Don’t Be Stupid Like Me About Fasting
“Easy. Don’t eat.”
Stupidly, that’s all I thought I needed to know about fasting before I attempted my first extended water fast. That made the fast a lot harder than it needed to be.
I don’t recommend you do the same, which is why I put together these water fasting tips. They answer the questions I once had and am now often asked.
I did my best to write in simple English—not over-complicated doctor talk. And while I’m 100% unqualified, the scientific info here does come from a doctor, Dr. Jason Fung.
Fung’s book, The Complete Guide to Fasting, is the most easy-to-read, helpful, and motivating resource on fasting out there. Start with these tips, then if you want more detail, read the book.
Even though it’s long, I recommend you read through every tip below because the more you understand fasting and how and why to do it, the better your experience will be. Then, you’re more likely to fast again are really reap the benefits.
Don’t be stupid like me.
Fasting 101
What’s the difference between fasting and starving?
Dr. Fung answers this with a fun analogy:
Fasting is running for health. Starving is running because a lion’s chasing you.
Why shouldn’t I fast?
Don’t fast if you’re under eighteen years old, pregnant, or nursing.
And check with your doctor first if you’re taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications to treat pre-existing conditions.
Fasting may also be a bad idea if you have a hot date coming up, you have self-control issues, or have a big race, presentation, or building ahead of you. See our Why Fast? (And Why Not?) post for details.
If I’m perfectly healthy, why should I torture myself by fasting?
You brush your teeth right?
Well, fasting is the same thing, but for your body. It keeps your body and brain clean and hopefully working well for a long, long time. And there are not dentures for your body or brain (yet).
Also, if you read through the other water fasting tips, hopefully you’ll realize fasting isn’t “torture.” It may not be as pleasurable as eating cake or nachos, but it is an enlightening experience.
What am I allowed to eat or drink while fasting?
This question isn’t as stupid as it seems. Even on a water fast, Dr. Fung says you can consume more than just water. And I highly recommend doing so to make the experience more pleasurable.
- Not allowed: Diet Coke or Coke Zero or any other zero-calorie crap like that.
- Allowed: Water flavored with coffee, tea, lime, any fruit infusion you can dream up, some apple cider vinegar, or sea salts; bone broth; multivitamins.
- An easier alternative? Possibly. See “Is there an easier alternative?” under Understanding and Fighting Hunger, below.
Dr. Fung doesn’t mention it in his book, but what’s helped me stay hydrated—which is super important but difficult to do while fasting—is adding zero or very-low-calorie electrolyte powders to my water.
The first time I fasted for a prolonged period, I didn’t add electrolytes and felt light-headed and woozy whenever I made sudden movements. When I added electrolytes to my diet in future fasts, those sensations disappeared.
There’s no brand in particular that I’d recommend over any other. This powder on Amazon ticks all the boxes, gets great reviews, and only costs around 30 cents a serving. Alternatively, go to your local pharmacy and pick out whatever looks good to you.
Reader Tips:
- As a cheap, easy, and vegan alternative to bone broth, go to a Japanese grocery store and get some instant miso soup packets.
- Chew on fennel seeds or mint leaves, suggests Emily in the comments of my post on what to expect from a 3-day fast if you’ve never fasted before.
- Don’t drink too much water. Pascal points out that doing so, “flushes out the electrolytes you desperately need, especially when fasting.” He states that if you drink so much your urine is clear that’s a sign you’re drinking too much.
Benefits of Prolonged Fasting
What’s all the hype about?
Fasting:
- Makes you think better and be more focused
- Burns your fat
- Lowers your blood sugar and cholesterol
- Increases your energy
- Extends your life (…as long as you do eventually go back to eating!)
- Reverses aging
- Is free
These are proven benefits. It’s a freaking miracle drug, minus the drug.
So what’s the catch? It requires serious self-control to refrain from that little habit we call eating.
Will I lose tons of weight if I do a 3, 5, or 7 day fast?
The good news is from a 5 day fast you can lose 10 pounds or more!
The bad news is that of those 10 pounds, 85% will be water.
Here’s the reality:
You can only expect to burn half a pound of fat (1,750 calories) a day while fasting, and that’s only after you burn off all the sugars in your body first, which can take up to two days. So if you do a 5-day fast, you might only burn 1.5 pounds of fat. And since average human weighs 137 pounds and has about 25% body fat, they have 34 pounds of fat to burn, meaning they’d only lose 4.4% of their body fat in a 5-day fast.
The huge potential weight-loss benefits are long-term.
If you continue with a healthy diet and periodic fasting, you will reset your metabolism which will cause a gradual decline in your fat levels and eventually lead to notable and very visible results. A fantastic book that explains this process and can get you on the right path is The Obesity Code, by Jason Fung.
Will I look any different after my fast?
Yeah, you’ll look hungry.
But really, even though you won’t burn that much fat—as explained in the previous question—you will notice some visual differences. Most notably, your stomach will deflate. It might even “cave in” like it did for me on my first three-day fast. But once you put some food back in you, it’ll reinflate.
I’ve also noticed that my skin gets nice and clear as long as I stay hydrated.
What other surprises can I look forward to from fasting?
If you have never had a day without food in your life, let alone multiple days in a row, fasting will boggle your mind in some surprising ways. You will:
- Have so much extra time on your hands since you’re no longer cooking, eating, or taking dumps.
- Wonder whether you need to brush your teeth or not.
- Experience a de-bloating of your stomach, where it’s not less-fat, but sort of caves in
- Start considering what other habits other than eating you can tinker with to experience a whole new perspective on life. (For more ideas, join us and thousands of others on Consider This.)
- Appreciate food even more than ever when you get back to eating. No cherry ever tasted better than that first one I ate after my most recent five day fast.
How might fasting help me live longer?
Fasting gives your body a break from everyday work so it can do some long-overdue spring cleaning.
It finds the old and broken junk (in this case, junk = cells) and burns it for energy and protein. This is the junk that, if left to accumulate and fester, can lead to degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer.
Fasting can also prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, or reverse it for those who have it. We won’t get into the details here but, basically, it helps your body get more efficient at clearing out sugar from your bloodstream. The complete explanation is simple, just a bit long. You can read it in Dr. Fung’s book.
Can’t I just eat less instead of nothing at all for the same benefit?
No.
When you cut calories, your body reacts by slowing your metabolism to cut the number of calories it burns. This makes you feel lethargic, foggy-minded, and always hungry. And for nothing, since you’re not burning more calories than you’re eating.
On the other hand, when you fast your body can’t reduce its metabolism down to zero to match your food intake, so it goes into crisis mode. It accelerates. Adrenaline, testosterone, and growth hormone kick into gear so you can get out there and hunt for food effectively. Or you get more work done at your desk.
What are the downsides?
Your brain will be so jacked up that you might find it hard to sleep (see the next tip to understand why).
You also might have to turn down invites to dinner and lunch parties.
And you won’t be able to eat free samples at Costco.
Common Misconceptions About Fasting
Won’t I feel like dogsh*t the whole time I’m fasting?
Quite the contrary. Aside from being a bit hungry (though less than you might think), you might actually feel great.
As explained two tips above, your body will be running at full blast and pumped full of hormones like adrenaline, human growth hormone, and testosterone.
Your brain will feel great too.
First of all, it will be getting more blood since none is needed for your digestive system. (This is also why you feel drowsy after eating too much.) Secondly, once it has run out of sugar to burn for fuel, it’ll start running off of ketones from fat. Your brain on ketones, in my experience, feels like it’s on Adderall—super focused, alert, and sharp.
How will I get any work done if I’m hungry all the time?
