Water fasting: 1 day, 3, 7 and 21 days, reviews and results

General information

For those who want to feel more alert and healthy, as well as get rid of extra pounds, modern doctors and adherents of alternative medicine offer many different techniques. One of them is water fasting , which is also called wet fasting.
Water fasting is a process when a person refuses to consume any food for a long time, but at the same time drinks water in unlimited quantities. There is still debate about how effective this method is and the benefits of water fasting. But numerous reviews indicate that with the right approach to this process you can get tangible benefits. How to fast on water correctly, what are the benefits and harms of this method and what results can be obtained by abstaining from food will be discussed in this article.

How many days can you live without food?

Despite the seemingly unambiguous nature of the proposed answer, there are different opinions on this matter. Some sources indicate that a person can live up to 2 months without food, provided they consume water. However, this indicator is influenced by various factors - climate, age, initial weight, health status, etc.

But this does not mean that after such a long hunger the body will be able to recover to its normal state. Scientists claim that after just a week without food, active destruction of muscle tissue begins, and after two weeks, tissue destruction of vital organs occurs. Therefore, fasting for 21 days, which some sources describe as a possible recovery option, can become deadly.

How does hunger work?

Therapeutic fasting is based on the fact that during abstinence from food the body is gradually cleansed. First of all, the gastrointestinal tract is cleansed of toxins. Adherents of this technique argue that the energy that the body habitually spends on digesting food during periods of hunger allows one to activate hidden functions, thereby ensuring rejuvenation and healing. There is also an opinion that this method can significantly increase immunity.

What happens when a person stops eating and “sits” on the water for a while? In such a situation, the body is forced to meet internal energy needs using accumulated reserves. If food is absent, the body initially uses up reserves of glycogen , fats , and later proteins from tissues. After a few days of fasting, the body begins to produce the fatty acid ketone , an excessive amount of which is harmful to the body.

Gradually, during hunger, valuable proteins are destroyed, which is an extremely undesirable process. That is why long-term fasting cannot be practiced uncontrollably.

Water fasting is prescribed in medical institutions as a preventive and therapeutic method. When answering the question of how long you can fast on water, experts always say that abstaining from food, even for several days, is a serious stress for the body.

In medicine, fasting is practiced for a period of 1 to 5 days. As a rule, fasting is prescribed to patients before and after surgery, as well as to people with food allergies and acute pancreatitis .

As for longer periods of fasting, it can be maintained in special conditions to ensure that resuscitation measures can be quickly provided. To reduce stress on the body, for longer periods, so-called cascade fasting , when days of abstaining from food alternate with days when a person eats.

Therefore, this healing method can be practiced at home without fear only if the period of abstinence from food does not exceed 2 days. The optimal option for unloading the body is fasting on water for 1 day. One-day fasting makes it possible to provide the body with general health and necessary cleansing. But even in this case, it is important to take into account all contraindications.

Why starve?

Fasting on water heals and rejuvenates the body by cleansing and removing toxins and waste from cells and organs.

Water fasting means that during the fasting period you do not eat, but only drink water. It is important to drink high-quality, preferably warm, water. To ensure that fasting does not harm you and is relatively easy, consider a few rules:

Choose the right fasting method based on your health and condition.
Prepare your body for fasting, get ready for a day without food and don’t give up if you want to have a snack, even just a little. The feeling of hunger is in your head and can be controlled.
A day or two before fasting, add more vegetables and fruits to your diet, eliminate fried heavy foods, fast food and alcohol.
Drink more water - every 1-1.5 glasses of water.
Consult your doctor in advance if you have chronic illnesses or doubts.
Observe your sensations; slight weakness and headache occur. But if you feel extremely unwell, consult a doctor.
Coming out of fasting is also important, so don’t neglect the day after and help the body smoothly return to its usual eating pattern.
It is more comfortable to end fasting in the morning, without the risk of overeating in the evening and straining the digestive system.

Water fasting is divided into 2 types - preventive and therapeutic. You can practice prophylaxis on your own for 1 to 5 days. The treatment lasts up to 3 weeks, but must be under the supervision of doctors.

