I lost 15 lbs in 10 days… here’s what I learned about fasting

I tried a 10-day water-only fast

4 min readDec 20, 2023

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or health care professional. Please do not do what I say or do and talk to your doctor before fasting.

Why?

Most people have a misunderstanding about fasting. They think if they don’t eat for 12 hours they’ll die or it’s all about religion or weight loss.

Fasting has so many health benefits, both physical and mental. It can help prevent many diseases, lower your blood sugar and cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and it is great practice for developing discipline and willpower.

The benefits differ depending on the length of your fast. I’ve done a few 1–2 day bars, a couple of 3–4 day fasts, and two years ago I did a 7-day fast.

Here is my experience trying to fast for 10 days.

How it went

I stopped eating at 6:30 pm on Saturday, October 21, 2023.

Day 1

I weighed in at 148 lbs in the morning. I was hardly hungry throughout the day. I went for a few walks, worked a lot, went to the gym, and enjoyed the day.

Day 2

I weighed in at 144 lbs (-4 lbs). I was pretty hungry for most of it. I felt tired in the morning. Got hungry around 9 am. Focused on some data analytics work. Learned that taking zinc vitamins on an empty stomach makes my stomach upset. Went to the gym and relaxed.

Day 3

I weighed in at 142 lbs (-6 lbs). We had our board of advisors meeting for Twos. That went well and I did more data and development outside of it. Went to the gym again and wasn’t too hungry. I realized that I started getting hungry when I got bored.

Day 4

I weighed in at 140 lbs (-8 lbs). I was up early in the morning and danced so I wasn’t tired. I did more development for Android and listened to nadie sabe lo que va a pasar manana by Bad Bunny. I wasn’t hungry, just a little bored with no eating to break up the day.

Day 5

I weighed in at 138 lbs (-10 lbs). Felt a little weak as my body was conserving energy. I did more development, went to the gym, edited a video, and posted a blog. I was busy so it went quickly.

Day 6

I weighed in at 135 lbs (-13 lbs). I was certainly tired. I started having salt because I thought I needed the electrolytes. That helped some, but I was still tired. I did more Android development, went to the gym, and relaxed in the evening.

Day 7

I weighed in at 135 lbs (-13 lbs). I did a lot of development. I was super tired and had barely enough energy to do anything physical. I wondered if I should give up in the evening but kept pushing.

Day 8

I weighed in at 136 lbs (-12 lbs). I felt much better. My body felt good. Very little inflammation and my joints felt smooth. I did some good work and relaxed.

Day 9

I weighed in at 135 lbs (-13 lbs). I felt pretty bad the whole day and was having a hard time focusing. There were moments I felt better, but overall I was stressed and anxious and decided to end it. I broke my fast at 3 pm with oatmeal, blueberries, cinnamon, and protein powder. I was so happy after eating. I was grateful for food and for our bodies to help us through adversity.

Day 10

I weighed in at 133 lbs (-15 lbs). This surprised me. I had lunch and dinner the day before so I thought I would gain a couple of pounds, but I didn’t end up gaining weight until 2 days after I stopped fasting.

Almost two months later

It’s been almost two months since I fasted (Dec 20, 2023). I currently weigh 137 lbs (-11 lbs). I did this experiment for the mental and physical benefits of fasting, and wanted to be safe and not push too hard. Looking back, I wish I would have pushed through another day. At the time, I was overwhelmed by thinking about fasting for another day and a half so I gave in.

What I learned

Our bodies are incredible. They are amazing at taking care of themselves.

I felt looser and more fluid while fasting than I had for months. I felt like the body was cleaning itself.

We need to properly fuel our bodies to perform optimally. I got to the point where I was in starvation mode. I felt stressed, my body was on high alert, and found it difficult to think properly. Make sure you’re eating enough nutritious foods so you can perform at your best.

What’s next?

I highly recommend fasting. Please see my disclaimer at the start, but there are so many benefits to fasting backed by science, and you’ll learn a lot through the experience.

If you’re interested, here’s a short list of tips for fasting:

12 Tips for Fasting - Twos

Start slow. If you're new to fasting, start with shorter durations like a day, and gradually increase. Stay hydrated…

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It’s not easy, but you’ll have a new appreciation for your body and the food you put into it.

Please be sure to consult your doctor and stay safe.

Thank you for reading.

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I lost 15 pounds in 10 days... here's what I learned about fasting - Twos

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or health care professional. Please do not do what I say or do and talk to your doctor…