Has anyone here been through a fast lasting multiple days? If so, how was your experience with it and would you recommend it?

Why are you considering it? Specific goal?

My wife recently told me about one of her coworkers that went 3 weeks only drinking water. He lost 50 pounds in three weeks. So, I began doing a little research and as it turns out there are actually many health benefits to doing a long fast. Therefore, I am seriously contemplating it. I know I won't go 3 weeks but maybe 1 week?

I've done 3 and 5 day juice cleanses in the past. I can't say I noticed any significant health changes or anything, but it was a good mental exercise in discipline and reframing how you think about food.

I'd say try 48-72 hours to start.

Agree with start at 24 hours, then do 48, etc.

I've been doing intermittent fasting for 15 years and have played with most variations people talk about. I think you need to figure out the answer to "I did it, and then what?" because one multi day fast will make you feel accomplished after you do it but will do little more than that if you don't ever do it again. Doing it once, or even a couple times a year, is cool but won't change your life in any meaningful way.

You will absolutely lose a few pounds but you'll gain it all back quickly if you go back to your routine as soon as you're done.

I try to do a 5-7 day fast during Holy Week, but it gets harder the older I get. I agree with the previous poster who said it's a good challenge to your discipline and sticktoitiveness. Also the one who said you'll just gain any lost weight right back if you go back to your usual eating routines

I have done a 72 hour fast since I heard it helped reset your system, it did a decent job of that and it helped reduce a little inflammation. I may do a 24 hour fast now but not more than that unless there is a reason.

If you do a 72 fast or longer be warned that you need to slowly get back into eating full meals, it can be explosive if you try to eat a regular sized meal after that. It just goes right through without even waving hi

What do you mean by reset your system?

I do multiple 48-72 hour fasts a year. Maybe 5-6.

Here is what I do.

Don't eat any sugar or carbs day before you start. Eat a lot of protein day before you start. I'll drink coffee on day 1. Hardest day is day 1. It's all mental. Day 2 is easy. Day 3 is hard because your brain knows you get to eat.

It really isn't bad and I feel good day 2. Just try and stay busy whole time and don't do things that your brain correlates with eating food. Don't sit around and watch tv, if you usually eat and watch TV.

I've done a couple 5 day fasts but it's been a while. I workout fairly often so I'm not planning on 5 days with no protein if im consistently going to gym.

Just did my first 36. Working up to a 72. Fast was not easy, as you get into your head about it. Had a number of aches come out because I stopped anything with calories (stopped fish oil for 2 days is probably what did that). I felt unbelievable for a week afterward. Legitimately felt the best I have felt in a decade.

I did a 4 day/96 hours about a year ago. It was remarkably easy.

That said I have told myself I would do it again twice since then and haven't made it 36 hours. It's 100% mindset.

I lost several pounds of course and the concept of intermittent fasting in various lengths just makes good sense to me. I specifically did it because someone told me it's been shown to stimulate healing by stimulating stem cells (or something along those lines). That didn't work for me as far as I know.

I'd try it but the hunger would just overtake me. A couple of weeks ago I had a colonoscopy and that day long fast was awful. If there were any supplements that legit can help kill your appetite that aren't ozempic I'd give it a shot.

If you can get the right mindset it's pretty easy. Like I said I did 4 days no problem once but I've failed to go much more than 36 hours a couple times since then when I had a goal of 4 days.

When I did the 4 days I literally never felt too hungry until I let my mind slip on the 4th day (goal was actually 5) and I went nuts on food (I didn't have any digestion issues from resuming eating).

i'm assuming you guys aren't doing much in the way of working out during this? at least nothing too long/intensive? I have zero desire to do a fast, but there's no way I could run/ride long distance fasting like that.

I did a 72 hour fast. Although I heard all the hype that a 72 hour fast resets your body, reduces inflammation, etc., I did it more as a challenge to prove I could than for any health reasons. I stuck to my regular workout schedule during it. Made it through the 72 hours fine, but found it counterproductive. I didn't notice any benefit, e.g., mental clarity, etc. And, although I lost 10 pounds, I gained it right back pretty quickly and returned to my baseline once the fast was over.

I've done 48 and 72 hour fasts

Pretty much drank coffee and water the whole time.

Main benefits are atophogy after 24 hours and the generation of stem cells at the 72 hour point.

