3-Day Water Fast
Day 1:
This day was the easiest. Over the past nine months, I’ve been fasting for 18 hours a day so extending it to 24 wasn’t difficult. I found myself to be very focused and ready for anything. Day one highlighted exactly why I started to fast. The benefits that I see daily when doing an 18-hour fast are the same as doing a 24-hour. I did find myself with much more time since I didn’t eat or cook anything that day. My tip for doing a 24-hour fast is to stay focused and to work on projects that keep you busy for the entire time but then once you wake up the next day, you can break your fast or continue.
Day 2:
This day was the most interesting. I found myself to be even more focused and waking up early in the morning was easy even with only getting 4 hours of sleep. When I woke up, I went go right to the gym and felt the same as I normally would. Throughout the day I did find myself craving food but I could easily overcome these feelings by drinking more water and diving in deeper into my work. Once I left work is when the most interesting things started to happen. I went to the store like I normally would. I ordered way more chicken than I ever would. Then I went home and cooked a normal meal. It was a sense of normalcy in a way because I felt like I was missing something. The most challenging part was taking the food I just made and making it into meal preps. My tip for doing a 48-hour fast is to make sure you’re drinking more than enough water and you understand that this could be the time that your mind starts to try and sabotage you on your way to 72 hours.
Day 3:
This day was filled with doubt. Once again, I woke up early feeling good and ready to hit the gym. During my gym session, I still felt normal and full of energy but wondered if I was starting to push too hard. Once I got to work everything felt fine and it was a normal day other than the fact that I was starting to get a little hangry. Throughout this day my body started to hurt from my shoulders and back all the way down to my feet. This is when more doubt started to come into my mind on if this was even a good idea to go this long. I thought what if I hurt myself? Is my body fragile? I really should have done more research. The best way to overcome this was to go on a four-mile run since I didn’t have anything else to do plus, it would give me the confidence I needed for a fast in the future. Although my heart rate was through the roof and my entire body was hurting, I feel like this was the best option for me. Once I finished up a few more things at home, I got in bed around 9:00 PM and set my alarm for 11:55. I woke up immediately, put bone broth on the stove, and let it warm up for 5 minutes until I hit 72 hours. Drinking this bone broth was the best feeling in the world and showing restraint by not indulging immediately was just another step towards showing myself how in control I am. My tip for finishing 72 hours strong is to understand that it may hurt but your body can handle anything you throw at it.
Lessons Learned:
- Start by doing intermittent fasting to help understand how your body feels during a shorter time.
- Pack your days full of activities so your mind is constantly moving and not focusing on your hunger.
- Do your research prior so you understand what you might start to feel during your fast.