Day 2 – The Importance of Proper Preparation
January 28, 2025
FIVE DAYS? JUST WATER?! YOU CAN DO THIS!
One might think that a five day water fast is impossible. I am here to tell you that it is possible as long as you prepare for it properly. The key is to get your body out of carbohydrate dependency and into fat-burning mode. Your body is very good at using fat for energy when you give it the opportunity.
A problem that most people have is that they get the majority of their calories from carbohydrates such as refined wheat products, sugar, and highly processed foods. This makes fasting difficult as your body craves the quick energy that these foods provide. When you adapt to burning fat your body is more adept at using its internal stores of fat for energy. This makes fasting attainable and sustainable.
The Enemy Within
Contrary to popular belief fat is not the enemy. Sugar is the real enemy! Please note: I am not talking about the natural sugar in fruits and vegetables. When we eat a lot of refined sugar (white sugar and sugar substitutes) and simple carbs (think white flour products) our bodies store the excess calories as fat. Doing so causes us to become less insulin sensitive. This can lead to bad health outcomes and even Type 2 diabetes.
Sugar and refined carbs also create cravings which are not good if you want to fast for a longer period of time. The best thing to do before a fast is to start a ketogenic diet so that you can get past the hunger. This can be done ahead of time so that you have better success. Dr. Daniel Pompa has a great book, “Beyond Fasting”, which goes into detail about fasting. He has a 7-week program which can help you transition from carb burning to fat burning.
How I Prepared For The Five Day Water Fast
I will let you in on a little secret: I have been intermittent fasting since March of 2023. My usual eating window is 8 hours between 12 pm and 8 pm. Outside of that I only drink water. The reason for doing this is health related. I am currently changing that window and will talk about that and my health journey in upcoming posts. Exciting news to share with you!!!
Foods For Success
The day before the water fast I ate low-carb and made sure to include healthy fats.
- Big salad with healthy toppings such as nuts, avocado and extra-virgin olive oil
- Organic, Free-Range Egg omelet with grass-fed butter and cheese
- Magic Bullet Coffee with MCT oil
On the day of my fast I had one meal at 12:00 pm.
- Organic, Free-Range Egg omelet with grass-fed butter and cheese
- Sautéed Organic spinach with extra-virgin olive oil and nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup of homemade SIBO yogurt with some Purely Elizabeth granola (I am addicted to this granola BTW) Check your supermarket for availability
LET’S GO WATER FAST!!!
My fasting window began at 12:30 pm yesterday (Monday). At 8:30 am I checked my GKI (blood glucose and ketone level) and to my great surprise I was already in high therapeutic ketosis. I felt a bit shaky in the morning but was much better after drinking plenty of water and adding in electrolytes and a dash of salt. This afternoon I felt amazing even after 24 hours!
Maximum Autophagy Here I Come!
As of this posting 8:00 pm I am feeling pretty good. I did have a small cup of black organic dark-roast coffee this afternoon and a cup of green tea around 5:30 pm to help boost autophagy. Autophagy is the phase of ketosis when your body starts eating up your bad cells (even cancer cells).
What Else Can Autophagy Do?
The process of autophagy, translated from the Greek meaning “self-eating”, provides so many health benefits to the body. It can:
- Recycle damaged cells
- Promote new cell growth
- Prevent tissue damage
- Stave off neurodegenerative disease
- Get rid of bad gut bacteria
- Make you look younger
With all of these benefits why wouldn’t everyone want to give it a try? Especially the looking younger! Who couldn’t use some of that?
Autophagy even increases brain cells. If you are starving your body then your brain needs to be on high alert and prepared to go forage for food. You need to be thinking clearly and reasoning in order to get yourself out of this situation. The body does not want to fail so it becomes optimized. You can even build more muscle when you are in autophagy. This is due to your body making more human growth hormone. Just be sure to eat protein during your eating window.
Water In, Water Out
I am now about to head into my infrared sauna to boost autophagy even more. The Sunlighten Sauna is the best investment that I ever made for my health – honestly. It is my personal oasis. It also takes my mind off of the five day fast. I get the sauna up to about 131°F, put the colorful lights on, turn on my favorite music, then get in, sit back, relax and sweat it all out. If you use a sauna be sure to drink plenty of water as you detoxify your body.
To learn even more about boosting autophagy here are some tips from Thomas DeLauer on how to maximize the benefits of a fast – 4 Ways to Immediately INCREASE Autophagy When Fasting.