Yesterday, I completed my first full-day fast
Recently, I've had issues with excessive snacking and eating when I don't necessarily feel hungry. It's been much more related to wanting the sensation of taste than it is satisfying a real hunger craving.
My metabolism has always been extremely fast, to the point that I can literally eat anything and not deal with any real repercussions in terms of weight gain. Regardless, eating excessively is not something I want to engage in for numerous reasons.
It's a waste of food, leaves me feeling bloated and guilty, and doesn't assist my overall desire to improve my health. It's also a bit hedonistic, as it is based around pleasure instead of need. I'm not opposed to an indulgence here or there, but I know I've been going crazy lately with things I shouldn't.
I decided to fast as a way to shift my relationship with food.
I ate my last piece of food the day before at dinner time, meaning I wouldn't eat again until the following dinner. I thought this was a fairly accessible way to approach a full-day fast, as I could go to bed full and approach the day with a less intimidating timetable to count down.
Breakfast was surprisingly easy to skip. I find myself eating in the morning simply because my job is fairly physical, and I know feelings of hunger will come on very soon after I begin work.
It's more a preparation thing that it is to fulfill my palpable desires. I'd like to experiment with not eating breakfast and bring something along in addition to my lunch, though I've yet to attempt such a feat.
The hunger kicks in
Around 1 pm, I began to feel slight hunger pains. Nothing overwhelming, just subtle reminders that I hadn't eaten in about 18 hours. We decided to go shopping for a wedding we're attending, which, at first, wasn't too bad.
That is until my fiance decided to try on more outfits than was necessary (shock!) and I became slightly restless, having already picked out my clothes within about 10 minutes of being there.
We then went grocery shopping, a task that was certainly challenging but not as torturous as you might imagine. Because I knew I wasn't going to eat anything, my cravings to snack were not that intense. When you set clear boundaries for yourself, the psychological desire to do something is reduced, at least for a while.
Once 4 pm rolled around, my hunger desire was raging.
It had been about 22 hours since my last piece of food, and I was struggling to maintain my fast. The thoughts of food pervaded just about every part of my mind. My stomach was grumbling for anything, distracting me from finishing any activity that required a semblance of cognition.
To end the fast, I decided to meditate for 20 minutes, as a way to really get into my body and stop my mind from obsessing about the upcoming meal I was about to feast upon. As with any other activity, this period of mindfulness relieved my obsessive hunger thoughts, giving me a slight degree of relief from the whole experience.
The first few bites of my dinner were heavenly, allowing me to fully appreciate my food in a completely new way. I've never had to go without food and hopefully I'll never have to involuntarily experience this level of hunger, but it's certainly made me much more empathetic to those who go without a meal every day.
It's also made me realize that a 3-day fast is something that isn't out of the realm of possibility and is something I'd like to attempt in the future. I've heard from a friend that the level of clarity and energy they feel 3 days in is incredible and something that is worth experiencing.
The fast hasn't completely shifted my cravings or relationship with food, but it has given me a perspective I didn't have prior to fasting. In the fight against excessive eating, I'll consider that a small but significant victory.
All uncredited pictures from pixabay.com or my personal account
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