4 Day Water Detox Fast
What is prolonged water fasting?
Prolonged water fasting, also known as extended fasting, is the practice of abstaining from food and consuming only water for a period of time that typically ranges from several days to a few weeks. This type of fasting has been used for centuries for its potential health benefits, including weight loss, improved metabolic function, and increased longevity. Some people also report that it can lead to improved focus, mental clarity, and overall sense of well-being. *It is important to note that prolonged water fasting should only be done under the guidance of a medical professional, as it can have risks for certain individuals.
Let’s do this!
On January 15th, 2023, I decided to embark on a 4-day prolonged water fast. The fast began at 20:00 and I consumed only water and infusions for the duration of the fast.
Day 1
On the first day, I woke up at 06:00, as usual, feeling refreshed and energized.
I started my day with a detox tea (made with turmeric (35%), rosemary (25%), lemongrass (20%), cinnamon, and lemon peel) and a multivitamin[¹].
My weight was 70.6kg. In the afternoon I went for a brisk walk of 3.5km.
Throughout the day, I felt no hunger and no sleepiness. On the contrary, I felt very concentrated, focused, and sharp.
I had a CBD tea around 20:30 and consumed a total of 2L of water throughout the day.
I went to bed around 00:00.
Afternoon walk - Pont de Pierre
Day 2
The next day followed a similar pattern. I woke up at 06:00 and had my detox tea and a multivitamin[¹].
My weight was 69.5kg. In the afternoon I went for a brisk walk of 3.5km.
I felt no hunger or sleepiness and had a high level of concentration.
I had a CBD tea around 21:00 and consumed a total of 2.5L of water throughout the day.
I went to bed around 00:00 and woke up a couple of times during the night.
Day 3
On the third day, I woke up at 06:15 and had my detox tea and a multivitamin[¹].
My weight had dropped to 68.8kg. In the afternoon I went for a brisk walk of 3.5km.
I continued to feel no hunger or sleepiness and had a high level of concentration.
I had a CBD tea around 21:00 and consumed a total of 2.5L of water throughout the day.
I went to bed around 23:30, full night of sleep.
Afternoon walk - Street Workout
Day 4
On the final day of my fast, I woke up at 06:00 and (as you can imagine) had my detox tea and a multivitamin[¹].
My final weight was 67.3kg. In the afternoon I went for a brisk walk of 4km.
I continued to feel no hunger or sleepiness and had a high level of concentration.
I consumed a total of 2.5L of water until the end of the fast at 20:00.
Re-feeding
After my fast, I re-fed with a smoothie made of 2 bananas, 1 kiwi, 2 cups of forest fruits, 2 scoops of protein, 1 cup of apple juice, and cinnamon.
Then I had a bowl of egg-lemon chicken vegetable soup (αυγολέμονη) and a probiotic yogurt.
I started feeling sleepy around 22:00, which is my usual non-fasting time.
Food time - Protein Smoothie, Egg-lemon Soup
Closing Notes
Throughout the fast, I was amazed at how my body was able to adapt and function without food.
The days felt longer and more productive as I didn’t have to think about cooking, eating, or washing dishes.
My concentration levels were high for the entire day, for all 4 days, and I felt no sleepiness or tiredness. I went to bed only because I had to do so, where at normal circumstances I would be starting to get sleepy around 22:00.
My stomach felt normal and I had no hunger at all.
Some facts that could have contributed to the success fast:
- I’m not drinking coffee for a lot of years
- I’m not eating sweats and try to avoid as much as possible refined sugars for a lot of years
- I’m doing intermittent fasting (16:8-18:6) for a couple of years
Very positive experience overall, I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their health, and to understand the capabilities of their body.
Next time I will try to introduce some light running to the mix.
Resources
Stages of fasting
-
By 12 hours, you’ve entered the metabolic state called ketosis (Anton et al., Obesity 2018). In this state, your body starts to break down and burn fat.
-
By 18 hours, you’ve switched to fat-burning mode and are generating significant ketones (Anton et al., Obesity 2018).
-
Within 24 hours, your cells are increasingly recycling old components and breaking down misfolded proteins linked to Alzheimer’s and other diseases (Alirezaei et al., Autophagy 2010). This is a process called autophagy.
-
By 48 hours without calories or with very few calories, carbs or protein, your growth hormone level is up to five times as high as when you started your fast (Hartman et al.,1992).
-
By 54 hours, your insulin has dropped to its lowest level point since you started fasting and your body is becoming increasingly insulin-sensitive (Klein et al., 1993).
-
By 72 hours, your body is breaking down old immune cells and generating new ones (Cheng et al., 2014).