Saturday, June 30, 2018

Summer Fast: Post-Fast Follow up

At the end of my fast on Friday I decided to try to stay in ketosis (the fat burning state your body enters when it doesn't get dietary carbs to burn as fuel) for a few more days.  So I ate a little fruit but not much.  I mostly "snacked" throughout the day (slow and easy) on a vegetable soup I concocted, which was just a bunch of veggies cut up small and stewed for a long time with water and ginger and a squeeze of lemon juice.  It was actually so good, I made it again today.  Not eating carbs helps me to continue the fat/weight loss that the fast began.  I lost an addition. 0.6 lbs even after beginning to eat.  I ate a bit more today (Saturday) so I am curious what tomorrow will bring.

One thing that I enjoy about a longer term fast is that it changes your relationship with food.  It has been almost a week since I had any sort of "sweet treat" and I don't even mind.  Before, I was eating small candies and a dessert daily and feeling like I "needed" it.  Fasting helps to bust those bad habits that you get into.  And after working so hard, you aren't anxious to jump back into poor eating choices.  It works for a while at least :-).

FACTS:
4 days and 20 hours of no solid foods.
Two 24 hour periods (non-consecutive) of only water. (small amts. of juice on the other days)
6.6 lbs. lost in 6 days (so far)
I haven't had coffee since I began! (substituted green tea in the morning)


Thursday, June 28, 2018

Summer Fast 2018

Living in Japan makes me much more active (walking and biking everywhere), and there are many grocery stores a short walk from our home in which we can buy fresh produce anytime we need it.  Because of this maintaining a healthy weight is a bit easier.  Still I believe in the health benefits of the fast and so I still try to do a longer term one every now and then.  I did one last June at this time too.  Up until now most of my longer term fasts have included daily  juice, coffee, broth... so more like a liquid fast not an absolute fast.

This year, I wanted to try a water fast, and this is a diary of how it went.  (Not quite as planned!)

Sunday 12:30 pm : Completed my final meal before beginning the fast.

Monday First Full Day: Hungry, but I've done this so many times I don't have too much trouble with the first day hunger.

Tuesday 2nd Full Day: Woke up and got the kids up for school.  When I went downstairs I was extremely nauseous and quite weak.  I laid on the couch while the kids got ready, and things didn't improve so I decided my blood sugar was causing the symptoms and drank a cup of juice.  I laid down and still felt so nauseous.  Finally texted Mark to come down and he had me sip another cup of juice. and I ate one tiny bite of banana, and about 3 small apple slides.  By 9:30 I was feeling much better, but decided to drink a couple of ounces of juice about 4 times that day, to ward of another episode.  I also drank a cup of broth mid-day to keep my sodium levels up.

Wednesday 3rd Full Day:  This was the best day of the fast, I felt good, didn't have much hunger and I didn't drink anything but one cup of green tea and water the entire day.

Thursday 4th Full Day: Today I wasn't feeling the greatest either so I decided to begin breaking my fast with juice and broth.  I will only drink juice and broth today... no solid food.

Friday 5th Full Day:  My plan is to drink some tea in the morning, followed by some juice.  After being up a couple of hours I have some fresh blueberries to eat.  A couple hours after that and I will eat a few more blueberries.  Every couple of hours I will eat some fruit.  I have made a vegetable soup and will drink the broth, and if all goes well I will eat the veggies late in the day.


Overall, I was surprised that I was so ill on the second day as that has never happened to me before.  I am guessing it is because I tried not to drink any juice.  I am glad that out of my 4 day fast at least one day was an absolute water fast.  Tomorrow I EAT!

I have done a lot of research on the health benefits of fasting and posted many links and articles in earlier blog posts.  For me the biggest benefit has been the strengthening of my immune system.  Actually I have had only one sick day off from school or work in the last 5 years, and it turns out I wasn't actually sick... I was just paranoid because two of my kids had the flu.

If you are interested here are a couple of good links to the research on the benefits of fasting.

A Harvard Study says fasting can lead to longer healthier life.

Intermittent Fasting May Have Profound Health Benefits.