Author: Big John

72 Hours Without Food: My Unlikely Marathon of the Mind

If you’ve been following along these past few days, you know I started this fast (beaten down by the mirror, depressed by my belly, and just trying to make it to 48 hours).

Well, I didn’t just hit 48. – I kept going.

And now? I’ve reached 72 hours — three full days without eating a single thing.

People talk about marathons, weightlifting records, extreme sports, and those are absolutely incredible feats. But let me tell you something: when you’re 50+ pounds overweight, carrying around a decade of bad habits and extra weight, going three full days without food is just as much of an athletic achievement — except it’s all mental.

This isn’t about running fast or lifting heavy.

This is about outrunning the voice that begs you to quit.

This is about lifting the weight of your own weaknesses.

And I did it.

The Body Follows the Mind — and Mine Just Won a Marathon

People celebrate running 26.2 miles, and rightfully so. But for someone who’s spent years giving in to cravings, choosing comfort over control, saying no to food for 72 straight hours is my personal marathon.

I didn’t train for months. I didn’t have a coach. I just had a mind that refused to let my body call the shots.

Every hour was a mile. Every evening urge was a hill. Every time I looked at that belly and felt hopeless, that was the wall everyone talks about hitting.

And I kept going.

This isn’t just a fast.

This is proof that I am mentally stronger than my body’s demands.

I Can Feel My Gastro Minions^TM Working Overtime

If you’ve been around my blog before, you know I have this little imaginary world inside me: the Gastro-Minions^TM — tiny, hardworking scientists in my gut, managing hunger, hormones, digestion, and fat breakdown.

Right now? They’re buzzing.

They’ve closed up shop on blood sugar spikes. They’ve shut down the insulin factory to low, steady levels. They’ve dug into stored fat and flipped the switch to ketosis full-time. I can almost feel them scurrying around, adjusting to my new rhythm, breaking down old cells, clearing out waste, and signaling that my body is safe, fed by fuel it already has.

They don’t need meals right now.

They need me to stay steady.

And for 72 hours, I’ve let them do their job without interruption.

My Blood Sugar Is Steady, My Mind Is Razor-Sharp

What surprises people most about extended fasting is how good you feel once you push past the initial hunger.

My blood sugar isn’t just stable — it’s calm. No crashes, no jitters, no random cravings, no brain fog. I’m more alert than I’ve been in years. I’m focused. I’m motivated. I’m getting things done. I’m moving, I’m writing, I’m showing up — all on zero food.

That’s the power of a body that’s no longer being jerked around by constant eating. When your blood sugar is in check, your mind is free.

And right now, my mind is free.

I Might Just Keep Going Past 72 Hours

Here’s the craziest part:

I don’t feel done.

72 hours was my big, scary, almost-unimaginable goal. But now that I’m here? I feel strong. I feel in control. I feel like my mind is just getting warmed up.

I might push to 80 hours. Or 90, or 100

I might even make it a full days – or more

Not because I have to.  –  But because I believe I can.

Because this isn’t about the number anymore.

It’s about proving to myself that I am no longer prisoner to my appetite, my belly, or my past.

Wrapping It Up

Three full days without food.

No cheat meals.

No snacks.

No excuses.

For a guy who’s carried 50, 80, even 100 extra pounds for decades, this is more than weight loss. This is a mental transformation. This is winning the marathon that no one claps for — the one inside your own head.

The belly is still here. It didn’t disappear in 72 hours, and I don’t expect it to. But my mind?

My mind is unrecognizable — in the best way possible.

The Gastro-Minions^TM are happy.

My blood sugar is steady.

My willpower is off the charts.

And this journey? It’s only just beginning.

Let’s Connect

If you’re fighting your own mental marathon — whether it’s fasting, weight loss, or just showing up for yourself when it’s hard — drop a comment below.

How far have you pushed yourself? What’s your “marathon” right now?

I’m posting daily through this fast, so follow along and let’s keep each other going.

This post hits everything you wanted:

• 72 hours framed as a marathon-level personal feat

• Your Gastro-Minions^TM (the little gut scientists)

• Stable blood sugar, clarity, ketosis vibe

• Mentions you might go past 72 hours

• Continues the same voice & story arc perfectly for back-to-back-to-back posting

I’m now five days into my stay in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and I’ve spent the last 24 hours in a fast — no hunger, no struggle, just steady, clear energy. What’s shocking is how much sharper my mind feels today than any other day since I arrived. I’ve been more focused, more productive, and more present than I was even when I was eating well: eggs, fresh vegetables, simple, clean meals.

