This week is going to look a little different because I’m fasting and adjusting my workouts accordingly. If you want to understand what my fast is and why I’m doing it, listen to episodes 300 and 307 of the Primal Potential Podcast. Things will return to the normal nutrition & fitness push next week.
Fasting Day 3!
I am shocked by my hunger (or lack thereof). Don’t get me wrong – as I’m typing this part of the post, I’ve been fasting for about 40 hours and I’ve certainly had moments of hunger. What shocks me is that none of them have been too strong or significant and they pass within minutes.
I really thought hunger would be much more of a battle. We’ll see what today brings!
I had trouble falling asleep last night but still woke up at my normal 4:30a. My first thoughts were of being slightly hungry and I think my reaction to those thoughts is a real difference maker for me.
I could have panicked: Oh no! I’m hungry! I knew this would happen, today is going to suck! How am I going to get through the day being hungry? And I still have 2 more full days to go!
I didn’t do that.
Instead, I noticed the hunger and thought, “That makes sense. No big thing, I can get comfortable with this.”
Within 5 minutes, the hunger sensation dissipated almost entirely. There’s a very low-grade hunger but it’s hardly noticeable (unless I focus on it!).
I am grateful for the continuous lesson that if I make something a big deal, it becomes a big deal. If I don’t, it doesn’t.
A word about workouts:
I shared with you that I did go to the gym & do my normal workout yesterday. I wasn’t yet 24 hours into the fast when I went to the gym so I was confident that I had the energy reserves to feel great throughout. I was right.
I didn’t plan to go to the gym after yesterday but I’ll be honest – I’m feeling really good and I think Ella & I are going to head to the gym this morning. I won’t lift heavy weights or do anything intense, but I really want to move my body & sweat.
I shared on episode 300 of the podcast that I didn’t want to workout during the fast because I wanted my body’s resources devoted to healing. The latter part is still true.
What is also true is that I feel my best on days I workout and I really didn’t expect to feel so good, strong and not hungry during this fast.
This is my first extended fast so my primary commitment is to listen to my body & respond accordingly. For that reason, I’m gonna feel out a light workout today.
Ella & I enjoyed a couple cups of coffee (I drank mine black) and then headed to the gym.
I really wanted to keep the workout light and casual so as to avoid taxing my body & triggering hunger. I wish I could give you a formal workout but I was all over the place.
Jump rope (sets of 100-200)
Good mornings (with 45#)
Bear complexes (with 95#)
Stretching
We lightly worked out for about 35 minutes and left feeling good.
It’s now 8am, I have a slight headache but I’m remarkably not hungry (despite chatting with Ella’s husband about food for 20 minutes!)
10am
Struggle bus. I’m not hungry but I’m super tired. My bet is that it has more to do with drinking less coffee (I’ve intentionally dialed back during fasting) but I’m having a really hard time focusing.
I’ve texted Ella, who is just downstairs, asking her to assure me that my brain will come back. I’m in a fog. I’ve got legit work to do but focus seems very far away.
If you guys aren’t following our hysterical live streams in the private Facebook group, you should be. Last night I was recounting my crazy travel day and telling Ella, while live on FB, that the woman next to me on one of my flights had the audacity to eat chocolate covered pretzels.
Ella says, “Did you tell her….”
I interjected – “I wore my shirt.”
“What shirt?”
“Screw off. I’m fasting”
Jusssst kidding. No such shirt was worn.
Just saying our live streams are pretty freakin’ funny (or maybe we’re just bored because we aren’t eating). Our second live stream was from bed. Like, Ella & I in bed, with a selfie stick that someone mistook for a rifle….
#truestory
11:30am
Had some cold brew coffee & took a long, hot shower. I’m feeling MUCH better. Still struggling to focus but that could easily be that I’m not in my normal setting. Still not too hungry. Definitely would love to eat, but I’m not terribly hungry. Shocking!
2:30pm
Ella & I went out for facials – she had microderm & I had micro planing, basically scraping off the surface of my skin with a small blade. I have to say I think we were both a tiny bit grumpy.
The ladies at Lewisville Laser were not only super helpful, they also pretended we weren’t crabby and prettttty miserable!