Not only won’t you feel hungry all the time, but your brain will feel sharper than ever. The energy that’s normally used by your digestive system gets channeled to your brain and after a couple days your brain will run out of fast-but-too-quickly-burning sugar and start running off the slow-burning rocket fuel of fat instead.
Another thing: Since you won’t be eating you’ll have a couple extra hours to your day. You can use those to work more, sleep more, or do anything you want with other than eat.
Won’t fasting cause me to lose muscle?
As Dr. Fung explains, that would be like storing firewood all summer, then, as soon as it gets cold, chopping up your couch and burning it instead.
Your body isn’t stupid. It treats fat like firewood and muscle like your precious couch. It preserves muscle up until it is desperately needed.
Isn’t fasting less safe or effective for women?
In the words of Dr. Fung, “Virtually all studies on fasting confirm that both men and women benefit from fasting…If anything, women tend to do better.”
So sorry ladies, you can’t use, “But it’s not safe for women!” as an excuse.
Understanding and Fighting Hunger
Won’t I feel hungry all the time?
No!
And the lack of hunger you feel when fasting is the most surprising part about fasting (at least to me).
There are two main reasons why you won’t feel hungry: fat and ghrelin.
Fat
Your body’s go-to supply of fuel, sugar, will run out within a day or two of fasting. At this point, and only at this point, your body moves to its backup fuel source: fat.
Fat is something we all have a lot of (unless you’re an Olympic marathon runner or Mr. Olympia). As explained in an earlier tip, the average human has 34 pounds. That’s 68 days worth of fuel for your body to feed on. This means that when you fast not only is your body not hungry, but you’ve opened the doors to an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Ghrelin
The hunger you feel has nothing to do with your stomach being empty. It’s entirely mental.
The hormone responsible is called ghrelin. Ghrelin comes and goes in cycles based on your routine eating times. This explains why you’re no hungrier for breakfast than for dinner despite the fact that it’s typically been longer since you last ate.
Fasting screws with ghrelin’s routine, which is an added benefit of doing it. The more you disturb your ghrelin cycle, the more confused your body gets, and the less ghrelin it produces. This means you’ll feel less hungry even after you stop your fast.
I’m not kidding. I’m 6’3” and 200+ pounds, very active, and I used to always be hungry and snack all the time. But since I got into fasting, I no longer crave food all day long. I still love eating, but I eat when I feel like it, not when ghrelin tells me too.
How can I prepare beforehand to make my fast easier?
Eat healthily. If you’re addicted to sugar and refined grains, you’re going to be fighting that addiction as well as hunger during your fast. That’s super tough, so the more you can kick your refined carb addiction before your fast, the better. You do this by eating whole, unprocessed foods, and a diet high in naturally occurring fats (i.e. no corn or vegetable oils).
Eat irregularly. As explained in the answer to “Won’t I feel hungry?” the more irregularly you eat the more you kill off the hormones that make you feel hungry.
Find a friend. Dr. Fung doesn’t mention it in his book, but what works for me too is to find a friend to join you on your fast-inating journey. They provide support and accountability and celebrate with you after.
Clear your calendar. You probably want to avoid dinner parties and lunch meetings. Stick to going for coffee or tea with friends.
How can I feel less hungry when I’m fasting
Start your day with a big glass of water. I like to add a squirt of fresh lime and some sea salt for flavor and so it doesn’t go right through me.
Then keep drinking water. Lots of it. Since you’re not getting any hydration from your food, you need to drink even more than normal.
To add a little bit of taste, infuse it with fruits or add coffee, green tea, cayenne, or cinnamon—all of which have hunger-suppressing properties.
And here’s a sneaky helpful water fasting tip to feel less hungry: Don’t tell anybody who doesn’t need to know that you’re fasting.
If you tell people and they’re nice and understanding, they’ll constantly remind you of your hunger by asking you how you’re feeling. If they’re nice and not understanding, they’ll try to stop you from “killing yourself.” And if they’re not nice and not understanding, like my friends are, they’ll torture you by eating the most delicious-smelling foods as close to your face as possible.
When can I expect to be the hungriest?
Strangely enough, you’ll probably be the hungriest during your first day or two. After that, your body will transition to burning fat for fuel and you’ll stop feeling as hungry.
Dr. Fung explains that this is why doctors advise three-to-seven-day fasts instead of two-day fasts. Once you’ve gotten through the hard part, the first two days, you may as well keep on going! The benefits actually increase with time (i.e. a 4-day fast is better for you than doing a 2-day fast twice.)
After you get past the two-day hurdle, the next time you’ll feel VERY hungry is right at the end of your fast and the end is near.
I’m in the middle of my fast and I feel horrible. What do I do?
Try drinking some bone broth. The salts and minerals will help.
If that doesn’t work and you’re feeling not just hungry but actually sick, take a drastic measure:
Eat something.
Break your fast. You’ll get ’em next time.
How should I break my fast?
Try to resist the formidable urge to stuff your face with chocolate cake, hamburgers, and beer to celebrate the end of a long fast. Your stomach and its microbiome will be in a sensitive state and especially vulnerable to any junk you shove into it. The longer your fast, the more careful you should be.
Try to avoid:
- High carb meals. Processed carbs, in particular.
- Nuts and seeds.
- Raw cruciferous veggies.
- Dairy and eggs.
- Alcohol.
Your best bet is a fresh salad dressed with extra-virgin olive oil and maybe a bit of chicken or fish. Give that some time to settle in your stomach, see how you feel, and go from there.
Better yet, take advantage of this “new beginning” to get started on a healthier diet.
Is there an easier alternative to fasting?
According to Dr. Valter Longo, a world-leading longevity researcher, there may be.
At the University of Southern California’s Longevity Institute, he’s found that fasting can increase longevity… except for one big problem: He couldn’t get the people in his studies to stop eating for long enough to get the benefits!
To make fasting easier for them, he developed a clinically-proven “Fasting Mimicking Diet” that allows people to eat specific foods during a 5-day fast while still enjoying the benefits of fasting.
And now you can try the diet too.
The biggest downside is it costs $249 per 5-day package.
That said, the $249 cost is offset by the savings of not having to pay for any other food for five days and the package comes with a nutrition consultation session. Plus, Dr. Longo donates all profits from his 60% share in the company to his Create Cures Foundation, so most of your money’s going to a good cause. Still, $249 is too much for an underpaid blogger like me, but if you’re worried about not eating at all but want the benefits of fasting and have the cash, it’s worth a try.
Click here to see if this FMD is right for you.
Or, if you’re still skeptical like I was, read Dr. Longo’s book, The Longevity Diet, for more background. I found the book to be easy to understand with plenty of other interesting science and advice on how to eat for a long life.
All these fasting tips are helpful, but I’m still not sure I can do it. How can I motivate myself?
Try reading my own journal from my first-ever 3-day fast. I’d never even gone a day without food beforehand, so for me it was quite the experience. Your experience won’t be exactly the same, but maybe reading how mine went will inspire you or at least make you curious enough to try.
If you’re more of a dip-your-toes-in-the-water-before-cannonballing-in type of person, start with intermittent fasting to slowly condition your hunger hormones to be less hangry, horrible bosses.
Also take a look at my post on the surprising and motivating benefits of prolonged fasting.
Or, if you’re tired of reading my writing and stupid jokes, this video that Kim forwarded me today is pretty motivating:
Background
Why should I trust your water fasting tips? Who are you?
Hey. I’m Chris. I’m a regular hungry human.
Only a couple of years ago, I ate four meals a day, snacked non-stop, and would never in a million years have considered fasting.
Honestly, I don’t remember what exactly got me started, but here I am, fasting regularly throughout the year. I just wish I’d been converted sooner. I like to think these water fasting tips would have convinced me.
