Water only Fasting, my 35 day experience

[SERE Bear]

TLDR, I fasted for 35 days, no food whatsoever and felt great. Adding electrolytes to your water is important. I lost a pound a day and my arthritic hands aren’t arthritic anymore.

First of all I had never fasted before except for 12hrs before blood draws for lab work. This is my experience on how it went down for me and why I did this. YMMV

Why?
due to military jumps and other abuse I inflicted on my body I have hand, back, knee, neck, and shoulder damage that I refuse to have surgery on until it’s absolutely necessary.
I love food that is bad for you. Fried, breaded, you name it, I love it. And soda.
Unsurprisingly after not working out and eating shit I got fat. About 70lbs overweight. (Have fun with that, I dont care)
I saw a picture of me and decided to stop eating. So I did. Water only.

I knew nothing about fasting and but as expected the weight started falling off. The first day sucked and I don’t doubt that at the least I was pre diabetic. Day 2 and 3 were less sucky but by day 4 I felt normal. I would have cravings at mealtimes that would go away in about a hour.

By day 14 I had lost about 20 lbs but for the previous 3 days I had started feeling sluggish. I had the brilliant idea to do some research... and discovered that electrolytes are important. Duh! I started adding electrolytes to my water and it felt like someone had installed a fresh battery in me. I felt GREAT! I also gained back 8 pounds of water in 2 days. Even though I was drinking plenty of water the first two weeks I was getting dehydrated from a lack of electrolytes evidently not allowing my body to absorb it.

After that I felt great and averaged loosing 1lb a day right up to day 35. I never felt sluggish or had a lack of energy.

By day 15 something amazing thing happened. Last year when we parked the boat we gutted and rebuilt a farm house. By February when we left the house to go back to the boat my hands were more arthritic than ever. I had to physically straighten my thumbs every morning and flex my fingers to get them to be usable.

I woke up and Realized that my hands didn’t hurt. At all! I don’t know if it was day 15 or before that this happened but that was the morning I realized it. Its been 2 months since I ended my fast and they are still pain free. Other joints feel better too but nothing that dramatic and my decreased knee and back pain probably has something to do with lugging around less weight.

I ended my fast after 35 days and 35lbs lost because I was just done with it. I still felt great but like when Forest Gump was done running, I just wanted to end it.

I gained back 5 lbs right away (filling up the digestive track) and have stayed there for the most part the last two months. My diet has changed somewhat from pre fast and I stay away from soda and fried foods.

Im halfway to my goal weight. Yesterday I started round two and am fasting again with electrolytes from the start this time.

It turns out that there has been a lot of research into fasting the last few years and you can search Dr Fung who is treating diabetes with it. Not for 35 days but still. There is data showing cellular repair is a side effect as well as other benefits. The biggest myth is that your body with eat its muscle tissue while fasting. For the record I haven’t loss any strength. Many athletes are incorporating shorter term fasting.


There are plenty of medical seminars on youtube talking about fasting and what the body goes through but here is a simple video that breaks it down for starters.

 

[Ares]

Seems quite.... extreme, to fast that long.

Glad it worked for you, everyone's body is unique.

At most I've done 12-16 hour fasts like you mostly for blood tests, but I did it a few times as a weight loss aid.

One thing you learn early as a type 1 diabetic.... you can't fast thru hypoglycemia.

 

[Tater]

Just curious, after you stopped fasting what was your first meal?

After a colonoscopy, I craved and had a Portillo's beef with extra jardiniere. It was not a good choice.

 

[Warrior Spirit]

TLDR, I fasted for 35 days, no food whatsoever and felt great. Adding electrolytes to your water is important. I lost a pound a day and my arthritic hands aren’t arthritic anymore.

