Let’s talk about water fasting.

Is it really a super duper healthy cleanse that can detox the body and cure a multitude of diseases? 

or just another fad diet that promotes starvation as a healthy weight loss plan? 

Well there’s only one way to find out; Let’s do an experiment!

I have my not so willing but curious participant (ahem… me), a date set in the diary and plenty of water. So here we go; My first water fast!

Firstly, I needed to decide the time parameters. I had a friend do a 21 day water fast at a clinic in Mexico but that sounded somewhat impractical (not to mention totally bonkers to me) so I decided to go for a 72 hour fast instead. Apparently you need to go for over 24 hours for the additional benefits but more than 72 hours isn’t recommended without medical supervision.

Secondly I got the tick of health from my Doctor so all good there. If you are planning on fasting for any period of time it’s important that you check with your health professional first, especially if you have any underlying medical conditions. 

Background & Research

Well, to begin with, water fasting isn’t actually a new fad. It is a practice that dates back centuries and plays a central role in many cultures and religions. 

And all my research states that is has absolutely nothing to do with starving the body but instead it is about giving the body what it needs when it needs it. 

Starvation occurs when you run out of stored body fat to use as energy and you start to cannibalise muscle and vital organs in order to survive. Fasting is based on the logic that when we were hunter-gatherers there were periods when food was scarce, if our bodies were to slow down and go into “starvation mode” then we would become lethargic, with no energy to go out and catch out next meal – we would start tapping into muscle to use as energy and basically we would die. And become extinct. But hey we are still here so obvs that didn’t happen! Yay for us and our smart bodies!

So what does happen? 

Turns out that fasting does not put our bodies into starvation mode but can actually create the right hormonal balance in the body to fire up our metabolism and get us to start using our stored food (or body fat) for fuel. Hormonal changes kick in to give us more energy (increased norepinephrine), keep glucose and energy stores high (burning fatty acids and ketone bodies), and retain our lean muscles and bones (growth hormone).  A completely natural process that can’t occur in today’s modern world of hunting and gathering at your tescos and munching down on 3 meals a day…plus snacks. 

Ok, I guess that makes sense so far…. So what benefits have been linked to water wasting?

Well apparently bucket loads! Here are a few of the top ones I found; 

1. Increased weight loss 
2. Promotes autophagy – when your cells are broken down and recycled starting with the damaged bits first
3. Lower blood pressure and cholesterol 
4. Improved brain function and increased nerve cell synthesis to protect against neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s.
5. Boosts metabolism
6. Could delay aging (oooh I like this one!)
7. May be useful in treating inflammatory conditions, such as multiple sclerosis.
8. It’s possible fasting could block tumor development and increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

Ok, so the risks? Despite the obvious ‘may turn into hangry scary person if you don’t feed me’?

1. Could lose muscle mass
2. Could become dehydrated if you don’t drink more than usual – ie dizzy, fatigued, headaches etc
3. You may suffer from Orthostatic hypotension ie lightheadedness when you stand up (seems likely if you don’t eat for 3 days…)
4. May worsen several medical conditions including gout, diabetes, eating disorders and heartburn. Hence why you need to speak to your medical professional first. 

Ok, research done. Time for the fun bit, the experiment!

Participants Observations 

Wednesday 6 November 8.30Pm – The last supper

I tried to keep this as nutrient rich as possible with chicken and lots of veggies… but then also snuck in a couple of pieces of dark chocolate because… well just because. 

 

Thursday 7 November – Day 1

Weight – 58.5 KG

Mood – I’m feeling excited and motivated but a little nervous about how I will fair teaching Luna Mix (my high energy HIIT workout) and a yoga private this morning.

 

700: I started my day by gargling coconut oil (a way of eliminating bacteria in the mouth) and a hot water with lemon to start the detoxing process. Personally, I usually start the day with a coffee but I thought it was a good time to infiltrate some new good habits into my morning routine.

 

920: And so begins the first hunger pangs which I satiated with a black coffee. No problems with my first classes. 

 

1200: I am full of beans and energy and I can’t seem to sit still. I just want to keep moving and tackling all the things on my to do lists that I’ve been neglecting recently. Here’s hoping the whole 72 hours feel like this, although I’m thinking that’s unlikely…

 

1330: Mild hunger pangs but otherwise feeling fine.

 

1430: Aerial silks class went well, still no issues with teaching. 

