A lot of people, especially those on low-carb and keto diets, do 5 Days of Egg Fast to break their weight loss stall. Surprisingly, it works for a majority of them if we are to believe what they report on social networks and forums. I haven’t been able to find any real scientific explanation to why it works but have my thoughts (that might change in the future if I get more clues).
What’s an Egg Fast?
Basically, on an Egg Fast, you only eat eggs, healthy fats, and full-fat cheese for 3 to 5 days in a row. You are supposed to eat at least 6 eggs a day, and 1 Tbsp of fat for each egg consumed. The number of ounces of cheese eaten should not exceed the number of eggs eaten on each day.
If you follow these simple guidelines, you get macronutrients nicely balanced out at the end of the day: Extremely low carb, high fat, and moderate protein. That’s what the keto diet is all about, except that on Egg Fast, there’s practically no fiber intake (no greens, seeds, nuts, etc.). Because of this, in my personal opinion, the diet should be kept short-term. Additionally, I think magnesium, potassium, and vitamin supplements should be taken daily. And plenty of water drunk (10 cups a day, at least). But I am no doctor, so take my advice as an opinion.
So, why does the diet work? I think, most of all, one gets rid of plenty of water on Egg Fast. But people keep reporting successful weight loss or weight maintenance for a prolonged period, following the fast. So, it is possible there’s some hormonal stuff going on in the background, which influences the body’s metabolism. Or the other way around. Anyhow, I’ll be quite glad once I get to read some research on this (if ever).
Egg Fast rules
In case you haven’t been familiar with Egg Fast, I’m listing the rules that one should supposedly follow on the diet if they want to break their stall:
- One has to eat eggs as the main source of fat and protein.
- Per each egg consumed, one should eat 1 Tbsp of healthy fat.
- An egg should be eaten no later than 30 min after waking.
- Meals should be eaten every 3 hours, but no later than every 5 hours.
- One should eat on the schedule, at least one egg, even if not hungry.
- One can eat 1 ounce of cheese (full fat) per egg consumed.
- At least 6 eggs a day should be consumed.
- One should have the last egg at least 3 hours before bedtime.
- Diet soda is permitted up to 3 cans a day.
- Spices and hot sauces are permitted but should be kept at a minimum. Sauces should be low carb.
- Low carb sweeteners are allowed.
I have no idea, who’s come up with the rules. Moreover, every source has them listed a tiny bit differently, but the basics are staying the same. Anyways, they do make sense in a way if you consider the macronutrient outcome at the end of the day.
Is Egg Fast Healthy?
First of all, egg fast goes on for max 5 days and it shouldn’t do harm to a healthy person as long as they get enough energy in to go through the day. Second, eggs are a very nutritious food so I wouldn’t worry about getting in wrong micronutrients in those 5 days. Last but not totally least, you might want to consider the freshness of the eggs you buy and keep in the fridge. If nothing else, just to avoid any unpleasant consequence of a rotten egg that has been sitting around for too long.
My 5-day experiment
I’ve decided to try the Egg Fast myself. One of the reasons being that I like little food challenges. 😉 The other reason is that I’ve noticed my body puffing up since I started lifting heavier again. I know it’s what usually happens at first when one changes their workout routine but still gets on my nerves. Plus, I’ve been consuming too much keto treats lately. Additionally, I think I’ve even been going way over my ideal daily calorie intake (though I still have no idea what my ideal actually is, honestly), and I think that doesn’t help getting rid of puffiness. Long story short, I wanted to lose a couple of pounds of the excess water and see how my body responds to the diet.
I’ve decided to go on a 5-day Egg Fast (instead of just 3), but with one of the above rules broken (or ignored). I love working out in a fasted state in the mornings, so during the fast I will just consume green tea with a little bit of coconut oil and guarana every morning. It’s not bulletproof green tea, but it’s been my morning pre-workout routine for quite a while now, and I like it, so I’ll stick to it.
