Water fasting is an excellent tool in your toolbox to lose extra weight, rejuvenate your body and mind, to name a few. I typically do 3 to 4-day fasts, but this time, I decided to push it one more day and do a five-day easy water fast.
I am no stranger to fasting. I did it intermittently for years and it became part of my lifestyle.
Last year, I started adding water fasts to my health regimen. To date I did seven of them.
Here are a few strategies that make the extended water fast easy and fun.
SET THE INTENTION FOR YOUR EASY WATER FAST
As strange as it sounds, fasting will give you all around sense of healing of your body and mind and spirit. Setting an intention, say for accelerated healing, rather than focusing on feeling food deprived, will make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable.
VARIETY OF WATER IS KEY
It can get boring being stuck with plain water. Get a variety pack of different waters, sparkling, flavored or mineral water. I love flavored sparkling waters; I add to the electrolytes and it really is enjoyable.
USE ELECTROLYTES AND SALT GENEROUSLY
If you are into ketogenic diets, you will know all the salt cravings: sodium, sodium, and more sodium! It’s quite like that during the water fast as well. Any time you feel thirsty it’s a good idea to add salt and electrolytes to your water. It makes a lot of difference: hunger pangs go away faster, no muscle cramps, and no headaches! Because of my gut issues I use the purest of the purest I could find.
KETOSIS MAKE THE EASY WATER FAST SO MUCH EASIER
Getting into ketosis makes the first two days significantly easier. You will be depleted of glycogen, and already churning out ketones as energy units. The hunger pangs will be fewer and you may be able to avoid headaches.
BONE BROTH TO THE RESCUE
If you have hard times falling asleep, which isn’t uncommon when you fast, a cup of electrolyte rich, warm broth can take the edge off and help you settle down. It is really low in calories (about 40 calories) so it won’t mess up your fast.
My family uses and loves brodo.
USE GLUCOSE AND KETONE MONITORS
It’s not a must; but monitoring your glucose and ketones during the fast informs how well you are doing and motivates you to stick to your goals. It’s so cool to see from one day to the next, your ketones going up while glucose is going down. I read somewhere that if you get your ketones higher than your glucose then your body enters to the higher mode of healing and repair.
EASY WATER FAST WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Once a quarter about six of my friends get together for a fast. We set up a group chat and keep up with daily updates, support each other, and power through the lows together. It’s fun, but also keeps you motivated and accountable.
FIND A NEW TASK IN PLACE FOR YOUR REGULAR MEALTIME
Hunger pangs last about 30 minutes, usually around your regular mealtime. If you keep yourself occupied with something else, time will go by quickly and you will forget about your hunger. If you have kids, you can get your husband feed them a dinner and you give yourself a mini facial, beauty mask, or hair treatment away from the dining area.
CALORIE FREE STIMULANT MAY BE HELPFUL
If you aren’t a regular coffee or tea drinker, coffee or tea that is with no sugar or creamers added, can give you a bit of a boost on your home stretch.
I had great energy during this most recent fast. In fact, I ran 30 minutes three out of five days and on the other two I did 45 mins of yoga. The only difference I noticed; it took me a little longer to get in the zone during my runs than usual.
My mood was great, except for the first two days, I felt a bit irritated.
I am planning to do another water fast sometime next quarter, this time shooting for seven day fast.
