Hey Vimal,

Thank you, yes, I resonate with the challenge of 'compensation' (may include overeating, binge eating etc) with water fasting (can happen with other protocols too). I also resonate with the emotional challenges that do arise and of course inter-depend on the physical. Intermittent fasting is a more gentle way to incorporate a lot of the benefits of fasting - including the feelings of expansion and lightness - without the high intensity of pure water fast and its so great that it can be a long term adventure. I would like to make a note here for everyone reading that if someone is suffering from eating disorders then I wouldn't just go ahead recommending fasting without understanding the person. I am aware of water fasting in clinics that have helped people overcome bulimia but this is a highly individualised approach, which is safer when supervised.

Tips to avoid compensations may include:

Sometimes, it is recommended that one starts intermittent fasting first, experimenting with gradually reducing the eating window and progressively easing oneself into a water fast for a day or two. For example one can intermittent fast for a couple of weeks as a preparation before a water fast. This prepares the mind, body and spirit to open up gradually to the challenging emotions and physical sensations one encounters rather than diving all in, which can be counterproductive as you Vimal and I and others have experienced. Similarly, easing oneself out from a water fast the same way in reverse will help avoid compensations. Other ways to 'go into' the water fast is to do a detox or a cleanse first for a few days and then the same 'on the way out'.

It also helps to know that with water fasting certain challenges will arise usually in this order - but depends a lot on the individual too:

Day 1-3 lots of hunger and cravings, tiredness, grumpiness, frustration; after this hunger subsides completely and so are emotional counterparts like frustration for example. Dr Klaper's video in my essay does talk about this in more detail, if interested.

Finally, the nutritional and vibrational quality of the food consumed day in day out is another factor that defines the severity of compensations when fasting or doing any other detox or cleanse protocol. So, being aware of this will also help.

Enjoy the exploration with intermittent fasting Vimal! :)