What I find quite interesting, is the rule about consuming diet soda. Ok, diet sodas, they’re low carb, sugar-free, and all that. But, if I were forming the rules, I would limit all the artificial sweetener and/or sugar alcohols (even erythritol) consumption to one snack per day at the most. That is because, for a lot of us, they cause fake hunger or even cravings. I don’t drink diet soda often myself, but I guess they have the same effect (or not?) as sugar-free sweets. My explanation is that the brain gets the sweet taste but not the serotonin release after the intake, that is why it just wants more. But I won’t turn all scientific just now. Still, need to start writing the science section of this blog.
So, on to my 5 days on the Egg Fast. I’ll be writing about my well-being, losing pounds (or not), workouts, and especially the meals, plus the amount of eggs/fat/cheese consumed. Most of the recipes are taken from other blogs, and I’ll direct you to them as I go.
I won’t plan ahead too much. I’ll take my time to choose and try out as many Egg Fast recipes as possible. It’s going to be a week of working from home, and this gives me an opportunity to get familiar with some of the meals (keto recipes) I could make in advance on extra busy weeks.
If you wish, you can use this diary as a source for your Egg Fast meal plan. Or take it just as an interesting read from a fit person who’s using the fast as an experiment rather than a way to lose a significant amount of weight. Of course, if you’re on your own fat loss journey, my diary can still come in handy in practice. Hopefully! 🙂
Read about my Day 1. Or jump to Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, or Day 5. Note: You can find out about the overall egg-fast outcome at the end of my Day 5 post. Enjoy!
Get more helpful resources on the egg fast :
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Want egg fast desserts recipes?
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Does taking statins effect the egg fast?
As I am not a doctor or a pharmacologist, I cannot answer this question. In any case, I’d say anyone with a significant medical condition should consult their physician before undergoing any radical change in their diet.
OMG this makes me feel so much better about my current diet. I’m going through SIBO hell right now, waiting to hear from my GI specialist. The only things I can eat are eggs, butter and coffee, it seems ( and MCT oil). Usually I can eat meat too, but cut it out when things get really bad. So now I can just say I’m on an “egg fast”. 🙂 I do adore scrambled eggs, but after a while I yearn for something a little different. I’m eager to check out your recipes. Knowing how long doctors take off around the holidays, this might be one loooooong egg fast.
Hang in there, Athena! And happy holidays to you and yours! 🙂
I love hard boiled egg diet and lost 10lbs in 2 weeks but dread peeling them until I purchased this new product called the Egg Stripper which peels 5 hard boiled eggs in under 10 seconds . At first I was skeptical but it truly works and made my dieting more enjoyable and less work
My goal is to lose 25 lbs
I tried many diets and this one works the best low carb
That was a really helpful post. Thanks!
Hi- so i had great success on my first Egg Fast (EF) for 6 days (very little cheese) and kept it basic (Lost 7lbs total). Then i restarted a couple days later but added up to 4oz of cream cheese for variety and lost no weight/inches over 4 days. Then i switched to dairy free and still no weight loss over 4 more days. I’m at same weight from the end of my 1st egg fast. Only diff is i ate maybe 6 eggs/day 1st time and eat between 6-10/day.
Should i go back to Keto for a few days and then try again? I didnt think I’d stall while on EF (also it was woman time of the month), but what the heck? Is my body too used to eating eggs? unsure what to do and why my body that was doing so well on the EF before is rejecting it now. Any advice would be appreciated!!
Can you have fish oil capsules instead of oils?
Omega-3’s are never a bad idea. Might be a “little bit” more expensive, though. Besides, I, personally, have can not tell you if consuming a few Tbsps of fish oil a day is OK. So do try some butter besides fish oil.
Thanks so much for the quick reply! You’re right about being patient — i like instant gratification like most.
Thanks for sharing your egg Fast experience. I think I’ll wait a little like suggested. Also, I’m curious how much weight you lost after your first 3-5 day egg fast? And if u gained any weight when u reintroduced food? You mentioned results but not how much…if you dont mind since only 1 person shared the numbers before and after.
