A 7 day water fast is very extreme and a much stricter iteration of fasting diets compared with standard time-restricted eating intermittent fasting, such as intermittent fasting 18/6, where you fast for 18 hours in the day and then permit eating during six hours or even alternate day intermittent fasting, where you only consume food every other day.
Studies have shown that extended fasting, such as water fasting for a week or more, can result in positive effects like weight loss, body fat loss, reduced levels of perceived stress, increased ketogenesis, and decreased blood sugar levels.
However, there are also many potential risks associated with 7 day water fasting.
In this article, we will discuss how to do a 7 day water fast and the potential risks that come along with it.
We will cover:
- What Is a 7 Day Water Fast?
- Is 7 Day Water Fasting Safe?
- How To Do A 7 Day Water Fast
- What Happens During a 7 Day Water Fast?
- What to Eat After a 7 Day Water Fast
Let’s dive in!
What Is a 7 Day Water Fast?
A 7 day water fast is an extreme version of water fasting that involves consuming only water for one full week.
Some people who practice water fasting permit non-caloric beverages like green tea, herbal tea, club soda, or very low-calorie beverages such as black coffee during the fast.
This not only adds a little variety to what you are able to drink during a 7 day water fast, as only water can get quite monotonous, but it also can provide the energy boost from caffeine that you might be accustomed to.
Some people who do 7 day water fasting also supplement their water with noncaloric, unsweetened electrolyte powders or electrolyte tablets or capsules.
However, during strict 7 day water fasting protocols, you are only technically allowed to lick pure pink Himalayan salt.
Is 7 Day Water Fasting Safe?
It’s not particularly uncommon for people to periodically do a 2 to 3-day water fast, but a full 7 day water fast is quite intense and not recommended nor safe for many people.
Fasting for a week may result in adverse health and metabolic changes such as dehydration, a loss of lean muscle mass, hyperuricemia, hyponatremia, protein-sparing, sodium, and potassium-sparing, decreased serum calcium and magnesium levels, and acidic urine.
Additionally, a 7 day water fast or long-term caloric and nutritional restriction can result in symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, constipation, the inability to regulate body temperature, muscle loss, lightheadedness, shakiness, poor healing, blurry vision, difficulty sleeping, mood instability, and adverse nutritional deficiencies.
If you are going to embark on a 7 day water fast, it is imperative that you speak with your doctor beforehand and seek medical clearance and guidance before you begin.
How To Do A 7 Day Water Fast
So, how do you do a 7 day water fast?
As mentioned, the first step is to speak with your healthcare provider so that you can do a medically-supervised water fast.
The next steps are to physically prepare your body and mentally and emotionally prepare your mind to water fast for a week.
In terms of physically preparing your body for a 7 day water fast, although it is certainly possible and permissible to jump right in and just begin water fasting, it’s often a good idea to practice with a shorter water fast before you take on a full week of fasting.
For example, you might try a 24-hour water fast one week before your 7 day water fast or a few days of 20/4 intermittent fasting (extending your overnight fast for a full 20 hours and then only allowing the consumption of food during a 4-hour window during the day) for a week or two before the week-long water fast.
Although not mandatory, these “mini” fasts will give your body a taste of what it will feel like to have no caloric intake even when your energy is low, and hunger signals may try to stimulate you to eat.
If you do not regularly practice intermittent fasting or do any kind of water fasting protocol, it can be a shock to the system and a difficult transition to suddenly abstaining from all food and energy intake for a full week.
Even if you decide you do not want to do any kind of fasting experimentation before you begin your 7 day water fast, it’s a good idea to be mindful of your food choices in the 48 to 72 hours before you begin your water fast.
Avoid processed foods, particularly those high in sugar and artificial sweeteners, as these can trigger appetite.
Focus on eating nourishing, unprocessed foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and eggs.
Although there’s a natural tendency to want to “stock up“ or binge with a big meal heading into a 7 day water fast, overeating can actually make the sudden drop in caloric intake feel more challenging, and it can compromise some of the potential health and weight loss benefits of water fasting that you’re striving for.
In addition to the physical preparation for water fasting for a week, you will need to prepare your mind for what is about to happen.
There’s no way around it: abstaining from all food and caloric beverages for a full week is extremely challenging.
You will experience physical and emotional sensations that will test your mental strength and discipline.
