4 Lessons I Learned From A Five-Day Water Fast

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It is still hard to believe that I only ingested water for five days straight.

My intention was three days of fasting, but I felt great, so I went ahead and pushed through two more days.

Why? Because the idea of autophagy was seriously enticing.

I will not lie, day five was tough. At that point, I actually felt hungry and since I simmered bone broth all day, was more than ready to eat by the end of my fast.

However, health-wise, those five days are some of the most important days of my life to date.

In five days time, I proved to myself that I am mentally tough.

I learned how much control I really have around food, and most importantly, I realized that I actually look good!

The intention behind my water fast was a natural detox.

To allow the body to go from ketosis to autophagy, ensuring that my body would reset my digestive system. And it worked!

What I did not anticipate was the other lessons fasting would teach me about myself and my relationship with food:

1. I Am Strong
   Seems like a no brainer, but the strength it took to finish the last day of the fast impressed me. That last day is when I went to the grocery store and walked out with vegetables and green juice. I wanted to immediately gulp down that juice, but I still had five more hours left in my fast, so I had to dig into my willpower to continue. Although my mind tried to give me grace, I did not break. During the five days, I found willpower I did not know I possessed! The experience made me realize how much my bad food choices are a combination of indulgence and habit. How? The rituals I developed around food (timing and restrictions) are a product of fad diets and not in response to hunger.
2. I Have Body Image Issues
   I took a few photos of myself in a sports bra and tights at the end of my water fast to see what I look like without any bloating. The unintended side effect was the realization that what I see in the mirror every day is not accurate. According to the photos, I had a flat stomach and a pretty good muscle tone overall. According to my mind’s eye, my stomach still had pudge, and I need to lose 20 points. Yes, 20 pounds.
3. Food = Energy
   Though I made it through the days of the fast, my energy levels were not ideal. However, the moment I began eating, my brain fired at peak efficiency. It seems obvious, but the feeling of energy that comes from healthy food choices is unparalleled. I broke my fast in the evening with green juice and vegetable soup. After eating I had such a burst of energy that allowed me to get in my first workout of the week. Weeks after the fast, I had my first sugary treat, and the difference was remarkable. Immediately post sugar rush, I was incredibly lethargic in contrast to the feeling of energy behind healthy eating.
4. I Overeat
   Seems obvious, but this was the most important lesson of the fast. Post water fast, I decided to eat only when hungry. The fast showed me true hunger. Now I am able to recognize when I am eating more from boredom or because of the time of day as opposed to when I am actually hungry. My eating habits have changed drastically in that I do not eat while sitting at my desk. Instead, I avoid bored snacking by eating outside or in the lunchroom. This type of intentional eating prevents eating just to fill time. Bored snacking was more prevalent in my life than I realized, and intuitive eating is much easier now that I can without a doubt identify hunger.

Will I fast more often?

No, because I do not want starvation to become a habit, but I cannot say that I will never fast again.

The detox my body underwent has been very beneficial, but truly identifying hunger was the best outcome I did not know was needed. The rituals I developed behind eating were causing me to feel sluggish and stalling weight loss.

Now, my eating habits are based on hunger. No more fad diets or restrictive eating habits.

Weight loss is no longer my goal.

Instead, I am focused on eating three meals a day, intuitively, snacking in response to hunger, and drinking tons of water every day. Check out my thoughts and experience during the fast via the video below:

Intuitive eating is a new realm for me, but it seems to be the best way for me to maintain healthy living.

I am doing research to learn how to properly go about intuitive eating. My first impulse is to wait and eat whenever I am hungry, but I know that will lead to lots of bored eating.

The plan is to eat at least three meals a day, no more than five hours apart. Any more than that seems inadvisable, but we shall see over time how I adjust to a new way of eating.

The Best Results

Before this fast, I would have told you that I need to loose a lot of weight. However, these after photos show me that I am fit!

All of the negative things I tell myself about my body aren’t true. The pursuit of the weight lifting physique is not my goal. I just want to look healthy and fit.

I realize that I judge my entire body by how flat my stomach appears to me. Considering the fact that I usually eat plenty of food every day, that is a recipe for failure.

Moving forward, I plan to focus on fitness results to start correcting my self-image. I do not know how long it will take for me to see my body as it truly is, and be happy with that look.

What I do know, is that I must do that work.

My three-day turned five-day water fast taught me more than expected, and I strive to heed those lessons every day.

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