Water fasting should be taken seriously so as not to harm your health. Follow the rules and days on the water will bring you only benefit and ease.

Types of hunger on water

From the point of view of the goals of the process of abstinence from food, a distinction is made between therapeutic and preventive fasting.
From the point of view of fluid intake, they distinguish: complete abstinence from food with unlimited water consumption and combined - with alternating water and dry fasting.
In terms of duration, they are distinguished: short - 1-2 days, medium - 3-7 days, long - from 8 days.

Contraindications

There are a number of diseases and conditions in which abstinence from food should never be practiced:

underweight;
oncological processes;
active tuberculosis
diabetes mellitus type I;
bronchiectasis;
diseases of the circulatory system;
thyrotoxicosis;
diseases of the heart, liver, kidneys;
thrombophlebitis;
nervous exhaustion;
pregnancy, lactation;
encephalopathy.

Benefits and harms

Provided that a person strictly adheres to all the rules of preventive fasting and practices it regularly, he can receive a number of positive effects.

Improving skin condition, cleansing the skin from allergic manifestations, acne .
Weight loss, figure improvement.
Strengthening the immune system .
Activation of metabolism .
Improving the functioning of the digestive system.
Reducing the amount of food consumed.
General health.

But, given the wrong approach to hunger and excessive enthusiasm for this technique, you can get a lot of negative consequences.

Exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Development of new unpleasant symptoms and diseases.
The return of extra pounds after the end of the fast.
Significant loss of muscle mass.
Psychological immunity to hunger.
Cosmetological problems - hair loss, thinning skin.
Vitamin deficiency and deficiency of vital substances.
Decreased libido.
Health problems after returning to the previous diet.

Basic Rules

Those who are interested in how to properly fast on water should know the important rules and take into account all the recommendations.

Beginners should not fast for more than one day. Fasting for one day will not be difficult even for those who are doing it for the first time. This will be beneficial for the body, and at the same time it will not experience significant stress.

It is recommended to fast for preventive purposes several times a year, provided that the person practices longer abstinence from food. As for one-day fasting, you can adhere to it more often - once every 2-3 weeks.

The correct entrance and, even more so, the correct exit from hunger are very important. Initially, a person must be prepared to carry out this procedure. To do this, you should read authoritative sources and choose the optimal time for this practice. It is best to fast on the weekend, so that on this day you can not work intellectually and physically, but do interesting things that distract you from thoughts about food.

A few days before it starts, you should stop drinking alcohol, smoking and eating heavy food. It is best to prepare light meals, ideally plant-based. The day before the procedure, you can cleanse the intestines by giving an enema or drinking laxative tea.

Directly on the day of fasting, you should drink water at room temperature throughout the day. The water must be mineral (still, not salty) or distilled. You can drink water in any quantity – as much as you want.

It is best to start the procedure in the evening. At about 6 p.m., you should eat a light meal for dinner, after which you should completely abstain from food for the duration of your fast. That is, over the next day a person drinks only water, and in the morning of the next day he begins a gradual recovery from hunger.

In the process of exiting, the most important thing is to do it gradually, without starting to eat everything at once. Meals should be light and small. In the morning after fasting, you can first drink fresh juice, slightly diluted with water. After some time, it is recommended to eat an apple. Then, after 2 hours, you can eat a small portion of porridge with water and a vegetable salad. For another three days, it is better to minimize salt and not eat protein foods - then the effect of hunger will be maximum.

Only after a person has abstained from food for one day several times can he try fasting for 2 or 3 days. However, a three-day abstinence from food is a more serious stress for the body, so you need to prepare for it longer and be more careful in getting out of hunger. After three days without food, it is recommended to begin returning to a normal diet of juices diluted with water. But it is best to try a 3-day fast after a visit to the doctor and taking into account his recommendations.

On the Internet you can find many descriptions of the process of fasting for 7 days from users who claim that this method helped them not only lose weight, but also overcome many diseases. However, weekly water fasting should never be practiced by beginners. And even people with experience should not do this without the supervision of a doctor, since such experiments are fraught with deterioration in well-being and can lead to the development of diseases.