I’m having some random, strong hunger pangs but they’ve all passed within 5-10 minutes.
The focus is still a struggle but I’m buckling down and giving myself a timeframe within which I need to get some work done.
I’m kind of amazed by the lack of hunger. Like I said on one of my live streams with Ella, this puts into context those moments when it’s been 5 or 6 hours since I’ve last eaten and I feel “starving”. Dude, that’s not what starving feels like. If I can go 40+ hours without eating and survive the waves of hunger, I am just fine after 5 or 6.
9:32pm
It’s been a struggle bus of a day. Still hunger is pretty low but I’m tired & finding focus to be a challenge. We did however have a great Facebook live chat with our fasting group.
As soon as I hit publish on this blog, I’m gonna watch some basketball and get right to bed.
We went to a trampoline park, which was fun, but I can’t say I was in the most fabulous mood. While Ella has been really hungry & full of energy, I’ve been not hungry but low energy.
What I consumed today:
Black coffee
Cold brew coffee
Water
Here’s to seeing how I feel tomorrow! Love you guys!
This week is going to look a little different because I’m fasting and adjusting my workouts accordingly. If you want to understand what my fast is and why I’m doing it, listen to episodes 300 and 307 of the Primal Potential Podcast. Things will return to the normal nutrition & fitness push next week.
Fasting Day 2!
I wasn’t hungry at all last night. I went to bed around 9pm feeling exhausted (from lack of sleep over the weekend) but not at all hungry. Yay!
I’m flying to North Carolina this afternoon to spend the rest of my fasting week with my girl Ella from On Air with Ella but I’m starting out with some work & a workout.
The entire purpose of this fast is healing & rest for my body so I didn’t set my alarm. I naturally woke up a couple minutes after 5a and got up & into my normal routine of meditation, gratitude & journaling.
I’m not at all hungry so far this am, which I’m grateful for. I can’t say I’m too surprised – I ate a lot this weekend. :-/
I worked for a couple hours, had a cup of coffee and then got ready for my workout.
Yup, even though I’m fasting I’m headed to the gym. This will be my only legit workout of the fast but I’ll definitely get some movement each day.
Since it’s early in the fast, I know I have more than enough fuel in my system to support this workout without making me feel like crap.
After a 30-minute warm-up I did a 12 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible in 12 minutes)
300 meter row
12 dumbbell push presses (25# dumbbells)
16 dumbbell step back lunges
My energy was good and my body felt strong through the workout. In fact, in hindsight, I could have rowed a little harder. Good to know.
After the workout I noticed a text message from Delta that my flight was delayed by several hours. With the delay, I’d miss my connection to North Carolina. Since there’s some bad weather coming to the area, I figured my best bet was to head to the airport and try to get on a standby flight.
Long story short, I spent several hours trying to figure out what flights I could get on & when, surrounded by frustrated travelers.
It’s perfectly appropriate, as early this morning I posted “Calm & joyful” as my daily choice of disposition to Facebook & Instagram. I’ll tell you what- that choice (calm & joyful) is everything.
First of all, getting stressed or frustrated wouldn’t get me on a flight any faster.
Second, it would cause a stress hormone response that would increase both my hunger and my cravings.
This isn’t just true of traveling – it’s true for fasting, work, relationships & everything else. Getting flustered and reacting with agitation and frustration makes the situation worse. Emotion doesn’t solve problems and it often makes them worse.
Calm & joyful – something I always have a chance to practice and always win when I do! I really think it’s a learned superpower and I’m in training.
Calm is also a great tool in handling hunger while fasting or temptations at any time! No need to panic or get dramatic. Just practice perspective, take a few deep breaths, smile and move along.
I channeled my inner Zen (this is why I knew Zen Mind, Beginners Mind was a good re-read this week!) and smiled at everyone I met.
Once I got booked on a first flight, I grabbed a cup of coffee. 24 hours into the fast the hunger comes in waves, but it’s minor and they don’t last long.
I had a layover in New York. I was feeling a little hungry but I wanted to talk to a gate agent about my next flight first.
Around 2pm I was able to find a little shop with Kevita kombucha (one of the very low sugar flavors) and I grabbed a bottle & some water.
