(At work on my fasting project: New over-door signage)
Not much to report from yesterday. Just a little hungry. But waking up this morning felt great, and I wasn't hungry. I did a little light exercise and it felt great not to be doing one of the Ultra programs I am used to, that so kick my butt.
17hh
Dinner time? I am hungry again. No measurable ketone level yet. Just trying to keep myself busy when the only thing I want to do is eat something! For those of you who have not fasted, though, I need to explain. This “hunger” is nothing painful. It is just my body saying, “Hey, did you forget to eat?” It is what brings consciousness to the moment.
This enhanced consciousness, I realize, is a big part of why I wanted to fast. Most people, you tell them you’re not going to eat any food for a couple of weeks, they can’t imagine it. Like, peeling your toenails off with a rusty pair of pliers. Why on earth would you do something like that to yourself? But it is nothing so bad as that. As I said, fasting is not the least bit painful. It is more like… being stuck in a traffic jam. You want to be on your way, but you can’t. So you will either get worked up or find a way to be peaceful inside yourself. Fasting has the additional benefit of being self-imposed, so it is a wonderful discipline. Who is in charge? What is in charge? Not my body. It’s me. *This* is who I am. And for anyone who has trouble controlling what they eat and drink, an extended fast really clarifies that you are absolutely in control, and your body reflects the choices you make on a daily basis.
Allow me to say a little more about the “fasting is not painful” part. Fasting *should* not be painful. You will read, however, about people who experience headaches. This is due to withdrawal (from caffeine, sugar, alcohol) and indicates that you were putting something into your body that you should not have been. I have friends, they can’t get through the morning without coffee or they will get headaches. To me, this is a sign that you need to cut it out! You can either pay the price of withdrawal, or keep digging yourself deeper into your hole. Fasting is great for getting out of any holes you may have dug for yourself.
Also, here is one more reason for an extended fast: Making memories. I have some vivid (not unpleasant) memories of what I was doing during my last extended fast. Just ordinary things, shopping or walking, but I can recall those events with clarity. How many of my other days have slipped past, one like the other? But fasting is, undeniably, something different. It marks the time, so I can look back and remember a period in my life.
Weight: 151
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