I Fasted for 7 Days on Water – This Is What Happened (Diary of a 7-Day Fast)

On February 1st, I arrived at the True North Health Center in Santa Rosa, California, and embarked on a 7-day water fast. This is my story of what happened.

Why fasting?

I’m not new to fasting. I’ve done a few short fasts (2-4 days), many one-day fasts, and one 23-day water fast. I also visited True North for a 5-day water fast two years ago.

Over the past few months, I’ve even been fasting one day a week for 36 hours. It might sound like I’m addicted to fasting. But, if you exclude the one-day fasts, I’ve only fasted a few times in my life.

Most people who try an extended water fast do so for therapeutic reasons. Water fasting is extremely useful in assisting the body in healing hypertension, auto-immune diseases, acute illness, and many types of chronic health problems, especially if the Western diet causes them. Fasting could also be a powerful tool to prevent cancer, boost the immune system, and possibly even slow aging.

When I fasted for 23 days on the water, I was sold on the benefits of fasting and thought of it as a potentially “miracle” therapy. I was 28 years old at the time, and I thought that fasting might heal my nearsightedness and the acne I have had on my back since my teens. It did none of that. However, I discovered that fasting was a powerful spiritual tool.

Although my 23-day fast was very challenging, I came out of it with a new direction for my life — a newfound power and energy that lasted me for several years and propelled my business and life in a new direction.

I sometimes go on a water fast for more than a day because I believe in its therapeutic, preventative and spiritual benefits. It’s worked for me in the past, and that’s why it’s part of my life.

I decided to go on a 7-day water fast because I’m going to turn 40 next month. I figured it would be a great way to create a sense of ‘fresh” energy in my life and also enjoy some of the physical benefits of fasting.

Before the Fast

I prepared myself for the fast by eating a very clean diet throughout the month of January. Not only did I eat my usual plant-based diet, but I also made sure to avoid eating out and not eat a single drop of oil. As an experiment, I also avoided nuts, seeds, and avocados.

In the two days leading to the fast, I ate only fruits and vegetables.

The only thing I could not give up was caffeine. You see, I still drank green tea every day and coffee once or twice a week. This caffeine addiction is very hard for me to break. I knew I had to give it up for the fast to avoid the caffeine withdrawal headaches, but I didn’t manage to do so. The best I could do was switch to green tea exclusively the week before the fast and reduce somewhat the quantities that I drank.

I arrived at True North on February 1st and settled in my room. That night, I had a big migraine headache from the caffeine withdrawals (and all the traveling from Montreal). At that moment, I wished I had given up caffeine before the fast!

The next day I met with Dr. Klaper, one of the great doctors working at True North. He did my initial consultation and declared me “an expert on fasting” and wasn’t too worried about my fast. Blood tests would be done in a day or two to go along with my consultation.

The next day, my water fast started. Here’s what happened…

My Fasting Diary

Note: I also recorded daily videos I posted on my Facebook page during my fast.

Day 1

Day one was no big deal. Fasting an entire day and going to bed on an empty stomach? No problems, I’ve been doing that once a week for the past three months. But it’s only “easy” when you get to eat the next day.

Weight: 163.8

Day 2

Hunger games. Though determined not to spend any time thinking or thinking about food during this fast (after all, I’ll be able to eat all the food I want after the fast), I end up being hungry all day and images and thoughts of food pop up all the time. I go to bed at 7 p.m. and get up at 7 a.m. and sleep maybe 9-10 hours. In my dreams, I’m sharing a giant granola bowl with my mom and we dice a huge mango in it, which surprisingly has a white flesh.

Weight: 162

Day 3

I wake up feeling great and have a long chat with my roommate James, who’s already several days into his fast. I feel positive and as energetic as someone can feel during a fast. The only issue is a mild, low-grade headache that probably is a remnant of my green tea habit I just gave up before coming to True North.

Weight: 159

Day 4

The morning starts out a little rough with low energy but gets better as the day progresses. I end up going for a nice walk in the afternoon, despite the center’s warning for fasters not to leave the property. I feel like a kid skipping class. I thought I would get some writing done during the fast, but I’m not. Concentration is difficult when the body is running on ketones instead of glucose. One faster told me “I couldn’t fast without Netflix.” I find the same. I end up watching an entire season of “Better Call Saul” in 2-3 days. Overall, an easy day. Hunger is gone!

Weight: 157

Day 5

I’m entering a new stage of the fast. I’m deep into ketosis now. I’m still sleeping like crazy, unlike other fasters! Again, spent 12 hours in bed last night. In the first few days of the fast, I drank because I had to. Now, I’m thirsty like crazy and end up drinking twice the amount that I usually drink. My pulse is higher. My blood pressure is higher. I can feel some acidity in my stomach.

Weight: 154.4

Day 6

I’m in deep detox mode! I feel like my body is doing a deep cleansing. I’m much more tired today, and the roof of my upper throat is inflamed.

