Trying a 40 day water fast, does anyone have any experience?

[93civicracer]

I've been doing a whole lot of research on water fasting, and I recently went on a successful 3 day water fast with ease. 5'8" and weighing 210 pounds, I decided to do it mostly to lose weight and try to get down to 140-160 pounds, until I started doing extensive research on the health and detox benefits of a water fast. I really want to do it to lose weight and clean out my body at the same time. I lost over 10 pounds on my 3 day water fast. I wasn't even hungry at all either, I'm pretty sure I can handle a much longer fast.

I'm not going anorexic haha, I've been eating since the 3-day fast which ended about 5 days ago. My question is has anyone else done a long water fast? Would anyone recommend not doing it for weightloss?

I don't have any serious health problems. I am bipolar and am taking 1500 milligrams of Depakote (sp?) nightly and that's about it.

Just looking for some input or advice, anything I should watch out for, thanks in advance for any replies.

[wolfgang]

30 Day Trial - Water Fasting

[colbycheeze]

You don't really really hear of many people doing a 40 day water fast. Going that many days it would be much easier on you if you did a juice fast I think. The biggest thing I think is to just make sure you get enough rest, and be sure that you have a clear plan for coming off of the fast so that you do not get very ill and damage your body.

This will be tough, but if you are able to do it then it can be life changing. Good luck!

[Jonathan Mead]

I do not recommend attempting a 40 day fast after one doing one 3 day fast. You need to build yourself up to that level. Even then, I question the practicality of a 40 day water fast. Maybe a 40 day juice fast, but after 40 days of water, I think your body may start using vital tissue for energy.

Are you planning on having supervision during this fast? Any water fast longer than 5 days and it is vital to have proper supervision.

[evrgrn3]

Greetings,

I am an open minded person...really, I am -- as esoteric and holistic as I think the next person. Could someone help me understand the health benefits of a water only fast for 40 days?

Are there not necessary nutrients and even proteins that the body needs? Would this not be uber-extreme?

Thank you to who ever educates me :-)

[Barcs]

Originally Posted by 93civicracer

I've been doing a whole lot of research on water fasting, and I recently went on a successful 3 day water fast with ease. 5'8" and weighing 210 pounds, I decided to do it mostly to lose weight and try to get down to 140-160 pounds, until I started doing extensive research on the health and detox benefits of a water fast. I really want to do it to lose weight and clean out my body at the same time. I lost over 10 pounds on my 3 day water fast. I wasn't even hungry at all either, I'm pretty sure I can handle a much longer fast.

I'm not going anorexic haha, I've been eating since the 3-day fast which ended about 5 days ago. My question is has anyone else done a long water fast? Would anyone recommend not doing it for weightloss?

I don't have any serious health problems. I am bipolar and am taking 1500 milligrams of Depakote (sp?) nightly and that's about it.

Just looking for some input or advice, anything I should watch out for, thanks in advance for any replies.

One thing I would highly recommend is to not take your medication during the fast. You don't want foreign substances in your body at that time. You might even be able to improve your condition and lose your dependency on the drug. Going from 3 days to 40 is no easy task. I did 3 three weeks (2 weeks water, one week juice) earlier this year. Just be sure to read the 30 day trial thread that was referenced above. There is some great information in there.

[ken nubo]

I tried water fasting for two days, and I almost died.

Good luck on your attempt

[Joeschmoe]

You almost died?
What happened?
People should be able to go for weeks without food.

[Lucas]

Water Fasting was one of the most profound things I have ever done. Not only was it a huge paradigm shift, but it was an immensely introspective experience. I would suggest everyone do at least a 14 day water fast sometime in their life.

Don't do it for the weight loss, do it for the different perspective, the weight loss was last on the list of benefits. People can say all they want about what is good or bad about fasting, but only a few people have the real experience under their belts. I subscribe to the idea that personal development is personally experiencing both sides of the fence and then deciding where you reside.

Wolfgang linked to my thread, and I am in the process of turning my experience into a 3 part article. I could write forever about it really.

