Days Thirteen Fourteen //
Having that *holy deliciousness* WATERMELON CELERY JUICE on Day Eleven was LIFE, so you can imagine that having FRUIT FOR BREAKFAST on Day Thirteen was the ULTIMATE THRILL. I dreamed for days on end of drowning my fruit in cinnamon, so thats exactly what I did. In this bowl was papaya , berries, grapes, and a mango. It took me about an hour to eat and I savored EVERY LAST BITE.
As far as the re-feeding process, I was on raw foods for my first day back on solid food. The next day, I had raw foods plus some steamed veggies and squash. The next day, I had all of those plus some cooked potato and cooked grains . The NEXT day all of that plus legumes!
It was a wild ride getting to eat all of those nutritious foods again! My body was so, so happy. And it was pretty amazing to see that I digested all of it extremely well, gained back only a couple of healthy pounds of water-weight from having nutrients in my bod, and my palette was overall refreshed in the best way. After a fast, its like introducing a baby to foods for the first time. You dont crave sugar or salt or the things you would pre-fast. Everything is in a healthy and good place.
I will be getting my fibroid checked in the next few weeks, and I am DYING to see whether it has shrunk. If it HAS, I will certainly be going back to True North for another 10-ish day fast later this summer to continue to shrinking it. I am very dedicated.
Changing What You Eat
Days Thirteen Fourteen & Fifteen //
Now, here we are at the home stretch!!!! I can literally FEEEEEL the excitement in my body and my bones even thinking back on it ahhhh!! One day, most likely in a BOOK I will share my journal entries with you from this time. I was so motivated, so inspired, in such a deep state of healing at this point, almost entirely disembodied but in a very powerful, deep healing kind of way.
I was so READY at this point and so excited to get home to my boys, and I knew I was nearing the end of this fast. My body was in such a state of ease by the time I reintroduced juice on Day Fourteen that I knew I could easily continue on juice for quite a bit longer. But the other part of me was ready to bring back food so that I could get home to them.
The mental aspect of fasting is for sure the hardest being away from those you love, knowing that they are missing and needing you, and missing and needing them too! While I was away, Jonathans beloved family dog Brooklyn passed away and I knew he needed me more than ever. There is a lot of wife guilt and cat mom guilt and overall human guilt for being away, and I know I had nothing but the UTMOST support from him and everyone in my life for being gone but I really missed home, and simultaneously my body was telling me it was pretty much done!
And nowwww, what we are all here for, lets talk about the VAST & AMAZING BENEFITS I RECEIVED!!!!
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What Do You Drink On A Water Fast
Surprisingly, not just water! I drank plenty of herbal teas, plain soda water, and I also drank an electrolyte salt mixture which kept my body in check. Your body needs essential minerals to thrive. The formula for fasting juice was:
- 1/2 tsp Food grade Epsom salts
- 1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt an essential compound our body uses to absorb and transport nutrients, maintain blood pressure, and maintain the right balance of fluid.)
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- Mix this up in 2 liters of water.
- Drink the entire 2 litres daily.
It tasted absolutely disgusting, and I definitely didnt drink enough of it. Before my next fast, I want to experiment with making this more palatable.
What Are The Risks Of Water Fasting
Research published in the journal BMC Complementary Medicine Therapies showed that the most common adverse events from water fasting include:
- Quality of life problems like fatigue
- Heart problems like high blood pressure
- Musculoskeletal problems like arthritis
- Gastrointestinal problems like colitis, gastritis, and constipation
- Endocrine problems like thyroid trouble or diabetes
- Neurological problems like headache, neuropathy, and dizziness
- Urologic and renal problems
- Psychiatric problems like depression and anxiety
- Pulmonological problems like inflammation, labored breathing, and infection
Two people in the studies analyzed required hospitalization, one with severe dehydration and another with dangerously low sodium levels.
In a recent study of middle-aged men from Poland who did an eight-day water fast, patients lost weight and perceived a reduction in stress, but their bodies experienced some negative consequences including dehydration, low sodium levels, low blood sugar levels, and an increase in uric acid in their blood.
The study authors concluded: Therefore, for the safety of middle-aged people subjected to eight-day water fast, it is recommended to discontinue such intervention, as it is a drastic form of fasting that already begins to generate unfavorable symptoms for a healthy person.”
