Fasting Log: Day 1
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Try as I might to fit both working out and working on my blog into my daily schedule these days, I always opt for the blog and ignore the gym/diet.
It’s time for me to employ an alternative that some people think is too drastic, too harmful, and just plain too crazy to do successfully: a 100% water fast. Even my boyfriend is usually dead set against it, which is why I’ve refrained from starting one this year despite my rising weight (now 144.0 lbs. and 31% body fat composition according to my scales).
However, last year, I successfully fasted for 7 days in February and went from 125 lbs. and 27% body fat down to 114 lbs. and 25% body fat. That was a loss of 11 lbs. and 2% body fat in just one week! Best of all, my mental clarity was unprecedented and my need for sleep dropped to a mere four hours a night. My body felt like a supercharged turbo machine that had gone into rejuvenation mode, automatically cleansing and restoring itself—literally—from the inside out!
FASTING IS NOT STARVING
There are a lot of misconceptions about fasting for health and weight loss. The first and most common one is that any type of fasting is very dangerous because it’s just a glorified form of starvation. But, it really isn’t. The purpose of fasting for health reasons is to abstain from all food or specific items for a period of time—UNTIL your body goes into starvation mode—and to STOP fasting as soon as your body goes into starvation mode. So, there is no danger of starving your body of anything at all that is good for you. (Note: This article assumes you are a healthy individual to begin with. Always check with your doctor to be sure!)
FASTING IMPROVES HEALTH
Plenty of water is consumed to keep the body functioning by using up stored nutrients, eventually getting to the really old fat, which has in it—and this is the important overall health benefit part—very old toxins that can’t be gotten rid of any other way. During the fasting period, your body will systematically cleanse itself of everything except vital tissue. Starvation only begins when the body is completely done burning up all that old fat (usually 7 to 14 days for most healthy adults) and finally is forced to start using vital tissue to survive. That is when fasting ends and starvation begins and you MUST start eating to avoid starving yourself.
How do you know when that time has come? Believe me, your body will be screaming for food immediately! One minute, you feel exactly as you did during all the mid- to latter-days of the fast (for me, slight physical discomfort from all that internal work being done in my body and a lightheaded feeling whenever I got up too quickly from sitting or lying down, which I found to be an extremely small price to pay for the amazing mental clarity and nearly constant levels of high energy), then, suddenly, the next minute, every fiber of your being craves food! Even though, a minute before, you felt you could go on fasting forever, now you feel like you simply must consume something—anything! That’s when you really need to be careful to resist the temptation to eat carelessly because your body is like a brand new car again and you need to ease it slowly back into the rough riding you used to give it just a few days or weeks ago. But, I’m getting way ahead of myself.
Even though some protein is lost during the fast, a person fasting as long as 40 days on nothing but water will still not suffer any deficiency of protein, vitamins, minerals, or fatty acids. Unhealthy cells are broken down while essential substances are conserved in a highly efficient manner. Even during long fasts, the number of muscle fibers remains the same. Although some healthy cells may be reduced in size and strength temporarily, they bounce back quickly after the fast while the damaged cells have been broken down and removed from your body!
More on the science of fasting and why it works in my future reports. Let’s get back to the benefits of fasting and why I’ve decided to do it in the first place.
MANY BENEFITS OF FASTING
Most of my source information is taken liberally from a remarkable man named BeiYin who founded FalconBlanco, a small artists’ natural paradise on the island of Ibiza off of Spain. About a dozen of the residents work, create, and live together there using holistic methods to stay healthy, happy, vibrant, and strong. I’m all for modern medicine, but why subject yourself to all that (expensive drugs and treatments) when nature has perfected its own way of curing us 99% of the time?
Just look at all the good—physical, mental, and emotional!—that fasting can do:
1. Improved mental clarity and foggy thinking is lifted (this lasts as long as you stick to a clean diet after the fast).
2. Quick, safe weight loss without flabbiness.
3. Increased energy levels and heightened sensory perception.
4. Fewer hours of sleep are needed to feel fully refreshed.
5. The nervous system gets balanced.
6. The organs get revitalized.
7. Cellular biochemistry gets balanced.
8. Skin gets silky, soft, and sensitive.
9. Movement becomes easier.
10. Breathing becomes fuller, freer, and deeper.
11. The digestive system is rejuvenated and becomes more effective. (The peristaltic action of the intestines, which causes natural bowel movement, becomes stronger.)
