Cleansing from the inside out
Yesterday I did my semi-fast of mostly fruits and vegetables. I liked it. It was quite nice. I did some work from home, went for a walk, and enjoyed some books and good company.
I made sure that I ate enough to not be hungry – I didn’t want to be fixated with cravings and the like. I had homemade sweet potato fries and homemade banana ice cream to keep me going, and I wound up being quite productive around the home. I tidied up the condo and began organizing my income and expenses from the last year. It was interesting: I did the semi-fast with the intention of clearing my mind, and it made me want to clear up the clutter around me, too.
In short, I loved it. So today I’m going to try something similar, although I might incorporate some tofu or oatmeal instead of a second sweet potato 😉 It’s Family Day – a stat holiday – so I’m working mainly from home. I’m focusing on carrying on yesterday’s success today.
I was pleasantly surprised at the response so many of you had about your encouragement with the idea of a semi-fast… and it sounds as though quite a few people have tried variations on the fast/semi-fast!
So I’d like to propose trying out a semi-fast or a full-on fast for at least one day each week, as a challenge to whoever is interested in trying! There are so many different kinds of semi-fasts that I’d be interested in trying, including:
– Fruit and veggie
– Whole grains
– Juicing/smoothies
– Warrior diet (20 hours fasting, 4 hours breaking the fast)
Let me know if you’re interested in trying this out – I’ll probably be posting about it about once a week to discuss thoughts on semi-fasts and I would really love to hear about your experiences and such, too.
I’m not ethiopian so I’m not sure about this, but I heard that Ethiopian christians fast every Wednesday and Friday as well as in Lent. Meat, dairy and eggs are prohibited and food is only to be consumed from the afternoon onwards. It seems there are all sorts of fasting traditions…
Interesting! Yes, fasting seems to be an important part of many different cultures.
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That’s the spirit! Healthy living starts from within. Fasting is not for everyone, but to those who choose to change and start a new and healthier lifestyle fasting is one of the most natural way to achieve this goal.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience.
Sagan, with eating warrior 20/4 in time you do not get hungry during the 20 hour fast, but you need to understand that only doing it occasionally will probably not work the same way. For me it is a long term lifestyle, not a diet or fast. I didn’t want you to be discouraged if you try it. It’s all about adapting to the lifestyle that works best for you. Good luck!
You reading my column any more?
Thanks for letting me know! I wonder if doing a 18/6 would give the same results? Hmmm. Things to ponder. But you said it: it’s about adapting to the lifestyle that works best for you.
I’ve been taking on a few new jobs lately, which means that I have very little free time these days (but it’s a good thing – I’m very much enjoying the new jobs!). Since the majority of my time with freelancing is spent in front of a computer, I haven’t been very inclined to hang out on the Internet during the spare time that I DO get… so in a roundabout way, this is me saying that I haven’t been reading/commenting on many blogs lately. I just need to adjust to the new schedule.
So yes: I’m still reading your column! I’m just not reading it quite as regularly. Give me a few weeks and I’m sure I’ll be much more adjusted to my new schedule 🙂
!8/6 would be fine. If you read the warrior diet site, although I do not do this, many of them eat light during the day, then heavy at night. I’m too hard core. lol!
Don’t give not reading my column a thought. It’s just that I like your intelligent, alternative viewpoint when I can get it. I feel you, me, and Charlotte are from the old days 🙂 I’d much rather see you on the net too little than too much, there’s a lot of life out there for you to enjoy, young lady 🙂
I think I will read about it here with you! 😉
Hi Sagan,
With a history of and ongoing struggle with anorexia/orthorexia, fasting and detoxing and diets are definitely words that I run away from at full speed. However, I do appreciate the benefits of such when approached from a healthy and balanced perspective. I have no doubt that you are mindful.
For me personally, I already avoid foods that are on most “detox don’t” lists, and my daily intake is quite “clean.” That being said, I have struggled with GI “bugs” from infections, and I know how important it is to cleanse the body whether or not you always “eat clean” or not. If I was mentally in a place where I felt safe, I would probably approach these methods. But, I have to find the safe balance for myself.
Anyways, all the best to you! I look forward to reading more about this…
It’s taken me a while to get into a good place mentally to try something like this – when you’ve had past history of disordered eating (especially when there’s a continued struggle), it’s definitely better to stay away from these kinds of things.
I’m so glad that you’re looking out for yourself and finding that balance, Clare.
I’m glad your experience was positive. I won’t be joining you in fasting as I don’t want to trigger anything. But I wish you best of luck, and I like reading about your experiences!
I’ve never tried fasting, though at the state of my lifestyle and health, I think I’m due for a cleanse. This sounds a lot better and inviting than a full on cleanse, which I’ve always heard had made people hungrier and fainter than they ought to be.