A few people e-mailed me about my previous post where I mentioned I would be preparing for a fast this week. I wasn't joking, this is something I actually do, and have been doing roughly every nine months for the past five years. The process forces your body to burn through kinds of nasty stuff that accumulates from the junk we eat (this is especially true if you eat meat), so I guess you could say it's a health thing.
But mainly I do it because I feel so much better after it's all over. I have more energy, don't feel as sluggish, and (most of all) have an entirely new appreciation for the food I eat. Because a couple of people were curious, I will post my fasting regime below. But, before I do, the necessary legal disclaimer:
I am not a doctor. I am not a nutritionist. I have no medical training. I certainly do not recommend anybody make radical changes in their diet (even temporary ones, like fasting) without consulting their doctor first. This information is posted for entertainment only, and should not be constituted as medical advice.
That being said, I can say that I have been fine-tuning this process for several years and it works wonders for me. When I first started, I could never stay on a fast for more than a day or two... eventually, through trial and error, I found I had much better success if I "ramped up" and "ramped down" from the fasting period. It works kind of like this:
Lemon Water: The juice of half a lemon mixed with water (warm is best) four times a day... it is important to stay hydrated, so drinking plenty of plain water as often as you can throughout the day is highly recommended. Cayenne Pepper: I add a tincture to my warm lemon water each morning, then take the cayenne in pill-form at "lunch" and "dinner." The cayenne stimulates your body to eliminate toxins that have built up (or so I am told). Fruits: Raw and organic is best (no sense adding toxins back into your system that you are trying to eliminate!). Vegetables: Ditto on the raw and organic. If I am feeling a bit weak coming off the fast, I sometimes add brown rice to my diet on days 11 & 12 in the mornings.
NOTE: When I first started, I was only fasting for 2 days in the middle... I then worked my way up to 3 and then 4 days. I've gone as long as 6 days, but didn't find any additional benefits from it, so eventually settled on 4 days.
And that's it. It's really not as bad as it sounds... sure on day 6 you are pretty hungry, but days 7 and 8 are not so bad as your body adjusts and starts going into ketosis. I can honestly say that the first piece of fruit you eat on day 10 will be the best tasting thing you've ever eaten in your life! I usually start easy (no skins and half-servings) and try to make it a real treat... like mango or something exotic like that.
Oh, one more thing... I found that it is much easier to eliminate certain "bad foods" you are addicted to after a fast. You simply don't eat/drink them anymore when you begin eating again..
So, if I am a bit cranky in my posts this week and the next, it's only because I can't have candy and ice cream! I'll be back to "normal" (well, normal for me anyways) on the 18th.
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I’ve been doing a fruit cleanse every 6 months or so that lasts 10 days. Basically I did my research on the master cleanse but didn’t feel that lemon water and cayenne seemed like a good idea.
I’ve found that I’ve had to make sure that I don’t exercise or exert myself during the water only days.
Best of luck during your fast.
In the beginning, I didn’t use the cayenne and found fasting to be more effective when I added it. I don’t over-do it on the BTUs, and use it in a form called “Cool Cayenne,” so it doesn’t seem to upset my system that much… just a little “kick” to get things moving. 🙂
Because I have colon issues, I fast quite often, more to prevent “build up” than anything. But I never make it past two days before I give in and eat things. I mostly go for a water and juice only fast, as I said, to prevent further build up. I also read that when food is eliminated for a day or two, that it allows the body to work on the rest of the body since it always has to work so hard to digest food. Thanks for sharing this 🙂
I’m thinking of trying this as well (after new year’s eve).
Are there some weight loss benefits or do you gain it all back quickly?
I can’t speak for others, but it doesn’t come back quickly… I always seem to have to force myself to gain a bit of weight back before my next fast.
I do not, however, recommend fasting for the sole purpose of weight loss. Since stored toxins in fats are released when your body goes into ketosis, chain-fasting to lose weight can actually be quite bad for your health. In any event, consulting with a doctor or nutritionist before fasting (especially for the first time) is highly advised.
That being said, I always find it easier to adjust my eating habits while coming off a fast. If you are looking to change what and how you eat, it’s a good time to do it.
So do you not add the maple syrup to the water/lemon???
I’m not supposed to fast (health issues, low blood sugar and stuff). I’ve tried anyway tho, but I’m one of those people that craves things I can’t have, so after half a day I convince myself that it wouldn’t be worth it and I would feel much better if I just go to the 7-11 for a 2-litre of coke and some doritos. And some licorice and twinkies and pop rocks and……
This blog is great! Fasting/cleansing is definately the thing to do from time to time. We periodically clean our cars with oil changes and tune ups. We periodically dust and vacuum our homes. We certainly don’t eat off of the same plate without cleaning it first. So, cleansing our bodies only makes perfect sense.
I, myself do what is called the Master Cleanse once a year. Each serving mixture is 10oz Water (distilled is best) 2 Tbl Sp of Lemon Juice (fresh squeezed) 2 Tbl Sp of Maple Syrup (type B) 1/10 of a Teaspoon of Cayanne Pepper.
I also drink “Smooth Move” herbal tea every night of my cleanse, just to make sure things … move. I do this for 30 days and that is all I consume. Yes, 30 days.
It’s hard with the cravings to want to “taste” different things, but I do not get “hungry”. I drink approx 80oz of this “juice” on a daily basis during the cleanse. I end up losing between 15-20lbs of mostly undigested waste. I sleep like a baby and I feel much better.
One last thing, it’s not a religious thing, BUT every major religion dictates a fast at one time or another. Look into why and you will find that it comes right back to health.
Thank you so much! I have been looking for a legitimate fasting regime to use. I will comment again at the end of my fast to display my results. I’ll start on the day after Halloween [go figure haha].