Has anyone tried a water-only fast?

[computerwiz]

**DISCLAIMER** - Don't try this without doing thorough research and consulting with your doctor.

 

Like the title asks, has anyone done a water-only fast before, just for the sake of doing it?  Not to prep for a medical procedure...

 

Fasting was very common back then, and still is common in some groups of people.  And there's a lot of medical benefits to doing so on a regular basis.  Yet we don't seem to do that anymore.  In fact, we might think someone is crazy for doing such a thing.  Welp...I'm crazy then!  

 

About 4 years ago, I went 8 days without eating on purpose.  Water only, but a little bit of chicken broth with salt to help curb some hunger, but being careful not to get too much calories from it (I think I had to keep it under 30 calories).  It was quite the experience!  My sense of smell got very very strong (and normally it's terrible).  And I so much more time to do things (we waste so much time cooking and eating)!  I lost 11 pounds, but I could function pretty well.  Don't ask me to exercise in this state!  But otherwise, I was fine.

 

I really want to do it again.  But food is so comforting during this pandemic!  

 

"What happens when we fast"

 

[carlos]

13 minutes ago, computerwiz said:

ike the title asks, has anyone done a water-only fast before, just for the sake of doing it?

I tried that once. They were the worst ten minutes in my life.

 

Ok, ok, I'll leave now and let you discuss fasting seriously.

[Saffron]

I have never tried a water fast, but I did fast, having only coffee with a little cream, for 6 days. Was shooting for 7, but caved. 

 

Things I learned from shorter fasts:

 

1. Cinnamon tea with ACV kills my appetite.

2. Chicken broth makes me hungry enough to break the fast. 

3. Not eating really does free up A LOT of time. 

4. This is a great way to have a break from cleaning the kitchen and washing dishes. 

5. Fasting saves all kinds of $$$$. 

6. If you do this with kids around, you might be miserable.. I had to sit around smelling pizza and listening to the crunch of cheetos while drinking water. 😄

[computerwiz]

3 hours ago, Saffron said:

I have never tried a water fast, but I did fast, having only coffee with a little cream, for 6 days. Was shooting for 7, but caved. 

 

Things I learned from shorter fasts:

 

1. Cinnamon tea with ACV kills my appetite.

2. Chicken broth makes me hungry enough to break the fast. 

3. Not eating really does free up A LOT of time. 

4. This is a great way to have a break from cleaning the kitchen and washing dishes. 

5. Fasting saves all kinds of $$$$. 

6. If you do this with kids around, you might be miserable.. I had to sit around smelling pizza and listening to the crunch of cheetos while drinking water. 😄

 

Very cool to hear your experience!  Yeah chicken broth was iffy.  I could skip breakfast easy, but as soon as I caved in to chicken broth, I had to have some every 2 hours.  

 

I really really really want to do this again soon.  I have the lack of work at my secular job, so I don't have to have super focus.  And I've got 50 Corona pounds to lose.    Tell me more about this cinnamon tea.  Is it a specific brand that you buy?  Or do you mean like green tea but with cinnamon & ACV added?  If a specific brand, is it one I can get on Amazon?

 

Thanks for your input!  

[Ludwika]

4 hours ago, Saffron said:

I have never tried a water fast, but I did fast, having only coffee with a little cream, for 6 days. Was shooting for 7, but caved. 

 

Things I learned from shorter fasts:

 

1. Cinnamon tea with ACV kills my appetite.

2. Chicken broth makes me hungry enough to break the fast. 

3. Not eating really does free up A LOT of time. 

4. This is a great way to have a break from cleaning the kitchen and washing dishes. 

5. Fasting saves all kinds of $$$$. 

6. If you do this with kids around, you might be miserable.. I had to sit around smelling pizza and listening to the crunch of cheetos while drinking water. 😄

I've tried a water fast with coffee in the water too! It totally enhances the taste! 🤣🤣🤣

Edited September 11, 2021 by Ludwika

[Saffron]

13 hours ago, computerwiz said:

really really really want to do this again soon.  I have the lack of work at my secular job, so I don't have to have super focus.  And I've got 50 Corona pounds to lose.    Tell me more about this cinnamon tea.  Is it a specific brand that you buy?  Or do you mean like green tea but with cinnamon & ACV added?  If a specific brand, is it one I can get on Amazon?

