How to Do a Dirty Fast

"Dirty" fasting is when you allow yourself to have low-calorie beverages during your fasting period, as opposed to a “clean” fast, which only allows water and zero-calorie beverages. If you’re new to fasting, or you’re mainly focused on losing weight, dirty fasting may be easier for you than clean fasting. The key is to keep the calories and carbs low enough to keep your body burning stored body fat for energy.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Following a Dirty Fasting Protocol

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    Try a dirty fast to ease into intermittent fasting. A true, or “clean” intermittent fasting protocol means you can’t have any calories during your fasting period, which can be difficult for many people. A dirty fast, by contrast, allows you to have small amounts of calories and adjust the timing of your meals to enjoy some of the benefits of fasting.[1]
    • Easing into fasting can make it easier for you to stick with it.
    • Scientific studies suggest that fasting can be an effective way to both lose and maintain weight.[2]
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    Restrict your meals to within an 8-10 hour window in the daytime. Scientific evidence suggests that following your circadian rhythm while you’re fasting, meaning you eat during the day and avoid late-night snacking, can help you lose weight. Schedule your feeding window to a specific period during the day to reap the benefits of dirty fasting.[3]
    • For example, you could set your feeding window for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then fast the rest of the day.
    • Try to find a feeding window that works for you, but avoid eating too late so you’re following your body’s natural circadian rhythm.
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    Make sure you eat until you’re satisfied in your feeding window. Because you’re limiting the amount of food you eat for large sections of the day, it’s really important that you use your feeding window to refuel your body. Choose healthy food options and try to eat a balance of lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats to provide your body with good nutrition.[4]
    • Avoid sugars and refined grains and opt for fruit, veggies, and whole grains instead.[5]
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    Exercise to help boost your weight loss. Studies indicated that exercising while you fast can actually help increase weight loss and even make you feel less hungry.[6] Try going for a run, swim, or bike ride to burn additional calories and burn more fat.
    • Try out group fitness classes to help you keep motivated. Check out your local gym to see if they offer group classes, yoga classes, or circuit-training.
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    Talk to your doctor before you try fasting to make sure it’s safe. Fasting isn’t necessarily safe for people with certain underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or conditions that require you to eat when you take medications. Talk to your doctor before you make sudden changes to your diet or lifestyle to make sure they’re safe for you.[7]
    • If you’re pregnant or are trying to become pregnant, talk to your doctor before you start fasting.
    • Additionally, if you find yourself feeling dizzy, exhausted, or light-headed, talk to your doctor.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Drinking Fast-Friendly Beverages

