Successes come in a colors, sizes, and styles. Sometimes we recognize our successes, and other times they pass unnoticed. Successfully doing a 72 hour fast is, in my book, a big success.
Until you’ve tried to pull off this task, you have no real idea what it takes. In doing so, I was surprised at how easily my body took to it. The strength of my mind, however, was what was really being tested. Of course the nursing side of me monitored my glucose and ketone levels, blood pressure, and urine output for signs that I should end the attempt. I did my best to keep busy but not overdue it. I kept to my regular routine (minus the eating) as much as possible.
On Day 3, after weights and yoga, I packed up a few snacks to use for reintroducing food at the end of the day. The day was just beginning but, in the back of mind, already I was considering the possibility of extending past 72 hours. I tucked the snacks in my glove compartment as I drove to work.
That evening, just 30 minutes before hitting the 72 hour mark, I seriously wondered if I should just continue. I felt FABULOUS. I joked with my brother and Lil Sis that I was high on ketones. I had plenty of chores to keep my evening occupied and food was the farthest thing from my mind. Until… it wasn’t.
I realized that I had no idea what I would eat if I were to break my fast then and there. What? What would I eat?
Before long, I had decided that a good steak was in order. Yes, that’s it. A rib eye steak would be nice. Ahhh, but we are out of propane. I should pick some up tonight so I have it when I am ready to eat again. While I am at it, I might as well get the steak too.
Well you can see where this was going. Right? All of that thinking and planning what I was going to eat (when I was to eat again) got my salivary glands flowing, my stomach grumbling, and my ghrelin levels rising. By then, it was a done deal. The fast was ended.
So… I ate.
And it was good. Oh, so good.
Cool!