Frequently Asked Questions

Water fasting means nothing but water for 72 hours. No food, no coffee, no juice. Three full days. Water fasting for 72 hours will reset your immune system, activate autophagy, and thoroughly detox your body.

Our retreats are a structured, supported way to do that: three days at our retreat home in West Des Moines with rest, yoga, breathwork, sauna, and the other wellness tools, while Chris and Lexi (a registered nurse) stay in the house with you and fast right alongside you. You get a real break from cooking, deciding, and negotiating with the fridge, and you get us there for the hard parts.

Our retreats are immersive 3-day (72-hour) experiences designed to give your body and mind a full reset. Under expert guidance, you’ll abstain from food while supporting your body with rest, structured wellness modalities (like yoga, breathwork, BEMER, sauna, and more), and personalized coaching. The focus is on activating autophagy (cellular cleanup), improving immune function, and resetting lifestyle habits.

Yes, when approached with structure and support. Our retreats are designed for generally healthy individuals seeking a whole-body reset. We provide guidelines before, during, and after your fast to ensure safety and comfort. However, fasting may not be appropriate for everyone. We always recommend speaking with your healthcare provider before joining if you have underlying medical conditions or are on certain medications.

During the fasting portion, yes, you'll consume only water. However, after the fast you'll be guided through a 36-hour refeed phase with nourishing, gentle foods like bone broth, smoothies, and carefully selected whole-food meals to support digestion and healing.

It's common to experience a mix of temporary discomforts and powerful benefits. Some guests notice mild symptoms like fatigue, headaches, irritability, or brain fog as the body adjusts. This is normal and temporary, and we provide comfort tools, coaching, and modalities to help you through these moments. At the same time, many report increased energy, a feeling of euphoria, mental clarity, better sleep, emotional release, and a deep sense of accomplishment.

It is the first question most men ask us, so here is the straight answer. Your body reads a fast as a reason to protect muscle, not burn it. Growth hormone rises sharply during fasting (about five-fold by day two in one published study of healthy men), and its main job is to mobilize fat for fuel. When researchers blocked that hormone during a fast, muscle protein breakdown jumped by about half, which tells you what the hormone is there for. Some lean mass does dip during three days, and in a longer fasting study it came almost fully back within three days of eating again, while the fat stayed off. Our 36-hour refeeding guidance exists for exactly this reason. What costs people muscle is months of undereating without protein or training, not one guided 72-hour fast. 

If you are a daily coffee drinker, expect a headache somewhere around the 24-hour mark. That is the caffeine leaving, it is common, and it passes. Most guests tell us day one is the worst of it. Mention it at your first check-in and we will keep an eye on it with you.

Water fasting is best for generally healthy adults who want to reset their habits, support cellular repair, and experience a mental and physical refresh. It’s especially suited to people interested in improving metabolic health, reducing cravings, boosting energy, and improve mindfulness and discipline around eating patterns.

Water fasting is not recommended for:

• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Children or teens under 18
• Individuals with a history of eating disorders
• Those with uncontrolled medical conditions (like advanced diabetes, severe heart disease, or kidney/liver failure)

If you're unsure, we encourage consulting your doctor before booking.

Then you stop, and we help you do it right. You will break your fast gently, with broth and the same refeeding care as everyone else, and you will still take the 36-hour refeeding guidance home with you. If you want to head home early, that is your call. No judgment, no guilt trip. And your payment is not lost: it transfers in full to a future retreat date within 12 months. Stopping early is not failing. Sometimes it is the program working.

Wake us. That is the policy, and we say it out loud at the welcome circle on Thursday evening: if you feel unwell in the night, text us or knock on our door, and one of us will come to you. Do not tough it out alone, and do not slip out quietly. Most night trouble is the fast being the fast: a hunger wave, a headache, a restless hour. We will sit with you through it. If something looks serious, we will check you in person, break your fast properly with broth if you need it, and get you more care right away if it comes to that. We are your hosts and your first check, not an emergency room, and we will never pretend otherwise.

You don't need much, our retreats provide the essentials and comfort tools, but we do recommend:

• A positive attitude!
• Comfortable clothing (layers, yoga or lounge wear, socks/slippers)
• A refillable water bottle
• Swimsuit
• Personal toiletries (toothbrush, hairbrush, lip balm, etc.)
• A favorite blanket, pillow, or small comfort item (optional)
• Books or calming activities for downtime (no heavy mental stimulation recommended)
• Yoga mats will be provided, but feel free to bring your own if you're personally attached :)

We'll also provide you with a full packing list prior to your retreat so you can arrive prepared and at ease.

The retreat home is in West Des Moines, Iowa. Flying in? Book into Des Moines International Airport (DSM). It is about a 20-minute drive to the house, and guests arrange their own ride (rental car, rideshare, or taxi). Driving in works just as well. 

January weather note: if a storm wrecks your travel and you cannot get here, your booking transfers to a future retreat date. You will not lose your payment to the weather.

BEMER is a medical-grade wellness device that uses pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy to improve blood flow in the smallest vessels of your body. Better circulation means your cells receive more oxygen and nutrients while waste products are cleared more efficiently.

Guests often describe BEMER sessions as deeply relaxing. Many people notice improved energy, better sleep, and faster recovery after use.

Same hosts, same 72 hours, different battlefield. The virtual fast ($149) happens in your home, with daily calls and texting support from us. It works, and our clients finish it. The retreat exists for the person whose home is the problem: the fridge, the family dinners you cook, the snacks you watch other people eat. Here, there is no kitchen to negotiate with, the days are scheduled for you, and the whole house is doing the same hard thing at the same time. We fast with you, too.

You leave with 36-hour refeeding guidance, so the days after are planned, not improvised. Some guests later join our 90-day Reset program to keep building on the weekend. If that ever interests you, we are happy to answer any questions you have. 

We currently accept Venmo, check, and debit/credit card for all of our programs. The total cost is due upon booking and is non-refundable.

Yes! As a veteran-owned business, we’re proud to give back by offering a 20% discount to military members, veterans, and their families. Please reach out to us directly to receive your discount code when booking.

If you need to cancel, your payment cannot be refunded. However, you can transfer your payment to another program or retreat date within 12 months of your original booking. Simply reach out to us, and we'll help you apply your credit toward a future date or program that works for you.