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What Am I Allowed To Eat Or Drink While Fasting
This question isnt as stupid as it seems. Even on a water fast, Dr. Fung says you can consume more than just water. And I highly recommend doing so to make the experience more pleasurable.
- Not allowed: Diet Coke or Coke Zero or any other zero-calorie crap like that.
- Allowed: Water flavored with coffee, tea, lime, any fruit infusion you can dream up, some apple cider vinegar, or sea salts bone broth multivitamins.
- An easier alternative? Possibly. See Is there an easier alternative? under Understanding and Fighting Hunger, below.
Dr. Fung doesnt mention it in his book, but whats helped me stay hydratedwhich is super important but difficult to do while fastingis adding zero or very-low-calorie electrolyte powders to my water.
The first time I fasted for a prolonged period, I didnt add electrolytes and felt light-headed and woozy whenever I made sudden movements. When I added electrolytes to my diet in future fasts, those sensations disappeared.
Theres no brand in particular that Id recommend over any other. ticks all the boxes, gets great reviews, and only costs around 30 cents a serving. Alternatively, go to your local pharmacy and pick out whatever looks good to you.
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How Does Intermittent Fasting Work
There are several different ways to do intermittent fasting, but they are all based on choosing regular time periods to eat and fast. For instance, you might try eating only during an eight-hour period each day and fast for the remainder. Or you might choose to eat only one meal a day two days a week. There are many different intermittent fasting schedules.
Mattson says that after hours without food, the body exhausts its sugar stores and starts burning fat. He refers to this as metabolic switching.
Intermittent fasting contrasts with the normal eating pattern for most Americans, who eat throughout their waking hours, Mattson says. If someone is eating three meals a day, plus snacks, and theyre not exercising, then every time they eat, theyre running on those calories and not burning their fat stores.
Intermittent fasting works by prolonging the period when your body has burned through the calories consumed during your last meal and begins burning fat.
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Water Fasting May Worsen Several Medical Conditions
Although a water fast is relatively short, there are a few conditions that may be aggravated by water fasting.
People with the following medical conditions should not water fast without first seeking advice from a healthcare professional:
- Gout: Water fasting may increase uric acid production, a risk factor for gout attacks (
Summary
Although water fasting may have some health benefits, it comes with many risks and dangers. For example, water fasting could make you prone to muscle loss, dehydration, blood pressure changes, and a variety of other health conditions.
Like other types of fasting, water fasting can help you lose weight.
However, it comes with plenty of health risks.
If you want to reap the benefits of fasting but also want to lose weight, intermittent fasting and alternate-day fasting are probably more effective approaches than water fasting for 2472 hours.
These fasts provide similar health benefits but can be followed for much longer periods, as they allow you to eat food, decreasing the risk of nutrient deficiencies (
How Much Weight Can You Lose In A Month With If
A lot depends on your body and how it reacts to the fasting. Some people can lose 10 pounds in a month, whereas others will lose an average of a pound or two a week.
Several studies have proven that IF helps you lose weight. One, in particular, concluded that IF participants lost between 4.6% and 13.0% of their baseline body weight over 8 weeks to 1 year. For sure, those who exercised saw increased results over those who did not. Daily activity is good for you in many ways, so get out there and move!
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Dont Eliminate Foods You Love
Instead of ditching your favorite foods, Gans suggests modifying them. For example, dont stop eating pasta, and instead try to make it healthier. Swap your go-to huge bowl of fettuccine Alfredo, for a healthier dish with one-cup cooked pasta tossed with sautéed spinach and grilled shrimp. Or, instead of eating a whole pizza topped with sausage and pepperoni, limit yourself to two slices with spinach and mushrooms, supplementing it with a large mixed green salad on the side. Want French fries with the burger? Go for it, but perhaps lose the bun, she advises.
Focus On Progress Not Perfection
Trying to eat healthy 100% of the time is unrealistic and unwarranted, says Gans. Instead, focus on a more realistic and smarter approach, such as making healthy choices 85% of the time, and allowing yourself to indulge in whatever you wish the remaining 15%. Dr. Mehal agrees that mindset is key. Most people have too high expectations and then feel as though they have failed, he states.