The right way out of fasting

During recovery from fasting, cleansing of the body continues. The acceleration of metabolism and the restoration of intestinal microflora on a normal diet depend on it, which is why the output is so important.

Follow the exit rules for the same number of days as you fasted. Proceed with the arrangement. The morning after fasting is the most beautiful. You feel cheerfulness and lightness throughout your body.

The key effect after fasting is a craving for simple and healthy food. On this day, the basis of the diet is vegetables, fruits and grains. The body itself prefers plant foods. Listen to him and watch your portions.

My way out of fasting is standard. A glass of warm water, after 15 - 20 minutes a glass of freshly squeezed diluted carrot-apple juice. Afterwards - oatmeal with water

Juice fasting

A more gentle method of healing is juice fasting, when, unlike “traditional” fasting, the body receives many useful substances. Therefore, it is easier to carry. Juices are easily digestible, so the digestive system rests quite successfully during the period when juice abstinence from food is practiced.

Using this method, you can not only effectively lose weight, but also improve your body health. Consuming juices makes it possible to tone the intestinal mucosa, regenerate damaged cells, remove toxins , and improve the functioning of the excretory system.

During this period, it is recommended to consume cabbage, beet, and carrot juices. But you also need to include fresh berry, fruit and other vegetable juices in your diet. If such a drink is too concentrated, it is better to dilute it with water. You can also mix juices. If you are thirsty, you can drink some water.

You can fast on juices for 2 to 5 days, but it is better to start with one day of fasting.

As with normal fasting, you should enter the fasting process correctly by eating light food for several days.

The output must also be correct. Under no circumstances should you overload the digestive system. It is better to start with soft fruits, then switch to boiled vegetables, and later add liquid porridge to the menu. You can return to your normal diet after a few days.

Preparation

The first and most important thing is attitude. The purpose of fasting is the conscious cleansing and healing of the body, the transition to a high-quality standard of living. After a day on the water, you gain pride in your own willpower. If you are fasting for the first time, start with one day.

To avoid headaches, a couple of days before fasting, exclude: alcohol, fatty foods, fast food and overeating at night. Choose a day without running around and solving important tasks. Weekends are suitable, when you can take a nap during the day to save energy.

The day before the fast, I do a yoga cleanse with salt water. For me it is preferable to laxatives and enemas. To each his own, but it is advisable to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract so that during fasting there is no intoxication from waste and toxins.

My diet the day before fasting. Oatmeal with water for breakfast, nuts, dates and fruits for a snack. At 6 pm, a portion of steamed buckwheat.

Tuna salad for lunch

Planning the timing, time and location of the fast is as important as the fast itself.

Important points

You cannot practice this method if your temperature or blood pressure has increased, you have cold , or you feel unwell. It's better to wait for a more convenient time.
If during fasting a person breaks down due to certain reasons, then it is worth postponing this process for a while and trying again later.
If you experience a headache during hunger, you should not worry about it. As a rule, this symptom bothers you in the second half of the first day of abstinence from food and goes away on its own. But if the pain becomes unbearable, it is necessary to stop the fasting process.
Dizziness are also considered normal symptoms . But these symptoms should not be very strong and debilitating. If this still happens, you should consult a doctor.
During the period of abstinence from food, it is best to do something that arouses interest and brings pleasure. Light exercises are also recommended - yoga, Pilates, swimming. But you can’t overexert yourself.
Under no circumstances should you starve uncontrollably. This mistake is often made by those who are trying to lose weight, and thereby seriously harm the body.

What happens to the body

Hunger is an extraordinary stressor for the body. Especially if this happens for the first time, using the maximum time frame. Beginners are not recommended to use the 30-day diet without prior preparation.

Read also: How to cleanse the body with wormwood: effective methods

The body needs food to function properly. Necessary vitamins and microelements are taken from food and converted into energy. If the amount of incoming fat exceeds the wasted energy, they are deposited in the body.

