Not all of us can be a 5’10” tall drink of water, but we can sure try to feel like one from the inside out.
I was scrolling on FB one day and I was drawn to a post regarding fasting, 3 days or 72 hours of water fasting. Honestly, my first thought was of intrigue and wonder of what the benefits would be. My second thought was that this “should be” seemingly easy for me as I have done a 10 day lemonade cleanse about once a year since 2007. I signed up to check it out so I could further seek to learn on my health journey.
There are many benefits to each different fast you do: Intermittent fasting, water fasting, and dry fasting. Weight loss, clearing brain fog, increasing focus, body repair, detoxing to name a few. I must also mention that each and every person has different experiences during a fast, some reactions the same, some different.
At the very least, having done something similar in the past (The Master Cleanse, also known as the lemonade diet), I thought I would have this, no problem. I was really in for a shock.
Day 1 started at 8PM on a Monday night. Well, that was easy enough having already had dinner. Went to sleep and woke up as usual. I could not have my coffee to start my day and surprisingly, I was actually okay. No caffeine headache, …wow. I felt off to a great start. Since I am used to intermittent fasting, getting through the first part of the day was actually pretty easy. I don’t usually eat until noon or later anyway.
What was getting old was just drinking water. Yuck. I honestly hate plain water. So, I started drinking herbal teas with no sweetener which helped. I felt rather hungry by Tuesday afternoon, but I felt as though I had a good grasp on myself physically and mentally and continued to remind myself of my intention. Not many, including my husband, knew I was doing the fast at this time and I was happy that my “hangryness” was not showing through.
It was 8PM on Tuesday night and I had made it through the first 24 hours.
Day 2 started Tuesday night. Went to sleep and woke up feeling tired and weak. I got up to do my morning routine of taking care of the animals, unloading the dishwasher, and making the coffee (not for me today). By the time I was done I felt ready to faint. I felt wobbly and shaky.
I took breaks and sat down, drinking my hot herbal tea. I was cold. During this fast, it is recommended to check your glucose levels and a few other numbers, which I didn’t do. I didn’t have the equipment to do it, but I also thought I would be fine having done a 10 fast, which was I learned, technically nothing like this. Live and learn. That said I must admit, I may have been treading in dangerous waters. It is important when doing these things to be safe. I continued onward, slowly, and carefully, committed to finishing what I started.
Now, many people dropped out of this water fasting challenge early. This is something that is super hard to do (I didn’t realize) and even if you quit at 36 hours, 60 hours, whatever, the trying in and of itself is a win. Benefits of a fast are had early on and each new thing we try gives us an experience we never had before preparing us for the next “try.” Lots of tries will equal success.
What made day 2 even harder was that I had to go to the grocery store, shop, and make dinner for my family. The night before, I just made something for my husband. Now I could really feel this hitting me. I loved having everyone over for dinner and so I was able to focus on that. Their happy faces and conversations always bring me joy.
Once they left, I had to admit to my husband that I was doing this fast and I wasn’t feeling great. Day 2 ended, 48 hours.
Day 3 began on Wednesday evening at 8PM. Sitting on the couch watching TV under a cozy blanket was fairly easy. I was however ready to be biting into something…anything.
Thursday morning, I awoke once again ready for my morning routine. On this third day, I awaited the energy rush and clarity that some spoke of while doing this fast. I was extremely disappointed that this never happened for me. This morning was even worse than the last. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I got this.” I assured myself. I did light things around the house, some of the usual and puttered putting things away from the recent holiday.
I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hour 72 was approaching. The end within hours. At 8PM Thursday, my 72 hour fast, well, could have ended. But nope. Ending a fast healthy, needs to be done a certain way. There may be a few “certain ways,” but nevertheless, you cannot deep dive into a steak. By this hour, 8PM, I was just chilling again with a blanket and really didn’t feel like starting this “end fast” protocol. I went to sleep extending the fast for another 12 hours.
Day 4 I woke up feeling crappy once again. This time however, I started the “end fast” protocol. At 8:20 AM, I drank my cup of bone broth. The yummy taste, the calories, the minerals, …my body was happy to be taking it all in.