I’m no doctor, but all the scientific information I share below is from one. It’s from the very best and most easy-to-understand book on fasting I’ve found, The Complete Guide to Fasting, by Jason Fung.
The Complete Guide to Fasting by Jason Fung
Is this list of water fasting tips a poorly-disguised book advertisement?
If it were, I would be the one being exploited even more than you.
Amazon, not Dr. Fung, does pay me a small commission if you buy The Complete Guide to Fasting through my link. But even if you and a hundred other people were to click the link and buy the book I’d only net about $75 total. Since I spent at least fifteen hours making this post, not to mention the time I spent reading his book, taking notes, and experimenting with fasting, and replying to comments, that’s a horrible wage.
I made this post because I truly believe fasting can improve people’s lives and of all the books, podcasts, and articles I’ve read, Dr. Fung’s was by far the best.
You didn’t answer my question. What do I do?
Check the hundreds of comments below. Odds are you’ll find some insight. Or maybe you’ll find inspiration from others’ experience.
And if you have an original question, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible and add to this list of water fasting tips accordingly.
Related Reads
About the author
👋 I'm Chris. Everything you read on TheZag.com is my fault. This site is like a gym for your comfort zone, full of challenges to make your status quo sexier. Join my 'Consider This' newsletter for a fun new challenge every 10 days. Try it!
440 responses to “Easy Water Fasting Tips from a Guy Who Learned the Hard Way”
This was interesting and makes me want to try it. Thanks. Quick question – do you stick to a certain diet when you’re back eating normally again?
Hola Stephanie. Good to hear from you! And good question. Actually impossible question! Finding the right diet is tricky, obviously. When I’m back eating “normally” after fasting I try to eat only when hungry (normally twice a day), never snack (which becomes easier to do after fasting and you’ve kicked your old eating routine), and avoid highly processed food as much as possible. Everyone’s got their own take and opinions on what foods to eat exactly, but these general rules seem to be strongly backed up by science and many, many studies.
hey! if i go on a 20 day water fast and after eat at at my maintenance calorie level, will i regain any weight back? or is there a way to keel it off?
amazing blog by the way!
Thanks Mishal. The theory is that if you do a 20-day (!!!) fast your body’s “set weight” will recalibrate to a lower level, so when you return to eating at a maintenance calorie level (and assuming those calories aren’t full of processed carbs), the weight you burn off will stay off. The Obesity Code does a good job of explaining the mechanisms behind this in a way I found to be easy to understand. All the best!
Hey there, huge fan of Dr Fung. And truly appreciated this post. I’ve done a “cancer fast” every year for the last few years. I was diagnosed with BC a few months ago. I’m about to start chemo and have been interested in fasting to help with killing cancer cells and help with side effects. Have you come across anything in your reading/research?
Blessings!
Hey Meg. Sorry, no. And more sorry about your diagnosis. I’d be curious to know what you find. Whether or not fasting plays a role or not, here’s to you beating your cancer.
hi Chris i just read your post. I was wondering how to do water fast? like do you drink just water? if yes how much and like every hour a glass or every two hour? and for vitamins and electrolytes what can be done?
I currently weigh 220 pounds age 25 height 5’4 and planning to lose at least 50 pounds. I read somewhere you can lose that much by water fast but i have no idea how to do that searched online but just found out like we need to drink at least like 2-3 litres of water a day. but didn’t mention how and when in the day. also do i need to do any exercise?
Hi Sana. You don’t actually have to drink that much water while water fasting. More than usual to replace the hydration you’d get from your food, but too much can be just as bad for you as too little. Your body’s pretty good at telling you when it’s thirsty as long as you listen. Just remember to add some salts to replace what you lose in your sweat. Whether you exercise or not depends on how you feel. Good luck with your continued research on fasting (a good idea given your admirable goals!) and good luck with your fasting.
Aloha Chris. Thanks for this blog. It was helpful. Basically we drink water whenever we feel thirsty? Would the general rule of drink half your body weight in oz be Sufficient enough? can I add lemon water? Should I fast 1x/month?
Hey J. You’re Hawaiian? Lucky you. I’m not aware of half your body weight in oz, but if it’s true you might have to drink more to compensate for not getting any hydration via the food you normally eat. I’m a big fan of adding lemon juice when I fast. As for how often to fast, I’m sorry if it’s obvious but it depends on how long you go and how you feel. Some do a weekly 1 or 2-day fast. Some one 7-day fast once a year. Some, with medical supervision, fast 5 days on, 5 days off for months. Try it, see how you feel, and go from there. Aloha!
Hello Chris, I really appreciate all the information you’ve given. You said that after about 2 days the sugar is out of your body and you start burning fat. If you fast the 2 days to detox all the sugar can you end the fast but just eat no sugar? Will it still cause your body to start burning fat?
I think you looking for keto diet
Hi Chris, is vomiting during water fast normal? I was 38 hrs into my fast and i threw up twice within 2 hrs before I decided to end my fast. Also very uncomfortably my throat was burning after I vomited as if i threw up my stomach acid. Is this normal? I did 16 and 24hrs fasts before i was doing perfectly alright please write back I really want to continue doing it but it got a little scary there… hope to hear back soon thanks all the info!
Hi Bhav. Others have commented and messaged me about vomiting, but I haven’t looked into the causes or treatment other than what you did: eat. (Good idea!) So I have nothing to suggest, sorry. But if you or anyone else finds anything, please share!
Thanks for the awesome info chris!
I’m glad you appreciated the post, Lalita. Thanks for the thanks!
I’ve been fasting for 2 days and only lost .2 kilos is there another issue ?
Hi Rebbs. Unlikely. You’re staying well-hydrated, I imagine? Just be sure not to drink too much. As a rule of thumb, your pee shouldn’t be clear or too dark.
Quick question- Is a gallon of water a day enough water for me not to get dehydrated?
Hi Tori. A simple way to gauge how much water to drink is with the color of your urine. If it’s clear, you’re drinking too much water and counterproductively dehydrating yourself by washing out electrolytes. If it’s dark and stinky, drink more.
Hi, I know this is too late for you but other people read these. I’ve done a 25 day fast a few years ago and several smaller ones after. This is what I found during and after that. The ghrelen hunger almost completely good away after maybe a week or so. This makes it much easier to eat less afterwards. Remember that even fat cells and lugging extra weight around burns calories so you will need less calories than you did before for maintenance. Also, your body may be in the mode to conserve energy like being less fidgity without you even noticing. So, getting back into the swing of being active again is important because you will get sluggish near the end. On a fast this long, you may be susceptible to refeeding syndrome. Your muscles use calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium every time they move. You get sluggish to compensate. When you start to refeed, your dormant digestive system goes into action and that’s a lot of muscle. That takes away whatever electrolytes you have left away from your heart muscle and it’s possible to have a heart attack. So, make sure you have a good supply of these minerals every day. Especially potassium. Potassium pills are by law a of very low concentration so you have to take a lot of them. So take them throughout the day if you don’t want to swallow a bunch of pills at once (at least 10 if not more check out daily requirements vs supplement content).
All those question and answer about water fasting are really useful also the tips you show here are incredible for water fasting. I have the same question like Stephanie, May I easily get back to normal water again?
You mean easily get back to normal eating again, right? (Cuz I don’t know what “normal water” means.)
On your first post-fast meal, start with something light, like a salad with some oils and nuts (no heavy carbs). See how that goes. If you’re still hungry, eat more. You’ve earned it!
Then, when you get back to eating day-in and day-out, try to keep yourself from falling back in the unhealthy hunger cycles you might have had beforehand (3+ meals a day, tons of snacks, non-stop cravings for processed carbs). Skip meals here and there. Or even full days after huge meals or big nights out. Eat as much as you feel when you eat, but eat less and restrict what you eat (as much as possible) to unprocessed foods.
