, no light headedness, no wanting to faint!
Are you by any chance doing the Snake Juice diet?
Despite the other reply(!) this sounds correct because when your insulin is low, as in a fasted state, your kidneys don’t hold onto sodium. Anyone following a ketogenic diet will tell you this. You need to take extra salt- around 5 extra grams of sodium chloride (salt) per day and you will feel much better