I am happy to say that I finished my first ever 84 hour and 20 minute water fast.
I will try this again, smarter next time. I purchased the book Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz.
My takeaway from this experience:
1) Everyone reacts differently to this water fast. While I didn’t experience the “high energy” during the fast, once I came off of it, I felt great and a few pounds lighter.
2) I found that I could test my limits. I was willing to quit at any point if it was necessary, but I was able to take it moment by moment and ease my way through it.
3) I was happy that I had set my mind up mentally… that I had done something like this before and that this “should be” on the easier side compared to a 10 day fast. It made the get ready get set part very doable since it was a last minute decision. However, while I will reflect on experiences of the past as they relate to future experiences I am looking to try, I will never assume the “should” part again. My body is constantly changing and therefore each experience will be its own. It’s like walking barefoot on sand to the ocean. Each time you walk on that sand, it will be different. The sun may have made it too hot where you can’t even take off your shoes. Maybe it just rained, and the sand sticks to your feet. Maybe it’s cold and windy and the sand blows at your legs like little needles. And yet, the person next to you has callouses on their feet and can walk just fine in the hot sand. Or they keep their shoes on and the wet sand doesn’t even touch their feet. Perhaps they are wearing pants and the “needles” never touch their skin.
Fasting is a great way to cleanse, detoxify and heal your body, mind, spirit, and emotions. I urge you to look further into the wealth of benefits you could meet on your fasting journey. Even if you decide not to embark on that path right now, you will be more knowledgeable and can file the information away for future use for yourself or another who may be interested in this holistic path to health. (Always check with your physician before starting on any health journey.)
Cheers with a tall, full glass of water!
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From my book Warrior Fit Being Fit Isn’t Just Physical…a look into my first ever journey of a fast.
My First Detox
I was in my thirties when I came across the book The Complete Master Cleanse by Tom Woloshyn. I knew nothing about cleanses or detoxes and was intrigued by the content. Though the title leads you to believe it’s a book about cleansing, Tom Woloshyn discusses so much more, including other healing aids, such as essential oils and light therapy. I decided to try this cleanse, but I knew I needed to create a mindset. This ten-day detox consisted of drinking a mixture of freshly squeezed lemons, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and water. For variety, you could incorporate herbal tea, but that’s it—no other food.
I can handle this. So, I began my first detox journey. On Day One, first thing in the morning, I made breakfast for my three children. It was no big deal. I didn’t usually eat breakfast with them, so I felt no pain. I actually enjoyed my drink. With the kids at school, lunch went by with ease. By now, I was on drink number four or five.
When dinner time came around, I had to make a real meal on the stove. I am the kind of person who likes to taste what is cooking as it is being made―you know, a lick off a spoon or a bite off a fork. As the food heated and delicious aromas filled the air, the detox became ten times more challenging, and it was only day one. It was at this point that I began to question my decision. However, I was not going to give up so fast. On day two, I really started to feel hungry and began to get a bit “hangry.” I hid it with some success on day two, but by day three, I was absolutely miserable and didn’t feel well. According to the book, my cells were releasing toxins so my body could get rid of them. It was awful.
Fortunately, the book told me what to expect. I realized, if I could get through day four, I would be past the worst of it. Making the family dinner didn’t get much easier, but I stopped feeling hungry, angry, or sick. I experienced clarity, focus, and energy. I slept through the night for the first time in ages, and I read a book. Other than Tom Woloshyn’s book, I hadn’t read anything for a long time because I couldn’t stay focused. I lost ten pounds and felt amazing and refreshed.
I feel fortunate to have had the support of my family as I went through this experience. A few people tried it after hearing about my experience. Others criticized me and told me I was nuts. Some people in the healthcare and fitness fields told me that detox would do more harm than good. All I can say is, I do this detox about once a year, and every time, I feel great. I usually schedule it a month prior, so I can prepare my mind. Some people tried it after I did and quit after a few days. Several others finished but never did it again, and a few acquaintances have done it a few times. The journey is different for everyone.
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