“Discomfort builds discipline. Discipline builds freedom.”
I’ve been hearing a lot about fasting recently, and I decided it was time to give it a real shot. Up until now, I had only dabbled in intermittent fasting — I think my longest stretch was something like 20 hours. But a few weeks ago, I started reading about autophagy, and that changed everything for me.
Autophagy literally translates to “self-eating,” which sounds a little terrifying, but it’s actually one of the most beneficial processes our bodies can trigger. It’s how your body cleans house. When cells get stressed (like during fasting), they start breaking down and recycling old or damaged parts — misfolded proteins, worn-out mitochondria, and other junk that builds up over time. Think of it as taking out the trash and then reusing the good parts to build something new.
I’m not a doctor — and definitely not a scientist — but there’s enough consensus in the research to make me curious. Studies from places like Harvard and the Cleveland Clinic suggest that autophagy supports longevity, metabolic health, and disease prevention by helping cells work more efficiently and resist damage. In plain English: it keeps your body running younger, longer.
That sounded like something worth testing firsthand.
I also learned that autophagy kicks in when your body is under mild stress — fasting, high-intensity exercise, carbohydrate restriction, or deep sleep. It tends to start around 24 hours without food and can peak between 48 and 72 hours. So, with that in mind, I decided to take on my first full 72-hour fast to experience the full effect.
Understanding the Challenge
Simple idea: no calories for 72 hours.
That means no food, sugar, or sweeteners. What’s allowed: water, electrolytes (without additives), black coffee, and herbal tea (but you have to watch the ingredients closely).
“No food. No flavor. No shortcuts.”
Clarify Your Intent
My “why” for this challenge was twofold:
- I wanted to experience the benefits of autophagy firsthand. I’m all about optimizing longevity, and if fasting really helps my body clean itself out, I’m in.
- I wanted a reset — physically, mentally, and emotionally. The past month had been busy and a bit chaotic, and I felt like my motivation and energy were dipping. I wanted to shock my system and get back on track.
My commitment:
“For the next 3 days, I’m committing to a 72-hour fast to reset my body, build discipline, and activate autophagy for better energy and longevity.”
Set Your Personal Baseline
There’s not much of a “baseline” when you go from eating to not eating — but I wanted to make this measurable. So I pulled a few metrics from my Whoop before starting:
- HRV: 46 ms (30-day avg)
- Resting Heart Rate: 53 bpm
- Recovery: 65%
- Starting Weight: 174.5 lbs
To be fair, my averages were a little skewed by weddings, travel, and general inconsistency — but that’s life. This was about effort, not perfection.
Finalize Your Plan
My plan was simple:
- No food.
- Plenty of water.
- Electrolytes daily (starting Day 2).
- Limit coffee to two cups per day.
But the details matter. I learned that hydration is critical when fasting. Normally, I drink around 76 oz of water per day, but during the fast I aimed for 90+ oz. I used LMNT’s raw unflavored electrolyte packets — most flavored ones use stevia or other sweeteners that can interfere with autophagy.
And even though I love coffee, I decided to limit it to just two cups per day to avoid dehydration.
Establish Accountability
My fiancée was out of town, so this one was all on me.
No one checking in. No one keeping me honest. Just me versus the fridge.
Perfect setup for self-accountability.
Commit to the Plan
Day 1 (Sunday)
- Weight: 174.5 lbs (in shorts and a t-shirt)
- HRV: 31 ms
- Resting HR: 59 bpm
- Recovery: 33%
Day 1 felt pretty good overall. I ate well the night before, so I wasn’t too hungry in the morning. I went for a 4-mile run and walked my dog another 3 miles. When I got home, the hunger hit — hard. I distracted myself with chores and work, which helped. By evening, I missed the routine of dinner, so I made some herbal tea and called it a night.
Day 2 (Monday)
- Weight: 171 lbs
- HRV: 60 ms
- Resting HR: 48 bpm
- Recovery: 87%
Woke up with a surprising amount of energy and slept well. I didn’t feel too hungry in the morning but missed my usual eggs and coffee routine. A few hours into work I got a mild headache, so I downed some water and had my first LMNT packet. Within 15 minutes, I felt completely fine again.
I worked out that evening but stuck to lighter weights after feeling a bit dizzy during warm-up. My heart rate was unusually high, even for an easy session — clear sign my body was working harder than normal. Still, I finished the workout and capped the day with another long walk. Energy steady, focus sharp.
Day 3 (Tuesday)
- Weight: 169.5 lbs
- HRV: 60 ms
- Resting HR: 47 bpm
- Recovery: 88%
Slept great again. Woke up with decent energy, though I could tell I was running on reserves. Took electrolytes and a cup of coffee mid-morning when focus started to slip. Worked out lightly over lunch — upper body and core — but fatigue hit fast. Weights felt heavier than they were. Wrapped up the evening feeling tired but proud.
I decided not to break my fast that night since it was close to bedtime. I wanted to do it right.
Day 4 (Wednesday – Breaking the Fast)
Since I started around 8 PM on Saturday, I waited until Wednesday morning to eat. Most experts recommend easing back in, so I broke my fast with a protein shake (Orgain plant-based, mixed with water). It was delicious.
No digestive issues, so a few hours later I had eggs for breakfast and was back to a normal diet by the end of the day.
Total fast time: roughly 85 hours.
Final Reflections
Honestly, the 3-day fast was easier than I expected.
Sure, there were moments of hunger, light fatigue, and a few foggy spells — but nothing unmanageable.
Here’s what stood out:
- I had more morning energy and slept noticeably better.
- My Whoop recovery jumped from 33% to nearly 90% by Day 3.
- The mental reset was huge. Without thinking about food all day, I found myself more focused and productive.
- I dropped a few pounds, but that wasn’t the goal — it was just a side effect.
Most importantly, it reminded me how powerful discipline can be. You don’t realize how much time and mental space food occupies until you remove it.
I can’t directly measure whether autophagy kicked in (no lab test for that yet), but if the research holds true — improved cell cleanup, better metabolic function, and longer-term health — that’s worth repeating.
From what I’ve read, 3-day fasts should be spaced 2–3 months apart, so I plan to repeat this quarterly. I’ll also experiment with a 24-hour fast once a week or month to keep my body familiar with that mild stress response.
This challenge wasn’t about deprivation — it was about reclaiming control. About reminding myself that I don’t need constant comfort to function at my best.
Closing Thought
I went 85 hours without food and discovered that hunger is mostly mental — and clarity is on the other side of discomfort.
Would I recommend it? If you’re healthy and curious — yes. But like me, do your homework, hydrate like crazy, and give yourself grace when it gets tough.
Discomfort builds discipline. Discipline builds freedom.