I wouldn't consider a multi-day fast until you've tried fasting for shorter periods to see how well you tolerate it.
I've been "intermittent fasting" for years. I do 16/8 (eat during an 8 hour window - Noon to 8PM - and fast the rest of it). Took some time to get used to.
Then, like you, I learned of the benefits of multi-day fasts. I tried doing 48 hour fasts every Monday. At about the 20 hour mark, I was grouchy due to hunger. This interrupted sleep on the 2nd day.
Eventually I quit that experiment because the fasting wasn't worth the terrible mood it put me in. Went back to intermittent fasting.
IF you do go through with a multi-day fast, do lots and lots of research about keeping your electrolyte levels consistent, hydrate, and drink coffee (coffee = caffeine = natural appetite suppressant).
Also do your homework and know what you should can can eat when it's time to re-feed. If you back to eating like "normal" for the first meal or two after a prolonged fast, you'll have the worst stomach ache you've ever had. Generally, the longer you fast, the slower you need to be with re-feeding.
Good luck!

AggieOO said:

---

i'm assuming you guys aren't doing much in the way of working out during this? at least nothing too long/intensive? I have zero desire to do a fast, but there's no way I could run/ride long distance fasting like that.

---

A guy on YouTube reportedly did a 5 day fast, and ran a marathon on the last day of the fast.



Longest I've done is 52 hours - coinciding with my wisdom teeth coming out. So I wasn't going to workout much then anyways. But I have done plenty of 24 hour fasts and worked out. If you're used to fasting, it really isn't bad.

1997aggies said:

---

My wife recently told me about one of her coworkers that went 3 weeks only drinking water. He lost 50 pounds in three weeks. So, I began doing a little research and as it turns out there are actually many health benefits to doing a long fast. Therefore, I am seriously contemplating it. I know I won't go 3 weeks but maybe 1 week?

---

I'm dubious of the physical possibility of somebody losing 50 pounds in 3 weeks.

It's possible but only about a third of that would be fat.

ATM9000 said:

---

1997aggies said:

---

My wife recently told me about one of her coworkers that went 3 weeks only drinking water. He lost 50 pounds in three weeks. So, I began doing a little research and as it turns out there are actually many health benefits to doing a long fast. Therefore, I am seriously contemplating it. I know I won't go 3 weeks but maybe 1 week?

---

I'm dubious of the physical possibility of somebody losing 50 pounds in 3 weeks.

---

Have you heard of Angus Barberi? Google his pictures.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2495396/

Also look up former NFL player Russel okung
https://www.gq.com/story/russell-okung-weight-loss-fast

bigtruckguy3500 said:

---

ATM9000 said:

---

1997aggies said:

---

My wife recently told me about one of her coworkers that went 3 weeks only drinking water. He lost 50 pounds in three weeks. So, I began doing a little research and as it turns out there are actually many health benefits to doing a long fast. Therefore, I am seriously contemplating it. I know I won't go 3 weeks but maybe 1 week?

---

I'm dubious of the physical possibility of somebody losing 50 pounds in 3 weeks.

---

Have you heard of Angus Barberi? Google his pictures.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2495396/

Also look up former NFL player Russel okung
https://www.gq.com/story/russell-okung-weight-loss-fast

---

50 lbs in 3 weeks is likely not healthy for most and is going to include too much muscle loss. Why fast when a regular calorie deficit is better long term and healthier?

Look, the final thing on any weight loss goal is that if a person isn't serious about building muscle to create a better fat burning environment for their body, creating sustainable dietary habits that help them reach their goals and learn to be patient and realistic about playing the long game when it comes to losing weight (ie not trying to speed up things by using unsustainable fads and weight loss strategies that mean losing lean body mass that they need to keep), they just aren't giving themselves the most long-term, sustainable strategy to get healthy. I'd much rather see an overweight or obese person use GLP-1 and start actively training with weights to counter the potential muscle loss (very excited about the potential of potential of Myostatin inhibitors to help build muscle that are being experimented with currently) then to ever fast. There just aren't any proven benefits of fasting besides it being a calorie deficit strategy. It used sparingly for that, it is fine if you can handle it, but one by no means ever needs to fast to lose weight. Build muscle, learn to eat in a healthy calorie deficit and think long-term sustainability. Ultimately, it's about making that part of an everyday lifestyle. You can add fasting if you want, but it doesn't ever NEED to be part of a weight loss strategy and isn't anything special, if you follow the evidence.

