How To Prepare For 72 Hour Fast?

If you’ve done your research, you’ll know that you get the most benefits from a 72-hour fast. Not only does your body enter into ketosis, but it will also go into autophagy too. This helps improve your holistic health and well-being, so you may be curious if a 72-hour fast is for you.

The good news is that you don’t just jump into this advanced fast. Instead, you want to prepare yourself for prolonged fasts by following the below key steps. You’ll be ready to take on a 72-hour fast in no time.

Key Takeaways

• Gradually increase fasting windows: To prepare for a 72-hour fast, it’s important to slowly increase your fasting duration over time. Start by adding an hour to your fasting schedule each week, allowing your body to adjust to longer periods without food.
• Practice meal prepping: Before starting a prolonged fast, focus on meal prepping to avoid decision fatigue. Planning your meals in advance will help you make healthier choices when you break your fast and ensure you maintain a calorie deficit for continued weight loss.
• Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water is crucial during a fast as it helps keep you feeling full and aids important bodily processes like ketosis and autophagy. You can also include coffee and tea as approved beverages, but avoid no-calorie sweeteners that might disrupt ketosis.
• Start with small meals after fasting: When breaking a prolonged fast, begin with small portions such as a handful of nuts or bone broth. Wait for an hour or two to ensure the food agrees with your body before consuming a small meal. This approach helps you maintain a calorie deficit and manage your eating post-fast.
• Patience and preparation are key: It’s important to take your time and gradually work up to a 72-hour fast. Rushing into it may lead to unsuccessful outcomes or rash decisions driven by hunger. By being patient and adequately preparing, you set yourself up for successful fasting experiences and can reap the benefits of intermittent fasting.

Slowly Increase Fasting Windows

Whether you are new to intermittent fasting or just want to change up your routine, you want to make slow and measured changes to your routine. That way, you won’t really notice the changes until you are prepared to join a 72-hour fast.

If you have a 16:8 fast, add one hour to your fasting schedule over the course of a week. You can quickly turn this into a 20:4 fast when you approach it like this. As you go, continue to add hours to your fast – and take breaks. Prolonged fasts are intended to supplement your intermittent fasting routine. It should not take the place of a traditional diet and exercise routine.

Meal Prep

It sounds silly, especially as you are shifting your focus to do anything but eat. However, before you start, it is critical that you focus on meal prepping. This will help save you from decision fatigue. Once you’re ready to eat again, you may not be thinking clearly.

If you said you wanted some trail mix but went for a cheeseburger instead, that will undermine all the progress that you’ve seen in the fast. The first time you eat after a prolonged fast should be small, just a handful for nuts or bone broth. Wait about an hour or two to ensure the food agrees with you, and then move forward with a small meal.

The goal is to still maintain a calorie deficit, even when you are not doing a prolonged fast. This will help you continue to lose weight during intermittent fasting after you are done with a 72-hour fast.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Because you can’t eat, drinking a lot of water is going to help you feel full when you’re not eating. Staying hydrated will help facilitate some of the important processes going on in your body when you’re not eating, including ketosis and autophagy.

You can also safely add coffee and tea to your shortlist of approved beverages you can drink during intermittent fasting; however, it’s best to steer clear of no-calorie sweeteners. Select no-calorie sweeteners should be safe; however, if it triggers a metabolic response, you will be booted out of ketosis and need to start the process all over again.

Coffee can also serve as an appetite suppressant, so you may also be able to curb your hunger by drinking it. This is a great way to prepare and manage a 72-hour fast.

So, Can You Really Prepare for a 72-hour Fast?

Yes – and you should! Taking the time to prepare prior to fasting will help set yourself up for success, allowing you to focus on maintaining your results instead of making rash decisions because you are hungry.

You don’t need to rush into a 72-hour fast, so make sure you take the time to level up to this prolonged fast over time. You will still get the benefits of intermittent fasting if you are patient, setting yourself up for successful fasts right from the start.

It can be challenging to wait, but worth it!

FAQ

• Can I jump directly into a 72-hour fast without any prior fasting experience?

It is not recommended to jump directly into a 72-hour fast if you have no prior fasting experience. It’s important to gradually increase your fasting windows over time to allow your body to adapt to longer periods without food.

• How do I increase my fasting windows to prepare for a 72-hour fast?

If you are new to intermittent fasting or want to change your routine, start by adding an hour to your fasting schedule each week. For example, if you have a 16:8 fast, extend it to 17:7 in the first week, then gradually increase until you can comfortably handle a 20:4 fast.

• Should I meal prep before starting a 72-hour fast?

Yes, meal prepping is important before starting a prolonged fast. It helps you avoid decision fatigue and ensures you make healthy food choices when breaking your fast. Plan your meals in advance and have small, nutrient-rich options available for when you reintroduce food.

• How should I break my fast after a 72-hour fast?

When breaking a prolonged fast, start with small portions of easily digestible foods, such as a handful of nuts or bone broth. Wait for an hour or two to ensure your body tolerates the food well before consuming a small meal. This approach helps maintain a calorie deficit and prevents overeating.

• Can I drink coffee or tea during a 72-hour fast?

Yes, you can include coffee and tea as approved beverages during intermittent fasting. However, it’s best to avoid adding no-calorie sweeteners as they may disrupt ketosis. Coffee can also serve as an appetite suppressant, helping you manage hunger during the fast.

• Is it necessary to stay hydrated during a 72-hour fast?

Yes, staying hydrated is crucial during a fast. Drink plenty of water to help curb hunger and facilitate important bodily processes like ketosis and autophagy. Adequate hydration supports overall well-being and can make the fasting experience more manageable.

• Can I lose weight with intermittent fasting even when not doing a prolonged fast?

Yes, maintaining a calorie deficit is key to weight loss during intermittent fasting, even when not doing a prolonged fast. By planning your meals and making healthy choices, you can continue to lose weight and achieve your goals while following an intermittent fasting routine.

• Is it worth preparing for a 72-hour fast instead of rushing into it?

Yes, taking the time to prepare for a 72-hour fast is highly recommended. Rushing into a prolonged fast without adequate preparation may lead to unsuccessful outcomes or impulsive eating decisions driven by hunger. By being patient and properly preparing, you increase your chances of success and maximize the benefits of intermittent fasting.