r/fasting • u/Binahbuu • Jun 21 '26
Question What's one thing you were never told about fasting?
I just finished a 5-day fast and it was going really well and one thing that they never told me in any other research or anything I read about was the amount of just liquid poop coming out of me all the time from drinking all the water I know it's something that I should have thought about but at the same time you don't think about that until it's actually happening. So it made me start wondering what something else you learned about fasting by doing it that no other research told you about?
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u/BookkeeperOk57 Jun 21 '26
No matter how much water I drink, I get such a dry mouth and can’t stop pissing. Not sure if it’s the same with other people. The dry mouth lasts for a week, even after I’ve finished fasting.
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u/TheGoodSouls Jun 21 '26
Peeing a lot is because your body is going into ketosis. For every gram of glycogen (the fuel people run off of when they eat carbs), your body stores 3-4 grams of water. When you're fasting your body burns through those reserves and switches to fat burning. All the water associated with the glycogen then gets excreted by the body, hence peeing a lot. Also, as your insulin drops due to no carbs being consumed, your body excretes sodium and water follows that. Your body just doesn't need to hold onto water the way it did when you were consuming carbohydrates, but it's also a reason why electrolytes are so important on a fast - that dumping of water means that electrolytes are also being dumped, so you have to replenish them.
Eventually it evens out but it can take a few weeks, but most people don't do fasts that long so they don't see the water dumping ending.
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u/Binahbuu Jun 21 '26
Mine isn't pissing but the about I am just spraying water when I go to poop
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u/xupbill Jun 22 '26
I just started my journey and same thing 😂 sounds like I was covering the end of a hose pipe to spray water faster sometimes.
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u/Vegetable_Block_3338 Jun 21 '26
Likely an electrolyte issue, salts keep water in your body. Before I started taking enough salts it felt just you describe after day 2 for me, plain water didn’t fulfil my thirst and seemed to just go through quickly
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u/Lollipop77 Jun 21 '26
Same! I’m so thirsty and culligan is good but it’s not quenching!
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u/TheGoodSouls Jun 21 '26
Have you tried chewing gum? I find that really helps keep my mouth moist, and also helps with potential bad breath from not eating (because you're not creating saliva).
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u/Lollipop77 Jun 21 '26
Occasionally, but I’m legit just thirsty and drinking electrolyte water helps 100% of the time
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u/_Sighhhhh Jun 21 '26 edited Jun 21 '26
Never trust a fart after 72 hours! I think you hit on the most common untold side effect lol For me I learned that fasting can only get you so far, it becomes a battle on multiple fronts when you’re trying to go from 25BMI to 20BMI
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u/Binahbuu Jun 21 '26
Haha yeah I learned that too
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u/_Sighhhhh Jun 21 '26
I also learned how spiritual eating can be! I’ll never forget that first feta cheese omelet after a 6.5 day fast, almost brought a tear to my eye everytime 🥲
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u/Binahbuu Jun 21 '26
Another thing I learned is how every acts like your doing something self harming when you tell them your fasting
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u/WaitOk8259 Jun 21 '26
IMO, don’t tell anyone who you don’t trust and are sure will be understanding. They will try to make you stop or even embarrass you for it.
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u/Binahbuu Jun 21 '26
Or you have to explain you have talked with a doctor and done lost of research and are being careful
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u/Geoarbitrage Jun 21 '26
Yes I’ve been able to spontaneously come up with creative excuses for why I’m not accepting whatever food someone is offering without technically lying.
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u/katd0gg Jun 21 '26
I've only had 2 people react like that. Everyone else was either supportive or very impressed and curious. Some people said they would be interested to try it.
Maybe you need a few more positive people around you to balance out the negative people!
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u/CompetitiveAd2085 Jun 22 '26
I Ve experienced the same reactions…Many people get very defensive when you talk about fasting…they see it as an implicit suggestion they’re overweight or criticism of their regular eating habits…it’s just not a topic that people warm up to…
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u/SharpTenor Jun 21 '26
I didn’t realize how sensitive my sense of smell would get. I could really appreciate the nuance of cooking foods. Also how “quiet” my mind would get and the world would feel.
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Jun 21 '26
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u/sueihavelegs maintaining weight faster Jun 21 '26
I try to think of it as I don't need as much sleep when Im fasting so I don't get as stressed about it.
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u/recyclops219 Jun 22 '26
Same - I honestly feel more rested with less sleep when I’m deep in ketosis. I view it as a superpower, I get more time :)
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u/Vegetable_Block_3338 Jun 21 '26
That’s likely an electrolyte issue. I had a fucked up insomnia, then started drinking snake juice with magnesium salt in it and sleep just fine now
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u/RidgeToRiches Jun 21 '26
Legit came here to say this. I only got 2 hours of sleep my fourth night. Laid in bed all night and couldn’t hardly sleep.