Whether you like to meditate, journal, pray, play golf, listen to podcasts or audiobooks, take walks, or do some form of art to help you relax and center yourself, it’s a good idea to have a few tools and strategies in your self-care arsenal that you can use during tough times with your water fast.
Actually doing a 7 day water fast is simple—drink only water (and/or plain tea or black coffee if you want) for a full seven days.
You cannot eat any type of food or sweetened beverage during the fast.
If you experience any type of concerning symptoms, you should consult your doctor right away.
What Happens During a 7 Day Water Fast?
There are several reported phases that your body goes through during a 7 day water fast. Here are the phases of fasting:
12 Hours Of Water Fasting
After about 12 hours of fasting, your body will start to run out of stored muscle and liver glycogen, so you will shift into a state of ketosis. This involves breaking down and oxidizing fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
18 Hours Of Water Fasting
Although ketosis begins after about 12 hours of fasting, by 18 hours, your body is primarily burning fat for fuel, so you are generating much higher levels of ketones.
These ketones are serving as the main fuel source for your cells rather than glucose.
24 Hours Of Water Fasting
After a full 24 hours of water fasting, the process of autophagy is said to begin.
Autophagy is the process of cellular debridement, in which dead and damaged cells are removed and cleaned up around your body.
Viable cellular components and proteins might be recycled, while damaged and misfolded proteins, such as those linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, are destroyed, helping protect your body from such diseases and other sources of oxidative damage and premature aging.
After 48-60 Hours Of Water Fasting
After 2 days of water fasting, your level of human growth hormone (HGH) may have increased up to fivefold over normal resting levels.
Around the 60-hour mark of a water fasting protocol, your insulin levels will have dropped to their lowest level, and your cells’ sensitivity to insulin will peak.
After 72 Hours Of Water Fasting
Once you have been water fasting for three days, your body will start destroying old immune cells and generating new, healthier immune cells.
What to Eat After a 7 Day Water Fast
After your 7 day water fast is over, it’s important to carefully and strategically plan what you are going to eat.
A dangerous condition known as refeeding syndrome can occur if you eat too much too soon after fasting for so long.
Refeeding syndrome is caused by the rapid changes in electrolytes and water balance that can occur once you finally give your body some nutrients.
Certain electrolytes, such as potassium, magnesium, and phosphate, are required for digesting and absorbing nutrients, particularly carbohydrates.
The levels of these electrolytes can drop significantly during a 7 day fast, substantially impairing your ability to process incoming nutrients once you break your fast.
You need to gradually ease back into eating and choose foods to break your fast that are lower in carbohydrates and gentle on the stomach.
Typically, fermented foods, bone broth, and cooked vegetables are a good starting place, but it’s important that you get individualized guidance from your healthcare team.
Ultimately, it’s important to work closely with your doctor and strongly consider safer alternative approaches to dieting.
If you want to take your fasting project on little by little, check out our guides to 24-hour and 36-hour fasting first.
I’m on my 4th day of fasting and my hunger pains have been unbearable. However, I do drink a cup of electrolytes to keep me going. The reason I did this fast is because I want to cut down from going on a sugar binge. You know, eating junk food instead of enjoying the gourmet food. I still have three days to go and I intend on going all the way for a full two weeks. Here’s hoping, life is greener on the other side.
🙏
How’s it going??
Did you make it through the 2 weeks of water fasting? And did you get the results you were hoping for?
Dear Dina,
Did you know that fasting for women was a lot more detail oriented and directly linked to our cycles? Therefore fasting on the wrong days can be so difficult but fasting on the right days can be incredibly easy? Today is day 5 for me and I am fasting right after my period ended. I have 2 more days to go but I remember fasting on the week before my period and I thought I would die hahaha not literally but it was brutal. I hope you succeeded in your goal! Amazing job!
I’m on the tail end of a 7 day water fast (12 hours to go). Can I just say it’s been brutal?!!! It may be my fault because I didn’t prepare my start properly. I’ll do a multi-day water fast again (soon), but I’ll be sure to start it correctly next time. My intent was to reset and kick start my weight loss journey. And I have managed to do just that. Down 10lbs!! Keto life here I come!!!
It’s May 13
And it’s my first day to water fast but my goal is to loss 10kg in 7days pray for me 🙏
I usually waterfast for 10 days and I never ever think of loosing weight! For me it’s about cleansing my body and what I loose I’m happy about. When you start eating again the weight will come back anyway! 10kg in a week is suicidal!
