The Fast That Rose From Fever

I did not intend to begin the new year with a fast right away. In fact, I had imagined something entirely different: a gentle return to routine after the swirl of Christmas. A slow re-entry into my fasting rhythm. But life, as it often does, had other plans.

RSV swept into our house before Christmas and settled into my chest. The coughing has been relentless, the kind that makes your ribs ache and leaves you feeling wrung out. For over a week, I tried to keep up with normal life, but last night everything caught up with me. A fever crept in, subtle at first, then unmistakable. My whole body felt heavy, achy, and tired in that particular way only a fever can bring.

I woke up this morning still feeling off, still feverish, but not hungry. Hoping it might help me feel better, I ate two egg bites. They did not help. My body was not asking for food. It was asking for rest, for space, for simplicity. So I listened.

And just like that, my first fast of the new year began.

When Your Body Makes the Decision for You

There is something interesting about a fast that chooses you instead of the other way around. Usually, fasting is a conscious commitment, a decision you make with intention, structure, and a plan. But this time, my body simply opted out of eating. No drama. No internal negotiation. Just a quiet, clear message: not today.

By midday, I realized I had not eaten anything since those egg bites, and I was not even thinking about food. I was thinking about hydration, electrolytes, and keeping my fever from climbing. I was on my own with 2 toddlers and a preschooler, just trying to keep up with them between the coughing fits. Food did not even register as a need.

There is an old saying I have always believed in: feed a cold, starve a fever.

Not in a punitive way, not in a ‘deny yourself’ way, but in the sense that digestion takes energy, and sometimes your body needs every ounce of that energy for recovery. When you are fighting something off, simplifying the inputs can feel like a relief.

And that is exactly what the day ended up being: relief.

The Surprising Ease of Not Eating

Around 5 p.m., right when I was making the kids dinner, I had a brief wave of hunger. It lasted maybe ten minutes. It was not even intense, just a gentle reminder that this is usually the time I eat. A habit hunger, not a true one.

By the time I plated their chicken nuggets, poured drinks, and settled everyone at the table, the hunger had already passed. I was not jealous of their dinner. I was not tempted. I was not bargaining with myself. I simply was not hungry.

Hydration, Electrolytes, and Listening Inward

Because I have been sick, hydration has been my top priority. I have been mixing electrolytes into my water throughout the day to keep my body supported while it does the heavy lifting of healing.

There is something grounding about that simple act: drinking water with intention. It feels like care. It feels like partnership with your own body.

And interestingly - maybe coincidentally, maybe not - my fever broke. It has not returned. Some of my other symptoms have eased as well. I am not claiming fasting cured anything, but I believe giving my body space to focus on recovery instead of digestion made a difference. At the very least, it did not hurt.

A 26-Hour Fasting Reset to Start the Year

Even though I normally skip breakfast, I plan to eat tomorrow morning because this is my first big fast of the year and I want to break it gently and intentionally. I will start with two Brazil nuts. They are small, nutrient dense, and easy on the stomach. They are also one of my favorite ways to ease back into eating after a longer fast. No sugar crash, no heaviness, no overwhelm. Just a quiet re-entry. A clean, simple, unplanned 26-hour fast to open the year.

There is something symbolic about that: a reset I did not schedule but one that arrived right on time.

After that, I will see how I feel. I will listen. I will let my body lead.

What This Fast Taught Me Already

Even though this fast was not intentional, it still offered a few reminders I needed.

1. Hunger is often a whisper, not a scream.

Most hunger waves pass quickly, especially when they are tied to routine rather than true need.

2. Fasting does not have to be dramatic.

Sometimes it is as simple as not forcing food when you are not hungry.

3. Illness can be a reset button.

Not in a glamorous way, but in a clarifying way. When you are under the weather, your body’s priorities become obvious.

4. The body knows what it is doing.

When I stopped trying to override my lack of appetite and simply let my body lead, things shifted.

5. A fast does not have to be perfect to be meaningful.

A small breakfast did not ruin anything. They were part of the day. The fast unfolded anyway.

Beginning the Year With Clarity

There is something symbolic about starting the year with a fast, even an accidental one. It feels like clearing the slate. Like wiping down the counters after the holiday chaos. Like opening the windows for a breath of fresh air.

This was not the fast I planned, but maybe it was the fast I needed.

It reminded me that fasting is not just a tool for weight loss or metabolic health. It is also a tool for tuning in, for noticing what your body is asking for, what it is resisting, and what it is ready to release.

And after the indulgence and fullness of the holidays, this quiet, unintentional reset felt like a gift.

Looking Ahead to the Next 90 Days

This fast was not part of my structured 90-day plan, but it feels like a gentle prelude. A soft opening. A reminder that I am capable of fasting even when I am not trying. That my body remembers how to do this. That hunger is not something to fear.

As I move into the next three months, with my planned 24-hour fasts, I am carrying this experience with me.

Not as a triumph, but as a reassurance.

A reminder that fasting does not have to be complicated. It can be intuitive. It can be responsive. It can be a conversation with your body rather than a command.

If You Are Curious About Intermittent Fasting

If you are reading this because you are curious about fasting or considering your own reset, two books I have found helpful are:

• Life in the Fasting Lane by Jason Fung

• The Complete Guide to Fasting by Jason Fung

They offer a grounded, accessible introduction to fasting, the science, the mindset, and the practical tips. They are great starting points if you want to understand the why behind fasting as much as the how.

Closing Thoughts

My first fast of the year was not glamorous. It was not planned. It was not part of a challenge or a checklist. It was simply a response to how I felt: tired, feverish, and uninterested in food.

But sometimes the simplest fasts are the most clarifying.

Tomorrow morning, when I break this fast with two Brazil nuts, I will do it with gratitude for the reset, for the relief, for the reminder that my body is wiser than I often give it credit for.

Here is to a new year of listening inward, honoring what my body needs, and embracing the resets that arrive unexpectedly.