[93civicracer]

Nothing but water since the first post (okay, I had ONE medium sized diet dr. pepper), and it's weird I don't feel weak at all I actually find it easier to do my job. I go to school from 8 AM to 3 PM, then work from 4 PM - 11 PM at Popeye's Chicken, you could say I bust my ass there lol. I feel better than ever, strange. Felt really refreshed this morning which was a huge plus!

Another thing I forgot to mention is I'm a heavy smoker, like I go through a pack a day when I'm working full time and going to school, and during summer 2-3 packs a day, full flavored cigarettes.

That was a nice article! But judging from what people tell me about my bipolar manic episode, I don't know if I could bring myself to risk getting off my medication. It was pretty bad apparently.

I think I know how to get off the fast...nothing but natural fruit juices for a week after the fast, then add in soups for another week or two, then eventually solid vegetables and healthy foods, right?

[seanner689]

Hey, first off, just want to say good luck with the fast.

Just a question ... do you find that you are smoking more now that you're not eating as much? I mean, is smoking starting to substitute for food, or do you find that not eating gives you less triggers to smoke, or is there no real effect?

Also, I've been reading on here that people tend to experience heightened senses of smell and taste from fasting. I'm curious to know if that applies to someone who smokes ... ie if you can taste and smell your cigarettes better?

I'd love to see someone go on a trial where they fast AND stop smoking, I'm sure their sense of taste would increase very dramatically.

Please keep us posted on your experience.

[Ninja]

Originally Posted by Barcs

One thing I would highly recommend is to not take your medication during the fast. You don't want foreign substances in your body at that time. You might even be able to improve your condition and lose your dependency on the drug. Going from 3 days to 40 is no easy task. I did 3 three weeks (2 weeks water, one week juice) earlier this year. Just be sure to read the 30 day trial thread that was referenced above. There is some great information in there.

No! Do not do this! Bipolar medicine is not like a vitamin supplement! Even if you *could* go without them, it will still be dangerous to quit cold turkey. It could kill you. Do not stop taking your meds without consulting your doctor first!!!

[Jim11]

if you have the discipline to fast for 40 days why are you 5'8 210 in the first place?

I fast periodically for a day or two when I feel I've been eating unhealthy foods or for various other reasons... but 40 days seems extreme.

[93civicracer]

Haha fasting is awesome I feel great. That's all I can say for now.

But as far as being 5'8" and weighing 200 pounds even tho I have the discipline to fast, I don't know. It's just like what they say, you can do anything you set your mind to, I've been fasting since my first post effortlessly, and my previous 3 day fast was just as easy even though I'm borderline obese and working in fast food.

I'm not getting off my bipolar meds, I know the crazy **** people do when they stop their mental health medication like killing people.

And about smoking, nah I'm smoking about the same as I always do. One right after the other when I'm not at work or school, I guess you could say I've got some stress I'm a real chain smoker. They taste much better, especially menthols.

All I can say is I feel GREAT. I mean it's like all the time now I feel just as at ease with myself as I used to when I was smoking marijuana a couple years ago, but it feels MUCH more real and earned. You know, the way you can always tell when you're on drugs that it's a fake/undeserved euphoric feeling? This just feels absolutely amazing.

Did I forget to mention that I'm 17 years old?

[oberlee]

I think it's fabulous that you want to lose weight and to get a better perspective. I also think it's great that you have the discipline to do so. I ALSO think it's fantastic and admirable that you go to school AND work so much. AND, that you're 17.

You're in the right direction, and you have so much positive energy and dynamics, and that's a wonderful place to be at such a young age. Not to rain on your parade, but I do think that you might want to rely on some other form of diet or even fasting to lose weight. I'm so happy you're feeling great, but sometimes we feel euphoric when it's not actually a good cause.

Also, being a smoker (I, uh, am too, though I recently quit and so I'm in that between phase, where I won't admit I'm a smoker even though I smoke every day, I still consider myself just straying from my 'norm'), I would suggest you try an easier diet, and work on the smoking. I don't know s*** from shayana as far as what's good or not, but eating no food and smoking sounds REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY bad to me. I would work on the smoking first. THEN, work on everything else. Or, just do it all at once.

