"Shaky shaky shaky... shaky shaky shaky"
~ Mayhem from Allstate
"Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be."
~ Wayne Dyer
I woke up and got out of bed today without any restraint. Felt relatively like a normal day. I even stood up and got out of bed without feeling lightheaded - great! Time for weigh in.
Day 4: 7:17 am
168.0 lbs
5.5% body fat
48.5% muscle mass
These numbers were a huge surprise to me too. Very steep drop off in weight and body fat. This points to one of many options. Dehydration, complete ketosis, or any number of other variables that can influence weight. Looking forward to weighing in this evening to see what all is going on. I didn't anticipate dropping more than 10 pounds, but here we are, 11 lbs. lighter than Sunday night.
After the shock of the scale, I started my morning routine, hopped in my cold shower to get the blood flowing. Then I got to brush my teeth... mmmmm flavor... Never in my life did I think I would find toothpaste appetizing, but let me tell you, today, toothpaste was like a Michelin star meal.
I feel shaky, my body is tingling
As I settled in for my lecture, the tingling began. I could (and still can) feel it in every inch of my body. Not sure if this is ketosis at work or simply my body wanting food. Either way, I am alive, well, and still functioning to the max of my ability.
I have also noticed that I must be dehydrated even though I've been drinking LOADS of water. My mouth still feels dry, my lips are chapped, and I'm constantly feeling thirsty. Good or bad? I'm not really sure. This could also just be one of the various effects of the fast.
I still feel like this whole fast is just a complete and utter mental strife. Outside of some physical limitations for certain at-risk groups, I do truly belief it's just one large mental challenge to get over. I've learned to be at peace with myself, especially at times when I get cravings. The experience of the fourth day thus far has been very meditative. Except when people are eating around you...
"Wait, you haven't eaten since Sunday?"
It's tough but it's funny when people ask to get lunch, they are so confused when I say I can't go. I'll explain and they concede, but not after trying to convince me to stop fasting. Just another instance of a tempting moment, but I will not cave!
More background on why
I had a conversation with a friend about this time last year where I was pitching a random idea, something I tend to do a lot. She brought up an excellent point and it has stuck with me ever since. She essentially said, "do it." Not to be cliche, but to convince me to actually do it. Quit talking the talk, you need to walk the walk. Ever since then, I've had a completely different outlook, and instead of just theorizing random ideas, going all the way through with them. That's what lead me to do a number of things, from exploring tons of random cities abroad to pursuing various business ventures this past year to living in Phoenix with some guys I just met.
The motivation for all of these health initiatives can basically be attributed to two good friends - Louis and Kyle. These guys are awesome and have their own podcast called The Louis and Kyle Show (shameless plug). We all were on a phone call when Louis brought up this great challenge called 75 Hard. After Louis had explained the premise, I was ready to jump in and go for it. Between Kyle, Louis, and me, we were able to keep each other accountable and made it all the way to the end. So as we neared completion of the challenge in late July, Louis brought up another idea: a five day water fast. So, once again, I was in.
The last night of fast thoughts
Being the last man standing in the fast, I am relying on myself to push through to the end. One thing this has really helped reinforce is the idea that if you are not outside of your comfort zone, you are not living. If you aren't challenging yourself, you won't have anything to look back on and say, "Wow, I did that, that's pretty cool." I think this is one of those instances where I get to truly be outside of my comfort zone and come to the realization that, "I can actually go five days without eating, the ultimate test of will power." That is pretty cool.
As of when I post this, I have less than 22 hours to go until 8:24 pm on Friday, a full 120 hours since my fast began on Sunday. My entire body continues to have this tingling/shaky sensation. Would not recommend doing this without supervision. Definitely consult a doctor before trying to only drink water for 5 days.
Day 4: 9:26 pm
167.6 lbs.
5.5% body fat
47.7% muscle mass
I'll post a midday update tomorrow and a subsequent post after my meal. Can't wait to eat tomorrow!
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