If you have made up your mind to fast for weight
loss and health-improvement, then it is my job to be there for you with no-nonsense tips
that can help you go all the way. If we stick together we can make it. So sit back and read this
page thoroughly. I will give you a good synopsis of everything I have learned in my 20+ years as a
water fasting practitioner and coach. Glad to have you with us. :-)
First of the water fasting tips: Read the
main water fasting page
when you have a chance. If you are serious about completing a water fast, it would be a good idea
to print out these pages and carry them with you throughout the day for reassurance, motivation and
information.
Soooo ... take me with you! In addition, make it a point to visit either
Fasting Forum I
and/or Fasting Forum II. Find a buddy, post
questions, spend time reading the comments, hang out ... keep yourself busy and out of your head
as much as possible. Reaching out for help is one of the most powerful water fasting tips I can
give you. Don't be a lone ranger!
Important water fasting tips: Before starting the fast, I suggest you purchase some type of colon cleanser to help
the body start eliminating stubborn fecal debris and toxins. I have used
Herbs & Prunes for years because it is VERY effective, natural and
inexpensive.
Give it a shot. The more waste you can start to eliminate BEFORE
fasting, the lesser the hunger pains and detox symptoms will be.
This "pre-fasting" step was crucial for me when I started fasting years ago because of the large amount
intestinal toxicity I carried around from years poor eating.
In terms of water quality, purified is best. Get a filter in your home. I personally am
a huge fan of the
portable water ionizer because the output quality is extraordinary yet I can take it with me
wherever I go. For $99, you just can't go wrong with this product. Check it out when you have a chance.
The
ZeroWater Filtration Pitcher works pretty good and will do the job nicely. To me, anything is better than
spending money every week for bottled water.
Bottom line:
USE THE BEST QUALITY OF WATER THAT YOUR BUDGET ALLOWS. If your budget
is too tight right now to purchase a filter or ionizer, then at the very least
PLEASEboil your drinking
water for a minimum of 15 minutes. Set it aside for a few hours to cool and then refrigerate.
As part of water fasting tips, be
as strict as possible with this step ... what you are doing for your health is powerful.
Let's not throw a wrench into it by drinking poor quality water, ok?
The Proper Mindset
Of the rest of the water fasting tips I give you, remember this one:
Make sure to have the proper mindset when you start".
Let me give you a hand by
describing what the body goes through while one is fasting.
First of all, one can expect
to lose anywhere between one-to-three pounds per day. It is not rare for a person to lose 20
pounds in just seven days of fasting. A 30, 40-day water fast can result in weight loss of
as much as 60 pounds. Yes... fasting is THAT powerful.
But this is not all. Your health will get a boost that can truly transform your life. Water fasting gives
the human body an
invaluable opportunity to flush out toxins and heal. Since it does not have to digest new food-intake,
the body has the rare opportunity to divert its energy to deep-cleansing and tissue repair. As the
digestive system goes into hibernation, the body can spend time repairing/healing damaged cells
and organs.
This cleansing and detoxification process never ceases to amaze me. It is
truly miraculous. As one moves into the 48th and 72nd hour of fasting, the body
begins to devour everything in its path as it searches for food, including toxins,
fibroid tumors, viruses and bacteria. Under normal eating circumstances, the body will use the food
you eat to extract sugar "glucose."
Glucose is used by the body as "gasoline" to get you through the
day and provide the energy you need to function. But all of this changes drastically when you stop eating.
When you are water fasting, the body amazingly shifts its fuel production from that of glucose from food,
to that of "ketones" or fuel extracted from stored fat.
This reorganization of fuel production (from glucose to stored fat) starts the second day of
food abstinence and is completed at the end of of your first 72 hours. In some cases it may
take up to four-to-five days, but three days is the average.
By the third day, the production of ketones will become enough to deliver all the fuel
the body needs.
From the third day on, the body accelerates its consumption and breakdown of fatty
acids and fat. This process hits is peak from the ninth to eleventh day.
This seven-day period, after the body has shifted completely over to ketosis, is where the maximum
breakdown of fat tissue occurs. It is also when the most significant healing begins to take place. That is why
I believe that most people would be MUCH
better off (mentally and physically) if they fasted regularly.
Symptoms of
ketosis and body detoxification while water fasting include; metallic taste in your mouth, sticky white film
in the tongue, dizziness, fever, diarrhea, weakness and foul breath - among others. While going through
this is no fun, the discomfort usually disappears between days nine and eleven. It's all part of the healing
process. Compared to the ultimate pain of chronic illness, fasting symptoms are a very small price to pay for
our lives and health.