I am currently in a raw food phase, and I feel fabulous, and it's very, very easy to lose weight on this way of eating. I'm not doing it to lose weight, but to be healthy.

That's my 2 cents. I don't know if this is true, but it seems like smoking would counteract the benefits of a fast. Or, it would make the smoking impact your body even more. For the worse.

[aussieNickuss]

You're 17, a pack-a-day (sometimes more) smoker, weigh 200lb and you're only giving your body water?!? Good god man....sounds to me like you're giving your body one hell of a kick in the ass.

I'm not really knowledgeable on this topic, but honestly.....how could not feeding your body have any health benefits at all? Food is the only way to give your body the energy, nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs (apart from water of course). Man, you're better off doing what every other person who has lost significant weight does. Eat nothing but healthy foods, cut the smokes, and get up off your ass and do some exercise!

I just don't get why people go on such extreme "diets".

[JimC]

I'd like to try water fasting but I get horrible headaches if I don't eat for more than 24 hours. Maybe a juice fast a better way to start? Then again, I'd get the runs.

[Barcs]

Originally Posted by 93civicracer

Haha fasting is awesome I feel great. That's all I can say for now.

But as far as being 5'8" and weighing 200 pounds even tho I have the discipline to fast, I don't know. It's just like what they say, you can do anything you set your mind to, I've been fasting since my first post effortlessly, and my previous 3 day fast was just as easy even though I'm borderline obese and working in fast food.

I'm not getting off my bipolar meds, I know the crazy **** people do when they stop their mental health medication like killing people.

And about smoking, nah I'm smoking about the same as I always do. One right after the other when I'm not at work or school, I guess you could say I've got some stress I'm a real chain smoker. They taste much better, especially menthols.

All I can say is I feel GREAT. I mean it's like all the time now I feel just as at ease with myself as I used to when I was smoking marijuana a couple years ago, but it feels MUCH more real and earned. You know, the way you can always tell when you're on drugs that it's a fake/undeserved euphoric feeling? This just feels absolutely amazing.

Did I forget to mention that I'm 17 years old?

Are you fully grown/developed? I really wouldn't recommend fasting if you're a minor and you're not fully matured. Besides that it seems like you have quite a few vices in your life right now. You might want to wait until you're a little bit older and more in control of your life before attempting to fast, especially for longer than a week. If you've already started then I guess it's a little late, but I'm going to tell you something you probably don't want to hear. Stuff like cigarettes, meds, even diet soda puts toxins into the body, so if you truly want to fast, you need to rid yourself of those dependencies. I know it's easier said than done, but if you are going to fast, you need to do it right. Nothing should be ingested by you except for water (or juice if you are juice fasting) Putting caffeine and artificial sugar (diet dr pepper) into your system after/during fasting is probably more detrimental to your health than normally drinking it, not to mention that you will counteract the detox. I don't think that you should be fasting at this point in your life. No offense, but water fasting isn't for everybody. If weight loss is your primary goal, juice fasting (or just healthy diet and exercise)is probably what you want

[Barcs]

Originally Posted by Ninja

No! Do not do this! Bipolar medicine is not like a vitamin supplement! Even if you *could* go without them, it will still be dangerous to quit cold turkey. It could kill you. Do not stop taking your meds without consulting your doctor first!!!

Wow, they really make you dependent on their drugs, eh? That's disgusting if you ask me.

[Ninja]

Originally Posted by Barcs

Wow, they really make you dependent on their drugs, eh? That's disgusting if you ask me.

May I offer you a tinfoil hat? Though I don't think the medicine industry is all that honest, they are not out to destroy mankind. A lot of drugs are good and have saved/improved milions if not bilions of lives. I'll tell you what is disgusting: going crazy and killing yourself while the evil medicine could have saved you. Being bi-polar is not like having the common cold...

You are not dependent on the drug (though most bi-polars go pretty much bonkers without it), but once you take it, it needs to build up in your body and stay at a certain 'level'. That's also why it does not work *magical poof* immediately. If you stop the medicine cold turkey, the level will drop too fast, which can cause serious damage to your body and even cause death, depending on the medicine you take. So you can quit if you need to for some reason, just not cold turkey.