12. Acute sensitivity to foods gets restored, thus, your taste buds are retrained to more healthy foods.
13. Normal metabolic and cell oxygenation get restored.
14. Detoxification: As soon as the body realizing that it’s fasting, it will begin to eliminate those things that cause disease, such as fat cells, arterial cholesterol plaques, mucus, tumors, stored up worries and emotion.
15. Confidence: Fasting can increase confidence in our ability to have control over our lives and our appetite, and that our body is self-regulating and a self-healing organism capable of establishing balance when given the possibility to do so.
I would add to BeiYin’s excellent list 3 more noteworthy reasons to fast.
16. Easiest way to quit smoking.
17. Easiest way to quit or reduce alcohol consumption.
18. Easiest way to quit or reduce coffee/tea/cola consumption.
It also saves money and time during your fast. But, that goes without saying. : )
DAY 1 OF MY WATER FAST
BeiYin writes, “You can fast from 1 to 40 days. Try to drink 2 liters of water or more per day.” (He also gives tips on other types of fast, such as one-day fasts, the Master Cleanse fast, and juice fasts. But, if you haven’t picked up on it by now, I tend to be extreme. Why waste time with the others? I’m going all in!)
I definitely drink more than 2 liters of water even when I’m not fasting, so that shouldn’t be a problem. 40 days?! I doubt I’ve got that much fat too lose. When I was 125 lbs. with 27% body fat, my body converted all the excess fat and dumped all the stored toxins in a mere 7 days. Now that I’m 144 lbs. with 31% body fat, I can probably expect the fast to last around twice as long, or about 14 days.
BeiYin also writes: “The ten day water fast has become a recommended number of days. Ten days on water will cause the same weight loss as 30 days on juice. [Which is why I’m doing the water fast instead of the juice fast.] But water fasting is far more difficult, especially if you have a fast metabolism. Water fasting can be more beneficial than juice fasting in combating more persistent forms of cancer, cleansing the tissues more aggressively. Water fasting demands mental preparation, the less pressure and responsibility you have during a water fast the better. Think of it as a holiday away from the normal patterns of living. Some recommend that the week before your fast, you drink fresh juices and eat mostly raw fruits and vegetables to cleanse the body so that the detoxification during water fasting will be less aggressive. [Too late! I had a huge Italian dinner last night with a nice chianti.] Water fasting should always include two of three days of juice fasting before and after the water fast. This alternating between juice and water fasting is the most effective method of achieving a full cleansing through fasting.” I’ll take what I can get ’cause, damn the torpedoes, I’m going full speed ahead!
Honestly, it’s much harder for me to limit my calories than to just cut them out completely. Besides, I strongly dislike any kind of juice because they all taste too sweet (or too salty if it’s V-8). I know I could always water them down with water. But, why bother? I’ll simply follow the no muss, no fuss formula of drinking water whenever I feel thirsty or “hungry”—though such “hunger” pangs are far from the true hunger that grabs you when the fast is over. That’s just the slight discomfort of your body’s internal mechanisms suddenly switching from its usual overtaxing labors of digestion to the relatively smooth operations of detoxing your body.
BeiYin has more words of advice: “There are no calories or nutritional value in water. On a water fast you have given your body no options but to turn to itself for fuel. This can create a problem when you have spent years depositing counterfeit fuel. Living exclusively on dirty fuel during a fast takes tremendous courage and strength. To ease into water fasting, some recommend juice fasting with periods of water fasting. For example, 3 days of juice, 2 days of water, 5 days on juice, then 3 days on water. You can juice when you have to work and water fast on the weekend when you can rest.” Luckily, I’m not a smoker and both my eating and drinking have been more or less moderate for years, which probably explains why it wasn’t that difficult for me to do the 7-day fast last year.
WATER FASTING CONCERNS
BeiYin is careful to add: “It is not advisable to water fast under the conditions of hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, schizophrenia, or a chronic heart condition. If you have existing conditions, it is best if you consult with a fasting expert and/or be monitored throughout your fast. [¶] Be careful of dizziness and black outs. The heart is resting as much as it can during water fasting. Before you stand you, take one or two deep breaths to get the heart pumping. If you start to black out, sit down, or crouch on one knee. This will immediately stop the dizziness.”
TO BE CONTINUED …
More on the benefits of fasting, the possible side effects, and how I’m doing in the next installment of my Fasting Log. If you want to share your own fasting experiences or, perhaps, your concerns, please do so in the comments below!
