Hi! I want to do a 72 hour fast soon and I would love to hear your experience and if needed some tips. The longest I fasted before was around 48 hours and that went pretty well. I only got dizzy sometimes standing up.
I’ve done 48’s and 72’s (I even did 9 days once just to test my limits and learn more about my body. I’m glad I did that but I would never do it again!). I’ve found that longer than 48 is when I start to feel kinda crappy, even with supplementing electrolytes. Beyond 48 my energy level starts to go way down and I sometimes start to feel a little nauseous.
I say if you want to try a 72 hour fast, give it a shot. Maybe you’ll find that you really like 72-hour fasts, maybe you’ll find that you don’t like them at all; you never know until you try. Just be smart about it and stay hydrated and take some extra electrolytes. And remember, if you’re not feeling well, it’s okay to stop at any time and you don’t have to force yourself to 72 hours.
Personally, 72 h is my favorite extended fast. It’s long enough for you to reap all the benefits of fasting (autophagy in particular), without being too disruptive to your daily life. Also, 72 h is short enough in which I don’t have to worry about vitamins or refeeding syndrome. I find 72 h to be the sweet spot!
I find that 24 h is easy, the next is tough, and the 3rd day is easy breezy.
I suggest you stay hydrated, well rested, and you break gently. I do a cup of warmed bone broth at the 72 h mark and wait 30 min - 1 h before eating my meal. I make sure I eat consciously slow, don’t scarf it down, and have a protein and veggie centered meal.
Again, this is just my experience and my personal preferences. Everyone is different, so I suggest trying out different things to find what works best for you.