First of all I had never fasted before except for 12hrs before blood draws for lab work. This is my experience on how it went down for me and why I did this. YMMV

Why?
due to military jumps and other abuse I inflicted on my body I have hand, back, knee, neck, and shoulder damage that I refuse to have surgery on until it’s absolutely necessary.
I love food that is bad for you. Fried, breaded, you name it, I love it. And soda.
Unsurprisingly after not working out and eating shit I got fat. About 70lbs overweight. (Have fun with that, I dont care)
I saw a picture of me and decided to stop eating. So I did. Water only.

I knew nothing about fasting and but as expected the weight started falling off. The first day sucked and I don’t doubt that at the least I was pre diabetic. Day 2 and 3 were less sucky but by day 4 I felt normal. I would have cravings at mealtimes that would go away in about a hour.

By day 14 I had lost about 20 lbs but for the previous 3 days I had started feeling sluggish. I had the brilliant idea to do some research... and discovered that electrolytes are important. Duh! I started adding electrolytes to my water and it felt like someone had installed a fresh battery in me. I felt GREAT! I also gained back 8 pounds of water in 2 days. Even though I was drinking plenty of water the first two weeks I was getting dehydrated from a lack of electrolytes evidently not allowing my body to absorb it.

After that I felt great and averaged loosing 1lb a day right up to day 35. I never felt sluggish or had a lack of energy.

By day 15 something amazing thing happened. Last year when we parked the boat we gutted and rebuilt a farm house. By February when we left the house to go back to the boat my hands were more arthritic than ever. I had to physically straighten my thumbs every morning and flex my fingers to get them to be usable.

I woke up and Realized that my hands didn’t hurt. At all! I don’t know if it was day 15 or before that this happened but that was the morning I realized it. Its been 2 months since I ended my fast and they are still pain free. Other joints feel better too but nothing that dramatic and my decreased knee and back pain probably has something to do with lugging around less weight.

I ended my fast after 35 days and 35lbs lost because I was just done with it. I still felt great but like when Forest Gump was done running, I just wanted to end it.

I gained back 5 lbs right away (filling up the digestive track) and have stayed there for the most part the last two months. My diet has changed somewhat from pre fast and I stay away from soda and fried foods.

Im halfway to my goal weight. Yesterday I started round two and am fasting again with electrolytes from the start this time.

It turns out that there has been a lot of research into fasting the last few years and you can search Dr Fung who is treating diabetes with it. Not for 35 days but still. There is data showing cellular repair is a side effect as well as other benefits. The biggest myth is that your body with eat its muscle tissue while fasting. For the record I haven’t loss any strength. Many athletes are incorporating shorter term fasting.


There are plenty of medical seminars on youtube talking about fasting and what the body goes through but here is a simple video that breaks it down for starters.

You're a fucking beast. Wish you well. Did you put any attention into how and what you ate after the long fast? It's generally advised to go light the first day with bone broth or such.

 

[Hawkeye OG]

Literally no food at all? That's possible? Congrats on the weight loss!

Pre-Covid, I did a small amount of IF. It wasn't very extreme, but it did help me manage my weight and get back to goal state of 170. 16 hours off (most of it sleeping) then 8 hours where I could eat. I'm very active, running, lifting, hiking, etc, but I struggle with portion control and also sit on my ass for 8 hours at work. Drinking habits don't help either lol. I still do it most days, but working from home, it's easy to cook up some breakfast.

 

[SERE Bear]

Just curious, after you stopped fasting what was your first meal?

After a colonoscopy, I craved and had a Portillo's beef with extra jardiniere. It was not a good choice.

You're a fucking beast. Wish you well. Did you put any attention into how and what you ate after the long fast? It's generally advised to go light the first day with bone broth or such.

I didn’t have access to bone broth so I strained some vegetable beef soup and drank that broth for the first day. Day two I didn’t strain the soups day three I started eating raw fruits and veggies. Day 4 I had a cheeseburger haha

 

[SERE Bear]

Literally no food at all? That's possible? Congrats on the weight loss!