The essence of fasting consists of 3 stages:

The first is the anxiety stage. 1-4 days of fasting. Food stimulation occurs. The person experiences severe bouts of hunger. Pain occurs in the intestines. Headache, dizziness, and nervousness are observed. The person partially loses concentration and cannot concentrate. Apathy and a dejected mood appear. Daily weight loss is 1 – 2 kilograms.
The second is the stage of restructuring. From day 5 of fasting. The feeling of hunger is dulled. A characteristic acetone odor appears from the oral cavity. In some cases, the effect of a coated tongue appears. A person quickly gets tired, feels weak in the muscles and throughout the body. There is constant drowsiness, which comes to save energy. Heart rate and blood pressure decrease. Hungry fainting is possible. Weight loss 300 -700 grams.
The third is the adaptation stage. From 26 to the thirtieth day of fasting. The person returns to normal mood and gains strength. The coating on the tongue disappears. The sclera of the eyes becomes white (sometimes bluish) in color. The condition of the facial skin improves, and a healthy appearance of the skin appears. Weight loss 200 – 500 grams per day.

In order to prevent exhaustion of the body or complications, before starting the diet you must undergo an examination and be under the supervision of a specialist.

Water fasting: reviews and results

Most people who talk about their experience of fasting note a very important point: before fasting, it is important to study the essence of this method, the rules of its practice, as well as determine goals for yourself and tune in to the process. If you read reviews about one-day fasting on water, then those for whom this method has already become part of their life rhythm have actually managed to significantly lose weight and improve their health. If you carry out a one-day abstinence from food regularly - once every 2-3 weeks, then gradually the body adjusts to such a “schedule”, and thanks to this the person begins to eat less, which leads to excess weight . The most important advantage of this technique is that one day of fasting is not dangerous to health.

You can also find many reviews about juice fasting, which is often practiced for 3 days or longer. This technique has also helped many. But some reviews say that hunger for juices provoked a sharp deterioration in health and digestive problems. This indicates that this technique is only suitable for those who do not have health problems.

You can also find reviews from those who fasted at home for 7 days or 10 days. But, despite some enthusiastic descriptions of sensations and results, it is important to realize that long-term fasting is only possible in a hospital setting with constant supervision by specialists.

If you analyze individual reviews that describe the results of 21 days of abstinence from food, you may mistakenly believe that this is a simple process during which you can get rid of 10 or more kilograms of excess weight and feel great. But in fact, this is an extremely dangerous technique, and you cannot be guided by reviews in this case.

It is important to understand that each specific case requires only an individual approach, and one should gradually get used to regular “sessions” of hunger, starting with the simplest.

Carrying out the procedure

Long preparation for the fasting procedure is a responsible step that requires scrupulousness and planning. The success of the procedure and its effect on the human body depend on the correct entry into fasting.

We recommend reading

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Entrance

The day before you should balance your diet. The diet should contain more fruits and vegetables. It is better to avoid fats. Remove fatty, fried, smoked foods, sweets, and alcohol from the menu. It is recommended to switch to light foods - vegetable casseroles, cereals, salads and juices. The body will be enriched with essential microelements and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract will be normalized.

There is no need to start losing weight during periods of illness, depression or everyday problems. Stressful situations against the background of a diet will become pronounced and affect the physical and psychological state of a person.

Read also: Fasting for the sake of health, a healing method according to Nikolaev

Starvation

Refusal to eat is a difficult test for the body of a woman or man. On the first day without food, symptoms of malaise will appear - abdominal pain, salivation. All you need to do is hold out. On the first day of fasting, it is recommended to do a saline cleansing enema. Depending on the type of fasting, a person completely refuses food (dry diet), or leaves water in the diet (water diet), or uses the cascade method (alternating hungry and well-fed days). It is prohibited to refuse liquids for longer than 36 hours. Fasting for 30 days necessarily includes drinking water.

Exit

You need to end your hunger strike correctly. It is unacceptable to overeat on the first day of going out. In the first days of rehabilitation, you should not eat heavy food. You can start with salad, juice or fruit. After a week, add porridge, light soups, and casseroles to your diet.

Weight loss while fasting is not the end result. After release, body weight will increase slightly due to the supply of nutrients. At this stage, it is important to determine the diet and menu and use the calorie table.

What information is missing from the article?

Real reviews about the practice
Experts' opinions
Photo and video reviews
More menu options for preparation and exit