You are right, I didn’t explicitly write about the results. So, at the end of Day 5 post, you can now find a few sentences about my results. 🙂
Hi – something simple is exactly what i want. Im no chef or have time to hangout in the kitchen all day making meals. I have an egg cooker (BEST purchase ever – steams up to 7 eggs and they taste better!)
I’ve been doing the strict Keto diet for 2.5 weeks using an app to keep track of my macros/calories but stuck. I think i should maybe wait a week since as a woman our “time of the month” causes water retention/fluctuations and maybe That’s my “stall” but maybe not.
Is it too soon to try the Egg Fat Fast? I’m probably NOT fat-adapted yet (usually 3-5 weeks). Also, did Atkins for a couple weeks (dropped my water weight) prior to changing to Keto diet. Since, I lost 5 lbs in the first week and nothing in the last 1.5 weeks. I need to lose 60 lbs to reach ideal healthy weight. How often is it safe to do this diet? Im not even sure if i can do it but i will try 3 days first.
Thanks for your help in advance!
Hi, Susie!
Congrats on what sounds like a nice start of a keto lifestyle!
My strongest advice is to remain patient and make sure you don’t lose too quickly. In that regard, I’d wait a few more weeks on “just” keto before trying egg fast. You can, of course, try it out anytime you wish but do stop if you feel it’s not the time yet. When you try it, make sure you get in adequate calories. Restricting too hard can lead to rapid fat loss but not in the long term.
You are right, the woman’s cycle plays with us a lot. Due to hormone fluctuations, it often makes no sense to compare your results week by week but rather month by month.
Keep eating healthy and enough plus some exercise and on the long term there should be some nice results.
Best regards!
I believe the science behind the egg fast would be similar to the low carb theories by Dr. Atkins. He describes in detail why low carb diets work, but not specifically about just eggs. it looks like a very low carb and fairly high fat diet, which goes along with his theories. I’ll be trying it over the next 5 days. 🙂
Agree. I wrote a little bit about the subject here: 5 reasons why egg-fast is successful.
Good luck with your 5-day journey! 🙂
I tried doing the egg fast today. I lift almost every day. i ended up having 10 eggs and I was STARVING. Still am. What can I do to not feel this way??
Hello, Jay!
Without knowing you, your body, and your usual eating habits, I am not eligible to say, really. But I could still guess and say: consume more eggs (large eggs, if possible grass-fed, and omega 3 enriched), add more fat, maybe another piece of cheese … Let us know how it goes!
Hi Jay: Have you tried adding more healthy fats? (Butter coffee + a little protein powder) I’ve noticed on the Keto diet (vs Atkins), the fats gets rid of the hunger pains you’re describing. I want to eat more out of habit than hunger… Good Luck! You prob can eat more eggs since you’re burning so much exercising?
I been thinking of trying the egg fast…not a fan of cheese… can I just do boiled eggs with real butter?? And water and hot tea with liquid splenda… or will I be missing something I need?
Hi, Cherie.
I think egg fasting without cheese could be a wonderful little journey as long as you get enough calories and protein. Track and eat more eggs if needed. I would guess not many people could bear through a 5-day cheeseless egg fast, though. 😉 Let us know how it goes for you!
I’ve been following your blog for a while now. I am considering this fast, so I’ve been searching for literature on how to transition from the egg fast to keto. I want the full details before embarking on this. I am already fat adapted.
Care to share your experience?
Hi, Shiku. Thanks for following!
If I understand correctly, you have been keto for a while (fat adapted) but want to try out egg fasting, looking for a way to transit from the fast back to your casual keto eating?
My experience is, it is best to make it one non-egg fast meal a day once you’ve finished the egg fast. For example, on the first day after the egg fast, make one dish that would be your normal keto dish and keep the rest of the meals as if egg-fasting. On the second day after the fast, make two normal keto meals and the rest is egg meals. And so on, depending on how many meals a day you usually consume. I’ve never taken more than two days of transiting back to my usual eating.
