Having Another Crack at Water Fasting!!

[ash312]

Got through day 1!!! Hip hip hooray. I am 3 pounds down (assume that is all water, but nonetheless, it is 3 pounds!) Another inch gone off your tummy in 7 days!!!!-This is definitely the most effective for those that can make it through the first few days of hunger. I am actually feeling pretty good today...I have a slightly uneasy feeling in my stomach, but I feel so much smaller and less bloated, and that makes the bad feelings in my stomach worth it. Quick question: Is the tea allowed on the pure water fast? I don't wanna cheat! Have a great day-good luck completing day 8. Have you set an end date yet?

[zaster]

Hey Ash,nah herb tea(non caffiene)will not affect your water fast. I've been on a few water fasts before and it has not affected my progress at all.It helps to feel that you aren't entirely stuck with water sometimes!Im so glad you got through the first day,its those first few days-they are the worst,if you can get past them and realise ,no, hunger pangs aren't fatal and pass eventually,you have jumped one of the biggest hurdles.Then will be the detox symptoms-not good sometimes!!!Just remind yourself these symptoms are caused by fat being burned that previously held onto your bodies toxins.We shove so much un-natural things in and on our bodies these days ,and our systems just werent designed to deal with so much crap.It resorts to emergency measures and stores it in our fat,as far away from our internal organs as possible.A last ditch attempt to protect us.Thats why its sooo important to make sure you drink lots of water.Its not hard for me because normally I have to drink a lot,I get very thirsty.When fasting I drink even more because it helps the detox along a bit.I think nowadays a lot of people just dont drink water,and that has to be a factor in so many people being toxin affected and overweight.I used to think nothing of drinking only soft drinks and coffee all day!I used to say "Water-GROSS! Do you know what fish do in it!!! Hey,I lost another inch!!!Down to 40 inches now!!Beside myself with glee!My goal is to lose another ten so I can get into my jeans again,so however long it takes..I have 2 little doggies of my own,a female Jack Russell,and a male Shi-tzu.She is the boss,let me tell you!!

[ash312]

Almost to the end of day 3! I am down another 3 pounds and even though I know it is water weight, seeing the numbers drop so fast is so motivating! I had some herb tea last night before bed and slept like a baby! I have been drinking a TON of distilled water and am really feeling great so far. I am not too terribly hungry and my only moments of weakness come when I am watching TV because I normally snack constantly while I watch. How much water do you drink per day, on average? Congrats on the next inch down-I also have a goal pair of jeans that I wore to my college orientation 3 years ago! Hopefully they will fit I can't even button them now and lately the won't even go up all the way....but that's why I am determined this time!

Hope your day went well!

[zaster]

Yay Ash!!3 pounds in 3 days is a really good start.Im really happy you are doing so well,Ive not lost another inch but its that time and I tend to bloat.Im not sure how much water I drink,but it seems like quite a lot.Ill have to try and write it down so I can tell you.The last couple of days Ive been suffering from acid reflux,the only stuff I had for it had sugar in it!!!Grrrr. But I seem okay today.Day 9 for me.I realised I miscalculated back from the start,as I planned to start on the 11th, what day I was on,my brain wasnt funtioning very well for a while there,so Im blaming it on fasting!!!Im feeling pretty good today,no headaches, not feeling like Im going to pass out if I sit up.But I have a few monster pimples -detox at its ugliest! Oh well it will be worth it in the end,my Mum will get a surprise when I see her next,cant wait!!) My husband hasn't even noticed I've lost weight but my 10 year old daughter noticed and complimented me(she said 'wow,mum,now your tummy only sticks out a little bit now!!')sweet girl. I still think of food a lot ,I don't try to ignore the thoughts,but I think of my goal and let them pass.I know what you mean about snacking in front of the TV,my fav was to do it when the Biggest Loser was on(naughty,naughty!!) Hope you're doing well,I think having a buddy really helps in this,doing such a hard thing would be harder on my own!!