This isn’t just feeling good — it’s mental clarity. The kind that makes reading, learning, planning, and creating feel effortless. It’s making me realize: what we eat, when we eat, and how we treat our bodies doesn’t just change our weight or our energy — it rewires how we think. For anyone over 60 trying to regain focus, beat brain fog, or just feel sharper day-to-day, this experience has driven home a powerful truth: mental clarity isn’t something we have to lose with age. It’s something we can unlock, starting with how we fuel — and sometimes, how we don’t fuel — our bodies

. Wish me luck, I want to continue with a second day of fasting

‘ll talk more about these guys later, and the FOUR PILLARS© ® ™ to lifelong health. And most importantly you must know – it’s ok to stumble. You’ll get to a point where you enjoy those big meals so much because they’re less frequent, and you’ll really enjoy getting back on-track. monkey.

Follow me back a year and a half: I was stricken with a nerve condition (that’s still a bit of a conundrum) that left me reclining, usually on my bed, most of the time. It was not easy to eat, too much trouble to make something, and I just passed on the meals my wife made for our boys. Thankfully I’m not much of a TV watcher, but it was difficult to go to my workshop or do home repairs (which I love). With kids in school I immersed myself in preparing homework for them, giving myself a refresher course in French, studying Chemistry (as I passed on this elective in High School – my sons not so lucky in Middle School in China)

Since stretching out flat was the best feeling to calm this nerve thing, I really dug into the computer. Researching for my sons’ studies, but also learning a ton on Youtube, about my health, and using AI to help me organize my journey in order to build this blog – Look forward to tons of info and great stories to motivate and inspire you

I have a long list of things that need to be said ‘first’, but I decided that this really needs to be said right now: The Gastro Minions™ control of your weight.

I came up with these ‘cartoon rascals’ to help me visualize and internalize what’s really going on in my body. So let’s ponder the question: ‘Why isn’t the weight coming off? . . . “I’m going to the gym, skipping meals, gave up sweet drinks, even passed on my son’s birthday cake”.

I eventually learned that these guys know more about my habits than I do – they can’t be fooled. I came up with the term: BASE WEIGHT to describe your true weight. Even if you splurge over the weekend at that lobster-tail buffet, you’re likely to return to your base weight within a few days . . . unless . . . buffets. burgers , fries & Coke, pizza and beer become a new, regular diet for you,

The same holds true for that new gym membership, or that new FAD diet. The Gastro-Minions™ pulling all the levers in your gut are not going to immediately reward you – because they know you! You will only be rewarded with true weight-loss once you’ve built a history of being on a new path.

The good news is that there’s an easy way to start: for me it was to cut out sugar – no, not cold turkey, I’m a mere flawed human, this is what worked for me – give it a try:

1. I cut my coke with soda water, eventually there was so little sugary cola left, I threw in some lemon . . . and that’s been my drink of choice for nearly a year. I carry a large bottle with lemon everywhere – just add ice and water when I don’t have soda water handy – easy peasy, I just don’t care much for sugary drinks now.
2. My coffee with cream and sugar just worked it’s way down – less of each. Black coffee doesn’t seem as much bitter, as my old way just seems to heavy and sweet.
3. Not hard for me to cut out noodles or rice, but BREAD was (and is) a biggee for me. I love sandwiches (reubens are my favorite in case you’re wondering). I still love my McDonald’s in the morning, but my sausage and egg muffin, hashbowns and coffee with cream and sugar has become: an egg & cheese muffin (they add lettuce and I bring tomato slices), no hash brown, and black coffee. Since were talking about bread, this is hard for me to give up in some situations like this, but if it comes in the house – I rarely touch it. I can make my sons toast with butter and jelly and (sometimes) not ask for a bite

Here’s the skinny – try one or two food changes – I strongly suggest cutting sugar – because it can have exponential health benefits. It took me several months. but I’m in a great place. I’ll take a swig of my son’s soda, but I’ll never order one for myself. You go places and people get in your groove – like at my local Mickey-Dees. They seem as happy for me to shed pounds as feel happy to feel good.

Which brings me to a point – once you get to the point where people start commenting on your new look – the rocket engines are roaring.

gifts featuring The Gastro Minions™ coming soon

Be advised that Gastro-Minions™ is a protected name, created by NoMoreBigJohn.com ©2025

I’m starting something new. For a long time, I was ‘Big John’, carrying extra weight, feeling slow, and thinking health was too complicated, too strict, and now, too hard for someone in their late sixties.

This site isn’t about the struggle we all know. This is No More Big John — simple, gentle, realistic health for people over 50, 60, 70 and nearing 100, who want to feel better, without the gym, without extreme diets, without stress.

I’ve already lost 50 pounds on my way to losing 100, and I’m not doing anything fancy. I’m building everything around four simple pillars that anyone can follow:

1. Choosing the right foods — buying or growing what actually fuels your body.
2. Staging those foods — so you’re never stuck staring into the fridge, guessing what to eat.
3. Movement, not exercise — gentle stretching, walking, and daily motion, no gym required.
4. Mindfulness — prayer, deep breathing, and taking care of your mind as much as your body.

This blog is for you if you’re tired of complicated fitness rules, if you want real, slow, steady results, and if you believe health should be kind, especially after 60.
I’ll be sharing exactly what works for me, no fluff, no hype, just what worked for me . . . and is still working