A brother and sister have revealed the results of a grueling seven-day water fast.
Taking to his YouTube channel, vlogger Erwan Heussaff, 31 and his sister Solenn, 32, an actress and model from the Philippines, revealed they they decided to embark on the week-long detox because they have tried many detoxes in the past and wanted to attempt something particularly intense.
Erwan also shared that as he had been travelling a lot and ‘drinking and eating a lot’, he felt sluggish and wanted a ‘reboot and a reset’.
Dedication: Vlogger Erwan Heussaff, 31, from the Philippines shared his experience of going on a water seven day water fast on YouTube, pictured left before and right, after
Slim down: Erwan lost six kilograms (13 pounds) on the detox, left weighing 76 kilograms (167 pounds) and right weighing 70 kilograms (154 pounds)
Changes: Erwan’s sister Solenn, 32, an actress and model, weighed 58kilograms (128 pounds) at the start, pictured left, and by the end weighed 55 kilograms (121 pounds), right
Side to side: The duo explained that as they have done lots of detoxes in the past, were ready and experienced enough to try the water detox
When he was a teenager, Erwan weighed 240 pounds and his weight loss journey inspired him to create a YouTube channel in 2012.
He now runs a successful food and lifestyle website The Fat Kid Inside.
‘It’s the simplest thing ever,’ Erwan told the camera. ‘You just drink water, no supplements or tea or anything. There are people who’ve done 100 day water fasts, 50 day water fasts, 30 day water.
‘So your body can survive without food. Will it be at its optimum and most efficient state? Probably not. That’s why I really like doing short term fasts as they’re really beneficial for your body.’
He also explained that although he wouldn’t be consuming any calories for a week, he would actually end up burning around 14,000 calories.
‘People say your stomach is basically like the second brain. If something’s wrong with it, you can really feel it throughout your whole body,’ he detailed.
‘It can effect your mood, your energy levels, your hormones, so it’s really important to have a clean and very healthy active colon and stomach.’
Revealing that he had done lots of research on the issue, Erwan found a medical paper that claimed a water detox is beneficial to the digestive system and purging the body of fat, and can also help boost immunity and focus the mind.
He also said that his body would naturally go into a state of ketosis and burn fat stores for energy.
At the start of the detox, the siblings weighed themselves.
Solenn was 58 kilograms (128 pounds) staring the detox and said she was hoping to lose water weight around her stomach and face.
Erwan stepped on the scales and discovered he was 76 kilograms (167 pounds).
When asked about how she was going to approach the week of detoxing, Solenn said: ‘I’ll have to keep myself occupied. I’m pretty sure I might get cranky on the fourth day but I think after three or four days I’m going to see a very big difference when it comes to clothing and love handles.’
And on day one, both admitted they were missing their usual morning routines but didn’t feel hungry.
Hydrated: The siblings had to live off water only for a week and Erwan drank two gallons of water on the first two days of the fast
New man: Erwan used to weigh 240 pounds as a teenager and was inspired to start his YouTube channel in 2012 to document his weight loss journey
Strong not skinny: Both Erwan and Solenn continued to workout during the fast, however Erwan found that weights felt heavier and he felt old injuries coming back
‘The plan is just to try and get as busy as possible so I don’t have to think about eating,’ Erwan shared.
He then went to the gym and didn’t feel ‘too bad’, however when he was working out with his personal trainer, his trainer explained that he was going to try and force Erwan’s body to start burning fat for energy instead of food sources.
Solenn found that her lips were dehydrated and also struggled to not eat as her husband was cooking food.
And by 7pm on day one, Erwan shared it was ‘pretty tough’ and he was finding the water fast ‘tougher than I expected.’
‘It’s 7pm of day one and I really didn’t think I’d be having this conversation but it’s actually pretty tough. Usually by this time I’m 100 per cent fine but it’s definitely tougher than I expected. I can’t even think right now,’ he added.
By day two, Erwan shared that he kept waking up the night before because of headaches.
‘I kept waking up with these hangover style headaches but today I feel ok, I feel a little floaty if that makes sense, everything is a bit more slow, they usually say the first three days are the worst so but I’m hoping for the best’.
And while his colleagues were eating food around him during work, he was able to resist. However he did admit that he was brushing his teeth around four times a day just for ‘the flavor’.
His sleeping pattern was also bad as he kept having to wake up every 90 minutes or two hours to pee. He drank about two gallons per day.
On day three, the siblings tried to workout together and although Erwan said it ‘wasn’t too bad’, he did find his usual weights a lot heavier.
‘Working out on a fast, is absolutely your own call. At the end of the day, what I always tell people is to just experiment. It’s up to you’.
By day four, Solenn revealed she was started to see some results.
‘Day four of the water cleanse and I’m feeling very skinny but I am going to have coffee,’ she admitted as she sipped from a mug on camera.
However by that evening she was lamenting her lack of social life and pointed out that because she couldn’t eat, she felt she couldn’t socialize with friends.
‘It’s the end of day four and I’m not even hungry but I’m bored out of my freaking mind as I can’t even socialize because all my friends are having dinner, going out for drinks.’
By day five, Erwan found he slept much better and a sleeping app revealed that he had enjoyed the longest period of deep sleep since starting the detox.
‘I think by day four, day five your body starts really adapting to the changes,’ he added.
And while Solenn also found that she wasn’t hungry, she admitted she was ‘just bored as f**k’ not eating so broke her fast by eating some soup while out with friends.
By day seven, Erwan admitted that all he could think about was food and told the camera that he was ‘so excited’ to eat and when he wasn’t busy ‘all I could think about was food’.
Temptation: Solenn revealed that she felt bored during the detox as she couldn’t socialize with friends so broke the fast by having soup on day five
Thirsty work: Erwan completed the seven days without cheating and said he felt better by day five and was even getting back to a regular sleeping pattern
‘I’ve realized that I’ve become obsessed with food and all I do is check my Instagram feed, check my Facebook. I was watching Vikings yesterday and they were cooking grilled chicken on the fire and that looked so good, so all I think about now is food so it’s a balance between mental cravings and physical hunger’.
And Erwan also shared that the nights were the toughest part of the experiment: ‘The night is really the toughest, all you do is think about food.’
At their final weigh in, Solenn stepped on the scales to discover she had lost three kilograms (seven pounds), and Erwan had lost as incredible six kilograms (13 pounds).
‘I finally understand the difference between physical hunger and mental hunger. Mental hunger is due to cravings and the routine of your whole life being told you have to eat three meals a day and finally food as entertaining and pleasure,’ Erwan concluded.
However, he also shared that he was very conscious throughout the experience of listening to his body and not pushing it too far.
‘Your body starts telling you it needs nutrients, it needs food to survive, it needs food to do certain tasks. And I started feeling that, feeling old sports injuries coming back,’ he explained.
‘I didn’t do any heavy lifting but all of a sudden my lower back was starting to really hurt again so it’s basically your body giving you signs that something’s not right and that you should be eating. And I have a much greater respect for that physical hunger now.’
And he also said that overall he had found the experience really tough.
‘It’s not supposed to be easy. But it’s about overcoming and becoming a stronger person.’
However he added that although he wouldn’t do another seven day water fast, he was thinking of doing a one-day water fast per week.
However, Solenn said she would do it again.
Erwan concluded: ‘At the end of the day, discipline is hard earned but it’s one of the biggest benefits you can get out of anything.’