[For “Fasting Log: Day 2,” click here.]
[For entire “Fasting Log,” click here.]
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July 3rd, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Fasting sounds lots more appealing to me than dieting. No matter what diet plan, I spend too much time carefully selecting or avoiding certain foods.
When I was a kid we were taught to fast and pray during Lent. I don’t recall how many days we did it, but I don’t remember any bad effects.
I have more pounds to shed than you and will try the 7-day fast. I’ll have to step up my water consumption since drinking the recommended amount is a challenge for me. I’ll have to create a block of time that doesn’t have theater, dinner dates and dinner meetings scheduled.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
July 3rd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Hi, Flora! Thanks for your comment! Truly, fasting is a the only real miracle diet that works! Not to mention the fantastic other health benefits. I also used to waste too much time on other diets just thinking about what to eat, how much of it, preparing it, and recording it. You are so right to try to arrange your fast to start during a time when you have less activities. I can’t wait to hear about your fast! And, I’m very excited about the progress of mine! I’m already down to 142 lbs. and 130.2% body fat in the first 1/2 day of my fast! That’s not surprising since my meals yesterday were full of salt; and, after drinking 2 liters of water already so far, I’m sure most of that weight loss was water weight. No hint of “hunger” pangs yet, though I’ve skipped two meals already. Of course, all the experts say that even when you do experience those pangs, they go away after 2 or 3 days.
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I respect your desire to lose weight, and believe fasting can be a cleansing and spiritually clarifying activity. That is what it should be used for, not a weight loss program.
When the fast is over, the habits and lifestyle that led to the weight gain will bring the weight back. Gaining weight, then fasting, then gaining weight, then fasting is not a healthy cycle.
I struggled with being too thin for the first 25 years of my life, and then went in the other direction. I have fooled myself that I was really not eating too poorly, or I really was exercising, and all other kinds of denial. The truth is, my net calorie intake is more than is needed to maintain my weight, so I have gained weight (very slowly).
When I am mindful about my daily net calorie intake, I am healthy and my weight gets to where it needs to be (again, very slowly). I know it does not seem fair that many people do not have to spend time monitoring their daily net calories, but I do. It is a pain, but it is necessary for me to be a fit and healthy person.
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Hi, Terry! Thanks for your very thoughtful comment! You are absolutely correct that if I don’t change my eating and exercise habits after the fast, the weight will just come back — and quickly! But, honestly, after trying to slowly diet and exercise for over a year, I am committed to first getting the fat weight off (not to mention detoxing my body), then working on continuing with some of the more obvious better habits, such as almost no alcohol (though I don’t want to completely cut it out like I had up till age 30 and then had to deal with the social stigma of that at parties and social events) and almost no sweets or desserts (another healthful habit that I used to have but lost when I succumbed to peer pressure when others wanted me to “share the guilt” by indulging along with them). I know I can live without these things in my life again, especially since I’m finally away from the high peer pressure environment of law firms and working at home. My boyfriend hardly ever drinks alcohol; and, though he does enjoy sweets daily, he’s happy to enjoy them by himself! A fast is exactly the jump start I need to think about how to implement a much healthier diet. For example, I’ve been easing off of red meat and dairy for weeks. I think I can safely eliminate them completely from my future diet.
In any event, you needn’t worry about me yo-yoing with my weight from fasts: I’ve made a bet with my boyfriend that if I regain all my pre-fast weight after this second fast, I’ll never do a prolonged fast again. How’s that for a strong incentive to keep the weight off? I love the amazing mental clarity and increased energy levels that can only be achieved from all the natural detoxification that only a prolonged fast can achieve, so I would hate to give it up! And, I am a woman of my word! I always try really hard never to welsh on a bet! Thanks for your concern!
July 4th, 2008 at 5:48 am
I agree with Terry Portis. Fasting is a fantastic and almost miraculous way to regain health. Using it as a weight loss mechanism, however, is asking for trouble. You sound like you have a good approach, but I think the main objective is a concern.
I did a nine-day water fast at the TrueNorth facility in Northern California and it was a fantastic experience. They have various doctors and specialist that monitor your condition daily to avoid any serious problems developing. They also have a required education program of tapes, books, and interesting speakers so you can learn how and why to eat better.
