Have you ever mentally struggled with your food cravings?
I think we’ve all been there.
Your cravings tend to appear when your defenses are down – whether you’re frustrated, emotional, bored or tired.
Trying to resist your cravings feels hopeless…because you’ve always given in before.
When you do something that seems significantly more difficult, this builds your confidence to do things that are perceivably easier.
One of my favorite exercises is the 24 Hour Fast Experiment.
If you’ve never done this before, you likely have a massive amount of mental resistance.
You might be thinking “that isn’t safe” or “I could never do that.”
You’re not alone. This was MY initial reaction and it’s by far the most common response.
I’ve helped hundreds of people safely conquer their cravings with the 24 Hour Fast experiment.
This post will walk you through my laughable first attempt and a far less dramatic way for you to safely conduct your own experiment.
My Laughable 24 Hour Fast Experiment
Years ago, while working with my own nutrition coach (because coaches need coaches too), I was given what seemed like a dangerously irresponsible challenge: a 24 Hour Fast.
Like any rational adult, I completely freaked out.
Having never skipped a meal in my entire life, this seemed downright reckless.
When I would go on vacation with my wife Tina, if she planned to sleep in I would still wake up early to eat breakfast and then go back to bed.
I believed that skipping meals was harmful to my metabolism.
Plus I was the poster-child for the Snickers “Hangry” commercials.
My reactions were borderline hysterical and I even threatened to quit working with my coach.
Eventually I ran out of energy from my adult tantrum and once my defenses were weakened, my coach walked me through the simple process of completing a 24 Hour Fast.
There’s no need to be an absolute child about this…I’ve already done that for you.
Hunger Comes In Waves
When I reluctantly agreed to do a 24 Hour experiement, I was concerned about being admitted to the hospital.
By 10am I was really hungry and just knew bad things were going to happen.
Before what would typically be lunch time, the strangest thing happened and my hunger had completely subsided.
Later that afternoon, another wave of hunger hit me and this one eventually passed as well.
As it turns out, many of us mis-interpret hunger signals and develop the habit of giving into our cravings.
The 24 Hour Fast experiment forced me to sit with my cravings and helped me understand that hunger comes in waves.
These waves will pass if you let them.
But most of us have constant access to food and have learned to immediately address our hunger.
Nutrition Myths Shattered
Many of the beliefs I had about nutrition had just been shattered in 24 hours.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
There is no science that shows eating your first meal within a certain number of hours upon waking is superior.
You should eat smaller, more frequent meals to optimize your metabolism.
Consuming 2,000 calories over the course of two, three, four or six meals has the same thermogenic effect.
Skipping meals puts your body into starvation mode.
There is no “starvation mode” and our bodies can burn both carbohydrates and fat for necessary fuel.
You need to constantly fuel up to perform well.
People have found success with all types of meal schedules and eating frequencies.
As it turns out, none of these beliefs were true.
I shared my story because you might be extremely hesitant to try your own 24 Hour Fast experiment.
I completely understand and would love to help.
How To Conduct A 24 Hour Fast Experiment
Thinking about going an entire calendar day without food is mentally challenging.
It often helps to realize that most people can go 10 hours without issue.
1 Hour Before Bed + Sleep 8 Hours + 1 Hour After Waking = 10 Hours Without Eating
Instead of fasting (not eating) for a single calendar day, let’s shift the 24 hour timeline so that it runs from dinner on Day 1 until dinner on Day 2.
For most people, I recommend running this from Sunday evening until Monday evening.
Monday tends to be a busy day for most people and for the purposes of this experiment, your distractions are your friends.
If there is another day of the week that would work better for you, feel free to use that day.
Here are 7 additional tips to help you conduct a successful 24 Hour Fast experiment:
Eat a Protein-Rich Healthy Meal Before Starting Your Fast
High protein meals help you stay full longer. Avoid heavily processed foods going into a fast as these will make your cravings more intense.
Avoid Sugar-Sweetened Beverages While Fasting
Sugar-sweetened beverages can both trigger AND intensify your cravings. Additionally, these will technically break your fast and urge your body to look for carbohydrate fuel sources.
By fasting, your body will begin to break down your fat stores for energy.
Stay Hydrated With Electrolytes
Proper hydration is more than just drinking water. Electrolyte mixes (such as LMNT) can help you manage symptoms such as headaches and “brain fog”.
Remember That Hunger Hits In Waves
Knowing this can help you mentally defend yourself.
Tell yourself this is an experiment and note how long your cravings last.
Was your first craving longer or more intense than your second?
This could be incredibly valuable information to have in the future.
Plan A Healthy Meal You Genuinely Look Forward To Eating
Ideally you break your fast with a high protein meal that you know you will enjoy.
This will give you something to focus on if you find yourself struggling in the middle of your fast.
Break Your Fast…Slowly
Eating too quickly has several downsides on a regular basis including poor digestion.
Specifically for this meal, you’ll want to eat slowly and put down your utensil between bites.
Resist the temptation to devour your meal or you may find yourself with an upset stomach.
Get Accountability
You’re more likely to quit on yourself than someone else.
Telling another person that you’re doing this experiment gives you the accountability and resolve to finish what you’ve started.
This one is really powerful and can’t be overstated.
What You Can Expect From This Experiment
Many of our limitations are self-imposed. We create mental roadblocks that feel real but are actually just stories we tell ourselves.
The beauty of the 24 Hour Fast experiment isn’t just the physiological benefits – it’s about proving to yourself that you’re physically capable of conquering your cravings and breaking through mental barriers.
Once you’ve successfully completed a 24 Hour Fast, ignoring a single craving on a random Tuesday seems much less like a nutritional emergency.
You’ve built some self-confidence in your ability to resist your cravings.
Allow this to open the door to other things you may have deemed impossible.
If you want to further explore the benefits of fasting, click here for the Intermittent Fasting Formula.
