Months ago I started to appreciate my new boobs size, all my life I had tiny ones, and now I am blooming thanks to quarantine behavior. They are constantly looking to heaven. I got a little more inches on my booty and both my wife and I are happy. So, I have no desire to lose the little extra. Nevertheless, I went on a water fast. Picture it...
On Sunday, I woke up with no plans to fast. I did my routine stretches, sipped on some ginger tea and waited for brunch time. It was Valentine's day, my son's birthday, and my wife and I were still celebrating our anniversary month. (We still are until March 12). I was having a great day. Later in the afternoon, we went to our usual Sunday spot and I feasted on brunch, (lobster mac and cheese, some pot stickers a salad and a few glasses of champagne). We were home by about 4pm and I ate some pistachio nuts as we ushered in the evening.
Later that night, I reflected on the fact that I had spent the entire quarantine year eating more than I used to, sleeping poorly, eating at 3am, and neglecting a lot of my practices as it applies to eat, rest and exercise. People tend to have resolutions at the beginning of the year, but I was not forging ahead to create one. Just when COVID-19 was getting popular, I pulled back from the fire department, started working from home and doing less walking than usual. Life changed and like many other people there were series of events that occurred and had me reflecting … my processing led me to one conclusion, I needed a reset. Self-Care is one of the most pertinent thing in a human’s life, it should never be ignored.
So early Monday morning, I decided, to go on a water fast. I had a conversation with a dear friend of mine who had done it for 41 days and spoke of all its the benefits. I tapped into that. She told me how a pure water fast could do so much for me. So I began!
My Prep
1. I ordered my Pellegrino and Perrier waters, and some bottles of coconut water. (Instacart continues to be the best).
2. My fridge was stocked with food, as my wife was not joining me on this journey. This was MY reset.
3. I mentally envisioned the possible benefits. (clean skin, stomach readjustment, clarity, rest, any pimple on my face should disappear, and I should be feeling lighter, oh and weight loss).
My Concerns
1. I have never fasted before; I had no idea how it would go.
2. I have heard of people fainting or barfing during a fast. Would that be me?
3. Getting gas and stomach pains. I may not be a lady, but I did not want to walk around farting in the house and risk my wife confirming that deep down I am a dude.
Day 1
I had water for breakfast, and water for lunch. I kept drinking water and not waiting for me to be hungry. That way I could avoid gas and the pain of having no food in my stomach. I drank more water, then more water, then even more and then it was evening. I had the 5 pistachio nuts I had left from the night before a glass of wine and then went to bed. I was convinced that I was not going to make it, so I congratulated myself for my day’s effort and planned a meal for the next day.
Day 2
I woke up and instinctively started drinking water. I got to lunch time and felt that I was not going to make it because I kept strolling through my pictures looking for one thing or another and kept seeing all my food pictures. All the seafood seemed to be haunting me, the lobster and trout and seabass and snapper. They ganged up on my eyesight and my stomach yearned. So, I drank a whole bottle of coconut water and imagined the succulent tastes in my mouth. I made it to the evening and drank more water. I was quite agitated that day. Day 2 was the hardest, it was not just about quitting but I kept asking myself, why are you doing this? Like what is the point? I completely threw away all my desires to be great. Drank a glass of wine, then went to bed. I was convinced, next day was Wednesday, my usual date night and I was going to have my damn lobster!
Day 3
It was Wednesday, date night, and I spent the entire morning drinking water. Then, while in my home office, I heard my wife’s voice while she was running out of our apartment “watch my eggs for me please babe, I left something at the store” and then she was out. So, there I was faced with making breakfast. Oh, the eggs smelled like heaven. They looked spectacular, fluffy, and seasoned so wonderfully. I turned them in the pan, inhaled the essence, placed them on the plate and then walked out of the kitchen. Though highly tempting, I thought about my reset plan. It was already day 3, why mess up now? I went back to work and drank my water. I had water for dinner while she did take out. No date night in a restaurant. We sat on the balcony together, me with water, she with conch salad and fried snapper. Our masseuse came over and during the session, I had a glass of champagne. They both were mystified that I refrained from eating. At one point, my wife offered an organic rice cake, I refused. I think she was concerned about me not eating, but by that time, I was feeling spectacular. Like I was climbing Mount Everest and needed to get to the pinnacle. No food GOALS! I had done it all 3 days, I had to keep going. I think during my Wisdom Wednesday session I had another glass of champagne, then it was bedtime.