I am day 4 of my 7 day water only fast and I have not had any hunger pangs or irritablity so far. Still 3 days to go but I will compelete it. I had done a lot of preparation weeks up to the 7 day fast. I started with intermittent fasting 16:8, 18:6, 20:4 and 24hrs and 40hrs. You have to build it up slowly, this is the reason I am not having any issues such as hunger or anger. It is so much easier than I though, fingers crossed.
Only to add to the above, I only walk 45-60 minutes in the morning. You must avoid streneous excercise or you will lose muscle.
I did waterfast for 10 days, worked from 8.00 – 17.00 and was training twice a week with my olympic team – I was on a high! And in a week you cannot loose that much muscle that you notice anything….
I am on a 7 day water fast. I have been doing fast with different methods. Coffee and tea does not work for me leaves me with the jiggers even using decade. Very light exercise as well because you expend a lot of energy doing that. You forgot to mention on day three and four you may experience loose bowels which means your body is getting rid of all waste during it’s healing process it’s a good sign that your doing the fast correctly. I am on day 4 and doing great I am 67 and I have doing water fasting for years. The longest water fast I did was 3 weeks and I had no adverse problems just a headache and dreams of eating food ( it seems so real lol) I was diagnosed of having diabetes but I am not on any medication, I just watch what I eat. Although during the pandemic I put on a few pounds and that is why I am fasting, to reset my body again. So water tasters stay strong,well, and safe!!!
You are such an inspiration! Thank you!
Good point on the loose bowels. I’m 4 days in and wondered why I’m still producing after not eating for days. I figured it was the debris from ketosis and autophagy, but wanted to know for sure. This experience, my third prolonged fast, has not been difficult. The hunger came a couple times and went quickly. I’ve been alert, active and able to take on tasks that I’ve been putting off. I am your age and have had prostate cancer, coronary artery disease and decades of obesity. I found the path to planting based eating six months ago and intermittent fasting, recently. I’m now less than 20 pounds from ideal weight for my frame. This is all fascinating! I’m off all daily medications. Thanks.
Big congrats Kyle. Well done. Why oh why do they not teach this in the education system!
Wow congratulations
great. i was thinking to give advice to my father. He is around 78 years. I thought at old age it is not possible. He was diagnosed with diabetes recently. Hope water fasting will help him. BTW i am on 2 day of 5day water fast. And dreaming of food is real. (sometime i put piece of cake in mouth and smell and leave)
Thank you for sharing! I’d love to talk to you more about this. Please tell me how. I am finishing up day 2 as I type this. Starting to feel weak and tired, not really hungry.
I am on the end of my Second day of my water fast.
I ate burgers and french fries in the night before starting my fast. Luckily I am doing fine during my fast.
May be because I have prior experience in fasting. I have done a 15 day water fast and many one and or two day day or water fasts before.
I am doing this fasting mainly to loose weight and increase my immunity and more importantly to feel thankful to what I have got in my life.
I am 33 but no diseases. But I don’t feel full of energy. May be because I compare a lot with others.
I am planning to continue this fasting as long as I hit 70kg. Currently I am around 90Kgs which is clearly obese compared to my height which is 5.8 ft.
Finally, but most important, thanks to Amber for writing this blog which is helping so many to connect and share experiences and promote fasting.
Thanks for this platform. I have not done water fast in decades but now on day 6 of water fast. Though yesterday on day 5, I took jute leaves with a spoon of black strap molasses as I couldn’t concentrate to finish a book review assignment due today. I woke up this morning with rashes on my arm and thighs but I hear it’s from ketosis. I’ll have to do this again next year, God willing, without jute or molasses.
The plan is to proceed on 90 day fruits and veggies juice fast from 1st of July.
It’s been 13h into fasting for me. It’s the first time I do fasting at all and I don’t think starting with full 7 days is a good idea (definitely want to build up to that) but for now I’m just going to observe my body and see how it goes. For me daily training is a non-negotiable so as long as I’m able to train and work, I’ll fast. Wish me luck!
