I went for 19 days without food. Here is how it went.

For 19 days, from January 8th to Thursday January 26th, I ate no solid food. I drank only fruit juices, water and unsweetened tea, in no particular pattern; just on an as and when basis.

How I did it? I never really know how I do anything. I may think about it and try to see how I might have managed to do it, but for this case, here are the facts:

It was a church program; that 21 day fast that a lot of churches do at the beginning of the year. Unlike other years, I said I would do it and for some reason, I just kept at it day after day, after day, after day, surprising even myself. Before I knew it, I was on day 19.

Then a wedding happened on the 27th and I ate the food, breaking my fast two days early. (A bad decision if you ask me, because my stomach could not take it after going without food for so long). I felt so weak, after. But that is a story for another day. For now, the surprisingly shocking and equally amazing things I learned from going 19 days without solid food.

1. You can live without food. I know, it sounds incredulous and insane but you do not in fact need to eat three times a day for all your life. Your body’s capacity to adjust and utilize its internal energy reserves in the form of fat is shocking.

2. The feeling of hunger is transient and it does not last. When you first decide to go without food, you will think that you are about to die. You know that feeling of hunger that causes your legs to tremble, where you think that you are going to die if you do not eat? Well, it does not last. If you go past the first three days, you will stop feeling hungry. You will thus be able to carry on with your goal.

3. You feel great! I know it sounds like the opposite of what you might imagine, but your energy level will be sky high, probably the most energetic you will ever feel. The first week is crazy, no doubts. But about day 4 and 5, you will feel your energy rising. Your focus and productivity shoot up, too. You just have a lilting feeling of goodness that you just cannot explain but only enjoy.

4. You will look better! You will obviously shed a few kilos. Your facial features will loose that “swollen” and “puffy” appearance and slim up to reveal more defined facial features. Your tummy will grow smaller and you will lose some centimeters around your waist. I think if you’re lean at the start, your belly muscles will be more defined.

To be continued…