This last day of my water fast was a tough one. From morning on, I was really fatigued and lightheaded. Around noon, I decided to eat a light lunch and break the fast.
I went about 60 hours on this fast and, despite the relatively short time, learned a few things from it.
You can read about Day 1 here and Day 2 here.
I’d like to do longer and longer water fasts, but my difficulties this time probably stemmed from not having the healthiest nutritional base to start with. Doing a water fast probably put me into a vitamin and mineral deficiency that might be prevented if I had a healthier diet to start.
I’m also having some hip and joint pain that the water fast seemed to exacerbate or expose, making me think it’s time to go gluten-free and take a regimen of Omega-3 vitamins. Also, to get myself back to the gym.
On Day 2, I detailed some of my food thoughts; that food and foodspots (coffee shops, restaurants, etc.) are really delightful parts of my routine. I also wrote about changing that routine a bit, switching out one unhealthy and expensive treat, like going to the coffee shop every morning, with a healthier and less expensive treat, like making my favorite breakfast foods at home and carving out time to eat and read. Then when I go out to eat on the weekends, I can indulge with a little less accumulated guilt from the week. There are more switches I can make: I can get smaller lattes or decaf coffees. I can eat smaller portion sizes. And while I enjoy wine and beer, I see fewer and fewer reasons to drink these days.
Food is such a large issue and I’m always curious to peel off a few layers. I’ve used food for everything from treating myself to incentivizing work. Food serves boredom and social needs. It hopefully serves nutritional needs, but, before this water fast, it was mostly serving as a carb/caffeine/sugar-induced routine.
There were times this morning that I really wanted to eat, but I couldn’t determine what for or why. Even through the time I broke my fast, I didn’t feel hunger pangs. So before eating, I watched my thoughts for awhile. Then I immersed myself in a book, which I haven’t done in weeks. Once my mind was engaged, my body was less restless. Unfortunately, the fatigue and lightheadedness couldn’t be ignored!
So: onto healthier eating this week. Building up my vitamins and minerals and overall health. I’m sure others are thinking about this too as we move through a very food-centric holiday and then onto New Year’s resolutions!
Photo credit: Linus Bohman