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    Drink as much water as you want during your fast. You can always have as much water as you like while you’re fasting. In fact, because fasting can actually make you feel less thirsty, it’s really important that you drink a bunch of water to help prevent possible dehydration. If you’re ever feeling thirsty during your fast, pour yourself a nice glass of water.[8]
    • The recommended amount of water for an average person is 1.5 litres (0.40 US gal), so try to drink at least this much.[9]
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    Avoid juice and regular soda while you’re fasting. Fruit juice is loaded with sugar that is basically just empty calories and can break your fast.[10] The same thing for sodas. They’re chock full of sugar and calories that will cause you to break your fast.[11]
    • Even juice without added sugars contains natural sugars that can break your fast.
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    Grab a cup of black coffee or tea if you need a boost. Black coffee, black tea, and green tea all contain caffeine, which can help perk you up if you’re feeling tired while you’re fasting. They also don’t contain calories that will break your fast. Fix yourself some coffee or tea if you need an energy boost. You can also go with an herbal tea if you don’t want the caffeine.[12]
    • The caffeine in the coffee or tea can help fight off cravings and make you feel less hungry.[13]
    • Drinking too much caffeine can cause anxiety, tremors, and rapid heart rate. Try not to have more than 500-600 mg of caffeine, which comes to about 4-7 cups of coffee.[14]
    • If you choose an herbal tea, make sure there isn’t any dried fruit, which may contain sugar that could break your fast.
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    Use carbonated water to help you feel less hungry. Sparkling water and carbonated water don’t have any calories, so they won’t actually break your fast. But, the carbonation can actually help stave off those nagging hunger pangs while you’re fasting, so crack open a fresh sparkling water if you’re feeling hungry.[15]
    • As long as a flavored carbonated water doesn’t have any sugar or calories, it won’t break your fast.
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    Enjoy a diet soda if your main focus is weight loss. Drinking a zero-calorie diet soda instead of a regular soda can help you take in fewer calories than your body uses, which can help you lose weight.[16] If you’re fasting mainly to reduce the total number of calories you consume, choose a zero-calorie diet soda if you really want a soda.
    • Diet sodas will technically break your fast, but if your goal is weight loss, they can be a helpful way to make it through your fast.
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    Use bone broth to add vitamins and minerals to your fast. Bone broth is pretty low in calories, with 1 cup (240 mL) generally containing between 40-50.[17] But it’s full of micronutrients that can replenish lost vitamins and electrolytes, as well as help you feel satiated.[18] Grab a cup or bowl of some bone broth if you want a flavorful beverage that can help you feel less hungry.
    • Bone broth also doesn’t contain any carbohydrates.
    • Consuming only water for a long period of time, such as during your fast, can reduce your electrolytes, so bone broth can help restore a balance.
    • Look for bone broth at your local grocery store, or by ordering some online.
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    Hold off on alcohol while you have an empty stomach. Drinking alcohol while you’re fasting can intensify the effects and cause you to get too intoxicated. Alcohol also is a source of calories, which can break your fast and potentially make you hungrier.[19]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Enhancing Your Drinks

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    Add a squeeze of lemon to your water to add some flavor. Take a fresh lemon wedge and squeeze it into a glass of water to enhance the taste without breaking your fast. You could also add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of lemon juice to your water to make it taste better as well.[20]
    • The small amount of lemon won’t spike your insulin levels and break your fast.
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    Stir some zero-calorie sweetener into your coffee or tea. If you want to enhance your coffee or tea and make it sweeter, add some zero-calorie sweetener to it to give it a flavorful boost. Add a packet or 2 of artificial sweeteners such as Splenda, Equal, or Stevia.
    • You could also add some sweetener to a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon.
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    Add a splash of cream to your coffee or tea. If you can’t live without cream in your coffee or tea, you can add a dollop of it to make it taste better. Just keep it to a minimum so you don’t add too many calories and potentially break your fast.[21]
    • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of half and half has 37 calories, so try not to have much more than that during your fast.[22]
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    Mix MCT oil into your coffee to help burn fat. MCT oil contains fatty acids derived from coconut oil. Studies suggest that adding MCT oil to your fast can actually optimize ketosis and cause your body to burn more fat for fuel.[23] Try adding some to your coffee as a fat-burning booster.
    • If you’re new to using MCT oil, start with .5 tablespoons (7.4 mL) to avoid upsetting your digestive system.[24]
    • Look for pure MCT oil at your local health food store or by ordering it online.
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Warnings

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156
  2. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25540982/
  3. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156
  4. ↑ https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/articles/intermittent-fasting-foods-to-eat-and-avoid
  5. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156
  6. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4176132/
  7. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156
  8. ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/intermittent-fasting-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work
  9. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19724292/
  1. ↑ https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/articles/intermittent-fasting-foods-to-eat-and-avoid
  2. ↑ https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a32744776/what-can-you-drink-intermittent-fasting/
  3. ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/intermittent-fasting-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work
  4. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27824614/
  5. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462044/
  6. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23327968/
  7. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/drinks.html
  8. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a20707221/what-happens-when-you-drink-bone-broth-every-day/
  9. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6836141/
  10. ↑ https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a32744776/what-can-you-drink-intermittent-fasting/
  11. ↑ https://youtu.be/Y7ZMpNao20c?t=41
  12. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156
  13. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/calories/faq-20058100
  14. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7175812/
  15. ↑ https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/what-mct-oil-superfood-ingredient

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 17,585 times.
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Co-authors: 3
Updated: January 18, 2023
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Categories: Fasting
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