My Fasting Challenge!!
One of the biggest CHALLENGES I can ever take up is FASTING. That’s because I *love* (tasty) food *so* much that I just can’t be without eating something, usually every couple of hours 😀 Alas, as we know, even *amruth* is bad for health if taken in excessive quantities, and so is food (*especially* junk food/snacks). So, I have decided to take up a fasting challenge 🙂
Two events prompted me to look at fasting more seriously – During February 2012, I got viral fever that lasted for a few days. During that period, as with any other illness, I was not able to eat much – During such times, the body doesn’t want you to eat! One year later, during February 2013, I didn’t get viral fever but I was just not able to eat beyond 1 idly (approx) per meal, for 4-5 days. There was no illness/tiredness, but the body wouldn’t just let me to eat. I was able to continue with all my routine activities, though!
These two events inspired me to look at fasting regularly, even if only for a small duration every week. I mean, why wait until the body forces it on me?
Fasting can be good for health. Especially for people like me who eat food, junk food, snacks and every other tasty food imaginable, at regular intervals! Our digestive system requires some rest or break from normal activity so that it can carry on health-enhancing activities like eliminating toxins that are stored up along with fat, etc. It seems, they already do this continuously but since we keep eating, the bulk of their capacity goes up in digesting what we eat!
Also, fasting is ingrained into many religious practices. I know that both Hindus and Muslims go on a fast during certain days. Obviously it has been observed not only for religious purpose, but also for healthy living. One book that I read on Naturopathy advocates fasting for curing various diseases, but this is advanced level of fasting.
As a part of this fasting challenge, what I have decided to do is – I am going to eat nothing for 3/4-th of a day (from 3:00 PM on Sunday to 9:00 AM on Monday), every week. Of course, I have to drink enough water during this period.
After a few weeks of doing the above mentioned activity every week (successfully), and when body is more used to this process, I will gradually stop eating heavy foods (rice, wheat, cooked vegetables, etc) on Sunday, for the entire day. I will substitute meals with fresh fruit juices, raw vegetable salads, milk-shakes and other easily digestible foods. I am not sure if I can keep up with the first challenge, let alone this more difficult second one 😛
It seems, fasting needs to go beyond one day for the body to detoxify itself more effectively, but for me such a long duration of fasting is (currently at least) a *Utopian dream*! If I am able to achieve the above two levels, I will be more than just glad. If possible, I can take it beyond but that will take many weeks (MOSTLY, it will NEVER happen!!).
There is one more reason why I am doing this – You know what is the best way to achieve happiness from one particular method? STAY AWAY FROM IT (for a short while) And THEN INDULGE IN IT with *all your heart*!! So, if I stay away from food for a short time and then eat my favorite foods, the enjoyment will only *INCREASE* 😉 😉
Destination Infinity
Have you done fasting, sometime? Will you do it in the future, anytime? What’s your suggestion for effective fasting? And ya, WISH ME LUCK 😛
Wish you all the best for a successful fasting. Fasting is good for health. It also gives rest to the digestive system. I think fasting one day a week is just fine.. You are young so it is OK. People with diabetes should not fast. Their sugar level will come down to a danger level. (Hope you are not that guy who fast for 2 hours on the beach between breakfast and lunch. HaHaHa)
Right now it’s not one day, it’s 3/4-th of a day – the timing has been chosen carefully so that I still get 2 meals out of the 3 I eat regularly 🙂 So, in all fairness, I am just skipping one meal (and snacks) right now! Also, I was that guy whom you mentioned above, but now I am changing it at least for one day 🙂
Destination Infinity
Hum… great idea, as well enjoying our favorite ones once in a while fully! All the best Rajesh 🙂
I haven’t went for fasting, but few years back during the ‘Amavasai’ (new moon day) I used to skip breakfast and go directly to lunch at 11 am – unlike my parents who eat only after complete their prayers, I use the chance to resist eating at least one time in a month. Lol
During such festivals (when we need to eat after the Pooja), I will quietly eat some snacks or will go out on some pretext and eat something in the morning. It’s very difficult for me to skip a meal, but now I have to do it. Actually, this week I did it 🙂
Destination Infinity
Heres a cheer to some responsible fasting!
I like the term you just created – ‘responsible fasting’ 🙂
Destination Infinity
Good Luck Boss. I also had similar experience last time i had viral fever. I also decided to do the same – have my breakfast & fast for the rest of the day. I got successful in that but slept for longer periods.
I still try that once in a week. Lately, I have been failing at it. 😛
Since it was the first time this week, my enthusiasm successfully kept me away from eating anything. Not sure how many weeks that is going to last 😛
Destination Infinity
I can’t do fasting… anyway good post…
thanks
Yeah, I was not able to do it for so many years too…
Destination Infinity
First of all, all the best for your mission 🙂 Yes I have heard that fasting is good for health. But in my case, I can withstand only few hours of fasting after that I would faint 😉
I too thought I would faint, but fortunately I didn’t 🙂
Destination Infinity
Good luck DI 🙂 I just cannot do fasting, can’t skip a single meal 🙂
Yes, I have been there – done that. Just don’t indulge in fasting unless you WANT to do it 🙂
Destination Infinity
During college times, I’ve been on 1 day fasting for Ganesh chaturthi every month. Lately I’ve done 1 week GM diet (twice), to detoxify and cleanse my body, and I felt amazing. My Paati (grandma) used to say that if you go on fasting frequently, the stomach would contract…and it leads to ulcer/stomach burns.. I personally would not prefer fasting instead take light / healthy meal options at frequent intervals.
You have already done many 1 DAY Fasting & 1 WEEK GM diet??? You should be some kinda FASTING GURU!! 😀
Destination Infinity
I have done fasting with one meal a day for ten days.
Yeah, I will like to do fasting.
One technique I am thinking of is take a box of 6 idlis. Eat 2. Then close box. Eat 2 more after 1 hour. Close box. Then eat the last 2.
Sample eating may work for you. From a packet of chips, you eat 1 or 2 chips. Rest allow others to eat.
One meal a day for 10 days – That’s COOL 🙂
Thanks for the tips. When I was in college, I used to eat only 1 or 2 chips, rest others used to snatch and eat, even if I didn’t give it to them 😉
Destination Infinity
I have done a lot of religious fasts, in the past… some were monthly, some weekly, some once a year kinds. I have done some very tough fasts too… ie having just a glass of milk the entire day (and water)… but now I am no more into religious fasts, but fasting with the idea of detoxifying the body, I do take it up once -twice in a month.
There is a huge difference between fasting and starvation. Someone starving is usually eating, but eating poorly and inadequately, eating scraps of whatever is available such as sugar, white flour, rancid grease, shoe leather, or even dirt. Frequently a starving person is forced to exercise a great deal as they struggle to survive and additionally is highly apprehensive. Or someone starving to death is confined to a small space, may become severely dehydrated too and is in terror. Fear is very damaging to the digestive process, and to the body in general; fear speeds up the destruction of vital tissue. People starve when trekking vast distances through wastelands without food to eat, they starved in concentration camps, buried in mind disasters, they starve during famines and starve while being tortured in prisons.
i never undertake such challenges .. the easy way out is …just 1 rule .. if u know u eat more, u need to sweat more to keep balance .. and that’s what ive been doing..!