beginning a 21 day water fast and blogging it here :)

[syntaxerror]

hi all,

i've previously done water fasts and juice fasts of relatively short duration. the longest i've ever done a water fast was eight days. this will be my most rigorous fast. i'm doing it primarily to cleanse. i'll be honest, though. i'm in the process of losing weight and while i'm aware that most of the weight lost will be water weight, i don't mind as this is meant to kick start later weight loss.

i'm currently around 119 lbs and prepared for this water fast by doing six days on juice. i'm actually going to begin my first three days of water fasting with green tea and water both, aiming for about 3 L of water a day. fourth day onwards, it'll all be water.

i'll be documenting my journey throughout the fast.

i hope i can find a supportive crowd here!

[olivetree]

I'm all about water fasting. I'm finishing day 4 of a 10 day myself at the moment.

What is your height though? 119 is pretty low for a 21 day fast. I am sure you will be fine, but depending on your height, you may want to make sure you don't get under a certain weight without doctor supervision.

(Plus, for a long fast like 21 days, doctor supervision is pretty encouraged anyhow).

[sleepless]

Your body needs food. If you want to cleans yourself, peppermint tea and brown if you can, white if you can't rice is the best to start out with. You can't add salt to anything. Store bought juices have loads of sugar so fresh fruit is best. But 119 pounds I can only imagine you are trying to loose 2-3 pounds. You should base your weight on you BMI. Eating veggies, cutting out salt and sugar completely, less dairy products, and exercise is the best really.

[syntaxerror]

i'm actually only 5'2", so 119 is really pushing it for me, especially since i have a tiny frame and weight shows up easily.

[syntaxerror]

Originally Posted by sleepless

Store bought juices have loads of sugar so fresh fruit is best.

are you saying that fresh fruit is better than store bought juices, or that juice made of fresh fruit as opposed to the store bought variety is better?

in either case, i juice my own vegetables and fruits at home - i would never touch the stuff they pass off at normal grocery stores.

[olivetree]

That's great that you juice your own. I think he was saying that it's better to make your own juice or eat fruit than buy sugary juice from the store. I say make your own juice - as you know, after fasting liquids (that are made of fresh, yummy ingredients) are a great way to introduce your body back to food.

119 is still very healthy in your BMI - though I know BMI can be total crap depending on body types. All the same, I'd really watch your weight and suggest having a doctor do so. On a 21 day fast you are likely to lose a good deal of weight.

[syntaxerror]

my mother greeted me this morning with some freshly squeezed pineapple juice. i drank it, along with one green tea and 1 L of water.

i doubt juice is a part of a typical water fast, but i'll just take this as it goes and use the juice as an opportunity to ease into water fasting.

thanks to the juice and tea, i feel no hunger. but if i drink any more today, i'll stay careful to enjoy it in small amounts and not allow it to lead to overjuicing.

weight: 117.0.

[syntaxerror]

day 1 was primarily juices and water.

breakfast, pineapple juice and green tea, 500 ml water.

lunch, diluted red grape juice, 1 green tea, 1 senna laxative tea, 500 ml water.

dinner, peach and plum juice (1 of each), 2 green teas, 500 ml water.

only 1.5 L water today, which is far below my goal of 3 L a day.

today feels good, i may even juice tomorrow! i want this fast to go as smoothly as possible, so excuse my delays.

if i am 116.5 or less tomorrow morning, i will juice like so:

(b) pineapple juice, 500 mL water, 2 green teas

(s) 500 mL water

(l) 1.5 L water, apple banana kiwi mango juice with spirulina, chlorella, brocolli, spinich, blue green algae, garlic, wheat grass, barley grass, ginger, and parsley (it's a lot but it's so good!)

(s) cherry mango passionfruit and coconut water juice, 2 green teas, 250 ml water

(s) 1 senna laxative tea, 250 ml water

(d) peach and plum juice (1 of each), 500 mL water

if i weigh 116.6 or more, i will drink only tea and water! i don't want to be retaining too much water from all of the sugar in the juice.

[syntaxerror]

my stomach was grumbling this morning. still is, but it's much better.

i had two green teas, 500 ml of water, and half a peach and plum, juiced and diluted.

feeling okay right now, the tea is helping me out. i will stay strong today!

[syntaxerror]

stomach slightly grumbling. since morning i've had two servings of juice, 1 cup senna and 1 cup green tea, and 2 L water. i am at 2.5 L water so far! this is an incredible improvement from yesterday. i'm impressed that my body is taking the influx of fluids well, apart from frequent visits to the restroom!

i feel good. my skin is much brighter and feels clearer already. this is going great! tomorrow and two days following, i'm strictly on tea and water.

[CiNz]

Hold up.. you're drinking Senna? Much props to you man! I could *never* stomach a few tablespoons of that much less a cup!

[syntaxerror]

Originally Posted by CiNz

Hold up.. you're drinking Senna? Much props to you man! I could *never* stomach a few tablespoons of that much less a cup!

i used to be clutching my stomach in pain, but i take it daily now and it merely serves to help "ease things through". i guess i built up a bit of a resistance to it, ahaha! do you mean the taste or the potency? i found the taste of senna very pleasing, actually

[CiNz]

Heh... I was referring to the taste...whoa. You've got taste buds of steel!! lol. Do you drink it with epsom salts?

