5-Day Water Fast (Part 2 – Results, How To, and FAQs)
There’s much to share about doing a water fast so I chose to break it up into a few different articles for ‘ease of digestion’. In case you missed Part 1, here it is.
So, What Happened? How Did The Fasting Go?
Let me start off by sharing that I loved the results of the fast SO much that I decided to do it again a week later! Don’t get me wrong… I do NOT love the not eating part! I love the RESULTS and knowing the incredible changes happening at the cellular level of my body as a result of this type of fast. Just keepin’ it real.
I love knowing that I’m “re-setting” my DNA and turning off some “bad genes”. I love knowing that my body is cleaning house through the process of autophagy. I love that my gut is healing and my microbiome is being restored. I love that I’m increasing production of stem cells. I love that I seem to function well on much less sleep and my focus is sharp. AND, I love that I dropped some excess fat, inches, and pounds in the process… and it’s staying off. All the healthy lifestyle choices I make, day in and day out, still resulted in some remnant handles of love that resisted departure. I am kissing those puppies good-bye!
After both of the water fasts, I could definitely see, feel, and measure that the fat burning efficiency continued well beyond the fast… especially when you come off the fast the right way and move forward with the right plan. (I’ll cover that in parts 3 and 4 of this series.) The point is to get things moving in the right direction with the fast, and then to keep improving metabolic efficiency and flexibility from there.
Dr. Hubby lost quite a bit of excess baggage… of course… because men like to do that to their wives! 😉
The hardest part without a doubt was that I was still so directly involved with food each day… and probably even MORE so than prior to the fast. When we’re not fasting, we still indulge in one or two restaurant meals each week (and that means there are usually left overs for the next day’s meals), which means that mom’s not prepping and cooking quite so much. During the fast, it seems like I spent a LOT of time in the kitchen preparing healthy meals for the rest of the family… and smelling all the good smells… and not being able to taste test or lick the spoon! It’s an exercise in self-discipline, no doubt!
It’s OK. Really, it meant that MY fasting ended up being healthier for the rest of the family, with all the healthy home cooked meals they enjoyed! It’s a good thing I was stocked up and prepared with some meal planning… much more so in the second fast. That kinda’ took me off guard the first time around!
I hear some folks talk about one of the secondary benefits of fasting being all the newly discovered TIME you have on your hands because you no longer have to worry about food. No shopping, no meal prep and clean up, no meal time… so you have ALLLLL this extra time on your hands. No offense is intended by this, but I think a man said that. 🙂
(Or empty-nesters… or families who don’t home school and therefore have no mouths to feed throughout the day… or families whose kids are gourmet chefs…!)
Yep. That was the hardest part, no doubt. I skirted around it by trying to do most of my meal prep in the mornings when I was mentally strong and not feeling any need to eat. We regularly practice intermittent fasting (upcoming article) so I’m accustomed to not eating until later in the day anyhow.
Despite my choice to continue preparing healthy food for the family, doing a water fast really DOES simplify things. And, bonus – it keeps the grocery bill down!
How To Do A Water Fast
Drink water.
You saw that one coming from a mile away!
Seriously though, most of us are carb/glucose addicted, so that’s a big hurdle to jump for starters. I recommend preparing yourself for about a month ahead of time by:
- switching over to a higher fat-lower-carb-moderate protein approach to eating
- and eating fewer times throughout your day.
If you’re a snacker, cut out some of the snacking. Better yet, aim to cut it all out. Experiment with dropping a meal from your daily routine. (We’re flirting with some intermittent fasting here, in case you hadn’t noticed.) Chances are pretty solid that this will NOT kill you! Most of us have plenty of reserve energy stored in our fat that’ll get us by.
Making these two simple upgrades to what you’re eating and how often you’re eating will make your 5-day water fast significantly easier. Plus, you’ll likely find yourself in ketosis more quickly and more easily. Bonus.
(Find out for sure if you’ve hit the keto sweet spot by testing with a monitor like the Keto-Mojo shown below. Easy, cost-effective, and trustworthy.)
If possible, rest more.
Even though many people find they don’t require as much sleep, you can still REST. Just chill. Your body is busy turning you into a super hero on the inside… give it some space.
Some people DO sleep more. My hubby did. Everyone’s different.
FAQs
Do you drink anything other than water?
Nope. Just the purest source of water you can get your hands on. At least that’s my official answer. It’s supposed to be a water fast. Plain & simple… and the least intrusive thing we can put into our bodies.
Do you add anything to your water?
Nope. (Although in the first fast, I did opt to add fresh lemon juice on my last day because my family tortured me by going to a restaurant for a celebratory meal. {sigh} A slice of lemon was fabulous at that point… and kept people from being harmed.)
How much water are you supposed to drink?
As much as your Innate Intelligence dictates. Drink when you’re thirsty. Your body is smart. If you force TOO much water then you’re forcing your kidneys to work unusually hard when they should be chillin’.
Do you take any supplements?
Nope. Not until the fast is done, then we recommend BIND and CytoDetox so that any toxins released don’t get reabsorbed and redistributed. (More on that later.)
What do you do if you get really hungry?
In the first couple days especially, you can add some Himalayan pink salt to your water to help. Also, HOT water was my savior! It honestly made the entire fast much easier. I’d “hide” it in a stainless steel insulated mug or a dark colored mug so I could trick my brain into thinking I was sipping on tea!
Can you still have coffee? (See the first question!)
I mean, you’re an adult. Do what you want. But the point of this water fast is to see what the God-given intelligence in the BODY will do on its own… no stimulants, no help, no additions. It’s incredibly healing. The more NON-water things we consume, the more we can disrupt our healing and increase glucose levels. This interrupts ketosis and all its benefits… like autophagy.
After saying that, can we still be friends?
Should I exercise during the fast?
I wouldn’t… with ONE exception.
Exercise taxes your adrenals, pumps out some stress hormones, and can result in an increase in your glucose levels. If you choose to move your body with some intention, keep it lighter. Some strolling, some stretching, some easy yoga. Put the cross fit and marathon training on delay for now!
What’s the ONE exception? For most, on Day 5 of the water fast, the production of Growth Hormone spikes and THIS is the perfect time to work out, capitalizing on this hormonal shift!
If you think of some other questions, leave me a comment and I’ll do my best to respond quickly!
Read the rest of this series here.
Part One – Why Do a Water Fast & The Benefits of Doing So
Part Three – How to Properly End the Fast (Nope, the solution is not “just eat”!)
Part Four – Where Do We Go From Here? Intermittent Fasting, Diet Variation, and Metabolic Flexibility
Up Next:
How do you know when it’s time to end?
How to properly come off the fast in order to maintain the results you just achieved.
What do eat and how much?
Can you go longer than 5 days?
Dr. Colleen Trombley-VanHoogstraat (“Dr Mom Online”) is a popular personality in Natural Health & Wellness and is in her 23rd year of active practice in Michigan, along with her husband Dr. Marc VanHoogstraat. She’s also the proud mom of two rather fabulous kiddos that she currently home schools. Her unique perspective of the science of Wellness provides predictable solutions and transformational results for those struggling with chronic health issues, as well as those seeking lifelong health. To discover her simple strategies for creating better health through nutrition, movement, mindset, cellular detoxification, and metabolic re-setting, jump on board as a regular reader of Dr Mom Online when you plug in your name and email address.
COMING SOON: “The Better Body-Better Health Bull’s Eye”! Watch for it… you will definitely want this tool posted in your kitchen!
For more of Dr. Colleen’s Wellness Lifestyle books, check out her library available online at http://amazon.com/author/drcolleen.