3-Day Fast Sandwiched between Ketogenic Diet
I did a 3-day water fast which was sandwiched between a 4-day Ketogenic diet and a 2-day Ketogenic diet. There are several different reasons people fast, but I primarily did it for the purpose of helping with my autoimmune conditions.
My main objective was to get into ketosis. We primarily get our energy from carbs/sugar, but when the body does not get this glucose, it goes into reserve mode and derives energy from ketones which is ultimately driven by burning fat.
There are a number of benefits of going into ketosis. The fuel is cleaner which helps with mental clarity. There are a number of cancer researchers who believe pre-cancerous cells are purged through ketosis. It also is a very good way to lose weight. For me, I primarily wanted to get into ketosis for autophagy. Autophagy is the process of cleaning out damaged cells and recycling them into newer, healthier cells.
I did a few days of the ketogenic diet prior to my 3-day fast to help get enter ketosis faster. By being keto adapted prior to the 3-day water fast, the uncomfortable period of the body craving carbs was lessened.
What did I eat when on the Ketogenic diet?
A ketogenic diet is based on high fats, moderate protein, and low carbs. My targeted grams for each were:
Fats: 163 grams
Protein: 104 grams
Carbs: 20 grams
These figures were based on inputs I put into the Ketogenic calculator.
My typically daily diet was:
- For breakfast – I had two eggs, bacon, cream cheese, spoonful of coconut oil
- For lunch – I had a can of wild planet tuna and spring mix of leaves, with three tablespoons of olive oil, cheese, and a spoonful of coconut oil
- For dinner, I had burgers (no buns), spinach, olive oil
I usually still had insufficient fat for the day. So, I made myself a ‘fat bomb’ that was full-fat whipped cream mixed with unsweetened cocoa and stevia. It was very delicious.
During the fast, I only drank water. To get electroytes to replenish needed nutrients, I added sea salt to the water, and I took magnesium and potassium supplements all 3 days.
What happened?
Initial Ketogenic phase
The only differences I felt during the initial ketogenic diet phase were losing some aerobic capacity during exercise and a loss in sleep quality. I woke up at night and it was tough for me to go back to sleep.
When I went to gym for weight training, I had no noticeable change in strength, but did lose some aerobic capacity when I was pushing sleds.
3-Day Water Fast
During my 3-day water fast, I was a little bit tired, but it was manageable enough where I was able to do productive work behind a desk. Because I was in ketosis, I really wasn’t that hungry.
When I did go to the gym, I lifted lighter weights as I did not want to stress my body out. I did notice, as during the ketogenic diet earlier in the week, that my aerobic capacity was diminished.
The last night of the fast, I did get a slight headache that got worse in the morning. I took aspirin, and it went away after that.
Breaking the fast
Because my stomach was smaller, I knew that I had to eat a little less when I broke the fast. I still ate slightly more than I wanted to. But, it was all based on foods for the Ketogenic diet. The next day, I ate what I usually eat on the ketogenic diet with no issues at all.
I did lose about eight lbs. through all three phases. Obviously, not eating will cause body weight to go down, but I was not expecting to lose this much. Next time, I’ll increase the calories when I do the beginning and ending ketogenic diet.
Summary
In summary, I would do a 3-day water fast again. I felt that my inflammation issues improved a slight bit and there is good research showing the benefits from an anti-aging perspective.
The next time I do this ketosis process, I will do the 3-day fast primarily over the weekend. I can take it a little easier and rest through the fasting days. I will also eat more calories during the initial and ending ketogenic diet phases.
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