 

1630: I am beginning to feel a little tired but no different to a normal afternoon slump that I often experience after a busy morning of classes. This is usually the time when I may be tempted to indulge in something a little less healthy for an afternoon pick me up. But instead I am going to ignore the craving (the force is strong but so am I) and I will see how I feel after not giving in to the sugar monster. 

 

1938: So the hunger pangs faded quite quickly and I had plenty of energy to teach my class at 17.30 without having to reach for a naughty or nice  snack. Good to know!

 

2130: 24 hours in and I feel good except for a little tired. No headaches or fatigue as yet. As a fitness instructor I spend a lot of my day feeling that I need to keep snacking to stay fueled up and energized for classes but it seems that perhaps that isn’t the case. I’m beginning to think may be I snack a little too much throughout the day, eating based on the time rather than listening to my bodies’ actual hunger cues. 

 

Friday 8 November – Day 2

Weight: 57.8KG

 

730: I slept well, although I had some very vivid dreams. This morning I feel a little weak and achy  but I did teach quite a few classes yesterday. I have hunger pangs but they are mild. 

I’m starting the morning with hot water and lemon again and hopefully once I begin teaching I will regain a little energy!

 

900:  I’M HUNGRY! This is a challenge. The cravings are strong right now. A little worried about teaching my yogalates and private classes.

 

1206 – So the classes were fine, I didn’t have as much energy as usual but I didn’t feel tired either. The cravings are gone now and I feel good. Have a feeling today might be the challenge day but I am determined to stay committed. 

 

1746: From 4pm to now I have been living in serious struggle town. Feeling lethargic and unmotivated and craving food. Although in reality the hunger pangs are minimal, it’s more the emotional need. It’s so cold today and I would love to curl up with a nice warm thick soup… (with some bread and cheese…mmmmmm). But I am two days in and am feeling proud of myself so far. I think I can do another 24 hours! Still no headaches which is a bonus.

 

• OMG IMPORTANT NEWSFLASH! i just discovered I am allowed bone broth on my water fast. Miso Soup never sounded so good!!!!!

 

20:48 Miso soup didn’t help much. Still hungry and a wee bit grumpy if im honest. My partner ate his dinner in hiding in the other room, I don’t blame him- he’s beginning to look like a hotdog too me. I think he’s a little scared of me right now. Probably wise to just put my sorry self to bed. 

 

Saturday 9 November – Day 3

Weight: 56.7KG

830: woke up after a good night’s sleep dreaming of bananas and tuna. Weird combo but sounds good to me right now. 

I got up to clean my teeth but felt dizzy and weak so went back to bed to rest. I guess that would be the Orthostatic hypotension kicking in. 

Still no headache but feeling quite weak today and my heart rate is up which is an unpleasant feeling. 

 

930: Still in bed. Need to get up to teach soon but physically feeling very drained. Strangely, mentally I’m energised and no longer as grumpy… which my partner is very happy about.

12 hours until I can break this fast!!! Wahooooo!

 

1343: So for the beginning of the day I felt super lethargic and tired and didn’t think I’d be able to teach. But then half way through my second class (which was a pole class) I suddenly had a huge surge of energy and now feel fantastic. Hoping this lasts until tonight! Makes me think I could go a little longer…. hmmm

 

1635: I am still feeling pretty energetic and back to normal. Small hunger pangs but all other symptoms have vanished. In fact feeling quite spritely…. Interesting… maybe this is the time in hunter gather get out of the cave and get their hunting and gathering on! 

 

2045: FEEEEEEED MEEEEEEEEEEE!!! 45 mins until I can break my fast! COME ON!!! . I am not going to lie, the last couple of hours have been a real struggle. Grumpy Siobhan made a re-appearance with a vengeance (although going clothes shopping with my partner and to the supermarket on a saturday afternoon probably wasn’t my best idea!) but we are nearly there now. Next challenge is to introduce foods slowly and wisely and not stuff everything in site in my face. 

 

2145: My first meal. I just sat down to a bowl of miso soup blended with 2 stems of broccoli, 2 stems of cauliflower and 2 squares of pumpkin. Doesn’t sound like much but it was heaven. I literally savoured every single mouthful. Mmmmm Nom nom nom!

 

Post Fast

Sunday 10 November – Day 4

Weight: 56.4

 

So research says I should be really careful what I consume on the first few days following my fast as to not negate all the positive effects… which is going to be a challenge as I am having a family and friends dinner at my house this afternoon and I am sure there will be a surplus of delicious food and wine…. Eek wish me luck!

