5 Stages of Extended Fasting [HUGE Benefits, Smoother Transitions, & More]

5 stages of extended water fasting: What happens inside your body, what are the various benefits (and potential pitfalls), and how can you use this knowledge to make fasting easier.

*Additional Fasting Resources*

🎧 Or get step-by-step beginner guidance on The FastingWell Podcast!

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*Some Key Books I've Learned From*

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⏰ Timestamps ⏰
0:00 Intro
1:05 Overview of the 5 stages
2:00 Stage 1 - Fed
3:31 Stage 2 - Transition
5:40 Stage 3 - Ketosis (Fat-Burning)
8:09 Stage 4 - Rejuvenation
11:53 Stage 5 - Rebuilding

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*About this video*
Ben Tanner PA-C shares five stages of extended water fasting. He explains what happens inside your body during each fasting stage, and what types of health benefits are associated with each stage of fasting. This includes things like fat loss, ketosis, autophagy, immune reset, and more. Ben also provides various tips about how to make the transitions between stages smoother and easier--especially when you're switching into fat burning mode (stage 3: ketosis). Understanding the 5 stages of fasting is useful for anyone considering a prolonged fast, and can also be very motivating when you understand the variety of different health benefits associated with each stage.

*Medical disclaimer*
None of the info I share online is individual medical advice. I don't know your individual circumstances, and I'm not your medical provider. Always consult your own medical providers.

*Affiliate disclaimer*

#FastingWell

[Dakiniwoman]

I have terrible hunger for the first three days, by day four I lose the hunger... by day ten I really feel a lot of energy... by day 21 I find the Spiritual awareness really kicks in. Every day after 21 days is beyond fabulous with incredible insights, clarity of mind and tranquility. I fast on water-only. I never use electrolytes, vitamins or anything other than tap water filtered with a Britta filter. I have done many fasts on water. My first fast was for 30 days in 1974. It was the BEST experience of my life.

[Milomuffin]

During fasting I do not have physical hunger but I always give up because of emotional hunger. Cannot get round it and always give up before goal is reached.

[dnnis]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! May I ask you something. At the end you said a very lean person might not wanna do a lot of this. I would kind of assume that is because if there is little fat "left" to burn, the body would switch to an uproportionate (and of course highly undesired) amount of protein recruitement to fufil its energy requirements ... ?

Thank you!

[ruzan]

Half an avocado is about 130 calories. How does that not break your fast?

[rudywong]

My blood sugar increase from 85-97 (night) to 97- 106 (morning), i do intermittent fasting and my eating time 12.00 to 14.00, that's weird..