Day 4
A few years back I had taken a week off not drinking any alcohol and I regretted it the first time I drank again. So, I decided I would not take alcohol completely out of my fasting. However, on day 4, I had no wine, no champagne, nothing but water. No coconut water, just water. I drank right around the clock until it was bedtime. I felt spectacular. No weakness, no nausea, no stomach pain, no apprehension, I was a little off mentally because I still could not sleep the way I wanted to but I was not exhausted, I was experiencing such clarity in my mind, I needed to write things down, and to plan, and to create. I was so alert and optimistic and energized. Yes, I had been taking my B12 vitamins, and as I am anemic, I did take a supplement (SSS Tonic). But that was a daily routine with or without food. I was so inspired on Thursday; I created a new product line for my Merch. (Check out NiqueHood).
I could see changes in my face, I could see changes in my thighs, and I felt beautifully energized. No bloating, no sluggish feeling, just bouncy and energized. Now, visits to the bathroom? That increased 3 times the usual. See, I was never a person to drink water a lot. I would sit at a restaurant and order my drink and soda water. My water intake was like half gallon a week or less. Yes, it was bad. So, this was more than an adjustment, this was life altering. Before I knew it, it was Friday.
Day 5
My wife drinks water a lot. So, on Friday, I grabbed her gallon bottle, filled it with a combination of regular water and my Pellegrino water, put markers on the side, and that was my goal for all day. The social media food meant nothing, the food ads, were a turn off. I seriously was concerned if I would want food again. I hear you should eat after you feel completely in need of it and I did not. So, I continued to drink water. I had no wine, no champagne, just water. I have been a pescatarian since 2018, I pondered if I would eat meat or fish when I started eating again. Would it be eggs? This was the last day as planned, and I had more water in that one day than I had the entire month before.
Water is good. All that you have heard is true. Coming from a person who previously did not drink water, water is good. Not only is water good but fasting gives clarity. I am not knocking the other types of cleanses, with fruits, or citrus liquids etc. but the most natural, unbothered, unfiltered fast you can do is with water. As far as a reset, yes. I feel renewed. As far as weigh loss, though not my goal, I dropped just a few pounds. As far as how could you do it? Just do not think about it as much. Many people say “I could not do it, I cannot stay away from food” however, it is like just about anything else in life. If you really want to do it, you can.
Takeaways
During a water fast, should you exercise? moderately I suggest. I did pushups, and some squats, danced, regular stretches but I did not go jogging. (I do not when I eat food either).
Do not wait until you are hungry to drink. Just keep drinking and dispelling it from your body.
If you do add another liquid, like coconut water, just know that while you are dispelling from your body, there is no food break down, so everything, I mean everything coming out will be in liquid form by day 2.
No food means, no snacks, no juice, no soda. This is not an any liquid diet it is a water diet. Now granted I did wine, do not judge me, but if you know me, you will know that a week without tequila for me is a BIG DEAL. I love Patron! Plus, if I go to dinner, I can finish a bottle of merlot in one sitting and do not blink.
If food ads are tempting, do not watch. If social media posts are bothering you, do not watch. After day 2 it did not matter me, I was on a mission. Do not focus on the things that may take you away from the fast.
Lastly, there are many schools of thought on what to do after a fast. Some say eat light, some say just liquids, some say do snacks. Many people have done juice fasts, and other liquid options, I cannot recommend them, as I believe if I am cleansing my system, it should not have constant acidic content. I would not want my body to be working on breaking down ingredients I may or may not be familiar with in any way for hours and hours each day. I can only recommend what I have tried, water. Nothing to break down, just release. No strain on the stomach lining, just release. No effect on my organs and frankly, it just felt safer than other options; to me.
I bought a large bowl of seafood soup with mussels (my wife ate that) shrimp, calamari, scallops, and prawns Friday night at 10:30pm. I had been dreaming about that soup for a few days. I took a good sip of about 5 spoons full, a few shrimp and calamari and left the rest for my Saturday meal. It was delightful, and spicy and there was absolutely no interruption in my stomach. I drank 8 ounces of water before bed.
I woke up Saturday, drank water. At about 3pm I plan on drinking my soup fully. Sunday, back to brunch, however, going forward, every Monday will be all day water, water, water! Stay tuned…