DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional. This was just a personal experiment I am sharing for you to read.
This year I celebrated my 26th birthday. I would usually be spending it surrounded by loved ones at a local watering hole but this year I wasn't surrounded by anyone or having any drinks for that matter. I was in a walking boot on the couch stuffing my face with every sweet and salty treat I had in the cupboard. This hangover was entirely different and instead of feeling the blood pulse behind my eyelids I felt a whole new level of shame. I woke up feeling like a gluttonous heap... The perfect jumping off point for the experience up ahead...
Day 1: Day after my birthday and a night of binging on everything in sight. I had a similar sense of dissatisfaction much like a regret-filled night at the bar.
7 am- I have my first coffee with butter and coconut oil. Off to physical therapy.
1:25 pm- I have had about 5 mouthwatering fantasies of chocolate covered pretzels meanwhile watching an online channel where the whole basis is to eat increasingly painful spicy hot wings during an interview about pop culture and media. -sadists start sweating-
1:45 pm- I feel a slump so I drink a green tea
3:30 pm- I down my second cup of buttered coffee with coconut oil
A buzz is settling in. Probably the caffeine but either way I want to ride it instead of giving in to the desire for habitual grazing that is starting to build from a tickle to a full-on howl in my gut. I am now reading the descriptions for the top 100 happy hours in The Mercury. Kudos to you writers. By now I have drunk 96 oz. of water. My internal clock is sending signals loud and clear that I've missed 2 meals. I scribble in my journal "intention is the key to control".
Water- 100+ fl. oz.
Tea- 1
Coffee- 2
Day 2: 33 Hours without food.
7:10 am- Coffee with butter and coconut oil. This time I savor every sip a little bit slower. Journal entry- "In nature, nothing is rushed. Yet everything is accomplished"
I feel like my body is starting to divert the new unused energy to my brain because my thoughts are going wild and my tender heel is noticeably quicker to loosen up this morning. Maybe the autophagy process (where my body self cannibalizes weak and damaged cells in order to create new and healthy cells) is starting to kick in. I feel empty but in a good way if that makes sense. Journal entry- "calmness is on tap" while I wait at the dealership as my car is being worked on. Patience is my ultimate priority since I felt I would be doing myself no favors if I fast only become a hangry jerk to everyone.
10:40 am- Body heat is noticeably higher perceivable by touch. I feel more sensitive to my surroundings. My brain is screaming "TIME TO EAT, FEED ME DAMMIT" The little bully in between my ears is bargaining. "What do you have to prove?" Or is it that my ego afraid that if I don't cave it will know I'm the boss? Either way I didn't get this far to quit now. Like Jesse Itzler says "remember tomorrow" I wouldn't live it down that I got that far and didn't push through. So I called and booked a reservation at a new South American place I had never been to before.
3 pm- Buttered coffee with coconut oil
I sense a surge of clean and gradual energy increase steadily throughout my body. Unlike the usual spike, I typically get from coffee.
I sat and contemplated my attachments to everything like food, shelter, myself... Whoa whoa, settle down.
Early bedtime preceded by a battle not to chomp on some Avocado with pepper. Remember tomorrow.
Water: 100+ fl. oz
Coffee:2
Day 3: 59 Hours without food
9:10 am- Buttered coffee with coconut oil
Woke up feeling bright and energetic. Cleaned to pass the time and get my mind of the next few hours.
No hunger, looking forward to dinner. I have probably read the menu 20 times. After all this excitement I end my fast at 4 with a Bourbon Mule and a basket of fries. My taste buds felt like they were amplified with the volume knob at full capacity. As I tasted salts and sugars they had an immediate effect similar to a high as the rush came I couldn't help but close my eyes and savor it like it was my first time feeling sunlight after emerging a cave. Then came the crash and a feeling of sadness that I couldn't explain.
In the end here is what I consumed:
Water: Around 2 gallons
Tea: 1 cup of Green tea
Coffee with butter and coconut oil: 5
Total time in between meals: ~66 hours
What did I learn?
A LOT of our eating is habit based on our body reminding us to eat rather than actually needing the fuel. Our foods are majorly processed with addictive chemicals that create cravings and dependencies much like drugs and sex. Although I was not exerting myself more than usual since my movement was restricted I felt the same if not more energy throughout my day (some people will say its because of caffeine but 2-3 cups is about average to normal Americans) My Achilles inflammation was decreased and all these things may or may not have had anything to do with fasting but this challenge taught me to listen to my body more but feel less need to obey my urges around food and whatever else I can apply this new knowledge to.
Thanks for reading,
~Supernormal