I have not done a fast in long time. I did a 3 day fast long ago and only had water. I had all the symptoms you described, but I did not add any fruit to my water or have green tea nor I think had black coffee either. I am going to try it for 7 days this time, with all of your suggestions. Thank you so much for all of this information! 🙂 One last thing, a question… So you are saying after say day 4 or 5 I will get very hungry and that’s when I know I need to break the fast?
Glad to have helped Jody! What I meant to say was not that you’ll get very hungry after day 4 or 5, but that you can expect to start feeling very hungry—or maybe not “hungry” but eager to put your teeth to use again—towards the end of your fast. Once the end is in sight, you start fantasizing about that first bite. (At least from my experience and that of people I’ve talked to.)
Did you lose weight after 3 day water fasting..if yes,how much?!…And what are the after effects..did you regain weight by going back to normal eating..And what sort of food you ate
Hi Akshaya. You’ll find the answer under the question, “Will I lose tons of weight if I do a 3, 5, or 7 day fast?”
The “hunger” usually dosent return until I think your body thinks it’s starving to death. In day 24 I got super hungry like I did on day 2 or 3. I could talk myself into one more day but then I thought it must be getting dangerous for me and the hunger was almost unbearable. I think this was triggered by some food smell and my body said “you have to get that any way you can!”. After week two, I thought I could go for a full 40 days until that point. Remember, it’s not some sort of challenge, it’s for your health and when it’s no longer healthy, you have to stop so listen to your body.
Hello !! First of all I want to congratulate you for your amazing blog. I haven’t tried water fasting, but I have been on intermittent fasting for a while and I have noticed a lot of differences. I dont feel hungry all the time and my focus and concentration got better. I usually drink coffee and a lot of water until my first meal of the day, that will be lunch time around 2pm. Dinner usually is around 8/9pm. So I try to do a 17-18h fasting. However I have some questions. I usually take some supplements in the morning with a big glass of water with lemon juice (vitamin C and b carotene) and I chew 1 or 2 sugar free gum . Should I do this while I am fasting ? Thank you so much !
That’s great, Mariana. I also fasted intermittently like you for quite a while (with the same benefits) before I tried my first multiple day fast. It certainly made it easier. I drink water with lemon juice every morning too!
Regarding your question, supplements are fine, but stay away from all sweeteners. They’ll play games with your insulin and other hormones even though they’re calorie free. Is there such thing as unsweetened chewing gum? (Or is that just called “rubber”?) Check out my fasting FAQ for more tips.
Hi Chris, just reading thru comments. Blog is great. Been fasting for years myself. What you said about spring cleaning and feeling energized are really true. I usually go about 10 days in the winter. Re the gum chewing vitamin supplement to replace lost vitamins. I suspect that would sabotage the fast because I could imagine the the act of chewing triggers digestive hormones and the subsequent production of stomach/digestive fluids. Your thoughts on this?
Thanks Cassandra. I could imagine that gum chewing might have some minor effects on fasting, but my simple (and maybe simple-minded) philosophy is that as long as you’re severely restricting calories for a certain number of days, you’re doing your body good. Better make those concessions than give up and get back to eating. And Viktor Longo’s studies (even the 5:2 diet guy, too) seem to show that having some food while “fasting” still has significant benefits.
Hi Chris…There is Xylitol Chewing gum which I understand is good for your gums. Anyway we need more people like you to share from their experience. Thank you for this post. But I would say like with everything else…all in moderation!
All in moderation, especially moderation, right Nicoleta?
Thanks for the tip on Xylitol gum.
Hello, can you smoke cannabis for sleep?
Hi! Haven’t looked into it. No calories in it, right?
Great tips, specially for a health trend that’s become very popular as of late. Very funny too. I try fasting a few times during the month, I don’t do it every day, but I gotta say, it’s actually easier than I thought. When I commit to do it for 1 or 2 weeks consecutively, the first day is the hardest, since you adjust. Then it’s pretty much a breeze. I don’t have the sleep problem, on the contrary, it helps me sleep since I go to bed early to avoid feeling hunger.
Thanks John. Sounds like you and me have similar fasting routines and react the same way to it—sleeping extra well when fasting. I suspect it’s because the sleep benefits of our bodies not having to spend energy digesting food outweigh the extra alertness that keeps some people up.
Hi, i don’t know if you are still on this blog or answer questions but I was wondering how often to do a water fast? This will be my first one and I want to go for at least 3 or 4 days. If I love it I just wanted to know how often to do it and whats safe for my body. Thank you for this blog it was amazing and informative.
Hi Emily. Kudos for your enthusiasm and optimism. Before worrying about how often to fast, try doing your first one. See how you feel. That will most likely answer your question for you.
I believe you are not suppose to add any fruit to your water as the point is to use the reserves of nutrients stored in your cells and not have more digestion of nutrients coming in….
Yeah, I’m with you on the point of fasting, Jennifer. I’m not so sure there are many calories in a fruit-infused water, though. Seeing as Valter Longo’s been able to more-or-less replicate the fasting benefits with a fasting-mimicking-diet of a few hundred calories a day, I doubt infused water makes much of a difference. Buy, hey, good on ya if you feel a pure water fast is best for you!
Chris,
Thank you so much for this article. I’m starting a water fast tomorrow and am interested in podcasts and books on fasting. Between Dr. Fung’s two books, The Complete Guide to Fasting and The Obesity Code, which would you recommend as a first read?
Hi Tessa. Good question. It depends on your nutritional knowledge. If you’re just getting started, go for The Obesity Code. It’ll give you a good general understanding of nutrition and what contributes to making people fat/skinny. Then, if you like his writing style, get The Complete Guide to Fasting for more detail on fasting, specifically.
Why is diet coke or “zero calorie crap” not allowed? What about sparkling water? or anything sweetened with Stevia?
Hey Rachel. Sparkling water’s totally fine. The problem with any zero-calorie sweetener is that even though they are calorie-free they still stimulate insulin and hunger responses. Try adding lemon or spices like cinnamon or mint to flavor your water instead, or infuse it with orange slices, berries, or cucumber.
They promote insulin spikes in mice, not humans in all studies done. It’s been pretty much debunked.
Indeed one of the most cited studies arguing sweetners’ effects on insulin resistance is a 2014 one on mice, but there are others like this one, published Sep 2018, done on humans with the same result.
When it comes to nutrition, there’ll always be arguments (and studies) for and against anything because it’s so complex and long-term. If artificial sweeteners make it easier for you to fast and you enjoy clear health benefits as a result, by all means keep it up!
You didn’t provide the study
Hi Michael. The link is there but the text wan’t properly formatted to make it clear it was clickable. I’ve fixed the formatting now. Thanks for pointing that out.
Truly, the argument for or against artificial sweeteners is a personal one. What causes insulin response for one person, might not for another. I’ve been keto for 10 months (68 pounds lost, whoo hoo) and have just begun to start intermittent and extended fasting. In my OWN personal experience, I’ve found that my weight loss was more consistent when using monk fruit blend (erythritol), as my go to sweetener. Sucralose and allulose seem to slow the loss down. I prefer to stay away from aspartame all together because well…it’s poison. Stevia has been good to me, but I don’t much care for the taste.
Best bet, in planning for an extended fast, where you NEED your sweeteners is to get a blood glucose meter, and simply use trial and error to find which ones, if any, effect your blood sugar. Eat a spoonful of one each morning and check your blood an hour or 2 later. You’ll be able to eliminate the ones that will cause insulin response.
Way to go, Todd (68lb!) and thanks for the interesting insight on sweeteners. Have you met people who have reacted differently to certain sweeteners than you?
