Fasting Today - A Gentle Relaxing Experience, I Hope :-)

[Zest]

Hi everyone,

I think this is the first time I've posted here, but I have been a member for a while, and read posts occasionally - I have put the word 'gentle' in the title of this post, because I know this forum's name is 'Fasting and Furious' - but I am fasting today to accompany my hubby, and I'm aiming to be mindful, gentle and kind to myself - those are my aims for today.

So I am including a photo of some Jasmine in my garden, and a beautiful Rose I saw whilst walking the other day, and I've started the day with a cup of Jasmine herbal tea. Strictly speaking I have also had a cup of normal Breakfast tea with a little milk when I first woke up!

We've bought ourselves a Minestrone soup each to have later in the day - but it's an optional 'meal' - and we're going to see how it goes - my hubby has got 2 soups - and I've got one. I know it's not homemade - it's a tin of soup, but that's what my hubby chose, and I'm following him today - as a supporter!

So I don't know how it will go, as it's along time since I did a 'fast' - but I wanted to accompany him, and I am 'looking forward to it'.

I just had drinks in the evening last night, teas and coffees, and no food after 7pm.

I am a novice faster - with limited past experience. I would like to update later, in this thread - how it's going.

Thanks for reading, and if you have any comments, I appreciate kind ones, as part of this is to achieve a relaxing day - and I know you're a lovely group of people here, but I haven't posted here before, so a little tentative.

Zest

[Hidden]

Good morning Zest , thank you for making you first post and there's no need to be tentative as you are amongst friends on here.

We support fasting full stop so you fast gently so that it suits you. I love your collage as I also love Jasmine and have a white one flowering, the rose looks very delicate and pretty.

So thank you for making your first post and good luck with your fasting today, lucky hubby to have 2 soups and you for support. I look forward to hearing how you both get on. 😊

[Zest in reply to Hidden]

Thanks very much Hidden - so far so good, I am enjoying the morning so far - and looking forward to enjoying some herbal teas - I have a Ginger green tea that I'm looking forward to later.

Hope you have a lovely day.

Zest

[Hidden in reply to Zest]

Thats great Zest , your ginger tea sounds really refreshing and I hope that you have a great day too 😊

[Zest]

6pm

Just to update that I have completed my Fast, and we just had herbal teas during the day, plus a mug of 'Marmite tea' (1 teaspoon of Marmite in hot water) for 'lunch' - and then we broke the fast in the evening at 5pm with some Minestrone soup and a little bread, and a coffee and dark chocolate.

I had a headache for part of the morning - at about 10.30am or so, but I'm feeling much better now, and it's just after 6pm.

I enjoyed doing the fast, and I'm glad I did it. It made me more mindful of my food, and I appreciate it even more than I did before!

So that was a 22 hour fast - not sure how that compares to what some of you do, but I thought it went ok.

Thanks for the opportunity to share my experience here.

Hope everyone has a great evening.

Zest

[S11m Volunteer 70lb IF20]

Hi, Zest , Welcome.

What are your fasting plans?

If a 22 hour fast was no problem... perhaps you could have fasted until breakfast - and made it about a 36-hour fast?

Experts think that longer fasts are more beneficial... have you thought about the ADF (Alternate Day Fast)?

I see that you are "Healthy (new) BMI"... Are you fasting mainly to support your husband, or are you looking for the numerous other benefits of fasting?

[Zest in reply to S11m]

HI S11m

Thanks for your reply. There is plenty for me to consider in what you wrote, and I shall have a think about whether we have further fasting plans. Today was purely because my hubby wanted to do it, and as we eat together most of the time, I was keen to support him. We both lost a lot of weight together (in the past), and we're a great team! (I think so).

We did a 3 day fast about 8 years ago, and that was very interesting - we both found it energising at the time. I had been finishing eating about 6pm before for a while and breaking the fast overnight with breakfast - but in recent weeks I've gone back to enjoying a couple of evening snacks.

I have read quite a bit of the research by Dr Jason Fung, and I think his articles on fasting are very informative, so I am definitely considering doing further fasting, but exactly what form that will take - I'm not sure about yet.

But today was ok! I had a headache, but I have had headaches for a few weeks, due to hormonal stuff (peri-menopausal, and some stresses), so I don't think the headache today was down to the fasting. I do like caffeine - and I think there was still some caffeine in the green teas (but not sure how much).

Anyway, I am going to reflect on it, and think about what we might do going forward.

I shall keep an eye out on the posts here.

Zest

[Stoozie Administrator]

Sounds like it went really well, I like how you have been gentle with yourself

[Zest in reply to Stoozie]

Thanks Stoozie - I enjoyed it - it's made me value food and herbal teas more! A nice reflective experience.

Zest

[amykp]

Ha ha--I am planning a three day fast starting tomorrow but I have to say I really hate doing it! I think I want coaching from you because you have a much better attitude than I do. I grumble and grouse the whole time and stare at the food cupboards.

I plan to clean out my upstairs junk closet, so I can get my mind off food. Being gentle does not work. I think I need brutal.

But I did buy some interesting teas. And I might have a spoon or two of almond milk in coffee. (I hate it black) I can't decide.

[Zest in reply to amykp]

Hi amykp

I would like to wish you the best for your 3 day fast tomorrow. Maybe that's why they call it 'Fasting and Furious' - that maybe the normal reaction is to be grumbly and grousy? Rather than reflective and chilled. I can't remember how I was during the 3 day fast I did 8 years ago, except that I remember feeling very positive on the third day!

Great that you're clearing out your upstairs junk closet, that will definitely help focus your mind away from food (hopefully).

I'm intrigued as to the teas you bought - I hope you enjoy them.

Zest

[amykp]

I have one tea, a rooibos blend called "peppermint chocolate vanilla". Sounds lovely, no? It's nice, though not quite as delicious as it sounds (how could it be--it has no calories! ;o)

Actually, I find cleaning helps. I hate the thought of it, but once I start I tend to get into it and don't want to stop. A seven-day fast would probably take care of my garage!

[Zest in reply to amykp]

You're right, 'peppermint chocolate vanilla' does sound lovely - but I know that teas aren't always as amazing as we'd hope. I enjoyed my Jasmine and Ginger green teas yesterday. I have been drinking fresh mint teas when out in a café - as those are great. I used to have a mint plant, but it's died! I must get another one, but I think that mint is now out of season for planting - I'm not a grower, so I don't know.

Hopefully you'll get plenty done in 3 days!

Zest