It’s no surprise that I’m a fan of fasting, but I may not have really shared why…
There many different ways to fast, but my favorite is the 5 day mimicked fast because: (1) You get to eat. (2) The research behind it is solid. (3) It only lasts 5 days.
You might be wondering… What happens in the body over the course of the 5 days that makes this fast so special?
It's no miraculous way to fool the body. In truth, it is simply an adaptive response our bodies learned over years of regularly moving through periods of food deprivation. During times of famine, the body evolved to conserve energy by selectively nourishing healthy cells while purging the body of old and damaged ones.
Here's a day by day snapshot of what happens during the 5 day mimicked fast:
Day 1 - The body is eased into the fasting experience. Caloric intake is reduced, but not to a level where you are likely to experience any side-effects.
Day 2 - Caloric intake is reduced to fasting levels and the body shifts toward a fasting state by starting to rely on internal stores of energy.
Day 3 - Full fasting state is achieved by the end of day 3 when the body shifts into full ketosis and the process of autophagy fully begins. Autophagy is the body’s clean-up system that most thrift-fully uses the energy procured from internal food stores to nourish healthy cells and clear out the rest. This is often the most challenging day.
Day 4 - This is usually the most exciting day, because body begins to flood with stem cells in an effort to replace all that was cleaned out. This is how the healing and renewal happens! While often still feeling hungry, many people feel very clear-headed and, sometimes, even full of energy on this day.
Day 5 - The stem cells continue to flood the body, promoting healing where needed. Slight hunger may persist, but most people report feeling energetic and vibrant.
Day 6 - After a light breakfast and lunch, transition is made back into “normal” eating. Most people have a new sense of appreciation for food and a deep sense of clarity around what their body needs. It is a profound time to begin new habits and patterns with food and eating.
Day 7-10 - The body continues to have new stem cells flooding through it.
Boom! And that’s not even getting into the benefits of incorporating my mindfulness program.
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