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Days Water Fasting Plan For Weight Loss
To make sure that you get the most out of this fast, I have divided the fasting period into 3 phases. The first phase or the pre-fasting phase lasts for 2 days, allowing your body to consume less and less solid foods and making your body more comfortable with liquid only diet. The second phase or the water fasting phase is the toughest of all, but by the time you complete this phase, I assure you that you will feel like a new person. Drink neither less nor too much of water. Drinking less water can make you dehydrated and drinking more water can flush out all the salts from your body, which can prove to be fatal. Drink about 1-2 liters of water per day during the water fasting phase. The last phase of breaking the fast is crucial. You have to gradually re-introduce the solid foods or any other liquid food over a period of three days. Eating fruits and veggies in the first and third phases will provide your body with enough vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber to survive the water fasting phase as well as for recuperating from the fast.
Here is a diet chart for all the three phases to help you get an idea about what to eat in the first and third phases. Take a look.
| 1 glass warm milk |
Why This Works
Useful Tip
Try not to shop for any meat so that you dont have to see it in the refrigerator! Buy lots of fruits and veggies instead. Take a break of 20-30 minutes before drinking the probiotic drink after breakfast.
| 1 glass warm water. |
Useful Tip
Why This Works
How Much Water Should You Drink While Fasting
It is important to drink plenty of water while you are fasting, as dehydration can quickly set in.
How much water you should drink depends on a number of factors, including your body weight, activity level, and the climate you live in.
As a general rule of thumb, you should aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day . If you are doing a more extreme fast, such as a 7-day fast, you may need to drink even more water than this. Talk to your doctor for more specific recommendations.
Drinking too much water can also be dangerous, so it is important to listen to your body and drink whenever you are thirsty.
It is also important to stay well-hydrated during the eating periods of your fast. This will help your body to better absorb the nutrients from the food you are consuming.
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How Might Fasting Help Me Live Longer
Fasting gives your body a break from everyday work so it can do some long-overdue spring cleaning.
It finds the old and broken junk and burns it for energy and protein. This is the junk that, if left to accumulate and fester, can lead to degenerative diseases like Alzheimers and cancer.
Fasting can also prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, or reverse it for those who have it. We wont get into the details here but, basically, it helps your body get more efficient at clearing out sugar from your bloodstream. The complete explanation is simple, just a bit long. You can read it in Dr. Fungs book.
Who Should Not Water Fast
Pregnant women, women planning to become pregnant, breastfeeding women, underweight people, those with nutrient deficiencies, and those who have or have had an eating disorder, should not perform water fasting beyond 12-14 hours overnight.
Seek professional medical advice from an eating disorder specialist if fasting is damaging your perceptions of your body and/or food.
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Step : How To Ease Off The Master Cleanse/ Cayenne Pepper/ Beyonce Diet
So with this lemonade diet, its important that you dont go cold turkey after day 7. You are advised to slowly ease off just as you eased into it, in order to avoid digestive issues and developing eating disorders.
Day 8
Drink several cups of freshly squeezed orange juice only on day 8.
Day 9
During the day, you will drink freshly squeezed orange juice and water when need be. In the evening, you can have two servings of freshly prepared soup, and not from a can.
Day 10
This is the last day of the master cleanse weight loss results in 10 days. If you wish to go longer, you can follow the full plan from the Master Cleanse Lemonade Diet book.
On this day of following the Beyonce cayenne pepper diet recipe, you will have orange juice in the morning, soup in the afternoon, and any meal from vegetables or fruits, in the evening.
You arent allowed to eat meat, dairy, caffeine, processed foods, pastries, bread and sugar, on the last day of the cayenne pepper diet.
The day after day 10, you can resume normal healthy eating. But if you experience gas or tummy upset after eating, its advised that you go back to the diet, until your body is ready to process food.
How Can I Prepare Beforehand To Make My Fast Easier
Eat healthily. If youre addicted to sugar and refined grains, youre going to be fighting that addiction as well as hunger during your fast. Thats super tough, so the more you can kick your refined carb addiction before your fast, the better. You do this by eating whole, unprocessed foods, and a diet high in naturally occurring fats .
Eat irregularly. As explained in the answer to Wont I feel hungry? the more irregularly you eat the more you kill off the hormones that make you feel hungry.
Find a friend. Dr. Fung doesnt mention it in his book, but what works for me too is to find a friend to join you on your fast-inating journey. They provide support and accountability and celebrate with you after.
Clear your calendar. You probably want to avoid dinner parties and lunch meetings. Stick to going for coffee or tea with friends.
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