Lemon and citrus fruits have fructose in them that breaks the fast.
You didn’t mention anything about perscription or OTC medications. I take an allergy, blood pressure and baby aspirin pill daily
Hey Ann. Under “Why shouldn’t I fast?” I had written that anyone taking medication should consult with their doctor first, but I’ve added the clarification that this means both prescription or OTC based on your input. Thanks.
On the topic baby aspirin, coincidentally I recently listened to a podcast episode in which a doctor I trust, Peter Attia, mentioned that he dove into the research on it after a client of his asked him about it and discovered there was little, if any, research backing it. I don’t remember what his specific conclusion was, but since you’re taking baby aspirin it might be worth a listen. Here’s the episode: Kevin Rose Podcast Ep. 31.
I’m just wandering how much water and what if I feel like I’m drinking too little water I tried it and ended up only drinking 3 cups a day. I’m also wandering if i should be worried that my urine is a dark orange color regardless if im water fasting or not.
Hey Zaid. 3 cups of water is almost certainly not enough. A simple way to know if you’re drinking enough water is if your urine is clear or not. If it’s dark, you should drink more. From my experience, you really have to force yourself to drink even more than you feel like you should when water fasting. And try putting a dash of sea salt in your water, which seems to help keep the water from going right through you.
Hello Chris,
first of all, great post and sorry for such a late reply, but i didn’t find it sooner :P.
I’ll have to disagree on that drinking part tho. Drinking too much doesn’t help at all (maybe with cravings when you flood your stomach?), but all it does is flushing out the electrolytes you desperately need, especially when fasting. Also, dark urine is absolutely not bad, it is a sign that you are flushing out toxins etc. you don’t need in your body and if you dilute them with so much water that it becomes clear, thats certainly a sign you drink too much.
I don’t want to encourage anyone to fast dry without having proper experience and having done proper research, because this can definitly swing the wrong way. I have had some experience with fasting for days without food AND water and i can promise you, i am still alive 🙂 I actually felt more hydrated during that time, than ever before, which got backed up by many other people who dryfast, and since then i am convinced drinking too much water doesn’t do you any good and actually makes you feel more dehydrated, due to the aforementioned flushing out of electrolyters.
Also i wish you had put a little more emphasis on taking the electrolytes, because they can really make or break a fast and everyone should drink saltwater during their waterfast, because again, otherwise you flush out your electrolytes and you feel weak and bad, since your body basically can’t use the energy as well.
Again, great post, i am always glad when someone tries to reach out to people about fasting!! Especially with such a great post!
Hello Pascal,
Thanks for this perspective. You didn’t convince me to ever try fully dry fasting but I have to say I’m swayed by your rationale on not drinking too much plain water, and adding electrolytes when you do. Next fast I’ll give it a go and when I get the chance I’ll update this post with your advice.
What about a 2 day fast…is it worthwhile
If you’re urine is orange you should check with a doctor
Thanks for all the info. What about supplementing with Sodium, Potassium and Magnesium?
Hey Russell. I don’t know the science behind each specific mineral, but in general it does help keep you hydrated and replenish minerals lost through sweat to add some sea salts to your water. Sea salt contains sodium, potassium, and a bit o magnesium.
What about working out? Should you avoid weight lifting ? and cardio?
Good question. Technically, you can exercise as much as you want. Here are all the technical details. Practically, and from my experience, it’s not so easy. When I try exercising after 2 or more days of fasting, I get lightheaded quickly and don’t have the same stamina, so I tend to take it easy. I consider fasting itself to be a good enough workout.
Is it ok to add BCAA’s to water while fasting? I also have a “coffee creamer” BCAA that has no calories.
Hi Sydney. What are you taking BCAAs for? It seems (from this study for example) that taking BCAAs stimulates an insulin response, so in general it’s probably not advisable, but it really depends on what the reason you’re taking BCAAs for is in the first place.
Fasting (prolonged total nutrient deprivation) downregulates mTOR (a kind of metabolic master switch) which in turn kickstarts cellular cleansing (autophagy) and also upregulates the production of adrenaline, growth hormone etc. Taking BCAAs sends the “incoming nutrients!” signal thereby re-staring mTOR, provoking an insulin response, and shutting down autophagy, and the production of growth hormone, and all the other amazing metabolic benefits of fasting. So basically BCAAs (or any proteins carbs/sugars) undermine your fasting pretty significantly. Same with bone broth if it has lots of protein in it and you drink lots of it. I stick with warm sea salted water with potassium and magnesium (many commercial electrolyte powders have either glucose or artificial sweeteners which undermine fasting benefits, but make more sense if you’re taking them to rehydrate after GI upset or intense exercise). Here’s Dr. Fung on BCAAs: https://idmprogram.com/fasting-and-autophagy-fasting-25/ good luck and happy fasting! Oh, and I also found that if I’m doing a 5+ day fast I have to start the salt and electrolytes within the first 48 hours, because I sweat so much while exercising (which for me performance improves noticeably during fasts) and it’s too late to start taking salt on day 3-4 – everything gets out of whack and I feel weak and shitty. Made that mistake once and my BG dropped to 43 (ketones 4.6) but I felt so shaky and anxious I decided to end the fast a little early just in case. SeaSalt+K+Mg in the first 48hrs and I feel perfecto throughout the fast.
Super helpful, Stacey! I especially like your advice to start adding the minerals to your water as a preventative measure rather than a reactive one.
I’m also interested to hear in what way your exercise performance improves noticeably during fasts. Strength? Endurance?
Hi Chris, I’m 3-1/2 days in and feel good, no hunger issues, a couple of minor headaches and I feel good about process. My question is I’ve had the runs since I started and I wonder how to stop them? I saw a couple of comments above about sea salt, how much and how frequently?
Hi Scott, A lot of other people seem to have the same issue. I haven’t personally, so I looked around online. I didn’t find any scientific info, just anecdotal tips like this and this where the consensus seems to be it’s normal and if you feel fine don’t worry, but if you feel lightheaded or otherwise dehydrated take some electrolyte powders or drink some bone broth. That or eat soaked chia seeds for some fiber… or simply start eating again.
Scott…
You’ll get the runs the first 3 – 4 days to a week as your body essentially cleanses (at least that’s what I call it) your intestines. Mine stopped by day 4. Just be prepared and always head to the restroom just in case. You can also suffer from carb withdrawal sickness (flu like symptoms) the first week or so.
13 days into a 40 day fast, should have done this a decade ago, could have been a trend setter! Down 20 lbs and no energy problems. Electreolytes and coffee definitely help 🙂
The strange thing is… despite my desire to eat, after the first three days I haven’t really been hungry outside of my normal eating times.
Hi Andrew,
Just wondered if you made it to day 40 of your fast and your final results? Did you gain back any of the weight after you went back to eating? Also, what did you eat After you completed the fast (for the first few days, to week)? Did you know When to stop fasting, or you were determined to make it to 40? Would love to hear an update!
Apple coder vinegar is really helpful. Plus it will help maintain healthy gut biome.
That’s supposed to be why it works for diarrhea.
Hi Chris. I’ve successfully made it thru a 12 day juicing cleanse before and when coming out of it I ate the wrong foods and ended up with a heavily debilitating case of internal hemorrhoids from explosive diarrhea. Yuck lol. What do u suggest to come out of this fast in a way where my body can adjust to a ketogenic lifestyle.
Ooof, that’s quite the vivid description Anthony! Sorry to hear you had to deal with that shit (no pun intended). What are the “wrong foods” that you ate? Coming out of a fast it’s safest to resist the urge to make up for all the food you didn’t eat in one go. Start with something like a salad with some nuts and olive oil, give your body time to react to it, them ramp up your eating back up to whatever diet you want from there.
