How to Prepare for a 3‑Day Fast: Attunement, Milestones, and Using Discomfort Well
Fasting is not starvation. It is a choice. You stop eating to stop running. You turn down the noise long enough to hear what your body and mind have been saying for years. Done well, a 72‑hour fast can reset your rhythms, your relationship with hunger, and your ability to choose on purpose.
Safety note: Do not fast if you are pregnant, under 18, have an eating disorder history, diabetes, or take medications affected by food or electrolytes. If unsure, speak to your clinician first. This is peer support, not medical advice.
What Counts as a “Real” Fast
Definition
A strict fast means zero calories. That includes “healthy” snacks, broth, buttered coffee, sweeteners, and supplements with calories. If your goal is a clean metabolic reset, assume any calories break the fast.
What Is Allowed
- Water (still or sparkling)
- Black coffee
- Green or black tea
- Unsweetened herbal tea
- Water with a pinch of salt
What to Avoid
- Milk, cream, collagen, bone broth
- Diet drinks with sweeteners and chewing gum
- Vitamins or “keto” drinks that contain calories
Prepare in Two Tracks: Physical and Mental
Physical Prep (3–5 Days Out)
- Taper: Reduce sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol. Eat normal portions with protein, vegetables, and healthy fats.
- Hydrate early: 2–3 litres water per day now. Start light electrolytes so you are not playing catch‑up.
- Sleep: Two good nights before you start will beat any “fat‑burning hack”.
- Clear friction: Stock mineral water, tea, and salt. Remove snack landmines. Lighten your calendar if possible.
- Set rules: Decide your allowed drinks, daily salt plan, and what will end the fast. Write it down.
Mental Prep (The Part That Changes You)
- Choose a Why: Name one behaviour you want to reset. Keep it to a single sentence.
- Plan replacements: Pre‑choose swaps for urges: a 10‑minute walk, cold splash, journaling, a call, or two minutes of box breathing.
- Reframe hunger: Hunger is a wave, not an emergency. Most waves peak for 10–20 minutes then fade.
- Simple protocol when it gets loud: Observe. Name it. Sip. Salt. Breathe for two minutes. Change location.
Milestones: What You May Feel
0–12 Hours
Liver glycogen is available. Expect habit hunger at your usual meal times. Water, coffee, a short walk.
12–24 Hours
Glycogen drops. Ghrelin pulses rise and fall. You may feel colder, headachy, or edgy. Add salt and water. Sleep early.
24–36 Hours
Ketones begin to rise. Breath may smell slightly fruity. Focus often improves. Hunger waves get shorter. Keep moving gently.
36–48 Hours
Clarity phase for many. Cravings decouple from emotion. Electrolytes matter. Stand up slowly. Stretch or take a slow walk.
48–72 Hours
Deep settle. Calm or clean energy. Sleep may be lighter. Keep boundaries tight. If the “eat everything now” voice shows up, notice it and choose again.
Electrolytes Made Simple
Sodium
Most discomfort is low sodium. Aim for 2–3 grams sodium per day. Practical: 1/4 tsp salt in 500 ml water, twice daily, plus salting to taste. If you feel headachy, crampy, or dizzy on standing, add a little more and reassess.
Magnesium
200–400 mg in the evening may help sleep and muscle calm. Glycinate or citrate are commonly tolerated.
Potassium
Use caution. If healthy and not on meds that affect potassium, a balanced zero‑sugar electrolyte mix can be fine. Otherwise, prioritise sodium and speak to a clinician before supplementing potassium.
When to Pause or Stop
Persistent dizziness, chest pain, confusion, vomiting, or any red‑flag symptoms. Your health is the point.
Daily Rhythm Template
Morning
- Water with a pinch of salt
- Black coffee or green tea
- Short walk outside
- Write one intention
Midday
- Water and work in 50‑minute focus blocks
- When hunger peaks, breathe calmly for five minutes and drink salted water
Afternoon
- Light movement or stretching
- Another tea
- Review your Why
- Avoid food media
Evening
- Warm herbal tea
- Magnesium if you use it
- Gentle reading
- Early bed and screens down
Attunement Practices That Build Self‑Control
Label the Urge
Name it precisely: “mouth boredom”, “reward seeking”, or “avoiding a task”. Naming reduces its power.
Ask a Better Question
“What is this hunger trying to solve?” Meet that need without food. This is the move from compulsion to choice.
Use Discomfort
During a wave, write three lines: what I feel, what I want to do, what I choose instead. Keep the receipts.
Make It Visible
Tick off hours, not days. Momentum likes witnesses.
How to Break the Fast
Step 1: Start Small
300–500 kcal, protein‑forward and easy to digest. Examples: two eggs with sautéed spinach. Small chicken and vegetable soup. Greek yoghurt with a few berries if tolerated.
Step 2: Pause
Wait 2–3 hours. Check in. No reactive binging. Drink water.
Step 3: Normal Meal
Protein, vegetables, natural fats, modest carbs. Avoid ultra‑processed foods, alcohol, and heavy sugar for 24 hours. Your system is sensitive.
Step 4: Reflect
What did the fast teach you about your patterns? Choose one small habit to carry forward, like black coffee mornings or a 14–16 hour daily fast a few days a week.
Troubleshooting
Headache
More salt and water. Consider caffeine withdrawal. A short nap helps.
Cold Hands or Low Mood
Warm layers. Light movement. Tea. It usually passes.
Sleep Issues
Earlier bedtime. Magnesium. Dark room. Short pre‑bed stretch.
Social Pressure
Tell people you are running a short protocol and feel great. Smile. Change the subject.
Pocket Rules
- Any calories break a strict fast. Keep drinks clean.
- Water, black coffee, green or black tea, and salted water are your friends.
- Hunger is a wave. Surf it for twenty minutes. It will change.
- Salt early. Sleep early. Move lightly.
- Stop if your body gives you a red flag. Health first.
Summary
Prepare your body by tapering sugar and your mind by choosing a clear Why. Keep the fast strict, use coffee and tea wisely, salt your water, and expect wave‑like hunger as ketones rise. Use discomfort as data with short written check‑ins. Break the fast gently, then carry one habit forward so the benefits last.
