I ended my fast after day 11. On the whole, the experience was not the introspective, spiritual, sense-sharpening, body-healing experience I had hoped for. Due to my poor electrolyte management, the fast was far more unpleasant than it ought to have been.
I have resumed eating food again (initially breaking my fast with a small piece of dark chocolate, which tasted far too sweet!), but I must remind myself that the fasting experience is not over. At this time, my connection with food is newer and more conscious than at any other point in my life. I am coming reacquainted with food. What do I notice? How would I like my relationship with food to be different?
Fasting definitely recalibrated my “fullness” meter. The very idea of “stuffing” myself strikes me as painful. Just a little, thank you. And when I do eat, I want it to be a meal with some thought behind it. I don’t see myself being able to set the table and prepare a meal every time I eat, but at least once a day would be good.
I would like to make myself a placemat, to bring awareness to the event (of eating).
I want to serve myself more side dishes. I am in the habit of only making one thing, such as a sandwich. If I want more for lunch, I will make myself a second sandwich. But today, instead, I served my sandwich with cherries, cottage cheese, and carrot sticks.
Carrot sticks, there is another change. Normally I just peel and eat one whole carrot. But today I took the extra step of turning my carrot into carrot sticks. I served them in a green bowl. I enjoyed their crisp edges.
This means I will need to create a menu of sides. A seasonal (or frozen) vegetable. I would like to serve myself a drink, either green juice or soy milk. I would like to have a cookie for dessert.
PS - For those who care to know it, I ended at 141.2#, went up 2.5# the next day, and am down to 140# after two weeks of being mindful of my food choices. Newly reminded of how much control I have over my body, I have some refined ideas of just how I would like it to look. Home workouts have been good, but not enough. I'll be headed back to the gym next week and would like to tone just a bit further. Of course this fast wasn't all about, or even primarily about, bodily appearance, but it is a side factor.
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