Takeaways & Timeline From My First 3-Day Fast
Disclaimer: This article is for entertainment purposes only. I am not a doctor, and this is not medical advice. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
I recently completed my first 3-day (72-hour) fast. It was a really interesting experience filled with ups and downs, but overall I’m better off for it. Now two days post-fast, I feel amazing. I’m full of energy, clear headed, and torched fat off my body in the process.
Why I wanted to fast
I have been interested in an extended block fast for some time now. Positive fasting stories are everywhere online, and many of my close friends are adamant fasters. I have practiced intermittent fasting semi-regularly for the past two years, but don’t typically notice any effects. In the past year, I have tried full day (24-hour) fasts, and they were largely negative experiences for me.
Why I fasted when I did
Under quarantine due to COVID-19, grocery shopping was more difficult and time consuming than normal. My fridge was almost empty, which prompted me to seriously consider a multi-day fast for the first time. Being at home and more in control of my environment and temptations, I also figured that the time had never been better. As the idea was swirling in my head, I ended up speaking with a friend who was also considering fasting that week, and and convinced me to join him. Game on.
6 key takeaways from my 3-day fast
1. It was hard, but not as hard as expected
No doubt, the fast was a physical, mental, and spiritual challenge. There were times where I struggled… really struggled (more on that below). All in all though, it was a hugely positive experience filled with small periods of discomfort. The real challenge was towards the end of the first day and the first half of the second day. By day 3 I felt “fine”, and could have extended the fast even longer.
2. It made me aware of my conditioned food patterns
Part of the reason that I wanted to fast was to bring awareness to my deeply conditioned social and physical conditioning surrounding food and food consumption. After work each day, I felt surprisingly unsettled not preparing, eating, or cleaning up from dinner. Fasting allowed me to take that time back, and to fill it in other ways. I also found myself wandering the kitchen numerous times. Looking in the fridge, thinking about what to cook or eat, or just pacing aimlessly. The sheer amount of time I spend each day thinking about or eating food is mind boggling.
3. It made me very grateful for food, and gave me empathy for those who don’t have access to it
In the evenings I typically walk my dog around my neighborhood. I seldom notice the smells of other people’s cooking, unless it is particularly strong. When I was walking while fasting, I could practically smell what every single house was cooking for dinner. I imagined myself, for the first time, in the shoes of someone truly hungry wandering the streets for a bite to eat. Man, that hit hard. Never in my life have I gone to bed hungry. I am privileged to have been raised in a family that could afford to eat when we wanted, and by parents who raised me eating an organic, balanced diet. Now I have the means (money and education) to do the same for my family. Fasting gave me empathy for those who aren’t as fortunate.
4. It tapped me deeper into my body
Fasting made me more aware of physical sensations within my body. I felt strangely hot and cold at different times throughout the process as my body worked in new ways. I would feel cold, then quickly my body would ramp up to feeling very warm, almost like it was kicking into gear. My senses felt heightened, in particular my vision and sense of smell were sharper and more attuned. Colors seemed more vivid, and as mentioned, I was smelling food and able to pick out nuances like never before. When I worked out fasted I literally felt hot, and like fat was being torched off of my body. I got “pumped” visually more quickly during weight training, but would not feel overly fatigued. Throughout each day, I felt a deeper sense of calm permeate my being than usual, even when faced with stressful situations at work.
5. Find a fasting buddy
For me, having accountability through the fast was really helpful. My friend fasted at the same time, so we texted each day checking in on each other and sharing how we were feeling in the moment. It was nice to feel that I wasn’t in it by myself, and that I had someone to share the experience with. He also has previously completed several multi-day fasts, so he was able to coach me through the process and congratulate me upon completion. My wife chose not to fast, but was respectful of my fast and made her best effort to cook and eat her meals while I was away from the kitchen.
6. Fasting isn’t for everyone, and it isn’t a panacea
I am not a doctor, nor do I claim to have any medical expertise whatsoever. That said, I work hard to educate myself in areas that I am passionate in, and nutrition is one of those areas. Prior to fasting, my nutrition was already well dialed-in, and I was consistently eating a keto-adjusted diet. I also limit my intake of alcohol, caffeine, and processed foods. While I had a positive experience, I was physically and mentally prepared. I was not fasting to lose weight, and I didn’t expect fasting to “cure” me of any specific ailments. I fasted out of curiosity, for the sake of experimentation, and set my expectations accordingly. If you are considering a fast, I encourage you to first examine why, then to do your research. If you have doubts, or are on the fence, then you should likely pump the brakes, do more research, and consider dipping your toes in with intermittent fasting or a 24-hour fast to start.
My 3-day fast timeline
Sunday (2 days pre-fast)
On Sunday I committed to the fast, set to begin after dinner on Monday night. Throughout the day I limited my carbohydrate intake while increasing my fat consumption in order to prime my body for ketosis in the fasted state. I was feeling excited and a little bit nervous, anticipating a challenge but not quite sure what to expect.
I ended my day with a fairly intense yoga practice with numerous inversions, and I finished with a supported bridge gut massage in an attempt to stimulate my gut and nervous system and increase blood flow.
Monday (last day eating)
I got a good night of sleep and started my day with a glass of green powder, mug of bone broth, then a cup of black coffee. In the afternoon I drank a large smoothie loaded with extra hemp seed hearts and ground flax to increase my fat intake, and took a B-Complex vitamin and a probiotic supplement.
For dinner, my last meal prior to the fast, I had cauliflower rice, tempeh, asparagus, and caramelized onions - all cooked in plenty of butter and washed down with a fresh orange. After eating very clean all day, I felt ready for the fast. I kept my intake light, high in fat, and grazed throughout the day until dinner time.
