Hi all! Fasting update here. As you can tell from the title, I have gotten a bit of a rocky start of my 30-day fast. I have experienced a few setbacks, but I am back on track and more motivated to stay the course.
Day one and two were tough, but not as bad as I thought it would be just starting out. I mentioned having to break my fast during the day for a business lunch, which I did do, and I just continued on after that and ate again after 6pm, and picking up where I left off for day four. The fast doesn’t stop just because you do. I decided to extend the fast one day, to October 31st.
Day four was hard. I ended up getting pretty hungry at noon and having to really be strong to not eat anything until six. I spend some time thinking about day three and how I didn’t think it was worth breaking my fast, since I did not see instant benefits of the lunch meeting. The work day was busy and stressful and I did end up having two drinks with dinner that night. My primary way of dealing with stress, like a lot of adults, is having a drink. I understand that I need to find another way to do that.
Every day on the fast is different. Days I have to go into the office are worse than days at home. Day five was better than day four, as the mental stress decreased a bit. I am still trying to find a balance in what I am drinking to regulate my hunger. Drinking caffeinated drinks all day cannot be the option. On an empty stomach, I am grinding my teeth and a bit jittery and irritable. It hard for me to want to meditate when I am that way because I think I won’t be able to quiet my mind. I find my mind racing faster than it usually does, but that’s not a completely bad thing. When this happens, I’ll go for a walk or go on the rooftop – getting my steps in!
At the end of day five, I was pretty hungry by 6pm. All I wanted to be focused on was eating. During my meal, I realized how fast I was eating and had to mindfully slow myself down, in case of heartburn or worse. After eating, I felt a wash of humanity come over me. I piddled around a bit but went to bed early.
I am hoping that I’ve reset from the day I had to break my fast early. It seems like I immediately felt the difference mentally after I did that. Things were a bit more foggy, I felt a bit more lazy, and was transitioning back to my old self. It didn’t feel worth it. The following day, I was asked if I wanted to join colleagues for lunch and respectfully declined right away. I didn’t want to risk another setback. Everyday is a lesson. Even though the fast is not easy, I am eager and motivated to continue it and complete it as committed as possible.
On a fitness note, I have lost about one pound per day, which is promising. I am considering starting some light exercise to “speed” things up a bit, but I don’t want to overdo it.
Ciao!
