The fasting journal · matched to fast day 6
Day 6. 14 Pounds In Six Days, Leg Cramps, And The Water Question
Six days. Fourteen pounds. And the first real body lesson of week one, delivered by my own legs.
The scale said 214.0
Another 2 pounds down this morning. 214.0 on the scale, which makes it 14.6 pounds in six days from my 228.6 start. That is a 6.4 percent drop in less than a week.
The pattern is holding exactly like the textbooks say. Huge drops early, 4.4 pounds on day 2 then the curve flattens into a steady 2 pounds a day. The early flood is water and glycogen leaving. What is coming off now is the real thing. Body fat read 38.3 percent today, down from 42.3 on day 1. Every number lives on the bloodwork page.
My legs sent me a message
I feel good. Lots of energy. But I did have cramping in my legs and cramps during a fast are not a mystery. They are a message. I was a little dehydrated.
Think about it. No food means no sodium, no potassium, no magnesium coming in from meals and if the water intake dips too, the muscles complain first. Mine did. The fix is not complicated. Drink more.
I also had a little bit of diarrhea. Not the glamorous part of the journey but I am telling you everything, that was the deal. My gut is cleaning itself out after 56 years of regular eating. It is expected in the first week and mostly it means even more reason to keep the water coming.
The morning ketone strip still shows color, a bit lighter than yesterday and I logged it at 4. Urine strips swing with hydration, a concentrated sample reads darker and a diluted one reads lighter, so I watch the trend across days, not any single morning. The trend says my body is running on fat.
The water question, answered
The most asked question in my DMs this week. How much water am I actually drinking on a water fast?
Somewhere between half a gallon and a gallon a day. That is the honest answer. And after the leg cramps, I will be living closer to the gallon end of that range. This fast runs on water and minerals and my job is to keep both topped up while my body does the work.
Day 6 done
Six X marks on the calendar. 84 to go. The scale keeps moving, the energy is real and my legs and I have reached an agreement about the water.
Day 6 done. Have a nice day. Cheers. 🩸
Quick answers
How much water should you drink during a water fast?
John drinks between half a gallon and a gallon a day and adjusts by feel. General guidance for adults is roughly 2 to 3 liters of fluid daily and many supervised fasting protocols run at the higher end because food normally supplies about 20 percent of fluid intake. Thirst, urine color and symptoms like cramps are the everyday signals to watch.
Why do you get leg cramps during a water fast?
Cramps during fasting usually trace back to fluids and minerals. With zero food intake there is no dietary sodium, potassium or magnesium coming in and low fluid intake concentrates the problem. John read his overnight leg cramps as a sign he was a little dehydrated and answered it by drinking more. Persistent or severe cramping is a doctor conversation, which is what the monthly labs and check ins are for.
Is diarrhea normal during a water fast?
Loose stools can show up in the first week of an extended fast as the digestive tract empties and shifts into rest mode. John describes it as his system cleaning itself out and treats it as expected. It matters mainly because it costs extra fluid and electrolytes, so it is another reason to keep drinking. Ongoing or bloody diarrhea is a medical flag, not a fasting milestone.
How much weight do you lose in the first week of a water fast?
Big early numbers are normal and they are not all fat. The first days burn through stored glycogen, which is held with water, so the scale drops fast and then the pace settles. John lost 14.6 pounds in six days, about 6.4 percent of his starting weight, with the daily change slowing from 4.4 pounds on day 2 to 2 pounds now.