Pre-Covid, I did a small amount of IF. It wasn't very extreme, but it did help me manage my weight and get back to goal state of 170. 16 hours off (most of it sleeping) then 8 hours where I could eat. I'm very active, running, lifting, hiking, etc, but I struggle with portion control and also sit on my ass for 8 hours at work. Drinking habits don't help either lol. I still do it most days, but working from home, it's easy to cook up some breakfast.

Totally possible, if you are fat. Your body starts to burn stored energy, fat.

The three most influential figures in human history, Jesus, Mohamed and Buda all agree on one thing ... fasting. Each religion had fasting incorporated into them to some extent no matter how bastardized it is in practice these days.

 

[WestCoastBearsFan]

Keto and intermittent fasting is the way for me. No sugar or refined carbs and fast for about 18 hours a day since early June and I’m down about 35 pounds. Best part is as long as you get the proper protein amount into your body you won’t lose much muscle at all.

 

[Fatman LOU]

Curious, it sounds like you added an electrolyte powder to your water if i read that right. Did you have a set amount of electrolytes you wanted or needed? Sounds like you might have done blood test in the past to know where you are with sodium, potassium and stuff.

 

[Warrior Spirit]

Literally no food at all? That's possible? Congrats on the weight loss!

Pre-Covid, I did a small amount of IF. It wasn't very extreme, but it did help me manage my weight and get back to goal state of 170. 16 hours off (most of it sleeping) then 8 hours where I could eat. I'm very active, running, lifting, hiking, etc, but I struggle with portion control and also sit on my ass for 8 hours at work. Drinking habits don't help either lol. I still do it most days, but working from home, it's easy to cook up some breakfast.

I started IF/Keto a couple years ago. Best part of it all is no weight fluctuation and it's so easy. Got to the point a long time ago where it's all just on autopilot and don't think about it all. I've stuck to the staples , pretty much, with what I eat. No sense in worrying about variety when 90% of the food in stores is over-processed crap. There are times I'll go months without weighing myself and get to that point where think I've been eating a lot more for a few weeks, allowed more carbs for too long or had bigger eating windows for too long but the the 2 methods, keto and IF, seem to pick up the slack of one another and the weight stays the same.

 

[Warrior Spirit]

Curious, it sounds like you added an electrolyte powder to your water if i read that right. Did you have a set amount of electrolytes you wanted or needed? Sounds like you might have done blood test in the past to know where you are with sodium, potassium and stuff.

Don't know what he did but know what most do. Adding electrolytes amount to little more than adding a pink salt, a no salt brand (potassium) and a food grade epsom salt for magnesium.

 

[SERE Bear]

Curious, it sounds like you added an electrolyte powder to your water if i read that right. Did you have a set amount of electrolytes you wanted or needed? Sounds like you might have done blood test in the past to know where you are with sodium, potassium and stuff.

The attachment is the recipe I used.

Potassium chloride (from a low-sodium salt).
Sodium chloride (from Himalayan rock salt and the LoSalt).
Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
Magnesium sulphate (epsom salts).

 

[Urblock]

I usually only eat 1 meal a day. Zero meals would be something I can't do. You guys are crazy.

 

[Fatman LOU]

Don't know what he did but know what most do. Adding electrolytes amount to little more than adding a pink salt, a no salt brand (potassium) and a food grade epsom salt for magnesium.

Adding electrolytes in a powder form sounds like something i would like to try . I read and my wife tells me just to drink coconut water, but im not sure if i can monitor it that way. and it sounds less expensive just to add the powder

 

[Fatman LOU]

View attachment 6468

The attachment is the recipe I used.

Potassium chloride (from a low-sodium salt).
Sodium chloride (from Himalayan rock salt and the LoSalt).
Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
Magnesium sulphate (epsom salts).

Thank you for that, i do appreciate it .

 

[SERE Bear]

Another thing that some friends found grossly interesting. I still pooped. Day 6, 13, 24 and 30 not normal logs but 1/4 to 1/2 in size. Its weird what your body holds onto.

