I was just released from prison on December 18 2009 During the period ending about November 4 2009 I engaged in a 101 day hunger strike Actually 100 and 2 3 days Started 221 pounds ended up an estimated 171 pounds Generally I drank two cups of milk in the morning and drank water as needed I was never force fed Nor oddly enough was I ever hungry or in appreciable discomfort I was examined almost daily by prison medical staff Probably the reason that I did so well was that I understood that the most important thing is to maintain the body s electrolytes calcium potassium sodium magnesium phosphate and to consume just enough amino acids to supply neurotransmitters If you merely drink water after a couple weeks you ll lose enough electrolytes to cause an imbalance and you ll feel terrible Most people attribute this to not eating but I learned that it s actually due to the electrolyte imbalance NOT the lack of calories At the time the longest hunger strike I d ever heard of was referred to in the Capote book In Cold Blood by Perry Smith in the early 1960 s 93 days I could probably have gone two more months