Further, and I cannot state this enough, ANY other "health benefits" fasting could give a person outside of weight loss (debatable if that loss is also muscle) is dwarfed compared to the health benefits of gaining muscle mass. It's just not even close. Don't fast. Eat healthy, go to the gym and get jacked (yes, jacked) and focus on sustainability and longevity.

And don't get me started on cold plunging lol

Capitol Ag said:

---

bigtruckguy3500 said:

---

ATM9000 said:

---

1997aggies said:

---

My wife recently told me about one of her coworkers that went 3 weeks only drinking water. He lost 50 pounds in three weeks. So, I began doing a little research and as it turns out there are actually many health benefits to doing a long fast. Therefore, I am seriously contemplating it. I know I won't go 3 weeks but maybe 1 week?

---

I'm dubious of the physical possibility of somebody losing 50 pounds in 3 weeks.

---

Have you heard of Angus Barberi? Google his pictures.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2495396/

Also look up former NFL player Russel okung
https://www.gq.com/story/russell-okung-weight-loss-fast

---

50 lbs in 3 weeks is likely not healthy for most and is going to include too much muscle loss. Why fast when a regular calorie deficit is better long term and healthier?

Look, the final thing on any weight loss goal is that if a person isn't serious about building muscle to create a better fat burning environment for their body, creating sustainable dietary habits that help them reach their goals and learn to be patient and realistic about playing the long game when it comes to losing weight (ie not trying to speed up things by using unsustainable fads and weight loss strategies that mean losing lean body mass that they need to keep), they just aren't giving themselves the most long-term, sustainable strategy to get healthy. I'd much rather see an overweight or obese person use GLP-1 and start actively training with weights to counter the potential muscle loss (very excited about the potential of potential of Myostatin inhibitors to help build muscle that are being experimented with currently) then to ever fast. There just aren't any proven benefits of fasting besides it being a calorie deficit strategy. It used sparingly for that, it is fine if you can handle it, but one by no means ever needs to fast to lose weight. Build muscle, learn to eat in a healthy calorie deficit and think long-term sustainability. Ultimately, it's about making that part of an everyday lifestyle. You can add fasting if you want, but it doesn't ever NEED to be part of a weight loss strategy and isn't anything special, if you follow the evidence.

Further, and I cannot state this enough, ANY other "health benefits" fasting could give a person outside of weight loss (debatable if that loss is also muscle) is dwarfed compared to the health benefits of gaining muscle mass. It's just not even close. Don't fast. Eat healthy, go to the gym and get jacked (yes, jacked) and focus on sustainability and longevity.

And don't get me started on cold plunging lol

---

Co-sign ALL of this

You're not buying the science of a fast to detox, etc? I would never suggest as a weight loss technique, but I can 100% feel a difference. Also I like the concept of throwing your system a curveball here and there instead of continually being satiated.

Also, I don't want to derail, but I'm curious about your cold plunge thoughts…

BCG Disciple said:

---

You're not buying the science of a fast to detox, etc? I would never suggest as a weight loss technique, but I can 100% feel a difference. Also I like the concept of throwing your system a curveball here and there instead of continually being satiated.

Also, I don't want to derail, but I'm curious about your cold plunge thoughts…

---

Cold therapies have a definite place with athletes and may be good for other benefits. But those debatable and honestly depends on the person. The main thing is that sport athletes can lower inflammation and other factors to aid in recovery for their particular sport. We are talking sport athletes that push the limits and that ice bath, which has been a staple in HS-pro locker rooms for years. For hypertrophy, an overwhelming number of studies are showing it can reduce the body's ability to grow muscle after training. It is being more and more accepted that for people with aesthetic goals and even strength goals, to just rest, sleep and eat and let that be their best recovery strategy. The old "rest and Netflix" approach. BUT, for TikTok fitness influencers, getting mostly naked in ice baths get more clicks!

When I was talking about resetting myself after my fast my digestion was better, my concentration was better, and I didn't seem to have spikes in my blood sugar if I had a high carb meal. My joints also felt better.

There are tons of evidence of the benefits of fasting, doctors Rhonda Patrick and Huberman have had several guest on their shows as well as went over their own research about all that fasting does.