[MellowGuy]

Hello ask312 and zaster!

Brand new to the board and to water fasting in general. I just wanted to chime in and congratulate you both on your progress and to add that your thread has been very inspiring and motivating.

So far I'm on day 3 of my water fast (my first time and its quite hard). Aside from the feeling of weakness and chills this morning I seem to be holding up.

With my ignorance and lack of knowledge, I of course did not prepare myself properly (just discovered this site the other night and found out I was supposed to prep at least a week in advance), and just jumped right into it.

I long for the day these symptoms get easier but I know I will not falter due to my stubbornness. Keep up the good work you two and I hope to share in your continuing progress!

[zaster]

Hey there MellowGuy,thanks for your lovely comments,its support like that ,that helps us to keep going! Im on day 10 and I couldn't resist,I weighed even though I thought I'd surprise myself at the end(and also I can get obsessed and start weighing a few times a day!)Ive lost 7.3 kilos!I just had to go to the converter and thats 16 pounds.I would say just by looking theres a fair bit more to go,but Im pretty chuffed with that result! Hey,in the first few days I had some chills too,probably because even though I was eating properly ,I couldn't resist a cup of coffee in the morning.Not preparing properly can make detox hit you like a brick wall,it's true,but the first few days are a struggle even for those who prepare well but have never experienced water fasting.Water fasting can be the one of the biggest challenges you will ever face,and worse still,post fasting you must retrain yourself to eat a truly healthy diet,and if you have a history of binge eating like me,every bit of weight you fought so hard to lose could pile back on in a few months(I know ,I did it!)Im glad to hear you are determined,you will definitely need to be!Ive found reading other peoples posts really helps me when I start to falter.One thing I've noticed is the inflammation in my back from a prior injury has not been bothering me,which it usually does.Perhaps some of the foods I eat are to blame?Im just glad to be feeling good,to be able to sit without pain makes me happy Ash,how are you going,hope you are hanging in there!

[MellowGuy]

Heya zaster. Congrats on day 10!

Months ago, I would not have believed people could even survive without eating for a week. Now I know not only is it possible but also necessary for good health. And wow congrats on 16 pounds weight loss! That is something most people I know would only believe possible with a heavily marketed "diet plan" that takes months to accomplish. Your progress continues to inspire.

I've just started day 4 of pure water fasting and I feel much better than day 3. I still don't understand it, but I felt so drained and tired at the beginning of day 3 yet felt so energized in the evening. I was even able to work out and lift weights. Hopefully this mysterious surge of energy continues today but I expect more obstacles along the way.

I've kept in mind your reluctance not to be obsessed with weighing yourself all day, and so I've tried to keep a record of my starting weight only when I wake up from the night's sleep. So far, I've only been able to lose about a pound per day (total of 5 pounds since day 1). I don't know how others are losing from 3-6 pounds per day (I know this is mostly water weight) but that's incredible!

From what I've been reading from your progress, I have some concerns as to how I'll react to seeing food all around me. But most of all, how to deal with friends and family regarding my water fasting. I'm sure you've faced such issues in your own way. Anyway, keep up the great work!

Ash312 (sorry I typoed your name last post!), I hope you are doing well. Keep the faith no matter what and may we all need to shop for new jeans soon

[ash312]

Hello Zaster and MellowGuy!
So sorry I haven't written in a couple of days. Believe it or not, after 60 degree weather all week, we had a huge snow storm hit and got 12 INCHES!!!! My electricity stayed on (thank goodness) but my cable and internet has been down, so I have had a couple of relaxing movie days to get me by.

Zaster....16 pounds is AMAZING...I am so happy for you. And, about the Biggest Loser binges, I totally understand where you are coming from. I love the Biggest Loser, but tend to sit and eat while I watch. I already have this week's episode set to record, and to not feel so guilty, I walk on the treadmill while I watch it. It is actually empowering and I love burning those extra calories! I am down another two pounds, so that is 8 pounds already! I have had a horrible headache today (assuming that is detox) and have had pretty low energy, but hopefully a good night's rest tonight will help.

