When I tell people I’m in the middle of a 72-hour fast, they look at me like I have two heads. The most common response I get is a question: “Why the hell would you ever do that to yourself?” There is a long list of reasons why fasting is is so powerful, all of which I’ve learned by first-hand experience, and I’d like to share them with you. I’m 32 hours into my current liquid fast, so this feels appropriate.
The 3 Physical Effects of Fasting:
Reboot
I beat the shit out of my body on a daily basis. As a result, my knees usually have some sort of tweak, my abdominal muscles often ache, and my back, neck and shoulder muscles are perpetually sore. These low grade aches and pains are par the course for a heavy weightlifting regiment, but they are also a very good indicator of when I need to fast. For me, fasting offers a 3-day window for complete body healing, inside and out. My body does not need to spend it’s time and energy on metabolizing food, and I find that it naturally shifts its focus to low-grade ailments and disruptions. By the end of a 72-hour fast, I feel fantastic, and those aches and pains have all but vanished.
Rebuild
I like to call fasting a natural form of steroids. This may sound weird at first, but if you think about it, it makes sense. After the body cleans out all of it’s damaged parts and toxins, it’s in a prime position to build itself back up stronger than before. I’ll usually come back light after a fast for a few days, but when I return to heavy lifting I feel amazing - able to lift more with less effort.
Detox
During my drinking years I had constant stomach problems. I was diagnosed with IBS, Colitis, you name it. The combination of alcohol and Adderall did tremendous damage to my gut and metabolic processes, and as I result I’ve become very attentive to any issues going on in my stomach. This is one of the major reasons I eat so clean and have eliminated so many toxins from my diet (which I’ll dive into in a later article). But that doesn’t mean I don’t get minor issues now and again like most human beings. Fasting offers a solution via complete metabolic detox and restoration. It puts the body in a state of autophagy, which means it starts eating away at all of it’s damaged cells. It’s the body’s way of “cleaning house”. Not only does it aid in current digestive ailment, but it also eliminates anything that could cause problems down the road, i.e. free radicals (which have been linked to cancer, autoimmune disease and all types of major issues).
The 3 Mental Effects of Fasting:
Discipline
Long-term fasting can be challenging in both body and mind, but the truth is the body doesn’t need to eat for a lot longer than three days. It’s our minds that convince us we need to eat (or else!). In my process of building up to full 72-hour fasts, I failed often and caved into that voice in my head telling me I just had to eat. That mental battle between want and need was extraordinarily difficult, but it created an opportunity for me to see where I’m in control versus where I’m just “going along with the programming”.
Commitment
As the Wu-Tang Clan taught us, “Word is bond”. I don’t think there is a more important three-word phrase in the English language. The more I align what I say I’m going to do with what I actually do, the more we respect I attain from others and for myself. Fasting offers a direct training ground for this. If I tell myself I’m fasting for 72 hours, I have to do it. It doesn’t matter if something comes up or I have a last-minute dinner scheduled - I’ll go, but I won’t eat. It’s more important to honor my word than to care what anyone else thinks of me.
Reflection
Many cultures and religions use fasting as a way to connect with their version of a Higher Power, and I understand why this is the case. There is a shift in perspective when I stop eating for a period of time. I find myself less lustful and less driven by my animalistic nature, and this opens the door for me to really take a look at how I’m operating in the world. I don’t sit in meditation for hours like a monk or yogi, but I do pay closer attention to how I feel and what emotions come up throughout the day. Fasting leads to a mental clarity and sharpness that I find difficult to access otherwise.
It’s important to note here that I do not fast for weight maintenance or aesthetics. As an addict, I know how easy it is to take something too far and do it for the wrong reasons. I fast when my body tells me I need to, not when I think it will make me look the best. Don’t get me wrong, the aesthetics after fasting are great, but there’s so many other reasons why fasting can be such a powerful tool in the toolbox.
If you’re just starting out, do a couple hours. Build up to 24 hours over time. Experiment with adding a little bit more each time you try. Each person and body is different, so you’ll have to find the rhythm that works for you. In my experience, it’s definitely worth it.