Tuesday (first full day of fasting)
1:00 PM - I started to feel the effects of the fast. I was tired from no caffeine, considering I had a cup of coffee most days for the past several months. At the same time, I was also feeling very alert. I took my dog for a 45-minute walk and started to feel fairly lethargic and lightheaded by the end. I started to crave food, and noticed myself entering the kitchen out of the force of habit.
3:45 PM - I was feeling really low. I sat outside getting sun on a beautiful afternoon but struggled to focus and felt weak and lightheaded. I put little pinches of salt under my tongue throughout the day, and drank plenty of water. I also had some magnesium earlier in the afternoon.
5:15 PM - I had been feeling horrible (lightheaded, almost flu-like symptoms) for the past few hours, but found myself returning to a good level. I wasn't hungry, just had a dull headache and felt light-headed. I focused on drinking water, and laying on the couch while finishing my workday. Started feeling optimistic about the next few hours before bed feeling pretty good.
Wednesday (second full day of fasting)
7:45 AM - I was really struggling. I slept poorly, and woke up several times throughout the night. This morning I almost felt flu-like. I was extremely weak and lethargic, and struggled to motivate myself even for yin yoga. I continued to drink water and had some salt and started to feel better and regain my composure. I was really starting to feel the effects of ketosis throughout my body. My senses were still alert, though my nausea was distracting me from fully sensing them.
12:00 PM - Felt fine, actually pretty normal. I was a bit hungry, but it wasn’t a distraction. It felt like I didn’t eat breakfast this morning, and I was less hungry than I was the day before. I went for a short walk and felt good, alert. I had been getting goosebumps on my arms throughout the day, and also felt interesting sensations throughout my body. Feelings of hot and cold would come and go, and I was still fairly light headed.
4:00 PM - I was feeling good overall, but very fatigued after a long walk in the sun. Really struggled to make it on a very standard walk for me - feeling super lightheaded, weak, etc. Overall was not too hungry but the urges and cravings for food were very real. I noticed a heightened smell perception of other people’s cooking around the neighborhood, and started craving specific meals like chili, southwestern salad, pizza, and tacos.
6:30 PM - Still felt fine. Noted that one of the weirdest parts about the whole experience was simply not knowing what to do with the time that I would otherwise be spending preparing, eating, and cleaning dinner. I noticed that I have extra time in my day, but I’m so programmed to not move forward with anything else until I’ve had dinner. It is a little bit unsettling actually, but in a good way that it brings awareness to this social and physical programming. In terms of physical sensations, I noticed that my wedding ring was fitting tighter than usual, presumably due to my increased salt intake. My hands were also extremely cold to the touch, which I assumed had something to do with ketosis.
7:45 PM - Completed a steel mace and jump rope workout, and I felt great. It felt like my body was on fire during the workout - just torching fat. I definitely fatigued quickly and was fairly short of breath throughout, so I didn’t push myself to the limit, but I felt like what I accomplished was perfect for this point in the fast. I was still feeling motivated and focused.
Thursday (final day of fast)
10:30 AM - I felt great in the morning. Mild hunger, but overall very doable. It didn’t feel like I hadn’t eaten in 3 days, that’s for sure. I woke up before my alarm, did an hour of hatha yoga, then went for a short walk. I felt fine during yoga, I wouldn’t say that I was overly energetic, but I was able to get through the practice with no issues and hold long headstand sequences after an hour of movement. I was looking forward to eating that night, but was feeling clear, calm and focused in the moment.
6:30 - The fast is broken! I ate my first “meal”, consisting of bone broth, Pickled Planet i-Boost (essentially a sauerkraut medley with other goodies), and a cup of kefir. I was feeling really grateful for the food, and looking forward to eating more tomorrow. I took it slow and didn’t have much to eat, but I felt full and my stomach was actually a bit upset and on edge. It was actually fun going to the grocery store (even in COVID world). Just browsing the aisles and picturing myself eating the food was a really enjoyable experience. Note to my future wallet - don’t go grocery shopping 3 days fasted!
Friday (first day post-fast)
8:30 PM - What a joy eating throughout the day today was! I started the day with kefir, bone broth and kraut. I had cream of mushroom soup with bone broth for lunch, a fruit smoothie (banana, pineapple, berries, collagen peptides, hemp seed hearts, chia seeds, ground flax, and pea milk) in the afternoon. For dinner I had a healthy portion of caprese salad, and some more kraut. I ended up eating a few bites of tuna salad, which I immediately regretted. I instantly felt bloat and a bit unsettled, even though I only had a few bites. Throughout the day I had cravings for carbs and junk foods. I was dying for pizza, tacos, and chips. It was Friday night, and I was also really craving some hard kombuchas while I lay low during quarantine.
Saturday (second day post-fast)
3:00 PM - I felt amazing. I had never felt more physically centered and alive in my body. My digestive system was feeling excellent, and my energy was high even considering I hadn’t had caffeine since Monday. I started the morning with kefir, 2 fried eggs and cheese which tasted amazing after eating light the day before. I made fresh celery juice and a cucumber, kale, apple and lemon juice medley which I drank throughout the afternoon. By this point, I was starting to feel normal, and ready to start integrating more foods back into my system.
To wrap it all up
Be gentle with yourself and listen to your body. Do what feels good, and always honor yourself above all else. After an extended fast, your body is going to be confused and trying to quickly adapt. Take it slow, and don’t jump right back into your normal lifestyle.
