What is a Water Fast?

As defined by Medical News Today, a water fast is when a person does not eat and drinks nothing other than water. In contemporary culture, water fasts have gained popularity over the years as an effective means of losing weight.

Why Did I Go On the Water Fast?

In recent times, I’ve been toying with the idea of becoming a full-time member of the fit fam. Given my recent dedications, I’ve been more attentive to what I put in my body. While going over some health and fitness articles, I came across an article on water fasting by The Life Co. The article prompted me to do a bit more research on the practice and It’s safe to say I was intrigued. 

To me, the most intriguing aspects of water fasting are its potential benefits. You mean people stay away from food willingly because it can do great things for your body? Interesting! According to research, some of the biggest benefits of water fasting include;

• Regenerating your immune system

• Enhancing your body’s resistance to heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes

• Puts your body in a state of ketosis which enhances brain function and promotes weight loss  

Pretty neat, huh? I was sold.

How Did I Prepare For the Water Fast?

It is advisable to prepare your body for the dietary changes it will be undergoing during the fasting period. Our bodies get used to a certain influx of nutrients daily and making such a drastic change so suddenly may cause the body to react negatively. Here are some ways you can minimise these negative reactions;

• Reduce portions on processed foods and dairy up to three days before you embark on the fast;

• Cut down on addictive stimulants such as sugar, coffee, alcohol and cigarettes. Quitting cold turkey may be more harmful as withdrawal symptoms may be more intense than expected. 

• Move to fruits, nuts and vegetables up to three days before your fast commences.

Personally, I made no preparations before embarking on my water fast. I was out partying the entire weekend and on Monday morning, I decided to hop right into it. My excuse? I’m young and impulsive. You should never make such drastic changes to your diet without adequately preparing your body.

On another note, you’re advised to refrain from water fasts totally if you:

Have an eating disorder; Are underweight; Are pregnant/breastfeeding; Have heart problems; Have type 1 diabetes; Have uncontrolled migraines; Are undergoing a blood transfusion or; Are taking specific medications.

The Experience: What Did Being on a Water Fast Feel Like? 

Day One

I started my water fast by doing a salt water flush. A salt water flush is a type of colon cleanse which helps manage constipation while detoxifying your body. My body needed every possible form of detoxification in the world after all the sugar, alcohol and nicotine I’d consumed the weekend before.

As expected, day one was the easiest day of all three fasting days. Aside from the constant and urgent bathroom breaks - thank you, saltwater flush - it was particularly uneventful. I went about my daily activities with minimal discomfort. My daily routine involves moderate levels of activity. I work out, do yoga and then proceed to clean my house while vigorously dancing to Beyoncé. I undertook most of these activities without discomfort. I say most because while whipping my hair vigorously to the Homecoming version of “Deja Vu”, I started to feel light-headed and had to sit on the floor for a bit

After all my unnecessary physical activity, I settled into the business that pays me; writing. I didn’t have as hard a time as I thought I would and that took me by surprise. I’d assumed all the hair-whipping without proper nourishment would damage my brain even more but look at God. 

In the end, I had a surprisingly productive day. I wasn’t nearly as hungry as I thought I was going to be at the end of the day and that encouraged me. Maybe this wasn’t going to be as hard as I thought it was going to be.

Litres of Water Consumed on Day One: 4.2 (Inclusive of water from Saltwater flush). 

Day Two

I slept peacefully up until 4 am when I woke up suddenly because my heart was racing. Given my history with anxiety, I assumed I was having an anxiety attack and I tried to calm myself down by taking deep breaths. When I realised that I wasn’t feeling better, I opted to drink some water. The water seemed to calm me down and I went back to bed.

A few hours later, when I woke up to start my day, I did so with the nastiest headache I’ve ever experienced in my life. I’ve dealt with a wide variety of headaches from migraines to snarky managers, but none compare to the headache I experienced on day two. I was in severe pain but I had a commitment to myself and science so I decided to push through. The headache was becoming unbearable so I decided to Google my symptoms. Turns out, my headache-from-hell was due to the fact that I had run out of electrolytes.

 Seeing as I’d consumed nothing but water in the last 24 hours, I needed to replenish my electrolytes immediately. To do that, I mixed half a teaspoon of Epsom Salts and Himalayan Pink Salt into a 75 cl bottle of water and consumed the mixture at set intervals.

The headache let up after a bit of time but I decided to skip my daily Beyoncé. Turns out, I don’t have a death wish after all.

Litres of Water Consumed on Day Two: 3.7 

Day Three

On day three, I woke up feeling neither energetic nor exhausted. The most beautiful part of waking up on day three was the fact that I had no headaches whatsoever! Amazing! Even though my head wasn’t hurting, I decided to have a bit of my ‘electrolyte’ water just in case; better safe than sorry.

Day three, much like day one, was very peaceful for me. Unlike day two, I was able to undertake all the unnecessary physical activity that marks my day without feeling strained or burned out. After getting my Beyoncé on, I ran a few errands. I decided to take my electrolyte water with me because I was scared I’d get lightheaded and faint while going about my day but I didn’t feel any dizziness whatsoever. 

To me, the most notable thing about day three was the fact that my body had stopped craving for food. On day two, I felt as if I’d been bitten by food vampires because I could smell my neighbour’s cooking from my house. On day three, I was completely at peace with the fact that everyone else was eating and I wasn’t. 

The only discomfort I experienced on day three was my tongue. My tongue and mouth felt and tasted weird. This was due to the fact that my body had entered ketosis and was now burning fat instead of sugar. Keto breath is repulsive and even though the people around me couldn’t smell anything off, I felt as if my mouth was a sewer. Yuck.

Litres of Water Consumed on Day Two: 3.9

 Breaking the Water Fast

When breaking a water fast, it’s advisable to consume small portions of food first and slowly build up to larger portions. Did I hear? You guessed it. I broke my water fast with noodles, chicken and two cans of Smirnoff Black. I also nearly died in the process. 

One of the reasons you’re advised to eat small portions and build-up is because overloading your body with nutrients after a set period without them can have adverse effects. These adverse effects include bloating, constipation and flatulence, all of which I experienced because I simply do not listen. I should learn to listen, guys. I really should.

The Conclusion: Would I Do This Again?

Absolutely but this time, with better preparation. The water fast was an insightful and enjoyable experience. I look and feel fresher and I’m in better control of my eating habits. I can’t tell if my organs and cells regenerated as expected but I did lose a few rogue pounds; particularly around my stomach.

In the end, I’m happy I completed the water fast and this is a practice I’ll be keeping for years to come.