3 Day Fast Benefits You Should Know About

This morning, I made a decision. I woke up, felt a strong pull to challenge myself, and started my first 3 day fast. No plan. No prep. I ate like I normally do the day before. Then I decided I was going to go 72 hours without food. No joke. Just water, black coffee, and if needed, herbal tea.

I’ve never done this before. I’m not doing it to lose weight. I’m doing it because I’ve read enough, researched enough, and heard enough personal testimonies to know that there’s something powerful here. And I want to find out for myself what it feels like to push through the discomfort and give my body a real chance to reset.

What Is a 3 Day Fast

A 3 day fast means going a full 72 hours without food. No calories. Nothing that activates digestion. You allow your body to rest from the constant work of processing food. This gives your system time and energy to focus on repair, detoxification, and healing.

You can drink water. You can drink black coffee. You can have unsweetened herbal tea. But that’s it. No smoothies. No juices. No snacks. You’re stepping away from feeding and stepping into cleansing.

Why I Decided to Do This on a Whim

I didn’t spend a week planning this. I didn’t cut carbs or taper caffeine. I didn’t stock up on electrolytes or read a checklist on how to prepare. I just made a choice and started. Sometimes you need to move when you feel momentum. If I had waited until everything was perfect, I probably wouldn’t have done it at all. And to be honest, the timing really isn't that great. I'm a coach for my son's baseball team and have to pitch to the boys tomorrow during the game, along with run a practice on Thursday. It's going to be real interesting to see if I'm going to have the energy to do those things. I will try to "suck it up" though and just deal with it.

And yeah, I’m still early in the process. As I write this, I haven’t felt the full impact yet. But I know what to expect because I’ve studied the science. What happens inside the body during a fast is nothing short of amazing.

3 Day Fast Benefits That Go Way Beyond Weight Loss

**Speak to your doctor before starting something like this!

This is where fasting becomes more than just a trendy idea. These benefits are why I committed to this challenge. These are the things I want to experience for myself and the reason I’ll likely do it again.

Cellular Repair and Autophagy - One of the most important benefits of a 3 day fast is the activation of a process called autophagy. This is when your body starts breaking down old, damaged, or malfunctioning cells and recycles the components to make new, healthy ones. Autophagy helps remove dysfunctional proteins and may even reduce the risk of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.

This is not hype. This is a built-in mechanism your body has to clean itself out. But it only happens when you're not constantly eating. The longer you fast, the deeper autophagy kicks in. And that’s one of the biggest reasons I’m doing this.

Insulin Sensitivity and Fat Burning - When you fast, insulin levels drop. This allows your body to tap into stored fat for fuel. Most people are never truly in a fat-burning state because they’re constantly feeding, spiking insulin all day long. Fasting flips that switch.

But it goes deeper than just weight loss. Lower insulin means improved blood sugar regulation, which supports better energy levels, less inflammation, and reduced risk of metabolic diseases. Even if you eat clean like I do, your insulin sensitivity can still improve by allowing periods of fasting.

Immune System Regeneration - This one is backed by research from USC. A prolonged fast, around 72 hours, has been shown to trigger the regeneration of white blood cells and stem cells. In other words, your immune system gets a fresh start.

That’s massive. Especially if you’ve been run down, dealing with chronic inflammation, or bouncing back from illness. Fasting helps your body destroy old immune cells and replace them with new, more efficient ones. I’ve dealt with Lyme in the past. I’ve dealt with inflammation and injury. This is one of the benefits I’m most looking forward to seeing play out.

Brain Function and Mental Clarity - As the body switches from glucose to ketones for energy, the brain gets a more stable fuel source. Ketones burn cleaner and more efficiently. Most people report sharper focus, faster thinking, and even elevated mood during a fast.

Now to be clear, I haven’t felt that yet. I just started. But the science is solid. Fasting increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, which supports brain repair and cognitive function. There’s a reason so many high performers turn to fasting for focus. I want to know what that feels like.

Reduction in Inflammation - Chronic inflammation is the root cause of almost every major disease out there, such as heart disease, autoimmune disorders, digestive issues, and more. One of the fastest ways to reduce inflammation naturally is to stop eating.

Fasting allows the gut to rest. It reduces inflammatory cytokines in the blood. It gives your digestive system time to repair. And for people like me who train daily and deal with injury recovery, that internal relief matters just as much as the physical recovery we get from sleep or supplements.

Hormonal Balance - Fasting increases human growth hormone levels, supports testosterone production, and can even regulate hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin. The hormonal benefits are especially helpful for men and women who want to boost strength, energy, and drive without relying on synthetic hormones or extreme diets.

And no, this isn’t about starvation. Your body is fully capable of going without food for a few days. It was designed to handle it. Fasting works with your biology, not against it.

Spiritual Reset - This part may not be scientific, but for me, it’s just as important. Fasting isn’t just physical. It’s a way to get quiet. To slow down. To listen more. When you’re not focused on food, your awareness shifts. You think deeper. You feel more grounded. You connect with God more clearly. 

How I’m Doing This Fast

No food for 72 hours. Water all day. Black coffee in the morning. Herbal tea if needed. I didn’t prep, I didn’t taper. I just started. I’m not using any powders, no bone broth, and no hidden calories. Just clean liquids to keep me hydrated and focused.

I’m also doing light cardio each day. About 30 minutes of cycling to stay active, get blood flow going, and maintain my routine. I’m not lifting. I’m not doing anything that adds physical stress. Just enough movement to feel good and stay engaged.

I’m not taking any supplements unless they’re 100 percent calorie-free. No protein shakes. No “fasting safe” snacks. No shortcuts. I’m not even taking my Meology. 

What I’m Avoiding During This Fast

• I’m not eating anything

• I’m not sipping on flavored waters or electrolytes that have fillers

• I’m not watching food videos or thinking about what I’ll eat when this is over

• I’m not doing hard workouts or putting unnecessary stress on my body

• I’m not allowing excuses to pull me off track

This is about discipline and seeing it through. I committed to 72 hours, and I plan to finish strong.

Final Thoughts

This is uncharted territory for me. I’ve never done a 3 day fast before. I’m just getting started. But I’m already realizing how much power there is in simply saying no to comfort and yes to growth. If even half of these benefits show up by the end of this process, it will have been completely worth it.

I’ll be posting a follow-up once I complete the full fast. I’ll share what I noticed, what changed, and whether or not I would do it again. If you’re thinking about doing this yourself, I’ll tell you this, it’s one of the simplest yet most challenging things you can do for your health. No products, no programs, no gimmicks. Just you, your willpower, and your body doing what it was built to do.