Week #4 of 8 Weeks of 72-Hour Clean Fasts – Lessons Learned

Fasting is a journey for sure. We are officially halfway through our 8-week cycle of 72-hour clean fasts, and while the first three rounds felt pretty smooth, this week has been tougher. Not enough to break early, but enough to remind us that this journey isn’t always linear. Healing happens in waves, and each fast teaches us something new.

Even though our blood glucose (BG) and blood ketones (BK) are solid, they aren’t quite as impressive as last week’s numbers. And guess what? That’s okay! This just proves how slight variations in habits can impact metabolic health. Here’s what we’ve learned this week:

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Lessons from Week 4 of Fasting

1. The Power of Refeeding Days & Liver Health

Last week’s fast was incredible, with deep healing DBR (Dr. Boz Ratio) in the low 20s. Everything was right on track. But here’s what we noticed:

➡️ Eating just a little later than normal during our refeeding days nudged up our morning glucose. Nothing drastic, but enough to see a shift.

➡️ The next day, tightening up our meal timing immediately brought us back into deeper healing mode.

➡️ The refeeding process is just as important as the fasting period. Overeating or eating too late quickly fills up the liver with glucose, undoing some of the work we did during the fast. This is a huge reminder of why consistently keeping glucose low is key to healing insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to improve metabolic health.

2. How You Start Your Fast Matters

We started this fast differently than usual—and it made an impact.

✨ We were blessed with some high-quality Wagyu beef this week (more on this later!). We enjoyed rib steak, New York strip, and Wagyu burger, savoring every bite of the rich, fatty goodness. Since three of us shared the meal, we each got to enjoy a variety of flavors and textures.  Hitting our fat and protein macros was not a problem.  Since 3 of us shared these delightful offerings, our macros were not totally out of hand, but  they were slightly over.

✨ This was a high-protein, high-fat meal, and we were FULL and SATIATED. It was the kind of full that makes you feel happy and content, not stuffed.

✨ Because of that satiety, we jumped right into our 72-hour fast with confidence and feeling great!

But here’s the twist…

3. Sardines: The Secret Fasting Superpower?

🐟 We didn’t start this fast with a can of sardines like we usually do.

We skipped them because we were already full from the Wagyu beef feast. But guess what? Even with all that satiation, something was missing.  We both felt a difference by just 24 hours into our fast.  

We aren’t “hungry,” per se, but there’s been an irritability creeping in this time that we don’t usually experience.

➡️ Slight headaches.
➡️ Restlessness.
➡️ Just feeling “off.”

It’s a subtle but noticeable difference, and it’s a pattern we’ve seen before. Every time we start AND end our fast with sardines, the process goes smoother. We keep trying to disprove this theory, but it proves itself right every time.  Again, I may not love these little fishies, but I sure do love what they do for my chemistry.  Lesson learned, AGAIN!

This tells us there’s something magical about those little fishies. Sardines are packed with omega-3s, bioavailable protein, and minerals that may help regulate fasting chemistry. It’s a lesson we won’t forget next time!

4. When Glucose Rises During a Clean Fast – Where is it Coming From?

Here’s something that still amazes me every time.

I’m only drinking water, salt, tea, and coffee—zero carbs, zero glucose coming in.

But then… my glucose rises slightly. 🤔

➡️ Where is that glucose coming from?

It’s coming from ME—from the deep pockets of stored glucose in my body. I like to think of it as deep cleaning. My body is pulling out stored glucose from all the nooks and crannies, clearing out those old storage sites in my liver and muscles.

This is the power of fasting. The body is releasing trapped glucose, forcing deeper healing. So if you see your glucose rise slightly during a clean fast, don’t panic—it’s actually a GOOD sign that your body is doing the work!

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Mindset Shift: Gratitude for the Journey

We’re currently 48 hours in, and that third-day magic is just around the corner. I WILL NOT GIVE IN! I’m irritable, but I AM FINE! We’re keeping ourselves busy with:

✅ Coaching classes tonight (a great distraction!)
✅ Staying OUT of the kitchen
✅ Going to bed early

At this stage in the journey, I’m reminded how far we’ve come.

🩸BG: 90
🔥 BK: 2.2
🔑 DBR: 40

Yes, higher than last week, but still in healing mode. Funny how we now expect a DBR under 50, when just a few months ago, I was struggling to get it under 100.

This is why I always remind my clients: this is a marathon, not a sprint. Healing happens in layers, and every step forward counts.  Stay with me tribe, we are in this together. 

What About You?

🤔 How has your fasting journey been going?
🤔 What have you learned about your body through this process?
🤔 Have you noticed any unexpected patterns like we have with sardines?

💡 If your chemistry isn’t quite ready for fasting, we’d love to help you get there. Join us in our free support group or group coaching—let’s build your metabolic health together. 💪🏼

📩 Ready to take control of your health? Message me today to get started!