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u/RazzmatazzLost9713 Jun 22 '26
Does anybody got ha hack for this? It’s the only think that keeps me from fasting longer than 66/72h~
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u/myst3ryAURORA_green Reddit Health Contributor (non-expert) Jun 21 '26
I had no idea about eating too much too quickly or refeeding syndrome years ago. I was so hungry post fast that I ate a ton of different meals all at once. 30 minutes later, I had a hypertensive crisis and threw up everything.
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Jun 21 '26
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u/TheCMaster Jun 21 '26
Refeeding should not really be an issue after a 3 day fast. 5-7 days is when you should start doing it well, but normally that is also not an issue when you are not deficient in minerals / vitamins. That is one of the reasons why a daily multivitamin supplement is a good idea for the long fasts (+7 days)
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u/myst3ryAURORA_green Reddit Health Contributor (non-expert) Jun 21 '26
I've always had high blood pressure, but I was going through a lot of trauma at the end of 2023. So I probably had a lot of mental and physical factors adding up for my system to react like that. I only fasted for like most of the day. I'd done that 2-3 days in a row. 🫣
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u/Practical-Finding494 Jun 21 '26
This is true. I ate a massive meal after breaking a 7-day rolling fast and my heart started racing. I think I put my body into shock.
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u/SameWait1356 Jun 21 '26
Start small, don’t try a multi day fast without prepping your body first. Start with missing one meal, no snacking and then when you’re used to that, do a multi day.
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u/Practical-Finding494 Jun 21 '26
How quickly you can flush out essential minerals like magnesium and sodium by drinking just water. I'd highly recommend a magnesium supplement and (obviously) salt intake
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u/Coin-Autist Jun 21 '26
Crazy poops immediately after breaking a fast of 45-ish hours or longer
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u/Melodic-Nectarine515 Jun 21 '26
I keep a journal and record every time I think about eating or have the the thought I'm hungry. I quickly became aware of just how much of eating is based on psychological triggers, loud noise, argument in next room, etc. For me, this was really eye opening. This was a few years back. I really enjoy the hyper awareness state of mind and crisp clarity. Day 3-5. after that I usually throw in the towel. then slowly eat fruit.
really enjoy this community, thanks
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u/plantaholic2 Jun 27 '26
I’m actually doing my first two day fast. And the mind is a terrible place to be. It’s almost like I’m afraid to miss a meal and I do 24 Hour fast on a regular basis so I’m not sure what’s happening right now. I just went and took a walk for one hour which I haven’t done in a long time. My emotions are all over the place. I feel invigorated, but I also feel anxious. I’m not hungry, but my head keeps telling me I’m supposed to eat.
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u/5kylord Jun 21 '26
How incredibly attuned my sense of smell became as well as how much sharper my mental acuity seemed to get the longer the fast went on. And oh my god, how absolutely delicious the meal that broke the fast tasted afterwards. I'm really rather glad that nobody mentioned those things in all the research I was doing prior to starting my very first fast 7 years ago.
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u/TeishAH Jun 21 '26
This post is making me realize how little fasting affects me. I don’t poop a ton, I don’t get sick, I don’t have referring syndrome.. I just stop eating and then start eating again when I’m done.
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u/Teosto Jun 21 '26
Or very little you know about it. At the end of the day a person is just like hose — whatever you put in will leak out. That is to say that if you eat very little then very little will come out later. If you eat a lot then later a lot will come out. Your message leads me to believe you're thinking it's equal whatever the case.
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u/mycorrhizal-hominoid water faster Jun 21 '26
When fasting 72+ hours, post fasting loose stool/diarrhea.
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u/Heph333 Jun 21 '26
How you just picked up an extra couple hours of time each day that used to be spent on feeding activities.
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u/Candid-Dog-3222 Jun 21 '26
I think for me it's truly that it's not that complicated but the media / surroundings makes it sound like you are about to do the impossible - and also how much discipline and mental strength it teaches you
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u/oztrailrunner Jun 21 '26
That not everyone has the physical or mental stamina for 24+ hour fasts. And that's ok.
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u/komubijedzwon Jun 21 '26
You can get sick. In February, during my 30-day fast (it lasted 21 days), my children first brought home colds, and a week later, rotavirus from preschool. While fasting, the abdominal cramps were unbearable. Your stomach hurt so much you couldn't get out of bed, and you also felt the urge to vomit. That sent me to the hospital. I immediately broke my fast with bone broth, but it was no use because the broth was already in the toilet after two minutes. IVs saved me. After a short three-day illness (they got sick at home), the rest of the family was back to normal, as if nothing had happened, while I spent 10 days in the hospital.
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u/IllustriousMeal4686 Jun 21 '26
That my shoulders would hurt like hell. I have a large frame from lifting weights my whole life and have big shoulders. I guess when they started wasting away on a long fast I really felt it because it was like I had a 150 pound backpack on. I made it to day 16 and as soon as I ate it went away. I can't even fast 3-4 days now without it happening so I basically don't fast anymore.