[syntaxerror]

Originally Posted by CiNz

Heh... I was referring to the taste...whoa. You've got taste buds of steel!! lol. Do you drink it with epsom salts?

no, i pretty much drink it straight. . . i had no idea people found the taste unpleasant! i always liked the slight bitterness!

[syntaxerror]

day 1 has gone by, and i drank down 2.5 L water with ease, and that was after i forgot to carry a bottle around with me! today, i definitely will, and i'll get to 3 L, easy.

actually felt great yesterday. no cramping, no dizzy spells, nothing. my stomach did grumble a few times later in the day, but i took a large swig of water and they disappeared.

i think my body is taking this so well primarily because i had those two days of juice beforehand to wean me off of solid food. on other (failed) fasts, my mind would wander and think, "what did i have yesterday? a sandwich? i want a sandwich now." and then i would eat a sandwich, followed by a box of cereal, and half a watermelon, and yet another sandwich. i would then feel guilty, and attempt to start the fast again.

but now, when i think of what i had two days ago, i think, "i had juice. delicious, fresh squeezed juice. and i'll be able to have juice again in about two weeks, so keep it up." and the mini binge i had just before starting the juice fast - horrible way to start, i know - drifts into my head and instantly turns me away from thoughts of food.

i can make it today. i will!

yesterday's sw: 115.9
today's sw: 115.7

[syntaxerror]

sorry for the lack of updates.

so for the past few days i have been ridiculously lethargic. i have no energy whatsoever.

on the other hand, my weight has dropped to 111.0 lbs, putting me only 2 lbs away from my lowest ever weight.

i still wish to continue fasting for 21 days, although i'm wondering now if once i hit 110.0, whether or not i should transition into juice fasting.

i'm conflicted! i'm just waiting for that mental clarity to kick in to help me decide. . . what do you suggest?

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by syntaxerror

sorry for the lack of updates.

so for the past few days i have been ridiculously lethargic. i have no energy whatsoever.

Hi syntax,

Well that explains the lack of updates . What you are describing sounds a lot like a typical water-only fast, a lethargy brought about through accelerated detox. Juicing makes us feel quite a bit stronger and more energetic, but we have to keep in mind that it's because the detox is substantially more gradual.

Originally Posted by syntaxerror

on the other hand, my weight has dropped to 111.0 lbs, putting me only 2 lbs away from my lowest ever weight.

i still wish to continue fasting for 21 days, although i'm wondering now if once i hit 110.0, whether or not i should transition into juice fasting.

i'm conflicted! i'm just waiting for that mental clarity to kick in to help me decide. . . what do you suggest?

Nice job in your fast, the days are really adding up... I would look not at what your weight is now, but what you would expect it to be a couple weeks after breaking the fast with the temporary losses back in place... a lot of the water and all of the intestinal content. If you wish to water fast for 21 days i don't see your weight as an issue whatsoever at this stage, especially since it is artificially (temporarily) low as was mine each time i fasted.

How is your physical hunger at this point, non-existent?

[syntaxerror]

in response to your question about hunger: yes, my physical hunger has vanished, and i'm starting to feel the emotional dependence fade as well.

[seasidedaisy]

I am on day 3 of 30 days.
I have fasted many times in the past but never for 30 days.
I am doing it to improve my health and lose a few lbs.
I am also skin brushing and oil pulling.
I had some salt water this morning to get things moving ... it worked
I have 2 pimples on my chin
My eye floaties are gone.

When I complete this fast I plan on doing green smoothies for another 30 days.

I am going to Costa Rica for a month in Jan and I want to look good on the beach.

[syntaxerror]

Originally Posted by seasidedaisy

I am on day 3 of 30 days.
I have fasted many times in the past but never for 30 days.
I am doing it to improve my health and lose a few lbs.
I am also skin brushing and oil pulling.
I had some salt water this morning to get things moving ... it worked
I have 2 pimples on my chin
My eye floaties are gone.

When I complete this fast I plan on doing green smoothies for another 30 days.

I am going to Costa Rica for a month in Jan and I want to look good on the beach.

good on you! i too hope to continue this past 21 days, but i like to set small goals instead of massive goals that would overwhelm me.
i haven't had a bowel movement since i started, but i want to be very strict on the water only aspect of this fast, so salt water is a no go for me. it'll make me retain water and break out, anyways.
pimples, really? my skin had been mostly clear anyways due to previous fasts but now it is almost flawless. i look like a prepubescent child again, haha!
i never noticed my eye floaties! but i suspect they have disappeared as well.
good for you, and i hope you continue your water fast and continue to blog it here!

[syntaxerror]

i'm immensely proud of how far i've come so far. 6 days may not seem like a lot to many of you, but i believe in honoring even the small achievements. coming this far really hammers it in that I CAN DO THIS, regardless of the naysayers.

today's weight: 110.2.

i plan on following this fast up with 18-20 days of fresh squeezed juice, then a month+ of raw beginning december! just for those of you who have been following