Three Day Fast

Well, I’m about 65 hours into a 72 hour fast. So I thought why not bash out a quick post harnessing the focus and energy that being in a fasted state somewhat counter-intuitively creates?

Why Fast

For a host of reasons actually.

Well first off it’s a nice challenge. It’s almost definitely good for your health - our bodies have been shaped by an ancestral past that would have had periods where food would not been available. Fasting is to health what working out in the gym is to physical strength.

What about the hunger

What about it?

Actually it’s fine. If you’ve never fasted you’d probably imagine that the normal hunger you experience after 4-6 hours of eating would continue to intensify. However, not so. Fasting for long periods is no picnic, literally nor metaphorically, and not exactly fun, but it’s not that physically uncomfortable.

Side Effects

There are a few acute side-effects

• Positive
  • More energy and focus (this is counter-intuititve but obvious on reflection; it would have been no good in times past if, the moment we ran out of food, we came weak we’ve have quickly been in a death-spiral)
  • Feels good to rise to a challenge
• Negative
  • Messes with by ability to sleep
  • Mood (maybe related to the above)

How to fast

So, I have dinner on Sunday night then I’m done with food until Wednesday dinner time. That’s only two days with no food whatsoever.

What is permitted however is

• Water
• Coffee, tea (unsweetened and no milk obvs)
• 1 cup of Bouillon for lunch every day

And don’t knock the Bouillon… when it’s all you have, trust me it’s good.

Where to read more

I’d suggest

• The Obesity Code by Jason Fung
• GuruAnaerobic on Twitter
• GuruAnaerobic’s Online Book
• Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon is the bro-science classic

And for a briliant guide philosophically, on this and all matters

• Skin in the Game by Nassim Taleb