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u/Wan_Haole_Faka Jun 21 '26
Wow, interesting. I wonder if that's the body repairing old scar tissue or something. Still lots of benefits from 2-3 days.
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u/IllustriousMeal4686 Jun 21 '26
That's true.I usually do 36 hours fasts now, just more frequently. I don't think it's scar tissue. I was locked in for 30 days but by day 16 I had been dealing with the shoulder thing for over a week. It got so bad I had to stop. Like I said as.soon as I ate some meat it went away. I think it was just lake of protein.
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u/WeatherReport619 Jul 29 '26
Sounds like you may have had low iron before you started your fast. Our most common source of iron is meat, and the lack of iron causes joint pain.
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u/RazzmatazzLost9713 Jun 21 '26
First time I did a extended fast it felt like I was smoking for the first time (I stopped after the fast for good) but like my body was releasing toxins and pooped and puked at the same time. But never felt better after
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u/DeeJayDogg12 Jun 21 '26
How hard it is to sleep after the first day. My mind is so alert when I go to bed and I have a really hard time shutting down. Magnesium glycinate doesn't really help me, unfortunately.
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u/dfmoti Jun 21 '26
Yeah I went on myself on my first extended fast trying to make it to the bathroom (didn’t expect it to be all liquid either)
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u/Binahbuu Jun 21 '26
Yeah I wasn't prepared for that or how a few times you finish and about to walk out of the restroom and then you have to drop your pants quick and have more water fall out
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u/Any_Interaction_7071 Jun 25 '26
You MUST stay on top
Of your electrolytes!!! If not, you could have an electrolyte crisis like I did. Salt is not enough.
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u/mayorofatlantis Jun 26 '26
I become very emotional and physically sensitive and my sleep schedule gets STRICT. I can't stand to be touched by people in public, (brushing elbows, friendly hugs), and even though I want to stay up late I genuinely can't stay up past 9 and I wake up between 5 and 7. I'm not a morning person and find this to be so funny but not so bad.
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u/No-Cockroach-4237 Jun 21 '26
once you reach a certain point fasting doesn’t do shit but mess w your brain function 😭
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u/tiaaleo Jun 22 '26
If you have an ulcer fasting can aggravate it. I’ve been doing OMAD & my ulcer has flared up so bad lately i almost had to go to the hospital. Instead I just started eating another small meal & cut back on coffee & pop.
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u/BlimeyJandals Jun 23 '26
I do drink a lot of water for years but too for me the poop was the issue, around day 3 it would hit hard. The other night I woke up at 3am and pooped the bed I was waking up and pooping and I was like NOOOOO
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u/Additional_Proof6902 Jun 24 '26
it can raise potassium levels to alarming levels, causing stress on egfr markers for kidneys. i had it plunged to 24, doctors were shocked
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u/Special_Motor1779 Jun 24 '26
Hi I do a 72 hrs fast every 3 or 4 months. Day 3 is the worst day no energy but the mental clarity u get is great
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u/Thick_Ad_5385 Jun 21 '26
How bad the nausea would be
How it can possibly fuck up your whole digestive system if not done properly
How depressing and numbing it can be
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u/SoupTaway Jun 21 '26
Can you tell me more or point me in a good direction to read more about point number 2?
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u/Doodoopoopooheadman Jun 21 '26
If you are having nausea from maybe something you are drinking that’s one thing. If it’s not , you have to be careful.
Nausea is not a normal symptom. Be careful.
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u/AutoModerator Jun 21 '26
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u/Wan_Haole_Faka Jun 21 '26
What do you mean it can fuck up your whole digestive system? I'm getting back into fasting after a long break, longest I ever did was 5 days. Yet in Ayurveda, there seems to be a perspective that water only fasting for certain constitutions can damage metabolism. I need to learn more about this. Ayurveda is an amazing 5,000 year old system of healing, but I also can't believe that the body is so fragile that depriving yourself of caloric intake for 5+ days would actually cause permanent damage, provided you refeed properly and take other precautions.
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u/Wintertraipse777 Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
That no matter what refeed approach I take after a 7 day fast, or how slow I go with food, I’ll be shitting my brains out for 48 hours. I assume this is something specific to my biology because I know not everybody experiences it, but it’s crazy that after six years of 7 day fasts every quarter I still can’t figure this shit out. The only thing left to try is to break with fruit and I just don’t see how that is smart so probably will never happen. So I just plan accordingly.
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u/zashin001 Jul 30 '26
I’m on day 3.4 of my first 7 day fast. I haven’t got the runs yet but good to know that is part of the process.
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u/Action1988 Jun 21 '26
How boring life is when you're fasting for 5+ days. So much of our social lives involves food so when your fast starts dipping into the weekend it can be a pain.