FYI – You may find this podcast about juice cleanses and whether or not they’re effective.
Hello. I started my fast to clear up my acne and lose some pounds. I’ve lost 21 pounds total. Although for the last 4 days I have maintained the same weight and my acne is still here on day 17. I’m not sure if it’s time to throw in the towel, what do you think?♀️
Hey Anna. 17 days is a lot, so if you feel like it’s time to give in, maybe you should. You can always do more fasts later. When you make healthier eating habits part of your lifestyle and not a one-time thing you’ll start to really reap the most important long-term benefits.
The acne will only disappear if you cut diary products for at least one month, and cut milk totaly. You will then never have the acne issues again. Trust me. Had this problem since i was 10 years old and tried everything, until i stopped consuming milk and dairy products. You can replace it with oatmilk, ricemilk, almond milk and so on.
My daughter in law had the same experience. After trying everything available with no result she quit dairy and her skin cleared up beautifully
Hi Anna. If you are fasting to help clear acne, make sure you drink enough water. And use a good acne face wash. I know this is a very late response, I apologize for that.
teo questions: can i keep on doing sport, still study while im doing this water fast? whats the ideal first time to fast on the first time? Thanks by the way all the other tips where useful!!
Hey queralt – On sports there seems to be divided opinion. Some say you should let your body rest and regenerate without the extra stress. Others say you fasting’s the best time to exercise. Until there’s more certainty, I’d say do what feels right for you. And on when’s the ideal first time, I’d say to try when you you have a few days available that aren’t too busy or stressful and aren’t going to be around people who’ll try to convince you to eat. Starting on a Thursday evening then stopping on a Sunday evening is a good bet. Keep your mind off food by planning some fun things to do over the weekend.
Hello 🙂 I keep hearing and reading that most seem to have more energy when fasting. I was feeling pretty good days 5-10. Now, on day 11, I’m just so tired even though my sleep has finally returned to normal. I salt my water, take magnesium and potassium, and have a cup or two of green tea daily. I also drink about 2 liters of water. Not hungry, just so freakin tired. Like, if I close my eyes for a few seconds, I will fall asleep, haha 🙂 I haven’t heard or read anywhere that this should be a sign to stop and I definitely don’t want to stop. Any suggestions? PS – You are amazing to take the time to help people like this!
Hello Sissi, and thanks for the comment! I’m sorry to say that I have no experience with your situation. Could it be that you’re still sleep deprived from what you seem to imply were abnormal sleeps from your first days of fasting? Or could it be dehydration—do you have clear urine or is it pretty smelly and dark? Two liters isn’t actually that much when you’re not eating anything at all. If it’s none of those things, be safe and eat. 10+ days is a long time to fast already.
Chris, I was like you, never missed 4 meals a day in my life. A good friend was having her foot ‘cut off’, because of sugar diabetes, she can not change her diet. Other friends have died. SO I went looking for something to control my hunger and increasing weight. Bingo, I find Dr Fung, and after several attempts I did a 22 day water only fast Jan 2019, I get bloody minded, I think that the body supplies all that you need, except for water. The first 3 days were hard, but then much easier. I am doing a water only fast now and it does get easier and after 7 days today, I feel brilliant, I just take a day at a time and will continue this fast for a bit longer. I am 70 and can not believe how clever this is. The industrial food, diet, gyms, pharmaceutical will not make money on this. NOBODY MAKES MONEY on this. Thank you Chris. Good luck Sissi.
Thanks Sissi. Hopefully your experiences and successes at fasting will motivate your friends to help themselves and do the same.
Will weight loss results be different (less) if I am already in ketosis before I begin my fast?
Not really. If your metabolism is running a bit faster from your ketogenic diet already, you’ll be a step ahead towards having more longer-term benefits and have an easier time fasting, but nothing big enough to be able to see any notable fat loss differences over a short period of time compared to someone going into the fast on a non-keto diet.
Hey, I’m trying to do a 20 day water fast right now and I’m on day 4 right now. I was wondering if you will lose more weight from a water fast if you are already 200+ pounds? I also chew gum twice a day that has no sugar in it, is that okay?
Hey Hannah. If sugar-free gum keeps you going strong through your fast, keep doing it. On your first question, I suppose people who weigh 200+ pounds might have a slightly higher caloric running rate to keep their extra mass energized (this overview has links to studies that seem to confirm that), so the deficit and thus fat burning will be higher for them when fasting. But it wouldn’t be order of magnitudes faster. It’s inevitable that the more fat you have, the longer it will take to lose it.
Huge thank you!! Amazing article and it’s empowered me to keep going on my first 7 day water fast. I’m on day four. You’re awesome
Way to go Dee! It’s 3 days after you comment, so Day 7 of your fast, so… bon appetit!
This is really valuable content. I thought I would pass a note to thank-you for posting! You’ve gained a new subscriber.
Thanks for the thanks Maxo. I appreciate it.
Hi thank you for this useful material on water fasting. I am planning to go on a water fast for 21 days. I have no health problems and not under any medications. I am 40 years old. I have two doubts
1. During the first few days can I drink triphala to get my bowels cleared.
2. Breaking fasting. If I break carefully as advised still will I have any risks in getting back to normal diet. Will my digestive system get back to 100 percent? (Some posts I read are scary that’s why I ask.)
Thanks for the comment and questions Prakashraj. A 21-day fast and your question go well beyond my knowledge and experience, so all I can suggest is the following: I haven’t read anything about needing to clear your bowels—your body should do that for you without issue unless I’m missing something. As for your digestive system, are you referring to your gut bacteria? After 21 days I suppose some good and bad bacteria will die and the whole ecosystem will need to be replenished. It’s probably a good idea and can’t hurt to eat some fermented foods post fast to help regenerate.
i m on my 3rd day of fasting, i can controll my hunger but i cant sleep properly in night and have constant headache (minor) and started to feel nausea after 2nd day (may be i should drink less water), i was hoping to find some tips about headaches. only thing that keeps me going is ‘4th day’ peole says u get euphoria state, i wanna feel that.
Hi Skye. As you probably found on other sites, the headaches are probably due to low blood sugar. For future fasts, it can help to eat a low-carb diet for the days or weeks leading up to it to ease your body’s transition from relying on sugar from your diet as a source to creating sugars from the fat reserves on your body.
From my experience, if you’re going cold turkey on sugar and other carbs – and caffeine! – you’ll get the migraine-like headaches and feel deflated for the first 3 or 4 days. It’s temporary, it goes away, and if you go beyond 5 days with your fast you’ll actually feel clear-headed and generally great…Chris – any “fasting kits” that you know of from the health food stores with mineral supplements? …Thanks for the write-up!…
Good to know, Bart. Thanks. After you’re done fasting, do you eventually get back on the sugar and caffeine horse, or do feel less of an urge and consume it?
As for fasting kits, no sorry, I don’t know. I find dehydration tablets from the pharmacy help, since preventing dehydration is exactly why I’m taking the stuff. And then good-quality bone broth if I really need it.
Headaches are a symptom of hyponatrema (drinking too much water)
Hello, Your post is amazing and i feel it very helpful in doing my water fast but when i started water fasting i feel pain in my stomach at my lever side on 2nd day and i am aiming for 2week fast. I have fatty liver should i drop fasting or what i do please suggest me.
Hi Prince, I wish I could help, but your questions go way beyond my (un-)qualifications. If you’re unable to seek in-person expert advice, the safest thing would be to take it easy and slowly work your way to really long fasts. For me, getting accustomed to having only 2 meals a day (and zero snacks) helped a lot. So did getting rid of sugar. If I’d gone straight into fasting from bad eating habits, my body for sure would have rebelled.
