From Keto to 5-Day Water Fasts: One Person’s Journey to a Healthier Relationship with Food

Some people discover intermittent fasting and keto separately, but for Alex (name changed for privacy), the two went hand in hand and eventually led to extended water fasts. Although the process wasn’t always easy, each stumbling block taught valuable lessons about patience, balance, and rebuilding a healthy relationship with food. Here’s how Alex transitioned from daily keto meals to multi-day water fasts each week, and the pitfalls and breakthroughs encountered along the way.

Step One: Getting Comfortable with Keto

Before fasting even came into the picture, Alex began by following a keto diet. A low-carb, high-fat approach. This initial step was crucial:

1. Familiarizing with Fat Burning
   • By cutting out most carbs and sugar, Alex’s body learned to tap into fat for fuel.
2. Research & Community
   • Alex spent time reading up on keto best practices, recipes, and common mistakes on forums (like r/keto) to stay motivated and informed.

This preliminary phase laid the groundwork for what came next.

Step Two: Easing into Fasting

Gradual transitions allowed Alex to avoid shock to the system:

1. Intermittent Fasting (IF)
   • Starting with two meals a day (lunch and dinner), then eventually moving to one meal a day (dinner only).
2. 24-Hour Fasts
   • Once Alex was comfortable skipping meals, a single 24-hour water fast felt like the next logical step.

However, the first attempts at 24-hour fasts revealed a challenge: once the fast ended, Alex celebrated by overeating, often leading to sickness and guilt.

“I broke my fast with so much food—chicken and sausage—and got sick for a week. It was too much, too soon.”

Roadblocks: Unhealthy Food Habits

Even with keto as a foundation, Alex struggled with food-centric celebrations:

• Binge Eating: Each post-fast meal felt like a “reward,” leading to overindulgence.
• Guilt & Mood Swings: Feeling bad the next day, then consoling with more food.
• Harsh All-or-Nothing Mindset: A single taste of food during a fast would lead to the belief that the fast was “ruined,” and thus an excuse to keep eating.

These emotional hurdles derailed the fasting journey for a while, causing Alex to quit.

A Fresh Start: The “Fake Fast” Strategy

Determined to try again without the negative spiral, Alex devised a new approach:

1. 5-Day “Fasting,” But Not Really
   • Over 5 days, Alex limited food significantly but allowed small “safe” items like cheese sticks, broth, and spinach whenever true hunger struck.
2. Rewiring the Mindset
   • Instead of viewing any morsel of food as a failure, Alex considered it part of the plan.
   • The goal was to learn to eat minimally and mindfully, not to enforce a rigid zero-calorie rule.

“I felt good about ‘fasting’ each time I ate. I told myself I didn’t care about that small snack and still considered myself fasting.”

By removing the harsh all-or-nothing mentality, Alex built a healthier psychological approach to scarcity and hunger.

Settling into a Weekly Routine

With a more balanced perspective, Alex now comfortably cycles through 5-day water fasts each week, followed by 2 days of eating:

1. Cooking for the Family
   • Alex doesn’t feel deprived even while preparing meals for loved ones. A taste test no longer signals failure.
2. Controlled Break-Fasts
   • On the first eating day, Alex introduces food slowly, small portions, no binges.
   • The second day is a bit more relaxed (like a cookout), but still avoids splurging.

Crucially, Alex listens to the body: if at any point fasting feels genuinely harmful, breaking the fast is the priority.

Important Lessons & Takeaways

• Start with Keto: It trains your body to burn fat and reduces sugar cravings, making fasting more manageable.
• Go Gradual: Jumping straight into extended water fasts can backfire. Build up from shorter fasts first.
• Mindset Matters: Shifting from “I ruined the fast” to “It’s okay to have a small bite” can prevent destructive binges.
• Electrolytes & Research: If you’re fasting for multiple days, learn about electrolyte supplements (like pink salt, magnesium, broth) to avoid fatigue and dizziness.
• Listen to Your Body: Health always comes first. If you feel genuinely unwell, there’s no shame in breaking the fast.

Final Word

Everyone’s journey with keto and fasting looks different. For Alex, it took time and a few false starts to find a sustainable, healthy rhythm. The experience underlines a crucial truth: fasting isn’t just about the physical aspect of going without food; it’s about conquering the mental and emotional hurdles that come with dietary change.

Disclaimer: This account is based on personal experience and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider before making significant dietary or fasting changes.