I would only do an extended fast of more than four or five days at a respectable facility with medical staff experienced with fasting. Here’s their website if you’d like to read what they have to say.
http://www.healthpromoting.com/index.htm
Expect your body to struggle. As the toxins work their way out of your body, it can cause some strong effects. If you’ve had any coffee, for example, in the previous week or so, then some pretty strong headaches are likely.
Be sure to rest a lot, no exercise, or else your starvation-mode system will draw its needed nutrients from your muscle.
Good luck.
July 4th, 2008 at 6:30 am
Hi, SteveB!
Thank you for your comment and concerns! To me, weight loss and maintenance is all about regaining health. Medical science has proven that excess weight is a serious health risk that affects almost every major system in our bodies. (I’ll be writing more about the health benefits of fasting in my next installment of my Fasting Log.) And, I have done a lot of research on my own about how and why to eat better. Quite honestly, I believe a lot of us have — but that doesn’t necessarily translate to better eating habits. The beauty of a fast is to break the old bad habits for as many days in a row as possible and then your body is more open to establishing new good ones. Finally, addressing your last concern, I did my first extended fast (7 days) only last year without medical supervision and that turned out just fine. I was very careful to monitor myself for any serious side effects in case I needed medical attention, especially since I had decades of toxins stored up in my fat and damaged cells to get rid off. The worst symptom I had was dizziness upon getting up too quickly from sitting or lying down. No headaches at all, though I did drink a lot of caffeine before the fast, as was my usual habit.
From what I’ve studied, walking even long distances at a leisurely pace is fine. Not that I plan to do that. The whole purpose of my fasting to lose weight — and, thus, improve my health — was to avoid the time required to exercise so I can continue to spend all my time on my blog, as I love to do these days. I need to stress again: Fasting is NOT starvation. It’s true that too much high-intensity training can result in some muscle loss, but that’s always true, whether one’s fasting or not.
I hope this clarifies things a bit. Fasting is almost taboo in this country because people don’t understand it, and, thus, fear it. In the Far East and Europe, people fast regularly for weight loss and health benefits, so, it’s a normal, common thing. Perhaps America’s growing problem with obesity, and the many health problems associated with it, could be greatly alleviated by fasting. Thanks, again!
July 4th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Shanel, good for you.
I am about to embark on the “master cleanse” myself, and though I am certain there will be weight loss as a result, I am more interested in the cleansing. I am especially looking forward to the clearer thinking. For the uninitiated, the MC is a filtered/purified-water, (fresh-squeezed only) lemon juice, grade B maple syrup and cayenne pepper-drink “flush” that is supposed to provide vital nutrients, but at the same time, no solid food.
I may also do tiny supplement amounts (1 tsp/2x day) of chlorella and cilantro oil (to chelate my
trapped amalgam mercury and other heavy metals).
I have seen several people post that after 3 days you don’t even feel hunger. How does that compare with what you experienced last time?
My biggest hope is that when I come off this, the Kombucha I am brewing will be ready to drink, and I will have found all the parts to my Champion juicer by then (and a good cheap source of local organic veggies).
I will stay on my fast for 15 days, and hope that the 15-day hiatus from this world’s foods will give my appetite a “reboot” into craving what I really *need* to eat.
I will also blog this, and will document measurements, take photos, and will chronicle my experiences.
To touch on the weight loss issue again, while according to BMI I could lose 50 lbs. or so, I believe the end-result of this fast will be me moving toward where my body knows where it should be.
July 4th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Hi, D! Thanks for your comment and sharing your plans to do the Master Cleanse Fast! I’m very excited for you and wish you the best of luck!
To answer your question: First, I want to stress that I never experienced true hunger till Day 8 when I immediately broke the fast, as recommended. The thing closest to “hunger” pangs that ever I experienced were the occasional emotional cravings — and this happened throughout my fast — for some of my favorite foods (especially while my boyfriend ate them in front of me). But, the cravings, intense as they were sometimes, always passed and left me peaceful again.
Wishing you the best results, and hope you will come back to share them with us!
October 13th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I have thought about fasting but you would need some time away from the usual grind I’d imagine …
October 13th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Hi Seamus! Thanks for your comment! It definitely helps to start a fast when both your work and social calendars are less hectic. The reason for this is because it’s a time for self-reflection via mental, emotional, and spiritual cleansing through, not only less or no external food, but also through less human interaction. Keeping a diary is a great way to appreciate and record the many changes of the entire process and to get to know yourself better during a fast. I hope you do try it! For many, it’s a life-changing experience. Every time I do it, I feel like a new person.