I Wanted Food. I Needed Rest.

My 72-hour fast started at 7:00 PM on Monday night and ended at 7:00 PM on Friday night.

My primary goal wasn’t weight loss.

I wanted to experience some of the physical benefits associated with extended fasting, including ketosis, improved insulin sensitivity, and cellular repair processes often referred to as autophagy. I was curious what would happen when I removed food for an extended period of time and gave my body an opportunity to rely on stored energy rather than a constant supply of calories.

Before starting, I planned out my electrolytes, hydration, and supplementation. I continued taking magnesium, used LMNT for electrolytes, drank water, and coffee (I wasn‘t brave enough to leave coffee out :/ ). I tried to approach the fast with a purpose rather than simply seeing how long I could go without eating.

Physically, the fast wasn’t always easy. I dealt with headaches, calf pain, electrolyte challenges, and some difficult moments. However, by the end of the fast I felt confident that I had experienced the physical benefits I was looking for.

What surprised me most was not the physical side of the fast.

It was what I learned about my relationship with food, rest, and recovery.

The following reflection was written Saturday morning, the day after completing the fast.

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I finished my 72-hour fast last night.

I am proud of this accomplishment.

It was not easy. I was looking for the physical benefits, but I gained a lot of awareness and clarity around the habit of eating.

On Day 1, during my 7:15 AM class, I kept thinking about breakfast. Specifically, I kept thinking about eggs. I learned that I wasn’t excited for the eggs.

I was excited for a break.

This happened again after coaching when I normally eat lunch. It happened again when I got home from work. It was difficult because I couldn’t have what I wanted.

I thought I wanted food.

What I wanted was a break.

For me, I learned that eating was a break and something I looked forward to.

One of the things I knew about fasting was that it can provide mental clarity. Around 42 hours into the fast, I experienced this.

When I think of mental clarity, I picture learning a new truth or having some profound realization. My experience was different.

I knew there was a lot of mental chatter and noise in my mind. I wanted to write. Putting pen to paper is how I learn. It is how I process things.

I wrote about what was happening and reflected on what I was learning.

I realized that when I wanted to break the fast, I wasn’t hungry.

I wanted a break.

A break is different than a need.

I was reminded that there is a part of me that always wants to be productive. This part of me has a tendency to burn itself out. It is stubborn.

I have a hard time giving myself permission to rest.

The night of Day 2 I volunteered for EMS.

This night was busier than normal. We had five calls spread throughout the night from 7 PM until 5 AM.

Normally, this would affect all of my recovery and make the next day very difficult.

This time was different.

I gave myself permission to rest.

I slept.

I took a nap.

I wasn’t trying to earn anything.

I wasn’t trying to accomplish anything.

I simply rested.

Food is a break.

That is what I learned.

Food is a break that we often use as an acceptable means of taking a break.

I thought lunch solved this issue, but in reality it solved a symptom.

In therapy, I have learned that awareness without action doesn’t create lasting change.

Awareness tells us something is happening.

Action changes the habit.

As the fast continued, I kept coming back to the same realization.

I wasn’t looking forward to food.

I was looking forward to stopping.

When I ate my first meal after the fast, it was a break.

It was a break with my wife and daughter.

We prayed together.

I ate slowly.

I watched Danica eat.

I was more present.

I think I’ll be better at slowing down.

I think I will be more present in general.

I hope I can reinforce this so it lasts.

It is also important to note that I was never actually hungry during the fast.

Hunger is defined as feeling a need to eat because your body needs energy.

I had energy.

I didn’t feel drained or tired outside of wanting sleep after a poor night of rest.

When I was low on energy, I needed sleep.

Not food.

There is a difference between want and need.

I wanted food.

I needed rest.

We are extremely fortunate that we get to eat for comfort.

I think I would have to go a few more days to truly experience hunger or a genuine need to eat.

My main goal with food will continue to be to eat to support my lean body mass, recovery, performance, and training.

My new goal is to allow myself time to take a break.

I’ll continue looking forward to my meals.

I’ll just slow down when I eat them.

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Physical Takeaways

From a physical standpoint, I accomplished what I set out to do.

I experienced ketosis, learned the importance of hydration and electrolytes during an extended fast, and gained a better understanding of how my body responds when food is removed for an extended period of time.

One of the biggest lessons was the role sleep plays in recovery. There were moments during the fast when I thought I needed food, but what I actually needed was rest. The difference became obvious after a poor night of sleep during an overnight EMS shift.

The fast also reinforced how important hydration and electrolytes are during an extended fast. While the idea of not eating for 72 hours sounds like the difficult part, managing hydration, sodium, and recovery became just as important.

Physically, the fast was challenging.

Mentally, it was enlightening.

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A Word of Caution

Extended fasting is not appropriate for everyone.

If you are considering a fast longer than 24 hours, consult with your physician or qualified healthcare provider first, especially if you have a medical condition, take prescription medications, have a history of disordered eating, or have concerns about how fasting may affect your health.

Fasting can be a powerful tool, but it should be approached thoughtfully and safely.

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Thank you for reading.

If you’ve ever completed an extended fast or discovered something unexpected about yourself through nutrition, training, recovery, or life, I’d love to hear about it.

Sometimes the greatest lessons aren’t the physical changes we see.

They’re the things we learn when we finally slow down long enough to pay attention.