Great doctors and interns at True North visit you twice a day. Dr. Roberts — a real gentleman — discussed with me that during a fast, many health markers go up (cholesterol levels, pulse, blood pressure), as the body does its “thing,” and then go down.

The mystery of the sore mouth/throat? Dr. Klaper explains that during a fast, saliva chemistry changes, and different, not-so-friendly bacteria start dominating. This change can occur in as little as two days, and changes as the fast goes on. This is a common symptom that will clear out after the fast.

Weight: 152.6

Day 7

I officially had a horrible night last night, making day six the worst day of the fast. I couldn’t sleep because all the aches and pains I ever felt in my life (it seems) came back to haunt me with a vengeance! For example, tooth pain where I had repairs done, leg pain where I had an accident 15 years ago, upper back, lower back, you name it. The doctor told me that old injuries and pains often come back during a fast. I am looking forward to breaking the fast and counting the hours.

Weight: 151

Day 1 of breaking the fast

Day of juices only! My first watermelon-celery juice hits the spot and tastes better than any juice I remember having since my last fast. I’m allowed four juices today every 3 hours. Still, I’m not feeling like myself still! However, I know better. You have to be patient…

Weight: 149

Day 2 of breaking the fast

Today on the menu: raw foods and some steamed vegetables. My morning fruit meal does the job. Fruit tastes amazing, of course, but I also feel the energy coming back soon after eating it! I make sure to eat fruit before every other meal, along with salads and greens, which don’t taste any better than they usually do without dressing.

Weight: 151

Day 3 of breaking the fast

The inflamed throat that was bothering me in the last part of the fast is starting to heal quickly. My body chemistry is changing back to those friendly carbohydrates! Yay! Don’t let anyone tell you that ketosis is the body’s natural state.

Today on the menu: same as yesterday, but add cooked potatoes and other mild starches.

Now, I’m almost feeling like myself! But a bubblier version of myself! My physical energy is not back 100%, but I’m in deep happiness. Last night, I watched “Crocodile Dundee” for the first time since I watched it as a kid and ended up crying in the cheesy finale.

Weight: 153

Thoughts About the Fast

Fasting is a process of preservation, rejuvenation, and revival. It’s part breaking down and part building back up. The revival phase is particularly good for mood and spiritual benefits.

The first 4-5 days of my fast were elementary, and the last few days were very challenging because of my aches and pains. Was it worth it?

It’s been now almost seven days since I broke the fast, and I can already report a few benefits.

Benefits from the fast

The “High” — First, you can’t beat the “post-fast” high. For 4 to 5 weeks after the fast, I was walked around in a state of elevated mood and heightened mental and spiritual awareness. Although my body was still “recovering” from the fast, I was feeling better and better every day.

Mood and energy — The mood enhancement seems to be lasting beyond the first few days after breaking the fast. I noticed that even when I get less sleep, I seem to function better during the day with higher levels of mental and physical energy.

Improved digestion – My digestion is noticeably better since I broke the fast — which surprised me. Every meal has digested perfectly, and elimination is perfect. I was doing well in those areas before, but I’ve noticed that it’s even better now.

I’m Off Caffeine! I can’t believe that I managed to give up caffeine completely. I tried to phase it off at home but couldn’t. Since breaking the fast, I’ve had no desire for caffeine.

Mobility & Pain — I told you about the lower back issues I experienced during the fast and the body aches and pains. All of that disappeared after the fast! But even better, my body feels even more mobile now and feels better all around.

Improved Taste Buds — You might have heard natural foods taste better after a fast. My experience was a little different. Fruit tasted amazing after the fast, but vegetables tasted like they normally do. However, what has truly changed for me is my interest in salt is noticeably down. I just don’t want any! I’m turned off by any food that contains salt or too many strong seasonings (except natural spices). Before the fast, I was still using salt and herbs (like salsa) that contained it, but now I’m determined to eliminate them or cut back significantly, and my taste buds are leading me in that direction!

Fast Loss—Although I was at a good weight before the fast (between 163 and 166 pounds), I probably lost 2 pounds of fat during the fast. I do enjoy my slimmer, trimmer body!

There are probably other benefits of the fast that I can’t pinpoint because they occur on a much deeper, physiological level. All I know is that it was a worthwhile experience, in spite of the difficulty of doing a fast longer than 3-4 days.

FAQs

Here are a few questions I received about water fasting. If you have more, please write them in the comment section.

How much water to drink?

It’s recommended to drink 2-3 quarts or liters of water a day.

Have you ever done a juice fast? And if so what are the differences for you between a juice fast and water fast?

Yes, I’ve done many juice fasts, although none longer than five days. When doing a juice fast, I never felt any of the benefits of water fasting, except for the higher energy during and after the juice fast. Even that was short-lived.

