It's been several weeks now since I ended my 20 Day Water Fast and I thought I'd take a moment to share the best way to end your water fast, especially if it's a long one like mine was. As tempting as it may be to eat regularly when your fast ends, your body will not be happy if you do! So, hold the donuts and fast food, because you're going to want to break your fast the right way.
Since our bodies digestive system is practically asleep on a long term water fast and our stomachs have shrunken drastically - imagine how much of a shock it would be if you stuffed it with loads of food? Even worse, imagine if you stuffed yourself with sugars and greasy foods? It wouldn't be pretty and you'd spend quiet some time in the bathroom.
So, to avoid trips to the bathroom or worse - a trip to the hospital - ease yourself back into food when you're ending your fast. Here are some tips you can follow if you're ending your long term fast, and even if your fast is a short one, you can still use the tips mentioned in this post as guide lines. As always, monitor your body to see what it's able to handle and always slow your eating down if you experience an upset stomach.
1. DAY 1-3
From day 1-3, I stuck mostly with liquids; water, bone broth, and a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning. Sticking with liquids gives our body time to adjust to liquids other than water. Both substances are easy on our digestive system and I found myself sipping on my seasoned broth throughout the day which was filling.
In the morning, I'd drink a tsp amount apple cider vinegar, which is great for waking our digestive system up and filling it up with healthy probiotics and bacteria; preparing our bodies for when it's time to eat solid food. Sure, it's not the tastiest to drink, but it's worth it!
2. DAY 4-6
On day 4-6, I still stuck with having water and bone broth, but I now started to munch on 2 boiled eggs daily while also having 1 tbsp of yoghurt daily as well. I did have steamed vegetables here and there but kept it at a minimal because I did experience an upset stomach from eating them. This is why it's so important to monitor your body because what may work for someone else may not work for others!
When it was closer to day 6, I was able to eat steamed vegetables more often without upset stomachs; my favorite being brocolli and green beans. Since I intended on doing Keto, I stuck with vegetables that had little carbs within them and also steamed my vegetables very well; almost to the point of being mushy.
3. Day 7-10
By day 7-10, I was now having 3 small meals a day doing the usual monitoring to make sure I had no upset stomachs. I still had bone broth daily, but this time I made the broth into a chicken soup - one of my favorite meals to have. Since I was not at the point where I was eating more regularly, I was able to start taking vitamins which I was so happy about!
I also drank plenty of lemon water at this point as it was great for flushing everything...out, if you know what I mean. By day 7, I had already had my first bowel movement (sorry if this grosses you out!) which was a good sign that everything inside of me was working properly!
4. Day 12-15
Last but not least, by day 12-15 of the recovery phase, I was eating normally and had my keto meals planned out for the month. I was having 3 normal sized meals a day, while also taking vitamins and drinking plenty of water. I felt energetic and content now that I was eating well and taking vitamins, and felt pretty much normal!
For anyone who does an even longer fast than 20 days, you may need a longer recovery time. Since I felt fine after 14 days of recovery, I jumped into my keto diet which helped me control my appetite because I completely forgot how filling almond bread is! I also started to eat salads which I help off on since raw vegetables tend to have more fiber in them, which requires more power from our digestive system.
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And there you have it! A safe way to breaking your water fast that you can be proud of - and still feel great from. I have made a video on this complete guide so if you would like to watch it, you can find it on my YouTube channel, or watch it below!
Until next time! xoxo - Sarah
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