96 Hours Without Food: My Experience Fasting

To eat or not to eat

by Silvia Sanz Linares

Eating is one of the greatest pleasures in life, one of those little satisfactions we actually need to survive. When we eat, we nourish our bodies, but we also feed our souls. So, why would anyone cut off eating for several days? What are the effects of such deprivation?

This article does not seek to encourage or promote unhealthy eating behaviours; it’s only intention is to spread the author’s personal experience and the information obtained through research. Always consult a doctor before making extreme diet modifications such as a prolonged fast.

Over the past decade, fasting has become a movement on the rise, claiming weight loss, overall health benefits, and even an increase in the life span. However, food intake restriction is much more than a hip health movement; it is, indeed, an historical and religious approach to both physical and spiritual health.

Hippocrates of Kos, the father of modern medicine, advocated for fasting and prescribed strict fasts for all acute fevers and diseases.

Source: 1881, Young Persons’ Cyclopedia of Persons and Places; Silvia Sanz

Those promoting it swear by its therapeutic benefits and its power to develop spiritual strength through resisting temptation and mastery of the body. Abstinence from food is, hence, a deft strategy to connect with one’s physicality, needs and desires.

The bettering health outcomes are what first drew me into the practice of not eating for short periods back in my teenage, and, despite the fact that most of the advantages of fasting can be attained with a healthy lifestyle, I still love the challenge and the perpetual fight between will and lust occurring in my head. So, for all of you wondering what fasting feels like, here’s my experience of not consuming any foods or drinks (other than water and unsweetened mint tea) for four days.

Day one

As I just mentioned, I am not a rookie when it comes to fasting. I have put my willpower to the test periodically for nearly ten years. As a result, I didn’t navigate this way blindfolded, and I knew what to expect. However, I deemed fasting more complicated this time, given I currently coexist with about 20 people, meaning food was very present throughout my entire journey.

Yet, day one was the easiest for me. It usually happens like this, and it remained the same on this occasion. While, for others, the simple idea of facing a day without food can seem like hell, for me (at least at this starting stage) does not have much of an effect.

During this first day, my energy levels were high and steady. I simply couldn’t feel the absence of food in my system, and my mood was overall pretty good. Only when I was getting closer to the 24-hour milestone did I begin to feel peckish; fortunately, water and tea easily killed that sensation.

Now, that was what I felt: a wholly personal and subjective experience. Of course, not everyone will endure fasting in the same manner. Still, the underlying biological processes will be the same. So, let’s take a look at what occurs when we deprive ourselves of food:

• 4-8 hours: The sugar in the bloodstream slowly decreases, and the body stops insulin production.

• 12 hours: All the food in the digestive tract is consumed; consequently, the digestive system shuts down.

• 14-16 hours: As the body runs out of glucose, the pancreas releases glucagon, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. Likewise, Human Growth Hormone begins to increase, which means the body-healing process begins.

• 24 hours: Without any glucose left in the system and all the glycogen reserves dramatically low, the body swaps its strategy. Now, ketones, an alternative energy source from fat, become the fuel.

Day two

More than 24 hours had passed by the time I woke up in the morning, and my body was already showing some signs. It is true that I didn’t feel any hunger after my sleep, but I could sense my energy levels had decreased.

Any fast under 24 hours is considered intermittent fasting, one of the most popular fasting strategies.

Source: 2022, Robert Klitz

Some very notorious changes set in; my muscles were feeling feeble, my body incredibly heavy, and I could notice my heart pumping faster and harder. Unfortunately, I did not measure my glucose during this experience, but I was probably hypoglycemic.

The mental challenge had also just kicked in; I dreamt of food twice over the night. So, I can confirm (from this and previous fasts) restrictions and prohibitions can only make that banned object more desirable and lively in your mind.

The afternoon was rough. I experienced nausea, migraine and numbing in my hands. Even though my energy levels were back to (almost) normal, I couldn’t wait for that day to end.

Autophagy (self-eating) is an intracellular degradation system in which old damaged organelles, proteins and pathogens are sequestrated and broken down for resources.

Source: 2018, MBInfo Defining Mechanobiology

The most remarkable biological changes during this period include:

• 36 hours: Autophagy, the process that recycles old cells and improves their operation, increases by 300%.

• 40 hours: Autophagy continues to increase up to an extra 30%. Likewise, the immune system reboots, and the body’s inflammatory response plummets.

Day three

Nothing had changed when I woke up on the third morning of my fast. Luckily, hunger was non-existing. My body strength was absent as well. The headaches continued, and the tiniest effort, such as climbing a few stairs, meant draining my batteries.

Surprisingly, I was tremendously focused most of the morning. Even so, by midday, it began to switch with the smell of my housemates’ food. As it usually is, day three was hideous: I was lightheaded, exhausted, moody, shivery and having mild headaches. To make matters worse, I couldn’t get food out of my head; I longed for it, so I considered quitting my challenge.

Regarding the biological aspect of the process, not many changes occur during this phase:

• 54 hours: The insulin levels reach their lowest point while the ketone levels continue to increase, preventing muscle breakdown.

• 72 hours: At this point, the insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) will decrease, triggering the production of stem cells and new immune cells. Moreover, oxidative stress will also be reduced, preventing ageing.

Day four

Day four came with an improvement in my physical condition; I had a lot more energy this day, and the headaches were way less intense than the previous days.

Overall, my mood and mental performance were sharp during the morning. Regardless, the idea of eating was constantly in the back of my mind (even if I did not feel hungry at any time).

My original plan was to fast for five days, but after walking for ten minutes and undergoing joint discomfort and muscle soreness for a couple of hours, I felt miserable. My final milestone seemed unreachable, and I crumbled. Hence, after realizing I had gone 98 hours without food, I broke my fast with a scrumptious roasted courgette.

I do believe it was the right move, as at this stage, all those ‘healing’ processes are maintained for about 24 more hours. After that, there are only changes to them once they slow down and, eventually, come to an end.

Conclusions

I reckon fasting is a remarkable experience despite all the ‘suffering’ it makes you encounter. It is a powerful tool that, when used correctly, can do wonders for your health. But, most importantly, it’s an eye-opening exploration of yourself capable of humbling you.

When you fast, the connection between mind and body becomes crystal clear. So does the meaning of food; the recreational and social dimensions take over your mind and assert how they’re just as important as nutrition.

Fasting is a stress-causing experience, yet I see it as valuable training for the real world. Of course, it is full of tough moments, and your willpower is challenged every minute. Still, it allows you to develop, train and uphold mental strength, a mastery essential to navigate life.

Sources:

Rothman, N. (2022). What happens to Your Body While Fasting (Hour by Hour) + Benefits of Fasting. Rothman Health Solutions.

https://drnicole.com/what-happens-to-your-body-while-fastinghour-by-hour-benefits-of-fasting/

Stem cells are cells with the capacity to multiply into the 200 different cell types forming a human.

Source: 2021, Yourgenome.