I wanted to report to you all on the 23 day water only fast I did. If you check out some of my earlier posts (like from 12 months ago), when I reported on a 16 day water fast, I always get mixed results.

So this January I did a 23 day water only fast.

First, it's not that hard. Once you get past the cravings of the first few days, you are pretty much good. You will dream about food, and watching anything food on TV (like cooking shows, my favorite) is what I call "food porn"--you can't believe how tantalizing it all looks.

Second, I COMPLETELY fasted on only water for 23 days. No a single cheat, or slip up or anything. I could only do this by completely clearing my social calendar and doing nothing but working and going home to a foodless house.

The only way I can do it is to drink water with electrolytes in it (i.e. smartwater by glaceau). I am not sure how you do it otherwise and I frankly think that electrolyte imbalance is what gets people into trouble. I also kept coconut water on hand but never had to use it (which contains more electrolytes than Gatorade).

I myself am far too weak when I fast (I also have to work 10-11 hour days, in an office, while I fast) to do really any sort of exercise other than walking myself from here to there, and some housework. That is me, someone else might be able to, but I am exhausted myself by fasting.

I know everyone cares about how much you lose. I lost exactly 23 pounds in 23 days, averaging a pound a day (218 to 195). It comes off like 2 pounds a day at first, and at the end, it's 1/2 pound a day, which gets very depressing.

BUT, and here is the kicker, this always happens to me, I refeed very carefully for about three days, and think I am doing okay. But then you just eat a "normal" day (and by that, I don't mean an "old" normal like eating everything in sight), just a little english muffin for breakfast, some soup for lunch, and a salad for dinner, and voila! The majority of the weight comes back.

Here are the stats: Starting weight 218--after 23 day fast, 195 (last day was 1/20/11) that was 10 days ago now). Three days post fast I had only low cal juice and broth (maybe 300 calories per day), and then 7 days of careful eating (maybe 1000 calories a day). And then today (mind you this is now 10 days post fast: this morning I weighted 209. A gain of 14 pounds in less than 7 days of careful eating. So what was the point of all that suffering????

Also, I lost very little weight around my middle--I lost 1 inch with all that weight and all that suffering.

I have fasted on and off my whole adult life, and I am beginning to think that it is not the best way to lose weight. It can jump start you, to be sure, but unless you are able to live in complete asceticism post-fast (and by that, I think for me that means juicing only, no solid food), you are going to put back on half (or more!) of the weight you lost. It just does not seem worth the suffering to me anymore.

Those are my thoughts.