 

There is only one Cinnamon tea I use for this. It's HT brand and I only ever find it on Amazon. It is the only thing strong enough to drown out the taste of the ACV. It's actually really palatable this way. Use your imagination and it might slightly resemble apple pie.. If it doesn't, hype yourself up to drink it anyway by watching Dr. Berg videos. 😅

 

I am in a constant battle with my weight. Health problems cause it, then the medications im on are notorious for it. Docs just doubled the dose of the one that makes people the fattest. 😅 Oh boy. 

 

Extended fasts are so hard. What I have been doing instead is short periods of fat fasting. I follow a really low carb diet anyway, so my body slips right into a heavier state of ketosis easily. Appetite quickly disappears and weight just falls off. 

 

I wish I could just buckle down and stick to this like I need to. If I did this a few days a week, I might not  have a weight problem. Seems to be a lack of discipline. Or can I blame my kids one more time since I have to make it past their bags of chips and chocolate to reach my deviled egg and cinnamon tea? 😄

[EccentricM]

I've thought about it for health reasons, but I think I'd be ill just doing it for one day, lol.

I get easily sick, weak, tremors and anxious if I haven't had enough to eat (and that can be just due to skipping a couple of meals in the day), and I lose weight far too easily.

Edited September 11, 2021 by EccentricM

[computerwiz]

8 hours ago, EccentricM said:

I've thought about it for health reasons, but I think I'd be ill just doing it for one day, lol.

I get easily sick, weak, tremors and anxious if I haven't had enough to eat (and that can be just due to skipping a couple of meals in the day), and I lose weight far too easily.

Wish I lost weight easily.  

 

Fasting is dangerous if you have diabetes or are pre-diabetic.  Not sure if that applies to you, but that might explain why you have that experience.  Speaking of which, intermittent fasting and carefully working up to regular fasting can help cure that.  Under doctor supervision, of course!

[computerwiz]

11 hours ago, Saffron said:

There is only one Cinnamon tea I use for this. It's HT brand and I only ever find it on Amazon. It is the only thing strong enough to drown out the taste of the ACV. It's actually really palatable this way. Use your imagination and it might slightly resemble apple pie.. If it doesn't, hype yourself up to drink it anyway by watching Dr. Berg videos. 😅

 

I am in a constant battle with my weight. Health problems cause it, then the medications im on are notorious for it. Docs just doubled the dose of the one that makes people the fattest. 😅 Oh boy. 

 

Extended fasts are so hard. What I have been doing instead is short periods of fat fasting. I follow a really low carb diet anyway, so my body slips right into a heavier state of ketosis easily. Appetite quickly disappears and weight just falls off. 

 

I wish I could just buckle down and stick to this like I need to. If I did this a few days a week, I might not  have a weight problem. Seems to be a lack of discipline. Or can I blame my kids one more time since I have to make it past their bags of chips and chocolate to reach my deviled egg and cinnamon tea? 😄

Thanks!  Will be buying some soon.  Have you tried the decaf version of that tea?  Is it just as tasty as the caffeinated one?  I have to be careful not to have too much caffeine...

[Saffron]

1 hour ago, computerwiz said:

Have you tried the decaf version of that tea? 

I didn't even know there was caffeine in it. 😅

 

Just looked it up. There is 40-60 mg there. Also had to look up a cup of coffee for reference. It's about 100mg per cup. 

[EccentricM]

3 hours ago, computerwiz said:

 

Fasting is dangerous if you have diabetes or are pre-diabetic.  Not sure if that applies to you, but that might explain why you have that experience.

I've never been diagnosed, and I don't have symptoms that I know of, but I do have very sensitive blood pressure. For example I can faint at blood, and that's due to rapid blood pressure changes with aderenaline/fear in the mix. I've also passed out from intense pain when I had to quickly get up one night to go to the bathroom once, I was half asleep but had painful constipation and next think you know I'm coming around on the floor.

[computerwiz]

13 hours ago, EccentricM said:

I've never been diagnosed, and I don't have symptoms that I know of, but I do have very sensitive blood pressure. For example I can faint at blood, and that's due to rapid blood pressure changes with aderenaline/fear in the mix. I've also passed out from intense pain when I had to quickly get up one night to go to the bathroom once, I was half asleep but had painful constipation and next think you know I'm coming around on the floor.

Wow, yeah sounds like you got something else going on.  Might not want to mess with fasting in your case!  

[computerwiz]

15 hours ago, Saffron said:

I didn't even know there was caffeine in it. 😅

 

Just looked it up. There is 40-60 mg there. Also had to look up a cup of coffee for reference. It's about 100mg per cup. 

Cool...that's not too bad.  But I'd like to eliminate caffeine completely.  I'll give the decaf a shot and see how it tastes.  Thanks again for your input!