Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Fitness Trainer Reports 13-Day Fast as Nutritionist Warns
Sara Kachhara said she went 13 days without eating food.
She began by planning a three-day fast, but continued longer.
Around days 10 and 11, she said she noticed unusual body sensations.
She could feel water moving in her stomach and hear her heartbeat.
During a long fast, the body first uses stored sugar and then uses more stored fat for energy.
The body may also lose water and muscle, not just fat.
Nutritionist Gulnaaz Shaikh said feeling lighter or more focused does not prove that a fast is safe.
She advised people to seek medical guidance and choose balanced, sustainable eating habits.
Sara Kachhara said she voluntarily went 13 consecutive days without eating.
She reported hearing her heartbeat and feeling water churning in her stomach around days 10 and 11.
Clinical nutritionist Gulnaaz Shaikh said prolonged fasting shifts the body from glucose toward stored fat and ketones.
Shaikh warned that prolonged fasting can also break down protein and muscle tissue and affect energy, concentration, blood pressure and nutrient intake.
Shaikh advised a sustainable eating pattern or moderate fasting approach instead of copying extreme social-media challenges.
- Who
- Fitness trainer Sara Kachhara reported the fast; clinical nutritionist Gulnaaz Shaikh explained its possible effects and risks.
- What
- Kachhara said she went 13 consecutive days without food and described physical sensations during the fast.
- When
- Recently; the articles do not provide an exact date.
- Where
- Kachhara discussed the experience in an Instagram post; the location of the fast was not stated.
- Why
- She said she initially planned to fast for three days but continued; her precise motivation was not stated.
Personal Experience
Nutritionist Caution
Feeling better during fasting
Personal Experience
Kachhara described noticeable physical and mental changes during her 13-day fast, and Shaikh acknowledged that some people may feel lighter, less bloated or mentally clearer.
Nutritionist Caution
Shaikh said these feelings can be genuine but do not establish that prolonged fasting is safe or beneficial for everyone.
Approach to fasting
Personal Experience
Kachhara’s account presents an extreme fast as an experience that began at three days and continued to 13 days.
Nutritionist Caution
Shaikh advised against copying extreme social-media fasting challenges and recommended a moderate, sustainable approach suited to individual health needs.
- Reported fast length
- 13 consecutive days without eating
- Reported sensations
- Kachhara said she felt water churning in her stomach and could hear her heartbeat around days 10 and 11.
- Initial plan
- She said she began with a planned three-day fast.
- Energy changes
- The body initially uses stored glycogen, then relies more heavily on stored fat and produces more ketones.
- Potential losses
- Prolonged food deprivation can also break down protein and muscle tissue, while weight loss may include water and lean tissue.
- Potential effects
- Prolonged fasting can affect energy, concentration, blood pressure and nutrient intake.
- Recommended approach
- Shaikh recommended adequate protein, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and sufficient fluids, with medical guidance for fasting plans.