Also I’ve never been diagnosed as lactose intolerant but I sure did have horrible gas anytime I had cheese or milk before the fast. Now I don’t get that. My wife is happy about that!

 

[SERE Bear]

Thank you for that, i do appreciate it .

Buying all four things from Walmart was right about 10 bucks. I would mix a batch of water every morning and drink it all day. If I ran out I would just drink regular water rest of the day

 

[Sculpt]

TLDR, I fasted for 35 days, no food whatsoever and felt great. Adding electrolytes to your water is important. I lost a pound a day and my arthritic hands aren’t arthritic anymore.

First of all I had never fasted before except for 12hrs before blood draws for lab work. This is my experience on how it went down for me and why I did this. YMMV

Why?
due to military jumps and other abuse I inflicted on my body I have hand, back, knee, neck, and shoulder damage that I refuse to have surgery on until it’s absolutely necessary.
I love food that is bad for you. Fried, breaded, you name it, I love it. And soda.
Unsurprisingly after not working out and eating shit I got fat. About 70lbs overweight. (Have fun with that, I dont care)
I saw a picture of me and decided to stop eating. So I did. Water only.

I knew nothing about fasting and but as expected the weight started falling off. The first day sucked and I don’t doubt that at the least I was pre diabetic. Day 2 and 3 were less sucky but by day 4 I felt normal. I would have cravings at mealtimes that would go away in about a hour.

By day 14 I had lost about 20 lbs but for the previous 3 days I had started feeling sluggish. I had the brilliant idea to do some research... and discovered that electrolytes are important. Duh! I started adding electrolytes to my water and it felt like someone had installed a fresh battery in me. I felt GREAT! I also gained back 8 pounds of water in 2 days. Even though I was drinking plenty of water the first two weeks I was getting dehydrated from a lack of electrolytes evidently not allowing my body to absorb it.

After that I felt great and averaged loosing 1lb a day right up to day 35. I never felt sluggish or had a lack of energy.

By day 15 something amazing thing happened. Last year when we parked the boat we gutted and rebuilt a farm house. By February when we left the house to go back to the boat my hands were more arthritic than ever. I had to physically straighten my thumbs every morning and flex my fingers to get them to be usable.

I woke up and Realized that my hands didn’t hurt. At all! I don’t know if it was day 15 or before that this happened but that was the morning I realized it. Its been 2 months since I ended my fast and they are still pain free. Other joints feel better too but nothing that dramatic and my decreased knee and back pain probably has something to do with lugging around less weight.

I ended my fast after 35 days and 35lbs lost because I was just done with it. I still felt great but like when Forest Gump was done running, I just wanted to end it.

I gained back 5 lbs right away (filling up the digestive track) and have stayed there for the most part the last two months. My diet has changed somewhat from pre fast and I stay away from soda and fried foods.

Im halfway to my goal weight. Yesterday I started round two and am fasting again with electrolytes from the start this time.

It turns out that there has been a lot of research into fasting the last few years and you can search Dr Fung who is treating diabetes with it. Not for 35 days but still. There is data showing cellular repair is a side effect as well as other benefits. The biggest myth is that your body with eat its muscle tissue while fasting. For the record I haven’t loss any strength. Many athletes are incorporating shorter term fasting.


There are plenty of medical seminars on youtube talking about fasting and what the body goes through but here is a simple video that breaks it down for starters.

What did you use to add electrolytes to your water? What's a practical list one could buy at Walmart, or wherever?

What are the options for electrolytes? (Only thing I know of is Gatorade, which has sugar 25grams/20oz)

 

[WestCoastBearsFan]

What did you use to add electrolytes to your water? What's a practical list one could buy at Walmart, or wherever?

What are the options for electrolytes? (Only thing I know of is Gatorade, which has sugar 25grams/20oz)

Powerade 0 has 0 calories or sugar

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

This thread is in desperate need of @RosettaStoned