I also facing some gastric issues what i do while fasting
Day 1 almost under my belt. 19 more to go. Looking forward to seeing so many good results. Great information here & comments. Thanks!
All right! One day at a time. All the best, Ben!
Hi. Is it okay to eat vegetables and a very low amount of calories from fruit or meat so I can remain in ketosis but get some bowel movements (I am worried it not being emptied for several days, and there is no sign that I will poop in the near future) and get some nutrients?
My main reason for fasting is weight loss, and since I am now on day 8 of my fast of water, salts and vitamin tablets, I’m sure a huge amount of detoxing has already been done. So as long as I remain in ketosis, I see no reason to eat a little bit of fruits and veggies.
Hey Atilla, Yeah, if you want to remain in ketosis, feel free to go nuts on veggies and oil… and nuts! Fruit is a different story though—too much sugar—so avoid it. Check out Valter Longo’s work on fasting mimicking diets; he’s found that some diets with a limited number of calories, mostly from veggies, can replicate the long-term benefits of fasting.
Hello there! I am fasting to lose much needed weight. I plan on doing a 5.5 day fast with 1.5 day refeed each and every week. I will repeat this over the course of 4-5 weeks. Would this be a waste of time or should I do an extended fast to lost weight faster?
Hey Marla. You should consult with a doctor on such a big program. In general, do whatever feels good for you. People have great weight-loss success with even less severe restrictions than you’re doing (5 on, 2 off). What’s important is keeping it up and breaking that addiction to food.
Thank you so much for your advice, I think I will definitely try that out!
Just wanted to congratulate you on this amazing article. Not only super insightful and helpful but also fun to read. Way to go! One unconventional idea a month it is…. Subscribed.
An honor to have you on board, Kat! Let me know if you have any fun unconventional ideas of your own that I might be able to share with the rest of us in a future monthly update.
I see you suggest putting a ‘dash’ of sea salt in your water so the water does not run right thru you. When water fasting how often or how many times a day do you do this ?
Hey Lynda. I do it with just about every glass of water I have while fasting. I do first thing in the morning when not fasting too. As for how frequently I drink water while fasting, I don’t keep track but it’s a lot. For me, the biggest challenge is staying hydrated. All the best.
You mentioned a ‘dash of sea salt’ in all the water you drink. Will all that sodium make you keep water weight on? Also, regarding salt – would pink himalayan salt have a same/different effect than sea salt? The taste of salt in water makes me gag I think it tastes awful – but I know I need the sodium. I tried a 2.5 day fast recently (I wanted to make it a 7 day one but caved), and noticed my muscles felt like they were getting weak – felt strange, I was concerned – is this normal? Do your muscles atrophy when fasting? Just wondering what I can do in place of the salt (if anything)? Would those electrolytes you mentioned in your article work equally as well for sodium? Could you take those electrolytes daily (or only so often)? Thank you so much for this great article and advice!
Wow, that’s a flurry of questions Skye, some of which are beyond my area of non-existant expertise. My muscles sometimes feel weak when fasting, too. That’s normal. And from my experience the electrolytes helped a bit. You might want to try bone broth too, if you feel really weak. Your muscles may atrophy a bit (but not much until you run out of fat). That definitely shouldn’t be a reason not to fast because once you get back to eating they’ll regenerate better than ever.
I did the 3 day water fast and my wife enticed me with my favourite buttertart. I almost ate the bag that it came in. Now I feel pain 30min after I eat or drink anything other than water. Thoughts?
Hi Wayne. Sorry, but I don’t have any quick fix ideas for you. Thank you though for making me chuckle imagining you seeing and devouring butter tarts after your 3-day fast.
I recommend when you break your fast to eat a date as it’s healthy and natural for your body. Is nothing new fasting anyway and it’s not to loose weight but to clean your body and to discipline yourself
Thanks Selina. I’ll try eating a date (just one?) after my next fast.
Hey Chris, great article, thank you for all your efforts! I’m a breastfeeding 36yo mama of 8, on an undetermined length fast and about 40 hours in. My baby is almost 2, so we’re open to weaning if my milk dries up, but I’ve read a bit about it and many mamas claim it doesn’t, and some claim their supply even increases so it will be interesting to see how it goes! My oldest four are all gone camping with youth groups for a few more days so I thought it would be interesting to see if I could at the very least last til they got back home. I only have the last stubborn 15lbs to lose and want to see how long I can hack this. Next, I have to look up the effects on kidneys because though my urine is completely clear I woke with kidney pain today. It’s a hereditary issue though. I wonder if this will help that, also? (In the long run). Anyway, thanks for all the great info and support! I’ll let you know how it goes if you’re interested 🙂
Hey Diana, Super interesting. To cover my own butt, I do want to reiterate that fasting’s not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers, but it seems like you’re being extra careful and your kid’s older. Please do keep us posted on what happens.
Hey Diana,
I too am water fasting and nursing an 18 month old. I am at 66 hours and have not lost my supply. How long were you able to go? Have you changed some stinky diapers? My lo had bananas a few days while I was fasting and I wasn’t sure if the diapers were from those or junk being passed in my milk.
Thanks for the tips in your article Chris.
also a breastfeeding parent, and milk still going strong at day 19 of fast. i left a more extensive comment below, maybe search for breastmilk in the page to more easily find it.
Hi Chris, this was a fantastic read and just what i needed as i’m currently on day 2 of my first ever fast and it’s getting hard, i have one question though with regards to diet cola, i had a can of it this morning and then read this and realised i wasn’t allowed it.
There is a lot conflicting information on it raising insulin and not but it really helped my headache and craving to break the fast, have i undone my hard work so far or should i just forget about it and carry on?
Hi Nathan. In the future I’d recommend some electrolytes in your water to help with headaches. I feel in soda water they feel even more “substantial.” Don’t worry too much about your one can; it’s not ideal but it won’t completely erase your two previous days. And if it’s what you need, whatever. It’s huge progress anyway. Next time it’ll probably be easier and you won’t need the coke.
Hi. I just finished a 5 day water fast after a month of cutting out caffeine, sugar, processed carbs and alcohol. I’ve done many cleanses over 20 to amazing results, but always wanted to water fast. I followed good guidelines and had challenging, but beneficial results. The issue is coming out of the fast. First day I did veg juice, low carb smoothie and soup broth. Yum. Day 2, same but I craved a salad, but nothing is satisfying! My mouth feels chalky and my taste buds seem dormant! I usually love my salads and miso soup. Also, the other foods were disappointing even my usual healthy smoothie. Thoughts?
*20 years*
Hi Sherri.
My experiences coming out of a fast have always been the exact opposite—my sense of taste and appreciation of food is reinvigorated—so I can’t think of how to help. I’m sorry you’re having this reaction, though. Could your chalky mouth be a sign of dehydration? Maybe consume a bunch of fluids—or yogurt and kombucha to repopulate your gut with some good bacteria—and see if that helps.
Also, I’m curious: How do you feel after fasting compared to after your other cleanses?
Hi there!
I’ve been doing Intermittent Fasting now for over a year. The first 6 months i lost 45 lbs, but now i’ve been on a steady plateau for quite some time, so i want to try a long term water fast now. 1 Question. Regarding social situations. How do you not eat when you’re surrounded by a dinner party, or forced to go to Sunday brunch with a grandmother that only cooks old school with lard every single week? I can see friends and family getting concerned and making fun of me when i tell them about fasting. I can’t avoid these situations and that’s mainly what’s holding me back from starting 🙁
Hey Kris, If you’ve managed to prove to yourself and your family and friends that intermittent fasting works (they can’t argue with 45lbs in 6 months!), don’t you think they’d be more receptive to multi-day fasting? Either way, why not try 3 days, then maybe 5 days, so that you don’t need to skip Sunday brunch? Push come to shove, you can send me in your place. Grandma’s cooking with lard sounds delicious!
