8 Days Water Fast - Losing Weight with Water Fasting Part 1
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I wanted to lose weight, not to look good, but I had trouble sleeping. I would wake up at midnight because my arm went numb. On top of that, I felt my liver pushing out of my body. It wasn’t painful, but I couldn’t ignore it.
I wanted to lose weight.
In 2022, I stumbled on Jason Fung’s wonderful book The Obesity Code. I remember finishing it in a week. Shortly after, I experimented with water fasting and lost a lot of weight.
Fast forward to January 2024, my weight was around 125kg (due to other reasons we’ll talk about). I was attending a wedding and quickly found out I didn’t have any good clothes to wear. That’s when I decided to get back to my normal weight which is 75kg.
By August, my weight has stabilized to 105kg. I achieved it through water fasting but it was painful since my parents always tried to talk me out of it.
When I came to Germany to pursue my master’s, I noticed something: Everyone is healthier and more active than people back home. I felt bad walking like a fat blob among them. That triggered another fire in me to lose even more.
On December 5, 2024, I embarked on this journey. The plan was to fast for at least 14 days, and if I felt good, extend it to 21 days. You can follow all the posts I made during these 8 days on Bsky. I added notes on how I was feeling each day.
Here is what my progress looks like
| Days | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | 105.1 |
| Day 2 | 104.7 |
| Day 3 | 103.5 |
| Day 4 | 102.6 |
| Day 5 | 102.8 |
| Day 6 | 101.3 |
| Day 7 | 100.3 |
| Day 8 | 99.4 |
| Day 9 Morning | 99 |
These results don’t come off without their challenges. There are a few things you have to be mindful about.
Challenges
Cravings
The first thing you have to be mindful about is cravings. It’s the strongest the first two days. You might even lose sleep over it. But after you wake up on the 3rd day, you won’t feel it. You won’t even feel hungry anymore.
To get over the first two days, remind yourself that food is always an arm’s length away and you can have it all in the morning. This will help you get the willpower to go through the first two days.
Apart from that, any hobbies you have can help with this. Try gaming or watching movies or series.
Boredom
Boredom is going to biggest issue throughout your extended fast. We take food for granted and don’t even think about how much it affects our mood. You will be bored out of your mind since one source of your happiness is food.
I didn’t have to deal with it because my day was jam-packed. That includes learning the German language, improving my English speaking skills, working on my side projects, and studying for my master’s courses. I was busy with these things to the point I didn’t have time to watch YouTube or consume any social media. For my Bsky account, I installed a CLI tool so I can post my thoughts without visiting the site.
If you don’t have a lot of activities planned out, kill your time with series or games. Although it would be better to develop new hobbies or work on that project you have been putting off.
Feeling Cold
Since I am doing this during winter, I feel a lot colder than when I am not fasting. It has to do with your internal combustion. That’s why vodka keeps you warm since it is concentrated in sugar and processing them turns you into a furnace.
If you are trying to follow this diet in winter, be mindful of the cold and try to wear warm clothes.
In summer, fasting feels much better. It keeps your body cold and you won’t feel the extreme heat in the hot summers of Peshawar. It is a hack to keep your body cold even when the temperature outside reaches 40 degrees.
Bad Breath
Bad breath is going to be part of the process since you don’t eat anything, your stomach will smell bad. I found that this smell is due to the food residue on your tongue. The back of the tongue is the suspect for bad breath.
To counter this, brush your teeth twice a day (you should do this regardless) and try to brush your tongue, including its backside. You can use your toothbrush for it or you can buy those fancy brushes built for brushing your tongue.
This dramatically improves your bad breath. You might not even feel it.
Exercise
You shouldn’t be exercising when you are fasting. Your body is having a hard time keeping you alive, do not drag it more. Have light walk here and there, or to the supermarket but don’t go crazy with it.
Farts (or Sharts)
Don’t break the wind in public after your 3rd day. At least not on your fourth day. If you do, you might be in for a surprise, that the wind brought their uninvited friends. Stay within the reach of a toilet or at least use one before leaving your house. It’s a brotherly advice.
Listen to your body
Last but not least, listen to your body. If you aren’t feeling well, break your fast. If you are still feeling bad, reach out to your doctor as soon as possible.
Remember, you can always start again.
Breaking Fast
When it comes to breaking fast, avoid taking any hard food. Since you haven’t eaten for a while, the best thing you can have is a broth. I always have a chicken broth when I break my fast.
For you, it might be different. Better to look on the Internet or ask your doctor.