Hope this helps. All the best!
Can you do an egg fast if you are not on a keto diet?
If you run on carbs, you might experience some keto flu symptoms during an egg fast. This means it might be more difficult for you to bear eating only eggs and fats than if you already were fat adapted. Otherwise, I don’t see why not. Clicking through adds on this site might help, though. Just kidding (couldn’t help it).
Hello, I’m Brandie what’s a good protein.? N how much per meal?
If you have ever read ‘Fiber Menace’ you will know that fiber is not necessary. I haven’t touched fiber in over two years and my guts are in better health than ever 🙂
Hi, Sarah!
Good for you! No, I haven’t read Fiber Menace yet, and I shall. So you get in no veggies at all?
Hey. I was just wondering how much coffee is allowed to drink during the day?
BR.
Hi, Uros!
I guess you can have as much as you can handle. 😉 I mean, when and if I decide to egg fast, I do not alter my coffee consumption. On the serious note, I am not a medical expert to tell anyone their daily allowance of coffee, so if you have any medical issues and/or experience any weird health symptoms after coffee consumption, talk to your doctor.
But if you just wanted to know if coffee alters egg fast results, my guess is, it might lead to a bit higher water excretion since it is slightly diuretic.
Hi I had a question about the coffee can u have it with milk and sugar or just black please help!!!!!!
You can have your coffee whatever way you wish.
You’re not supposed to have any sugar on an egg fast.
Obviously. But if someone asks about having sugar despite reading all the info on egg fast and keto, I can’t help but let them do whatever they wish.
Thank you for sharing your experience. It was an interesting and informative read. I’ve started my first egg fast today after following the keto way of eating for the last 4 months, good to hear that there will (hopefully) be positive results! I’ll definitely be trying out some of your suggested recipes.
Hi, Pariss! You are welcome, and I thank you for stopping by! Good luck with your keto and egg-fast journey. If you feel like it, you can share your experience at any time!
Do you know if I can eat more oil than a 1:1 ratio of eggs? I’d like to have a bulletproof tea through the day but I don’t want to eat eggs if it’s not time and I’m not hungry.
Hi, Eloise! That’s how I like enjoying green tea with MCT as well. 🙂
I don’t see a problem in getting in more Tbsps of healthy fats than the number of eggs, but I do suggest being careful not to eat too little throughout the day as fats might make you feel full but your body still needs enough protein.
Hi. I don’t think my comments are getting to you so not much till I know
Hi, Dian
I’ve seen your email. The thing is, I am not a doctor; Thus, I’m not giving out any medical advice. My field is neuroscience research and creating recipes. Wish you all the best with improving your health. Hopefully, some of my recipes can be of support doing so.
Is it ok to do a combination of fasts?
I was thinking of doing a Juice fast x Egg fast together.
I have no idea but, personally, I wouldn’t mix sugar (supposing that juice is full of naturally occurring sugars from fruit) with high-fat intake for fat loss.
So I did it for 5 days but not following it to the T. I ate salad and one night i mixed the eggs with ground beef and need less to day i dropped 5 lbs. I did not drink the bullet proof coffee (as coconut oil makes me sick) I drunk regular coffee with my sweet cream cold stone creamer. Maybe if i followed it exactly i would have lost more.
TTyl
Hi, Robin! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Congrats!
Since no one knows exactly why egg fasting works, I can’t say if breaking those egg fast rules a bit does actually affect the weight loss. My experience is that I lost the most the first time I did it for 5 days straight. It is true that I had more fat % at the time that on any further trial. I think one of the important variables in egg fasting, at least for me, is not taking in any processed meats, limiting erythritol and nuts, and avoiding those occasional pieces of dark chocolate. 🙂 So, I occasionally do 3-day “egg fasts” without restricting greens, and it makes me feel awesome.