The reason I do it is to kickstart my fat loss (skinny fat here, small frame and lots of ‘stubborn’ fat around my stomach) and support my body in functioning best it can so that when the fast is over, I feel great eating clean food and minimise injury during training 🙂
Just hit my 6th -7th day of water fasting. Although I eat very healthy with minimal sugar or fruits, mostly veg and meats. I hadn’t been well for a while due to stress. I started nutritional ketosis and never get past plateau. Metabolism wrecked and menopause and stress for too long. So started intermitted fasting to one meal a day (OMAD) for 3 weeks, didn’t loose any weight, then into the water fast. didn’t get very hungry, odd occasion and went quickly. Took my body each day to start to get into a fairly good ketosis range. day 5-6 to the higher range. Day 6-7 I’ve started to get very fatigued and weak, so have decided my body is telling me to stop, started with bone broth then few hours later a couple of eggs….OMG food tastes no good, haha
I have been taking sugar free electrolytes, salts, magnesium and a multi b Vit, to keep nutrients up. still didn’t loose much weight..never weighed myself just by clothes at first, lost a lot of fluids, which was good. measured body week before fast and end of the week of fast, have lost around 15 cm over all. Would of liked more. Will intermittent fast every second day for a few then one meal a day till my body starts to behave …haha
One hour left before I can start eating again. I’m on a 7 days water fast. My first time. To my surprise I haven’t been hungry at all. I did a 3 weeks no carbs and no sugar diet prior and lost 10 pounds and lost another 10 pounds while fasting. All together 4 weeks.
I feel good, I look like when I was in my 20s but with wrinkles and gray hair, I’m 58.
I’m off my hight blood pressure medication.
It’s been very positive for me and I highly recommended it.
Big Pharma just lost a client!
Good for you Mike M. I’m on day 6 of my water fast and I wasn’t even trying. I fell under the weather (food poisoning) and all I’ve been drinking is water. Felt better on day 3 but developed hemorrhoids now on day 6 I feel great. Not even hungry, lost about 15lbs. I think I might continue for another 7 days.
Storm S.
June 26, 2023 at 3:41am
I’m on my last 5 hours of my 7 day water fast and I just put some pork steaks in the oven ….whoraa…I’ve been looking forward to them all week❗The odd thing is once I made my mind up to do this fast… I’ve not been hungry except about 20 minutes yesterday, day 6…I’m a junker and I have a box …one of those that bananas come in…next to the couch where I am 90% of my resting time…it is full of all kinds of goodies…I never moved it…ohhh I was tempted at times.. but I never touched anything…I’m going to do broth before I dive into the PS, corn on cob, cornbread and greens…I started this at 199lbs…I feel and look like I’ve haven’t lost anything…so after this day of a good meal…I’m going to go back on the fast…I have a dress I’m trying to get into…3″ to go…plus I may be able to kiss high blood pressure and pre diabetes goodbye…say a 🙏🏻🙏🏿for me❗
Hi guys!
This has all been so amazing to read about other people on the same journey I’m embarking on now. I’m 29 and on day 5 out of 7 of my water only fast. I may add green tea or black coffee if it gets too bad but so far I’m doing great! I’ve only had water thus far and I walk a minimum of 6 miles every morning 7 days a week. I also go on walks during the day and play some soccer with the kids. I’ve had very few symptoms really except a little dizzy yesterday afternoon and I lick a bit of pink Himalayan salt and was all better. I also had low energy for about 2-3 hrs in the middle of the day but then got a surge of energy afterwards for the rest of the day. I’ve been intermittent fasting for about 5 months most days eating only 1 meal. (Women I eat every 15hrs still in my intermittent fasting window the week before my period and 3 days near my ovulation cycle to help my body prepare for my period. Please look into details) I cut out all simple carbs and sugars and I only eat complex carbs the week before my period. (Women please look up intermittent fasting and your cycle they are directly related and make fasting sooo much easier once you understand and work With your body.) I have been doing 24hr fasts, 48hr fasts and 72hr fasts to prepare me for this 7 day fast! I’ve reduced 141 lbs since February starting at 385 to now 240 and counting. I’ve also found that walking up and down stairs in different ratios such as 1:2 as in if it takes me 30seconds to walk up the stairs I stand at the top to rest (while standing) for 1minute before coming back down and do this for about an hour straight. You can start at 20 minutes and build up but I found that an hour was the sweet spot to reduce my glucose numbers naturally. I was also diagnosed as prediabetic a few months ago therefore leading to all these drastic changes but my numbers have been good and I never had to go on any medication. I keep a close eye on my glucose numbers by testing every 2 hours after eating and of course every morning before anything for my fasting glucose to get an average of what is normal to ME. Thanks again everyone for being Amazing and sharing! Keep it up!
