48-Hour Fast: My Personal Experience

The Power of Autophagy

By: Wiggert Meerman, CMO Newtraceuticals

We all know the feeling: that period after the holidays, or simply after a lavish weekend, when you feel a bit too “full.” You’re slower, less sharp, and your body feels heavy. That’s exactly how I felt.

I decided it was time for a radical reset. No juice cleanse, no complicated diet, but simply … nothing. I did a 48-hour fasting session (water fasting), and I’d like to take you through what it did to me. Because honestly: it sounds more intense than it is, and the effect on both body and mind is incredible.

Why Would You Not Eat for 48 Hours?

I’ve been practicing intermittent fasting for quite some time (where you eat within a specific time window, for example fasting 16 hours with an 8-hour eating window), but for the real “magic” to happen, sometimes you need to go a bit deeper.

The magic word here is autophagy.

It sounds like an expensive Scrabble word, but it’s actually a fascinating survival mechanism of the body. In 2016, a Nobel Prize was even awarded for this discovery to Japanese cell biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi. Simply put: when you don’t eat for a longer period of time, your body switches into “repair mode.” Because no new energy is coming in, your body starts cleaning up and recycling old, damaged, and sick cells for energy.

Think of autophagy as a deep internal clean-up. To really activate this process and let it work deep within your cells, you need those 48 hours (or at least 36 hours).

My Experience: What Does 48 Hours of Fasting Feel Like?

In the video I recorded about this, I was in the final hours of my fast. And believe it or not: instead of feeling exhausted, I felt incredibly clear.

Mental Clarity and Ketosis

It felt like a meditative state, almost comparable to the “high” after an intense breathing exercise. My organs finally got some rest, and my brain was razor-sharp. Once your body runs out of its sugar reserves, it switches to burning fat (ketosis). This provides a very stable, clean form of energy without the sugar highs and crashes.

Was It Easy the Entire Time?

No, definitely not. There were moments when I was quite irritable (sorry to the people around me!). Hunger naturally affects your mood—it’s a primal instinct. But those brief moments of irritation don’t outweigh the mental calm and focus you get in return.

My Protocol: What Are You Allowed to Drink During a Fast?

I kept it simple. I wanted to reset both body and mind, so I consciously did not exercise during these two days, allowing all energy to go toward the recovery process (autophagy).

My “menu” during the 48 hours consisted of:

• Lots of water: Essential for flushing out waste products.
• Herbal tea: Without sugar or milk.
• Black coffee: I had one cup of decaf and one cup of caffeinated coffee per day, plain black.

Nothing else. No additives, no tricks. Pure and simple.

Reflection

In the distant past, we didn’t have refrigerators stocked 24/7. Evolutionarily, we are designed to survive periods without food. Fasting teaches you to listen again to what your body truly needs. Spoiler: it’s often less than you think.

4 Tips If You Want to Try Fasting Yourself

If you’re left thinking, “Wiggert, this sounds good, I want to activate my autophagy too,” keep the following points in mind for a safe start:

• The start: Eat a decent, substantial meal the evening before and go to sleep. That way, you already get the first 8 to 10 hours “for free” while sleeping.
• Hydration & electrolytes: Drink plenty. If you feel lightheaded or get a headache, a small pinch of salt in your water or some electrolytes can work wonders.
• Choose your moment: Don’t plan this when you need to run a marathon or have a high-pressure work week. Do it when you can rest, for example on a weekend or during a calm period.
• Listen to your body: If it truly doesn’t feel right, stop. It’s not a competition.

Conclusion

It’s a special experience to notice how your body can reset itself. For me, this 48-hour fast was not only a physical cleanse, but also a mental and almost spiritual “check-in” with myself.

If you decide to try it, make sure your first meal afterward is nutritious and light—for example, one of these broth soups: chicken broth, grass-fed beef broth, or this pasture-raised chicken broth from Broth of Life.