I am embarking on a journey that is long over due. I’m sick and tired of feeling sick and tired! I have been overweight for almost 17 years now. I can’t take it anymore!. I am fasting to lose weight. Originally, I planned to embark on a long fast. I was very determined to only drink water until I lost every bit of my weight. I have since decided not to do it that way. Instead I will do several 3 to 5 day fast until I have reached my goal. For all you nay sayers…keep it movin’. This might not be for you. Believe it or not, it is very safe to fast. Now, I’m not a doctor. I am only saying this from experience. I have completed water fasts that have lasted up to 19 days. When I did the 19 day fast, I was much younger, thinner, and healthier. I have done the Master Cleanse for much longer (more on this later). There are certain things you should or shouldn’t do that will make the experience more pleasant, but overall you can continue with your day to day with very little change. Interested? Keep reading and I will tell you my plan based on what I have learned and experienced.
Preparing For The Water Fast?
I have read several books about fasting. I’ll include a list somewhere if you would like to check it out. They all say you should prepare for a water fast by eating very healthy for weeks leading up to the water fast. You wanna know what I ate today? Vanilla Ice Cream, brownies, Doritos, Wendy’s, 
Vienna Sandwich Cookies, Buttered bread with Jelly, and Blackberry Ginger ale. LOL… I know… I need this change right! I have never prepared for a water cleanse by eating healthy before it began. That’s probably why I always put the weight back on. I do think there is a lot validity in developing healthier habits before you begin. Let’s be honest. Most of the time you gain the weight back because you don’t make permanent changes. If you continue to eat the same foods that got you in trouble in the first place, you WILL gain the weight back. The only thing you need to conduct this fast is water. if you have your own natural spring, you don’t even have to purchase that. However, if you are like most of us that have city or well water, it would be best for you to purchase spring water to drink because it has minerals that your body needs. Distilled water is dead water, so it will help with the cleanse, but it will also drain your body of the all important minerals you need. Filtered water removes the good and bad stuff, so its not a great water source either unless you add the trace minerals back in. We will talk more about water later.
What Is My Plan?
I like to begin fasting to lose weight at sunset. I mean this is the beginning of a new day. Usually I will try to stop eating an hour or so before. Truth be told. This time, I stopped eating right at sunset. Just begin at that time you think you will be most mentally prepared to begin. 
I like to weigh myself at this point. I really want to limit weighing myself to once a week instead of everyday. This journey is about losing weight, but I want to focus more on how my clothes fit and how I feel than on the pounds. Then drink water for the rest of the day. Drink as much as you want. From my experience when your body is ready to get rid of something it will. There is no need for herbal tea laxatives or enemas.
Exercise… Yes, I will!
There is no way we can talk about losing weight without including exercise. Ugh…I know. You were probably hoping I would leave this out. Don’t worry, it’s not some ridiculous, outrageous suggestion. Exercise does profit a little. 
You don’t have to do a lot. You could do a 30-minute walk, or you could go hard on the cardio if you would like. It’s really about what you feel up to doing. I would stick to cardio though. I wouldn’t do much muscle building while fasting. If you have a lot of weight to lose, exercise will help reduce any problem that could develop with lose skin. Don’t force yourself though. There will probably be days especially in the beginning where you may not feel like it because of the detox symptoms. Don’t worry. The symptoms will lessen and you will experience an increase in energy (most of the time) during the fast. I will say this, exercise is an important part of having good health. You should try to make it a habit.
Breaking The Water Fast
I believe it is okay to break your fast on anything that God intended to be for food. I say that because there are lots of things out there to eat that should not be consumed by any person or animal. Avoid anything processed or that includes chemicals that you can’t pronounce.
Stick to something simple. This is a good time to learn if anything you eat causes your body to react a certain way. In my experience, it’s not so much about what you eat as it is about how much you eat. You have to be careful not to over do it. I broke a fast to quickly one time and had the worse heart burn I have ever had in my life. I thought I was going to die of a heart attack. For real…listen to what I am saying. I had never had heart burn before, so I had no idea how painful it can be. I was praying and asking God to forgive me for being a glutton. I was scared! In my opinion, this is the hardest part of the process. It is very important at this point to resist the temptation to go back to your old ways that led you to the need for this fast in the first place.
We Are Going On A Trip
This is just the beginning of a journey I hope you will take with me. I chose fasting to lose weight because I want a fresh start. What better way to begin lifestyle changes than by cleansing your body and working towards good health so you can truly enjoy the journey. Fasting not only cleans your body, but more importantly it helps to clean your mind. I hope this helps to simplify your life. My life has gotten to complicated and cluttered. Please check out my daily journal for more details about my fast. This is just one journey of many that we can take together.
Hi, this is a big topic in our house and our children are very much aware of the obesity issue. I think you have done a great educational service here too. People need to realize how big the issue is and that they can do things to change. Positive education like this is a vital key that people need. Thank you.