A juice fast is not an actual fast. It’s a 600-1500 calories-a-day liquid diet. It can lead to some benefits, but I don’t recommend it for more than a day. You’d be better off eating a whole, high-raw, low-fat, oil-free vegan diet instead.

49 Comments on This Post

Jackie

Question: Why oil-free? What are the benefits/cons of adding oil? Are your salads still oil-free/avocado-free? Now that you’re back to a normal diet, are you eating seeds, nuts, and where do sprouts fit into your routine after fasting?

Frederic Patenaude
Hi Jackie! There are no benefits to adding oil to the diet. It’s a refined food—unnecessary and lacking nutrients. The cons? It’s pro-inflammatory (Omega-6 oils), carcinogenic, and contributes to heart disease. However, nuts, seeds, and avocados are great because they retain their natural nutrients and fiber. I currently eat some of those, yes.

Martin Tornberg

Question: Have you considered that your insomnia may be due to a lack of sufficient fat in your diet? Fats serve many useful functions, including helping the body produce cholesterol and hormones. If you’re having insomnia, it could be an imbalance.

Frederic Patenaude
Good point, Martin! However, my insomnia is mostly psychological. I went through periods of eating more fat in the past two years, and it didn’t make a difference. Also, I don’t follow an “ultra-low fat diet.” I had my Omega-3 balance tested via a blood test, and it was perfect.

Julie

Question: What about coconut oil? Many books discuss its health benefits. Are you dismissing it as well?

Frederic Patenaude
Yes, I do not recommend coconut oil. It raises LDL levels and is just another refined oil. The claimed benefits are largely exaggerated. You can get all the nutrients without the negatives by eating whole coconuts.

Andrea Gerak

Questions:

1. If detox symptoms persist on the last day, should you extend fasting for 2–3 more days?
2. Do you consume salt while fasting to maintain fluid balance?
3. Why do you advocate for a low-fat, oil-free diet? What about nutritious oils like coconut, olive, avocado, and grape seed?

Frederic Patenaude

1. Extending the fast may help, but detox symptoms can take time to subside. Sometimes, we are limited by time constraints.
2. Adding salt during fasting is a bad idea. The body auto-regulates electrolyte balance. However, fasting beyond 3–5 days should be monitored.
3. Oils are not nutritious—no more than white sugar is. Whole plant foods naturally contain the right amount of fat, even greens.

Seema

Question: Thanks for the in-depth information on water fasting. I am considering TrueNorth for fasting due to my autoimmune condition. What is the approximate cost?

Frederic Patenaude
You can find detailed pricing information on their website.

Sharan

Question: How long did you stay at TrueNorth after the 7-day fast? Was it necessary to break the fast there?

Frederic Patenaude
I stayed for a total of 12 days. Breaking the fast at TrueNorth is essential—it’s the most important part of the fasting process.

Barbara

Question: Did you lose muscle mass along with the fat loss?

Frederic Patenaude
You do lose a small amount of muscle during fasting, but it’s not drastic—just a few ounces per day if you’re inactive. If you exercise, you may burn more.

Dr. Halanna B. Matthew

Question: Did you follow a raw food diet before fasting? Also, have you tried dry fasting? It has superior results compared to water fasting.

Frederic Patenaude
Dry fasting is not advisable.

Graham Lawson

Question: What are the benefits of dry fasting?

Frederic Patenaude
I do not recommend dry fasting. The body needs water to function efficiently.

Jacek

Comment: Regarding colonics, I respect your opinion, but many people benefit from them, especially those transitioning from a Standard American Diet. I believe colonics and enemas are great tools when used correctly.

Frederic Patenaude
I personally believe colonics can be damaging. The doctors at TrueNorth, with extensive fasting experience, share this view. The colon naturally becomes aseptic during a fast.

Debra

Question: Have you tried Sacha Inchi oil for insomnia? It provides essential Omega-3 oils and helps me sleep through the night.

Frederic Patenaude
Thanks for the suggestion! I haven’t tried it.

Joyce

Question: Why do certain areas of the body feel pain during fasting? Is this a sign of healing?

Peter

Question: Water fasting isn’t for everyone, correct? Some prefer juicing. Why don’t you recommend it?

Frederic Patenaude
Juicing is fine, but it’s not fasting. The body undergoes a different metabolic state during a pure water fast.

Brad

Question: Some say one day of dry fasting equals three days of water fasting. What do you think?

Frederic Patenaude
Dry fasting can be damaging. Beyond one day, the body truly needs water.

Sue

Question: Did you use enemas or anything besides water and post-fast food?

Frederic Patenaude
No enemas. If you follow the proper pre-fast diet, you won’t need them.

Sarah

Comment: Your fasting experience is inspiring! I’ve been curious but slightly intimidated.

Nancy

Question: What kind of water did you drink?

Frederic Patenaude
Distilled water.