Here's more water fasting tips: while you are fasting, is is very important for you to realize that
you are going through a PROFOUND HEALING PROCESS! Read the last few paragraphs again slowly.
Let the information sink into the deepest part of your soul. Isn't the human body amazing? Do you want
to experience this life-giving miracle?
Many people fail at fasting because they look at
it as suffering. They fast but are brimming with anger, bitterness and self-pity. They see
fasting as a punishement to be endured, not the miracle of life and healing that it really is.
Because they DO NOT have the correct mind frame, these people
will likely break the fast prematurely ... often with a binge.
Work at seeing the fast through proper eyes. You are healing ... getting
stronger and better. This is NOT a punishment! It is actually a reward
of health and vitality! More water fasting tips: Remind yourself of this truth when the hunger pains and
discomfort hit. It will dramatically increase your chances of sticking to the fast because you now
KNOW the terrific
benefits that you're receiving. You're not suffering; you're being reborn!
Before the Fast
More water fasting tips: Once you understand the importance of mindset, then it is important for you to preparpe yourself
physically for the fast. Another of the water fasting tips I want to give you is this: Reduce
your food intake as much as possible for AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS prior to
the fast.
I STRONGLY encourage you to curve sugar, fat and caffeine.
Sugar is very toxic to the body and produces uncomfortable detox symptoms. Trust me, reduce
the use of sugar ... make it easier on yourself. If sugar is problematic for you, I urge you to
grab a copy of
Sugar Busters and put it to practice ...TODAY if possible. The damage sugar does to most of us goes
beyond words. Read the book. It will help you.
The same goes for fatty foods. If you eat a lot of junk food, reduce its intake or cut it out for
that pre-fasting week. Many people mistakenly eat more than usual before
fasting because they feel they are somehow "stocking up" for the fast, like a bear would before winter.
I did it myself and the result was utter misery. The emptier and cleaner your stomach is prior to starting
a fast, the less discomfort you will experience. That I why I recommended the
Herbs & Prunes.
Moving on with your water fasting tips: start to
eat more salads, fruits and vegetables at least two weeks prior to the fast. Vegetables, fruits and
salads will help the digestive system start to expel toxic fecal matter that may be adhered to the
walls of your colon. You want the cleansing process to start BEFORE you
start fasting. Again, doing this will lessen the fasting discomfort, which will make it easier to reach your
goal.
Another of the water fasting tips: Start to drink at the very least half a gallon of water daily for
seven days prior to starting the fast. Increased water intake will also help move your bowels.
The more you are able to cleanse prior to starting, the better off you will be.
This is
especially true if you are planning to fast for more than three days.
When you have a moment, surf over to
the Water Diet for details about
water intake and its importance. So, there are some good water fasting tips that, if you
follow them, will make the process much easier. I have been there and done it. All you have to do is
take action.
Hunger Pains
One of the most useful water fastintg tips I can give you is related to handling hunger pains
and detox symptoms. The top question I receive is always:
"WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THOSE DARN HUNGER PAINS!"
Here's the answer: Drink seltzer water with a squeeze of
lemon or lime to control hunger pains and detox symptoms. Drink a cup of green tea in the afternoon
WITHOUT SUGAR OR HONEY and for a pep of energy.
"Huh?" you may ask. Yes, I know. Initially I thought these
suggestions were ludicrous. How on earth can seltzer relieve hunger and detoxification?
No matter, I soon became a
believer. IT WORKS! If you are fasting and find yourself running into
trouble due to hunger pains and detox symptoms... grab some seltzer water with lime or lemon. It will give
you the break you need to temper the storm.
The last of the water fasting tips I want to share with you is the inclusion of a very powerful
supplement, and that is Himalayan Crystal Salt. Crystal salt has
very powerful properties that can help your body heal and cleanse while you are water fasting.
What I do is add three tablespoons to a gallon of water and make it a point to drink it in its entirety
over a 24-hour period. The benefits have been so amazing that I have continued to add the salt to my
drinking water even when I am not fasting.
Himalayan Crystal Salt. is known to contain energy and
healing properties that assist in
bringing the body's regulatory system
(homeostasis) into balance.
This fosters improved blood pH, digestive
system functions, brain activity, respiration, and it also helps remove heavy metals from your body.
Let us now move on from the water fasting tips discussion and go to Benefits of Water Fasting and talk about fasting and
physical healing.