Hi,
I am just starting my 7 day fast for energy, mental clarity and mostly for memory loss. I was wondering if anyone had good results as far as memory loss or Alzheimer’s? Thank you everyone for sharing it’s all so inspiring!
Great to have this blog! So started 7 day water mostly fast last night 6:00pm. Ate protein and a healthy kale/ blackberries/ sunflower &pumpkinseed coconut milk shake for last meal. I will be including coffee and electrolyte drinks. Adding ACV to water also. I went on a 3 day sardine only fast a little over a week ago. I have been having some weight gain and bloating and mental fog at times. Id like to reset my gut bacteria and gain more energy and loose weight 10 pounds would be great! This morning weighed in 130.6/5’2/age 69 female and not too physically active only exercise 2 times per week at the gym. I love my friends and family and associate alot with them. Love reading and nonduality teaching and Zoom meetings. I will not get bored im sure! Next Saturday flying home to Alaska to fish and visit with family for 6 weeks and will appreciate shedding extra weight now to support easier physically active days! Wish me luck! Lets go Janet!😁💃
I started my 7 day water fast last night. I am only 9 hours in. I fast pretty regularly without issues. I never usually get hunger pains. I just have issues craving food. So it’s more me fighting the craves. I started at 200 lbs. That is about 30 lbs overweight for me. I am looking to lcean out my body. I own a freeze drier now and have been freeze drying lots of healthy fruits and vegetables to start eating when this is over instead of the junk I crave all the time. Thanks to all your stories and feedback. I have this saved to my favorites. looking forward to hearing more stories.
I am on day 2. I have done a 7 before, and periodically do 2-3 days. I use to weigh 203 pound’s and now weigh 140. I eat mostly raw veggies and fruit. A few days out the week I eat dirty vegan. (Curly Fries, meat substitutes, including colliflower buffalo wings. After a fast I refeed with raw fruits and veggies. I have zero mental fog since my life change and been able to increase my financials. Fasting is the truth. Refeeding healthy is just as important. No more meds! That’s the great part!
Ive been doing intermettiant fast for some time now.
didnt plan to do a 7 day fast .. but decided to do it after I skipped one day of feed since I was busy .. then decided to push for 3 days .. and then 7 days .. Am doing it for the various benefits and not to loose weight .. apart from water I add in the below.
1) Himalayan Salt
2) Potassium chloride power — as per recommendation
3) magnesium biglisinate power — as per recommendation
4) sour limes with the salt + club soda
5) Stopped black coffee on day3
Started keeping track of my vitals .. its in the safe zone and as expected with a 7 day fast. Below is what I am keeping track. (the table didnt paste too well in this track)
Water Fast Re feeding
Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11
Date 5 Aug 2023 6 Aug 2023 7 Aug 2023 8 Aug 2023 9 Aug 2023 10 Aug 2023 11 Aug 2023 12 Aug 2023 13 Aug 2023 14 Aug 2023 15 Aug 2023 16 Aug 2023
Wt machine Time 20:00 20:00 – 19:39 20:00 20:00
Weight 69.5 68.9 – 68.1 67.5 67.1
Fat % – 33.9 – 32.9 32.6 31.8
Water – 45.4 – 46.2 46.3 46.8
BMI – 25.3 – 25 24.8 24.6
Ketones – – Med high high high high
Glcose morning – – – 68 68 67 68
Aftnon – – – 57 67 66
Night – – – 67 62, 67 67
Feeling OK hunger only, OK hungry only, OK less hungry, sightly weak no hunger, OK slight hungry, ok no hunger, OK, energetic
focus OK OK OK OK OK OK OK
Hi I am currently on my fifth day of fasting I needed to have my weight number drop before a surgery appointment, in the morning I have green tea with lemon, around 2pm I will have three drinks one is the colon broom, a green supplement drink with lots of nutrients, and last is my collagen drink. I maybe will have another cup on tea in the evening but not always. I weirdly have experienced zero hunger pains, a little light-headedness or feeling more tired by day three. Day five I’m feeling great starting my fast. I was 187 and I was 180 this morning.