This article is the quick down and dirty, the essentials, on what you need to know to enjoy the health benefits of fasting. I won’t waste time digging into the benefits of fasting here as this has been detailed in other articles I’ve written.
“I have never fasted in the past.”
If you have never fasted then the first step is to relax and realize this is easy. Just don’t eat. Don’t over think it and don’t fret over it. So, you feel hungry . . . is that so bad? Being hungry is a MILD discomfort at most. There are people around the world starving to death and so going a few hours without food should be done in humble silence.
General starting guidelines and tips:
• Fasting starts after 12 hours of not eating. Not even ONE calorie. Water only. I allow for plain tea or black coffee (nothing added) in my fasted states. You can choose or reject that option.
• The goal is to make it to 16 hours as your initial target. You may need several attempts to make it this far but that's fine.
• Do this when you are working or otherwise busy and distracted.
• Set your start and finish time in advance. Setting these times in your mind will give a more definitive start and stop time which makes it more tangible.
• On days you are fasting do not take any vitamins or supplements. If you take medication then continue these on fasting days.
• Ending your fast at 16 hours misses out on the best benefits of fasting in general. Your fat burning is just starting to increase but is not into full swing yet. You spent 16 hours just using up your stored carbohydrates (glycogen) but barely tapped into fat burning.
• With any fast, plan on getting plenty of water.
“I have done a 16 hour fast but nothing longer than that.”
If you have done a 16 hour fast several times then you have some experience and will easily be able to arrive at a 24 hour fast. A 24 hour fast is far more beneficial than a simple 16 hour fast. This is when the real autophagy (cellular detox) starts. Autophagy is when the body’s cells clean out old damaged parts and become more efficient. This doesn't start to occur until 14-16 hours of fasting and then accelerate to a high level as you blow through hour 18, 20, 24 and beyond.
• Select a firm start and stop time for your 24 hour fast. This will give you some structure and reduce the odds of you chickening out and stopping early.
• Give your brain a few days of advance notice before engaging so that again you are mentally prepared. Better odds of success. Remind yourself that it is just a fast and not a death-defying feat that requires superhuman skill or strength. Just don’t eat.
• Water only or some plain tea or black coffee. Even ONE calorie breaks a fast and activates your digestive system which we are putting at rest.
o I allow myself as much black coffee as I want on fasting days. It dulls the appetite and acts as my little reward for fasting. Some of that coffee needs to be decaffeinated.
• Plan the very meal you plan to end your fast with – don’t leave it to chance. You will be hungry and likely to eat everything within eyesight so plan this meal. Plan a meal heavier in protein and fat and make it a “modest” meal. After completing it then allow yourself 20 minutes before deciding if you need more food. If so, then go enjoy but by doing this in stages it prevents overeating immediately after a fast. I typically go for the basic steak and vegetable but no rice or potato. My body is in a nice ketogenic state and burning fat so I don’t want to abruptly stop that process with a high carb load.
Myths and common fallacies
Someone who has never fasted might think that without food they will feel dizzy, get a headache, be weak, be foggy headed and worthless. WRONG. Your body right now as you sit here has enough stored energy to keep you going for days, at least a week. That stored energy is FAT. Even a lean person has more than a hundred thousand fat calories ready to be used. The only way you would feel the negative symptoms listed above is if you are unable to access and utilize those fat calories. Well, this would mean you are insulin resistant and trending towards diabetes and the best way to reverse that trend is to FAST.
If you do get a headache, dizziness or other adverse feeling during you initial fast then simply recognize that this is your body trying to turn on its fat burning mode but it’s struggling. That's OK, just have something to eat, break your something with complex carbs, fat and protein and then try again tomorrow. Each time you attempt this you get better and better at it and before you know it you will have gone 24 hours and feel great doing it.
When I first started to fast years ago I was the WORST. I used to eat every 3 hours. THREE HOURS!! No great secrets here, just stay at it . . . try, try again and gradually change will occur. If you struggle, then you can try adding in a simple mineral formula on fasting days. I recommend “Full Mineral Jacket” (available on HippEvoShop.com) as it is a simple capsule and has no calories. I don’t normally use this on 24 hour fasts but if you are looking for support then take 2 capsules twice per day during your fast.
“ I have done a 24 hour fast but nothing longer.”
Here we go . . . deep into the weeds. Very few people do a 24 hour fast regularly and only a small fraction of those folks can lay claim to a 48 hour fast or longer. Why do this? Deeper autophagy (cellular detox) is certainly a benefit but now we are also turning on genes that promote longevity that aren’t accessible with shorter fasts. Fat burning is being accelerated to higher levels which makes this metabolic switch easier and easier to access in future efforts. You are becoming more metabolically flexible – able to burn fat easily.
• As always, plan your start and stop times. Be clear and definitive.
• Longer fasts require mineral replacement. Fasting leads to “dieresis”, this is excess fluid and mineral loss so replacing minerals will keep you sharp and energetic.
o I use “Full Mineral Jacket” which we carry in the HippEvo shop. Dosed as 2 capsules 2 to 3 times per day. As always, no other supplements while fasting.
• Once you are hungry you are simply hungry. It’s not as if the hunger gets greater or deeper, it’s just that you have more frequent thoughts of food. OK . . . big deal. You’re hungry. Look beyond that and in fact dive deep into that feeling. Reassess your relationship with food and hunger. Remind yourself that thousands of people elsewhere have been fasting longer than you and not by choice. Have respect for the process.
• You are fasting but those around you are not. Your hunger is not their problem and they don't need to know that you are hungry. Avoid announcing to the world that you haven’t eaten in #&*$ hours. This is your personal journey. Learn from it.
• Exercise. Yes, you read that right . . . exercise during a fast. Nothing crazy but a long walk or maybe some Zone 2 activity. I usually get on the bike for 30-40 minutes. Don’t expect to have your normal level of intensity but yes your body can burn fat and provide energy for exercise during a fast.
• Plan your exit meal far in advance. Keep it modest and mostly protein and healthy fat with some complex carbs. Wait 20 minutes before going back for a second helping. Yes, you are hungry but give the food a chance to register before stuffing yourself uncomfortably.
“Can I fast for more than 72 hours?”
You can, but should you? Fasting beyond 72 hours offers minimal beneficial return and costs a fortune in muscle loss. Your body increasingly breaks down muscle to fuel its desire for fuel as the fast drags on. This article is not intended to explore longer fasts.
Tricks, Tips & Tools
If you are new to fasting then here are a few ideas that might help you find success.
• Fiber powder consumption during a fast will feed the neuropod cells of the gut and the bacteria there that are contributing to your hunger signals. Yes it does contain some calories and technically will break your fast but it may be just the crutch you need to quiet the hunger and allow you to complete your journey.
o I like Thorne Research FiberMend powder (available on HippEvoShop.com) as it contains 4 different prebiotic fibers.
• Modulating the hunger signals of leptin and ghrelin with a natural plant based product like Crave Control (HippEvoShop.com) can be taken to reduce the overall hunger.
There you go. That's all you need to find your initial success in the world of fasting so go forth and do NOTHING. Enjoy your life without chewing for a day. Enjoy being free from meal planning and grocery shopping. Most importantly stay aware to the energy and mental clarity that can come from fasting on a regular basis.