Great article but I think I enjoyed reading the comments even more. You do a great job of responding without taking offense with some of the more critical commentators.
I have a question about the water you drink. I see a lot of people recommending adding electrolytes to their water but have never seen anyone recommend drinking electrolyte water. I’m wondering if there is something I’m missing on this. Personally, electrolyte water keeps me in the bathroom every half hour so it’s not my preference when working but I figured I could add during my fast. Any reason I shouldn’t?
Thanks Diana! Unless I’m missing something, there’s no difference between drinking electrolyte water and buying electrolytes, mixing them in water, and drinking that. Maybe price, I guess. But as long as the electrolyte water has very little to no calories and preferably no sweetener (since zero-cal sweetener can still simulate insulin responses and hunger hormones apparently), there’s no reason why not to. As far as peeing ever half hour, I’m not sure it’s avoidable when fasting if you’re drinking as much water as you should. If you or anyone reading this has any tips on how to retain the water better, I’m all ears.
Such great info! I’m on day 4 of a 7 day fast and feeling great! Because I feel so good I am considering extending my fast to 10 days.
I would love your input on something I can’t get good info on. Cannabis while water fasting. After all the research I have done, it seems that the only reasons it’s not recommended while fasting are that it increases appetite and also that the smoke is not recommended as it dries you out. The increased appetite has not been an issue for me at all. If anything, I think weed has helped make my fast 10 times easier. As far as smoke drying me out, I use a vaporizer which eliminates the smoke toxins that seem to be the concern. Is this anything you might have some input on? If it’s aiding my long fast, am I ok to continue using my vaporizer?
That’s awesome that you’re feeling so good during your fast, Pete. Hopefully it continues to go well for you.
I haven’t come across anything on weed while fasting. I can’t imagine smoking a vaporizer has any effects on your metabolism or digestive system, so if you don’t get munchies or feel dried out from getting high and it’s helping you with your fast, why not? But that’s just my uninformed two cents.
Hi Chris. Thank you so much for all this wonderful information. I must confess I did not read through all the comments so this question might have been asked before, but how often do you fast (ie 1 week every 2 of 3 months). I have tried water fasting before but I’ve always struggled to get past day 2, but want to try again for health reasons.
Hi Cherise. I try to do a 5-day fast once or twice a year, a couple more 3-day fasts, and regular 36 hour fasts. But everyone’s different. I’m fit and health-problem free so I just do it out of convenience (when Kim’s not around to cook or when I’m swamped with work), when I feel like I’m getting “addicted” to food again, and for general longevity purposes. As most people will agree, getting past day 2 is the hardest. That and the last day when you’re looking forward to food. What also helps a lot is to get accustomed to just 1-2 meals a day (no snacks) and/or to really cut out processed carbs. Hope that helps!
I started the water fast before I read this and great to see all the info! I’ve done them before for 1-3 days but now I’m on day 4 and not hungry at all. At home, I eat ridiculously healthy all organic, nuts, fruits, veggies, grain, no artificial ingredients but I go out often to parties and events with catered food, and sometimes it’s hard to avoid crap food, even though I remove fried sections and empty carbohydrates (and I drink too much alcohol lol.)
I feel so full of energy after 4 days of the water fast and not hungry at all. Is there a point when it becomes dangerous for doing it for too long? I have no desire for food! Food is starting to feel like a foreign substance. What is the point when your body starts eating itself? I’m really enjoying the benefits and extra energy and at this point, feel like I could continue for quite a while but fear permanent damage to my body. (I’m afraid to ask my doctor about this or he’ll think I have an eating disorder—I’m not overweight or anything.) Or how do you know if you’re actually developing an eating disorder? It’s starting to feel too good not eating…
I sometimes ask myself if I have an eating disorder, too. And so do people close to me who can’t comprehend not eating and feeling good, not horrible, because of it. Those doubts vanish as soon as I have a bite of food after a fast and love it so much I know there’s no way I have an eating problem. From the way you describe your situation, you seem to be in a similar boat.
As for when to stop a fast because it starts to get dangerous, the only advice I can provide is to listen to your body. When you no longer feel great, eat.
I’ve been an intermittent faster for years (intentional and otherwise); recently, I completed a 24 hour fast and decided it was so easy I ate well and tanked up on supplements for 48 hours then began a 21 day fast. I made it eleven, but only for the fact it coincided with a family visit and sitting around a table being the only one not eating seemed strange especially seeing the work the cook was doing. Since my arrival home I’ve been attempting to begin another 21 day fast; for five weeks I’ve been trying to get it going and not making it past 18-24 hours. I’m in menopause on HRT and keto/low-carb with a few cheat days a month, but those cheats are mostly under 75g of carbs. Making sure to be in ketosis before beginning fast but can’t figure what is causing the roadblock. It seemed so easy the first time and worried now eating under 500 calories a day has started a starvation mode with the almost but not quite fasting; has anyone else experienced this? Can only think this is menopause related but don’t plan on giving up.
I usually do one 4-5 day fast per quarter, plus maybe 10ish ad hoc 36 hr fasts per year, and two meals/day otherwise (either skipping brekkie or dinner, but maintaining at least 1500 cal/day – I’m 5’4, 130-140lbs, lots of muscle). I can’t speak specifically to menopause as I haven’t gotten there myself yet, but I have faced the same “wall” you’re facing where my body was just balking 2 days into a planned 5 day quarterly fast – and it started the quarter after I pushed through to a 7 day fast which I had not done before. I had started and failed my quarterly fast at least four times, Kept beating myself up about it (berating myself for Not having discipline etc), which that type of negative self-talk is very detrimental as all women know too well. Anyway, I made a deal with myself to just relax, not berate myself, start a 36-48hr fast, and if I felt like it, continue on, and if not, that’s fine too – would just clock the fast as a 48hr fast. I had to give myself permission to not do a long fast and short circuit the mental self shit-talking and tying it to my self worth – forcing myself was the problem and it was a kind of mental block I had to *gently* work around rather than bulldoze through. After that I resumed 4-5 day quarterly fasts with no issue, starting each one with a new openness to total fasting length.
If it helps for motivation: the vast majority of fat lost during extended water fasting is deadly visceral fat (vs relatively harmless subcutaneous fat), which menopause triggers significant production and storage of visceral fat. So menopause is a great time to start or maintain a fasting regimen. Just be gentle with yourself. Fast with intention, but be open to the very significant health and longevity benefits of 36-48 hr fasts, too – in fact a lot of research says the the metabolic benefits of fasting drop off precipitously after 4-5 days and that there is little benefit (except weight and fat loss) to extending beyond 7 days. Also, for me I have to start the electrolytes and salt within the first 48 hours to make it through a 5-7 day fast or things get out of whack starting in days 3-4 bc I sweat TONS when I exercise (literally 3-4lbs less on the scale after a 90/minute session and I’m the ONLY person in class sweating that much!). Good luck!
Thank you for this amazing article!! Really relatable and funny – currently on day 5 of a water fast and was going to break my fast later today but you’ve inspired me to continue to 7 days!! Literally covers all the basic need-to-knows about water fasting in awesome, love it! Great work, thank you 🙂
How nice of you to say, Olivia! Thanks. I hope your “bonus” two days of fasting when well for you. All the best.
Have you ever tried the master cleanse? I have a few years ago for 30 days and it was a huge success. A water fast seems more simple yet harder. I was going to start a 30 day master cleanse and then lead into a 20 day water fast because I read somewhere that it’s easier to follow through that way. However, iftor-layouts/css/frontend.css?ver=3.28' media='all' />