MellowGuy, hello. It made me smile when I read your post. It is good to know that while Zaster and I are struggling to make this time work and support each other, we are motivating others. I hadn't really considered that when I started posting, but it is great to know that we are making a difference. About you starting the fast "cold turkey"...I used juice fasting first to lessen the effects of the detox, but starting cold turkey will seem to get the harsh symptoms out of way quickly instead of drawing it out with less severe symptoms. I think if you stick it out through the hardest detox days, you will be grateful, and your resolve will be that much higher. Keep it up!

About telling the friends and family...I have tried to keep my water fasting a semi-secret, only telling people that I know will not lecture me. A prime example is my boyfriend of five years...He is very against the water fasting any time I have tried to approach the subject with him, but I feel strongly that in order to be happy and slimmer and a healthier eater, that I need to do this. I plan to tell him after my ten day mark, and to show him some improvement, but I understand why you wouldn't want to tell many people. People tend to see it as starving rather than detoxing. What they don't seem to realize is that sometimes we have reached such unhealthy habits and are so unhappy with our body that this is the only solution.

I am also concerned with ending the fast, but I am already noticing a huge difference in what I am craving. When I go to Walmart, I pass by the fresh produce and vegetables and it all looks so good. I don't tempt myself by going farther into the grocery section, but I can still see a difference in what I crave. One of my huge weaknesses is Mexican food-I LOVE it, and although it is really hard to resist-I can proudly say that I went with friends last night and just carried my own water I was still able to visit, and if I am going to be completely honest, I must say that I was kind of repulsed by the chips and cheese dip they were eating endlessly. It made me feel really really good!

MellowGuy, how many days are you planning on doing? Keep us posted-I think I can speak for Zaster and myself that we could always use another buddy!

[zaster]

Day 12 and hunger is just not there at all.Noticed I can do some of my bigger pants up better,(not cutting off my circulation anymore!!!)Ash,good to hear from you again,8 pounds,thats fantastic!You should be proud.I have to say I dont broadcast what Im doing,and I guess Im lucky in a way Im at home with my boys so I dont have to be confronted by well meaning friends who might mistakenly believe I have an eating disorder.I do,but mine is uncontrollable food binges,not on the other end of the spectrum.Ash,I crave spinach and the like,and chicken and salmon.I used to lust after chocolate and chips!!! Snow,huh?Ive never seen snow,believe it or not!But I hate the cold so maybe its just as well! Will weigh in about a week so I can let you know my progress,hope you are well and staying strong.MellowGuy,how are you going?

[MellowGuy]

Hello again Ash and Zaster!

I haven't had time to post in a couple of days, I'm glad you two are doing well. I continue to be amazed at your progress, thank you for sharing!

I'm now on Day 8 of my water fast. Lost 11 pounds so far and feel ok (despite the low energy levels). I've met some uncomfortable obstacles (probably not new to you guys ), but as I am very new to fasting, can be quite a headache.

Mostly from family who are now vocally against my rapid loss in weight (ironically, some of them didn't mind poking at me that I'm getting fat). I also tried to curb appetite by having carbonated water (I read some somewhere in this site this works), which only caused me a lot of pain for a whole day.

Ash, as far as going "Cold Turkey", I think its not as hard for me because I've had similar experiences from past food addictions. Since the year 2000, I make it a point to give up something I crave for a whole year. Last year it was all red meats for a year, the year before was all caffeine (that was hard!!) etc.. Luckily my stubbornness helped me to stick to it.

As I read and learn more about water fasting (you guys should check out those youtube diaries of people who document their water fast), I keep coming to the fact that the hardest and most dangerous part is BREAKING the fast. There are also a lot of contradicting information as to how to break the fast properly, which has me a bit concerned.

I'm planning to break my fast in two days (Day 10) because I'd like to really tackle this problem before I can go on a much longer fast. Keep up the great work you two and I look forward to how you're doing with your progress!