 

Breakfast:  5 grapes/ 3 pieces of mango and a spoonful of yogurt topped with cinnamon and flax seeds. Honestly was delicious and all I needed to feel full and happy. 

 

Lunch: I probably ate a little more than I should but I did manage to just stick to the salads, raw veggies and hummus and a wee little piece of asparagus tortilla. I avoided eye contact completely with the mulled wine and chocolate brownie!

 

Dinner: steamed veggies

 

• I pretty much stayed on this diet plan for the first 4 days except just salads for lunch. 

 

One Week Later

Weight 56.2

 

I reintroduced meat and dairy in to my diet but I am definitely consuming less than before. My body is really only craving veggies and fruits and I am finding it much easier not to snack throughout the day and just eat when I am hungry.

 

Conclusion

 

One Month Later

Weight 56.4

 

I am back to my fairly normal diet except I have found that I have naturally adopted a 16:8 intermittent fasting stye which is working well for me, especially while I travel and have less options what I can eat. I will explain more about intermittent fasting in a seperate post but it basically means I am only eating within an 8 hour window of the day but not calorie restricting during this time. Much easier than a 3 day fast but with a lot of the same benefits 

 

I have felt great since the fast and feel like my metabolism may be running more efficiently, I am rarely bloated (which is something I used to often suffer from) and I am much better at listening to my hunger cues and tend to snack less throughout the day or overindulge with large portions. In fact I had a big meal once and felt so sick afterwards that I won’t be doing that again!

 

Overall I am glad I did the water fast and definitely felt there were both short term and long term benefits. However, It was a big challenge and not something I will be rushing to do again soon. That said, I will definitely try and do it once or twice a year as a bit of a body spring clean. 

 

So, to summarize; What did I learned on my 72 hour water fast? Here are some Do’s and Don’ts based on my experience… 

 

DO

1. Stock up on no calorie electrolytes to dilute in water – I didn’t do this until the last day but I wish I did it earlier. It helps with the fatigue plus water, herbal tea and black coffee gets pretty boring after a while!
2. Have lots of interesting herbal teas handy to keep life interesting!
3. Tell lots of people you are doing a fast as you will have a higher chance of staying accountable. Plus it sparks some interesting debates!
4. Empty your fridge completely of temptations
5. Expect to be a low/ grumpy/ hangry for at least some of it… may be a lot of it. In fact, if possible, best to just hibernate. 
6. Warn your partner/ child/ friend/ dog that you may turn into a hangry, stroppy version of yourself at a moments notice – again, best not to leave the house… or let anyone in. 
7. Expect to get the odd energy surge- and enjoy them when you do!
8. Keep yourself busy but keep your exercise activity light and rest when you need to. 
9. Drink black coffee with cinnamon if you are a coffee drinker
10. Drink miso soup if desperate or marmite diluted in hot water
11. Really take the time to enjoy and be mindful of your first few meals after the fast, the flavours are mind-blowing!
12. Continue to listen to your body post fast and eat according to your hunger signals, not the time. 

 

DON’T

1. Don’t go clothes shopping and then to the supermarket with your partner 3 hours before the end of your fast. Seriously, don’t do it. 
2. Don’t be afraid of being hungry, the hunger pangs actually pass pretty quickly, just find a way of distracting yourself.
3. Don’t expect too much of yourself, or attempt to teach 4 fitness classes on the second day of your fast…. You will need rest!
4. Don’t be surprised if your heart rate is elevated. This is normal . Apparently. 
5. Don’t give up. You can do it. Unless you are feeling really unwell. You know your body, honour it, I never felt unwell, a little lightheaded and fatigued but never poorly.
6. Don’t be surprised if you get headaches, luckily I didn’t but apparently it is common. It’s just the toxins coming out. Drink more water!
7. Don’t gorge on junk food. Or gorge full stop when you finish. You have just cleared out your insides, you are all sparkly and clean so don’t undo all that hard work but making a big mess again. Stick to just small portions of veggies and fruit for at least the first three days before introducing meat and dairy. And try to avoid reintroducing processed food at all if you can help it. 

 

So that’s it! My first 72 hour fast done and dusted!Hopefully you found this blog interesting. Please feel free to comment or get in touch with questions or with your own experiences with fasting.

Good luck and keep in touch!

Love and Light 

Siobhan 

 

xxx