I Didn’t Eat for 3 Days and Here’s What Happened

I didn’t eat for 3 days. Yes, you read that correctly. I fasted for 3 days straight only drinking water.

You’re probably thinking; “this woman’s crazy”, well sort of. But it’s not because I went on a water fast.

Why I went on a water fast for 3 days

So, there are a few different reasons why I decided to go on this 3-day water fast.

I was first inspired by a video I saw on YouTube. This guy from the YouTube channel YesTheory took on the challenge of fasting for 3 whole days. When I first watched this video I was shocked and amazed. Like holy pebbles, it takes some serious self-control and strength to not eat for 3 whole days. I was due for a challenge and felt like a water fast may be it.

Suddenly, as the algorithm goes, I started listening to more stories of people fasting for prolonged periods of time.

So, I started to look further into the benefits of water fasting and here’s what I found…

The benefits of fasting

Ketosis, Fat Burning, and Mental Clarity

After 16 to 18 hours of fasting, you should be in full ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state that occurs when your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. The keto diet has many possible benefits including potential weight loss, increased energy and treating chronic illness. Your liver begins converting your fat stores into ketone bodies — bundles of fuel that power your muscles, heart, and brain.

Autophagy

During autophagy, your cells check all their internal parts, find anything that’s old, damaged, or functioning poorly, and replace them with shiny new versions. The old parts are either recycled into new materials or destroyed. Autophagy declines naturally as you age, which is connected to a variety of diseases. Fasting may be able to combat the age-related decline, keeping you biologically younger and protecting your cells from oxidative stress

Muscle Growth and Repair

This one might be a shocker right?! Like how is your muscle supposed to grow if you’re not feeding it any protein? Well, a study of healthy adults found that 48-hour fasting increased human growth hormone (HGH) secretion by up to 400%. It also increased the frequency of growth hormone bursts throughout the day.

HGH increases muscle mass and stimulates faster muscle repair. It may also speed up the healing process for wounds and more serious injuries. HGH is so effective that taking it externally is banned in professional sports and is considered doping.

It seems counterintuitive, but occasionally going without food for two days may actually help you build muscle, not lose it.

Immune System Regeneration

A 2014 study found that 72-hour fasting led to a near-complete rejuvenation of the immune system. Fasting triggered stem cell production, creating brand new immune cells to replace old ones.

Sources listed below.

As someone who struggles with gut issues/ IBS and has turned into somewhat of a health freak because of that…I became very intrigued by the idea of a 3-day water fast.

So I said, “why the h*ll not!”

I planned my fast for the long weekend in April. I thought I’d take the time to relax, starve and reflect, lol.

The night before my 3-day fast I ate a big dinner. I was craving breakfast for dinner so I made crepes, eggs and turkey sausage. I scarfed it down along with tea and went to bed.

Day 1 of water fasting

I started day one of my fast sleeping-in. Which is something I never do. But come to realize it, breakfast is a huge motivator for me to actually get out of bed. So knowing I wasn’t going to be eating kept me in bed until about 10 am.

Once I got out of bed I had a surge of energy and decided to clean my entire condo.

Once all my cleaning was done, boredom started to kick in. One thing you really realize during a fast is how much time you spend cooking and eating – once that is gone you have a lot more free time on your hands.

To cure my boredom I went outside to soak up the sun. Luckily, it was a lovely day in downtown Toronto. I ended the night feeling just fine. But, I started to have a slight lightheaded feeling but overall the first day was easy. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel much hunger. There were moments when I felt hungry but the feeling wouldn’t last long.

Day 2 of water fasting

I started the late morning feeling amazingly. I was in a great mood and even got some work done for my blog. After I wrote my weekly blog I spent some time outside. It was a bit of a colder day but some headaches really started to kick in at this point so the cold air felt nice. I spent some time meditating. My mind started to feel very clear and quiet. I wasn’t overthinking for the first time in my life. Wow. I felt at peace and satisfied with all that was around me. I took a shower and it was incredible. All my senses were heightened. Smells smelt more, I could hear more clearly, everything was VIBRANT…this is how I imagine the ecstasy feeling Barry White was singing about felt like.

This great feeling lasted until about 4 pm. Then the headaches really started to impact me. I spent the evening laying in bed with an ice pack on my head thinking to myself “Why did I decide to do this fast?!?”. It was a rough evening and only got more difficult because I couldn’t sleep. You see, eating makes humans sleepy. After a big chicken dinner, it’s easy to doze off. So while fasting one of the most difficult parts is falling and staying asleep.

So, I was wide awake and not feeling the best. I decided to bake a cake to enjoy once I was done fasting. The cake didn’t turn out so hot so I won’t be sharing the recipe on my blog. But making the cake did keep me occupied during my insomnia.

6 am hit and I finally was able to sleep, but only for a few hours.

Day 3 of water fasting

Luckily, my headaches went away and I was able to do some grocery shopping. At this point, the only thing I could think about was breaking my fast. I wasn’t even feeling hungry but I did miss the taste of food.

At this point, I also realized how my body was changing. Let me make one point, I did not do this fast to lose weight. But obviously, when you don’t eat for so long you will lose weight. I was looking pretty frail. But, I’ve always had some extra cushion for the pushing so I wasn’t too concerned.

Anyway, FINALLY time to break fast and here was the menu for the event:

Carrot soup

Jerk chicken

Spiced rice

Garlic bread

And loads of desserts (Gluten-Free and Dairy-free of course)

I will say, I really overdid it by breaking my fast. By the end of it, I was SO bloated that I suddenly looked 3 months pregnant. I could barely breathe. It was difficult to fall asleep as I could barely lie down from how bloated I was.

What I gained from my 3 day water fast

It’s been a week now since I’ve broken fast and I can say I feel amazing.

Here is a list of the changes I’ve noticed

• I’m in a better mood
• My digestion has improved, I no longer get as bloated after a meal as I once did
• I am satisfied with smaller portions of food
• I have more energy
• I don’t feel hunger as often

Now, I know it’s only been a week so these changes may not last. But so far I’m loving how I am feeling.

Overall, I feel refreshed and a lot more grateful to eat each meal.

Sometimes it really takes not having something to truly appreciate it.

The negative side-effects of fasting

During my fast here are the negative side effects I experienced…

• Frequent headaches
• Lightheadedness
• Periods of time with no energy
• Insomnia
• Hunger, lol obviously

Would I do this fast again?

I think this 3-day water fast was an amazing experience and I would consider doing it again if I come to the point where I feel like my mind, body and spirit need another cleansing. If you’re thinking about doing a fast I would say…

It’s going to be hard. It’s a challenge. But, remember that time continues to pass us and the pain shall pass. You can do it.

I’m no doctor, so do your research and consult with a healthcare professional should you have any health concerns.

Sources used:

The 5 Stages of Fasting (And The Benefits of Each One) – Perfect Keto

Ketosis: Definition, Benefits & Side Effects (clevelandclinic.org)