I'm not bi-polar but I take other medicine that works like this. If I one day get to the point where I can go without (like when a new, better medicine is invented), I'll need to slowly lower my dosage or else things won't look pretty.

93civicracer: I have an aunt who is bi-polar and I have seen her with and without her meds. Please, for your own sake as well as the sake of those around you: do not quit the meds. If you take them, you will feel better, more stable, balanced... You'll feel (almost) normal and there lies the trap: because you feel normal and stable, you might think you can go without the meds. Then you see dangerous people on the internet suggesting that you can ignore your doctor, earlier experiences and plain ol' common sense and quit the meds. That is the last push you need to dump your pills in the garbage bin and you do not immediately lose your sanity. Great! Until it starts again: the manic periods, the depressed periods, maybe even paranoia, hallucinations, rapid cycling, all that good stuff. And before you know it, you are too far gone to realize that maybe meds weren't made out of pure evil after all. And even if you are lucky enough to realize you need to start taking it again, it will take time for your levels to rise and for things to return back to normal. If you have not already lost your job, house or life-as-you-know-it by then...

I have seen this happen. I have seen what bi-polar disorder can do to people when untreated. Please trust your doctor rather than strangers on the internet.

Please.

[93civicracer]

I'm well aware of the effects of bipolar disorder. I lost my first job when I was 16 because of a manic episode, and I don't even remember any of it. I pretty much blacked out, my bosses thought it was just drugs which I can't deny, I WAS getting high at work and all the time 24/7 marijuana and sometimes cocaine for the last few weeks before it happened (I had it rough back then) so that's understandable, and the things people tell me I said and did I just can't believe. They said I didn't sleep or eat for over 5 days straight, and a whole lot of other weird **** I'd rather not mention. (working 12 hour days with no break, lucky to get 1 day off per week during summer) All I remember thinking about was feeling super good (manic), and not caring about a thing, just pretty much waiting to die at the same time, I really can't put it in words exactly what it's like I just lost myself completely. Apparently I was pretty bad, they had me taking over 2900 mg of different crap along with injections every time I started a fight with the guards at this psychiatric care facility my mom admitted me to for 2 weeks. And now I'm on 1500 mg's nightly. I've been drug free for over a year now but I can't get off the cigarettes! I'm doing a lot better now, still working ~40 hours a week and going to high school, getting into mechanics because I love working on cars, got a 93 Honda Civic project I've been on for some time now and I want to work on mostly imports.

As for the fast, still going strong but I had another diet dr. pepper, the last one this time for sure.

[Ninja]

Originally Posted by 93civicracer

I'm well aware of the effects of bipolar disorder. I lost my first job when I was 16 because of a manic episode, and I don't even remember any of it. I pretty much blacked out, my bosses thought it was just drugs which I can't deny, I WAS getting high at work and all the time 24/7 marijuana and sometimes cocaine for the last few weeks before it happened (I had it rough back then) so that's understandable, and the things people tell me I said and did I just can't believe. They said I didn't sleep or eat for over 5 days straight, and a whole lot of other weird **** I'd rather not mention. (working 12 hour days with no break, lucky to get 1 day off per week during summer) All I remember thinking about was feeling super good (manic), and not caring about a thing, just pretty much waiting to die at the same time, I really can't put it in words exactly what it's like I just lost myself completely. Apparently I was pretty bad, they had me taking over 2900 mg of different crap along with injections every time I started a fight with the guards at this psychiatric care facility my mom admitted me to for 2 weeks. And now I'm on 1500 mg's nightly. I've been drug free for over a year now but I can't get off the cigarettes! I'm doing a lot better now, still working ~40 hours a week and going to high school, getting into mechanics because I love working on cars, got a 93 Honda Civic project I've been on for some time now and I want to work on mostly imports.

As for the fast, still going strong but I had another diet dr. pepper, the last one this time for sure.

