Peak Performers by Tiffany Uman

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I fasted for 72 hours, here's what I learned

April 21, 2025

Thank you for joining my Peak Performers newsletter! Every Monday, we share practical tips and scripts to help you land the roles you want, thrive with confidence at work and grow faster.

Last week, I did something I’ve never done before: I fasted for 72 hours.

No food. No coffee. Just water.

You might be thinking, "are you crazy?" or "why would you do this to yourself?".

It wasn’t for a health trend or productivity hack (although losing 5 pounds in 3 days is nuts!)

I did it in solidarity with my husband, who’s been dealing with chronic shoulder pain for over a month. He went for a MRI and saw multiple doctors without any great solutions besides doing physio.
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We were looking for anything to accelerate his healing process and came across something called autophagy.

Autophagy is the body’s way of clearing out damaged cells and regenerating new ones. It kicks in after prolonged fasting (typically 36–72 hours) and has been linked to reduced inflammation, cellular renewal, and even pain relief.

But what I didn’t expect was how much this fast would also impact my mindset, focus, and self-discipline, and how much it mirrored the journey of career growth.

So today, I want to share my experience in doing autophagy and my key learnings to help you!

What I learned during the fast

1/ Mental clarity shows up when the noise fades.

Without constant meals and snacks, I realized how often I eat out of habit, not hunger. The simplicity gave my mind space to think more clearly and reflect more deeply.

By day 2, I even noticed something strange. My mind was quieter.
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The usual mental "go-go-go" feelings (calendar reminders, to-do's, snack cravings) all felt dialed down. Without the rhythm of meals to anchor the day, I was left with stillness. And in that stillness, I had space.
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Space to think more clearly.
Space to reflect on how much of my daily behavior is reactive instead of intentional.
Space to ask deeper questions, like: What am I actually hungry for?
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The answer wasn’t even food.

To my surprise, it got to a point where I wasn't actually hungry. I was more focused and able to pull energy from different places of my body. How cool is that?

I'm always so curious about how our bodies work. I'm no doctor but I do love a good experiment.

9 years ago, I made the decision to go vegan as an experiment. I haven't looked back since.

Will I continue to do autophagy on a regular basis. I'm not sure but honestly, it's tempting!

2/ Discomfort is temporary. Growth isn’t.

The hardest moments came mid-afternoon on Day 2 around the 40 hour mark and the morning of Day 3 at the 60 hour mark.

I felt lightheaded, tired, and a little weak. Everything in me screamed, just eat something. But I didn’t.

I'm the type of person that when I commit to something, I go all in. That's just how I roll.

This experienced has helped me appreciate the things I may take for granted like access to food or the freedom to eat when we want.

It also taught me how quickly our minds want to escape discomfort, and how rarely we challenge that reflex in our day-to-day environments.

Most limits we perceive in work and life aren’t physical, they’re mental. For me, the fast represented something bigger. If I could override one deeply ingrained urge (hunger), what else have I convinced myself I “can’t” do, that’s actually possible?
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I support our clients in this daily to push past limiting beliefs, get out of their own way and be bold to go after what they want and deserve.
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So it was really interesting to take a personal challenge like autophagy and experience similar learnings.

3/ Support is everything.

I didn’t do this alone.

I chose to fast with my husband. Not just to support his healing, but to experience it alongside him.
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We would touch base other every few hours:
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“Feeling okay?”
“Just made it to 48 hours. Let’s go!”
“Stay strong, this is the hardest part.”

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There’s a different kind of strength that comes from shared struggle.
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And I kept thinking, this is what makes any transformation sustainable. It's about having someone who gets it, someone who’s in it with you and someone to hold you accountable, even when it's hard.
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It reminded me why our clients thrive inside our coaching program. Change is easier when it’s not just on your shoulders but when you feel supported every step of the way.
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It also helps when you're surrounded by the right community and inner circle who lifts you up, provides encouragement and empathizes in the struggles you face, without judgement.
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We all do hard things. Choosing your hard is key.​
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For example:
→ Looking for a new role is hard. But staying stuck in a role that drains you is even harder.
→ Negotiating your worth is hard. But being underpaid and undervalued for years is harder.
→ Having a tough convo with your boss is hard. But bottling up frustration until you burn out is harder.
→ Setting boundaries is hard. But resenting your job (and the people in it) is harder.
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And even investing in yourself and your professional growth can feel hard.
But the bill of regret is far worse.
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Watching others leap ahead while you feel stuck is hard.
Knowing you're not as far along in your career as you wanted to be is hard.
Hoping for things to get better because you're scared to do what's required is hard.

I hope the sharing of this experience is giving you more clarity on going after what you want.

Without fear. Without hesitation. Without overthinking.
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Your future self will thank you for it.

How you can apply this to your life and career

You don’t have to fast for 72 hours to access these lessons.

(Although if you're up for a challenge, give it a shot and let me know how it goes!)
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But here’s what you can do:

Cut the noise:​
→ Block off intentional time during the week for white space. No meetings, no emails, no scrolling. Just you, a notebook, and whatever thoughts come through. You might be surprised by the clarity that emerges.

Lean into resistance:​
→ What's one task or conversation you’ve been avoiding? Tackle it head-on instead of running the other direction. Growth rarely happens in comfort zones.

Create your “solidarity circle.”​
→ Whether it’s a coach or peers, surround yourself with people who support your evolution, and commit to showing up for them, too.

You've got this!

What's 1 hard thing you're finally ready to action now? Simply reply back and let me know.

P.S. If you want level up in your career, land better roles and grow faster, check out my workshop👇

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​This week’s mission: I challenge you to step into a little productive discomfort. Here are 3 moves to help you build clarity, visibility, and momentum, especially if you’re feeling stuck or ready for more:

• Do one thing you've been avoiding. Think of the career task you've been procrastinating: asking for a raise, updating your LinkedIn, sending that follow-up email. Now go after it. Let action override avoidance. One small move creates momentum.
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• Ask someone for a 15-minute insight chat. Choose someone in your network (or extended network) who’s in a role, company, or industry you admire. Send a short message:
  ​→ I’ve been following your path and would love to learn how you navigated [X]. Would you be opposed to a quick chat this week?" No pressure. No big ask. Just curiosity and connection.
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• Create space to think. Block off 30 distraction-free minutes this week with no meetings, no phone, no email. Reflect on this: Where in my career am I settling for what's easy over what’s hard, but required? Write down the answer. Let it guide your next bold move.
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