The Lie I Told Myself: My 72-Hour Confession to Food Addiction

 

I started a 72-hour water fast just to see what would happen. What I realized over those three days was far more painful than hunger: I was everything I claimed I wasn't.

I told myself I wasn't addicted to food, sugar, or simple carbs. I made a thousand excuses for why my eating was "okay." The fast became the ultimate truth-teller, exposing a raw, emotional dependency I had to confront.

(A quick note: I don't recommend extreme fasting for everyone. It can be intense and scary. This is simply my path to self-honesty.)

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The 72-Hour Confession: Day-by-Day

Day 1: The Scramble and the Addiction Response

I began the fast Sunday at 5:00 PM. The real battle began Monday morning.

At 7:30 AM, I made French Toast for my family. The smell made my brain go absolutely crazy. My body was screaming because it knew the sugar was near. I realized addiction wasn't just a substance; it was a powerful, destructive routine.

By 12:30 PM, the physical hunger hit hard. The intense feeling faded when I drank three liters of carbonated water, proving the battle was quickly shifting from my stomach to my head.

The night brought the biggest challenge. At 5:00 PM, I was in the kitchen baking. The only food I intensely craved was sugar-laden cookies, crackers, and snacks. At 9:30 PM, removing the fresh Shokupan from the oven was a near-breaking point. The smell was overpowering. The cravings were a pure, addictive response.

Day 2: The Physical Shift and Mental Clarity

On Tuesday morning, I woke up and ran three miles. I felt energy I hadn't had in months—like I could run forever. The mental fog that had plagued me for weeks was gone.

By Noon, the hunger that should have been raging was silent. The constant noise of false hunger—that need to snack, that "gotta have it" feeling—was completely gone. The constant input had been causing the cravings, not the deficit.

The only emotional challenge came at 5:00 PM when I sat with my family for dinner. My mouth watered intensely. The psychological connection to the ritual of eating remains the hardest habit to break.

Day 3: The Rewiring

By Wednesday, my body had started communicating honestly.

At 6:30 AM, while making breakfast, food smelled good, but it didn't trigger an urge to eat. I looked at the sheer volume of food in our fridge—the average American glut—and felt analytical, not desperate. The goal had shifted from consumption to control.

At Noon, my cravings had changed completely: I didn't want carbs or sugar. I craved vegetables, fruit, and a big glass of whole milk. My body’s wiring was demanding actual, clean fuel.

At 5:00 PM, the 72-hour mark, I broke the fast with a handful of mixed nuts. They tasted like absolute candy.

Then came dinner. I ordered a salad loaded with onions and tomatoes. My wife was shocked, as I normally avoid tomatoes like the plague. I devoured the onions. I annihilated the tomatoes. Food I typically wouldn't touch suddenly tasted incredible.

The Lesson for Founders and Families

In that moment, I realized: I am a food addict.

The problem isn't that I love food; it's that my body was hard-wired to love the highly processed food that doesn't nourish me. Without the addictive cycle running, my body started craving what it actually needs: simple greens and vibrant fruit.

I woke up the next day with energy and, more importantly, no sugar cravings.

This journey is why I built Switchback Foods. Our smoothies aren't a fad; they are the simple, honest foundation for consistency. They are the easiest way to remove the friction from eating well and guarantee you get essential fruit and vegetables into your system, so you can win your own daily food battles and rewire your body to eat what you need, not just what you want.

Now, I fast for 20 hours a day. I feel better, I have more energy, I crave more real food. 

Here is what my daily eating looks like: 

2:30 PM - Switchback greens smoothie - usually I do a Banana Berry Bite with a scoop of peanut butter powder and some added fiber. I find getting enough fiber eating in a four hour window to be tough which is why I add it and why we are launching our own fiber enhancer in the coming months.  

I also try and have an apple and two hard boiled eggs. 

5:15: Dinner - We usually have a salad - or half the plate being a vegetable. A healthy serving of protein and a small carb. 

I find it easier to get my daily vitamins and minerals thanks to Switchback and have found that without a Switchback every day it is incredibly tough to limit caloric intake while also getting my body what it needs to be nourished. 

If you do decide to try fasting - I can say beyond a doubt the benefits are worth it!