Hungry like the wolf…

A 3-5 day fast - I cut 2.5kg in 5 days!!!

Ever wondered how boxers make weight and then put 10+ pounds on in hours??? One of our Founders at Hy-Lyfe wanted to end March in a big way by fasting for 72-120 hrs. They were doing this to see what fighters must do to make weight. They were also trying it for detoxifying mind and body, weight loss, mental strength and clarity. The only things they consumed in this time were water and electrolytes (NO tea/coffee). They weighed in just before at 80.2kg. You will not believe the results and what fighters have to go through...

Day 1 - Mon March 24th

I started with a 5 am alarm and I do feel hungry, but this is normal as I am used to fasting for 36+ hours and the hardest part is easily the first 24 hrs! My stomach rumbled a bit, but nothing unusual there though, I walked 2.5k and woke up without any coffee and weighed in at 80.2kg. My stomach is rumbling and all I want to do is eat a lot of food. I just walked 2k in my lunch break and I am certainly hungry haha! I finished on 5.7k, 7979 steps and 255kcal burned. I was both mentally and physically exhausted by 8 pm. This was an absolute struggle to get through the day TBH and I lost my temper quite a lot easily in the afternoon. I was working remotely so nobody noticed lol! P.S. 'Irritability' can be one of the side effects of fasting...

Day 2 - Tues March 25th

I woke up at 6 am, so 8+ hours of sleep, I am feeling fine with 36+ hours of fasting done with only 1.5 litres of water. By this point, I would have had an intense HIIT workout the day before and fasted Monday from 6 pm to Wednesday at 6 am, so I am not new to this and just levelling up. I haven't had any of the other side effects... Sleep issues, Brain fog, Anxiety or Dizziness and sugar cravings. I was tired/moody last night but that is to be expected with fasting and my current workload! I finished on 5.8k, 8000+ steps and 258 kcal burned (nearly precisely the same)

Day 3 - Weds March 26th

I got up and have had NO COFFEE for 3 days now. My stomach is rumbling, but I think 'ketosis' may have set in 60+ hours into my fast. "Ketosis is a metabolic state that occurs when your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose". I went to the gym not to train, but to speak with the manager there, as he helps fighters cut weight and he just said keep going, but use '0 calorie' electrolytes! Then 6 pm came around and I had 250g rice, 408g tuna, 140g sweetcorn and x3 rice cakes with a bowl of granola and it was amazing! This was 1300+ calories and well needed 72+ hrs in. I finished on 9.1k, 12674 steps and 410 kcal burned.

My mind was a lot clearer and I was not angry or exhausted even with all the additional steps!

Day 4 - Thurs March 27th

My stomach is not rumbling and looks much flatter. I just walked 2.5k and I think I'm still in ketosis, as I do not feel hungry at all! Your mind is a lot clearer and I have been doing much more meditation, yoga and ab workouts. I just walked another 2.5k at lunch and I feel just the same, my energy levels are not low at all. I finished 0.75 litres by 2.30 pm. I won't consume ANY LIQUIDS for 22 hrs now. I finished on 6.9k, 8423 steps and 274 kcal burned. I felt fine with no real tiredness or cravings, just more meditation, ab work and a good night's sleep...

Fri + Sat March 28th & 29th

My mouth is dry from not drinking any water and I have a bit of a headache. I just walked 2.5k and feel OK, but 12.30 pm cannot come quick enough! I think I have dropped around 2 KG now, as I was down nearly 1.5 KG and Wednesday and cutting fluids for 22 hrs, will make a MASSIVE difference when I weigh in. I am not hungry at all and my mind feels very clear and I have pretty good energy levels. I have pins and needles throughout my body and my heart rate is slightly lower than normal. I weighed in having cut over 2.5kg in 5 days had some more rice cakes, tuna and electrolytes. My stomach was pretty 'dodgy' throughout the night as this can happen when you have not been eating. I got up after waking a few times in the night and my 5k was well under 25 mins and I finished 30/144 - Parkrun results for event #247. Your time was 00:24:20

I had a lot more mental clarity with being off SM, more time to think and found out I don't really need coffee for energy. Also, that fasting is the BIGGEST discipline and my mind is stronger than ever!