I have heard of people with bi-polar disorder being more sensitive to bloodsugar dropping. Maybe you should include some fruit juice, just to be safe?

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by Jim11

if you have the discipline to fast for 40 days why are you 5'8 210 in the first place?

Because everybody starts somewhere.

[sehall]

I am a medical practioner. Do NOT water fast for 30 days. You will loose all necessary electrolites etc. Runners have died drinking too much water. Think about it. I don't want to bore you with medical jargon; one note: you are also on Depakote, this is metabolized throught the liver I could go on and on but the point is you will be getting more Depakote in your system and this wouldn't be good.

[93civicracer]

Still stayin on the water. But the medical practitioner above has a point...I think instead I'll just drink water and fruit juice, and live on a sub 300 calorie a day healthy foods only diet for a while to lose more weight. I'm around 189 pounds now, and I felt weak as hell yesterday so I think I'll just stay on a highly restrictive diet for a while.

[escapee]

Listen to me don't do it . Your will deplete your body the essential nutrients to perform normal body functions for going 40 days without food but just water.

Essential nutrient - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An essential nutrient is a nutrient required for normal body functioning that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from a dietary source. Some categories of essential nutrient include vitamins, dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids.

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by sehall

I am a medical practioner. Do NOT water fast for 30 days. You will loose all necessary electrolites etc. Runners have died drinking too much water. Think about it. I don't want to bore you with medical jargon; one note: you are also on Depakote, this is metabolized throught the liver I could go on and on but the point is you will be getting more Depakote in your system and this wouldn't be good.

Could you bore me with the medical jargon please?

I concur with the Depakote statement completely, but the human body is amazing and personally could not see how water fasting could be as bad as continuing on a standard american diet of highly processed foods and empty carbs/calories.

[Barcs]

Originally Posted by sehall

I am a medical practioner. Do NOT water fast for 30 days. You will loose all necessary electrolites etc. Runners have died drinking too much water.

Question: What does water fasting have to do with runners drinking too much water and dying? They are completely unrelated as you shouldn't do too much exercise while water fasting.

Most doctors/practitioners are against fasting. I'm not sure why. If you do it properly the risk is very small and the benefits are great. Everybody is different and I know a couple people that have water fasted for 40 days. It's probably not the best thing for you if you're metabolism is high or if you're thin though and everyone should have some kind of medical supervision while doing it. Also your body does get nutrients from stored fat. It's not like you are getting nothing.

[sehall]

You will deplete your body of essential electrolites; sodium, potassium, calcium, etc. Your body, although it is very amazing, needs these to FUNCTION. Every cell in your body needs more than H20; there are channels in every cell and each channel is designed specifically for certain nutrients; i.e. NA+ (Sodium) has it's own channel to enter and exit. Drinking too much water or only drinking water will literally dilute, wash out, engorge your cell. If you heart muscle doesn't get electrolites and just water it will not be able to do its job properly. Please go to sites like webmd. You will find pages of info that should explain in laymans terms. Remeber that every organ, in fact your whole body is made up of cells, all of it.

As for that comment about what does runners dying of drinking too much water and water fasting have in common; the runners drank so much water they lost their electrolites in their urine, sweat, etc. very quickly--compare that to someone doing it slowly, like 40 days...... find medical sites that can break down the physiology of this in terms the public can understand. Be careful though because I've been told there are some people going to health forums and such; these sites are not monitored or sponsored or endorsed by health professionals.

[bdp]

First of all: LOL @ sehall. Your WebMD-style advice is entertaining. It's sad that our health practitioners are so clueless about such basic things as fasting.

I have a bit of experience. I've fasted for 5 days. By day 4 I was too weak to go to work, but otherwise felt amazing. I will do it again. I lost 5 lbs of fat, which did not return.

40 days is a lot, especially for an unhealthy person on medication and such. In your case, I think you have made the right choice to do a juice fast.

If you want some real advice on fasting, check out Dr. Joel Fuhrman. He's got a book on fasting, and you can communicate with him via his web site. He fasted 40+ days once to heal his injured foot when he was a world class figure skater. Cool guy.