I’ve got a little bit of a headache but it’s probably more about caffeine than the fast. I’m intentionally drinking significantly less coffee than I usually do.
I definitely notice my attention going to some of these hunger pangs and it would be easy to create stress by following those thoughts and fueling them with my focus. Instead, I take a deep breath and intentionally slow down and bring my attention to the present moment. It’s a game changer. Simple but powerful strategy.
Breathing & attention in the present moment. Everything is fine. I am fine. Everything is wonderful. I am wonderful.
It’s certainly not been an easy day – I’ve been in NYC for many hours and I still don’t know when I’ll be getting out. There’s another maintenance issue and if not for this fast, I’m sure the temptation to eat out of boredom would be high!
Interestingly, the hardest moment of the day was getting a harsh, misinformed email. I don’t share that out of a desire for sympathy (at all) but because we all have those moments in our days & weeks which trigger intense emotion.
For me, the desire for food in those moments is usually the desire to escape. I don’t want to feel the hurt & frustration and food is a distraction.
However, I’m able to ask myself, “how would eating make me feel afterwards?” and the answer is almost always “worse”. At best it’s “not any better”.
I took a few deep breaths and reminded myself that everything is learning & growing opportunity and got back to business.
Calm & joyful. Calm & joyful. So glad those were my chosen words this morning! Even to this woman who clearly doesn’t understand me: calm & joyful.
Calm because I’m always doing my best. Calm because I know what’s true. Joyful because I have the opportunity to help others and share my experiences in the most authentic way I can.
Calm & joyful.
Calm went out the window & joyful flew in when I caught up with ELA! We stopped in a parking lot to do a quick FB live inside our fasting group and then she took me to a freakin’ grocery store! Not cool! We loaded up on water & kombucha.
Hunger is low. Energy is high. I’m curious to see how we feel tomorrow…
Super happy to be safely in NC with my sweet friend and I’m gonna talk her into letting me go to bed early.
This week is going to look a little different because I’m fasting and adjusting my workouts accordingly. If you want to understand what my fast is and why I’m doing it, listen to episodes 300 and 307 of the Primal Potential Podcast.
I went out for breakfast this morning and enjoyed a big, delicious meal as my last one before the start of the fast.
I have to say, I probably didn’t start this fast in an ideal way. I didn’t get much sleep this weekend. Right now, I’m nearly 6 hours into the fast and I’m not hungry but I’m really tired.
I had been away for the weekend & when I got home, I took a short nap. I had dreams about forgetting the fast, eating and then getting upset that I had forgotten!
When I woke up I drove to Whole Foods to get some water, cold brew coffee & kombucha.
I’m noticing the fatigue though (which again has to do with my weekend, not the fast.) Ready for a moment of my crazy?
I have 20 lb wall ball in the back of my car. It’s been there for a few weeks. It wasn’t bothering me because it was in the far back. Sure, it rolled around a little but not enough to bug me.
Well this weekend I put the back seats down to make room for a piece of furniture I bought. I got the furniture out of my car when I first got home so on my trip to the grocery store, the 20 lb ball was rolling freely on the laid-down seats.
When I stopped at a light, it slammed into the back of my seat. I immediately said out loud (to the ball) “enough, bitch”. Hahahahahaha. Oh boy.
Day 1 Consumption:
2 cups black coffee
1 L water
1 bottle Kevita Lemon Cayenne
…
I want to share with you guys an important idea I put in our private Facebook group for the fast today:
The last thought I want to share with you is the mindset I’m trying to bring to this fasting week.
It is similar to the mindset I practiced when I was doing a cold-shower challenge. For a month, I took increasingly long cold showers each day.
During that challenge, it was so important to not freak out or get dramatic. It was important to not resist the water but rather relax into it. It’s just cold water. It’s not needles. It’s uncomfortable but it doesn’t hurt. It’s not fun but it’s also not a big deal. The key to tolerating the cold water, for me, was to relax and not be reactive.
I think the same is true with this fast.
It’s easy to get all dramatic about being hungry, about wanting to eat, about seeing great food everywhere around you.
It’s easy to get dramatic about how hard it is and how much you want to eat.
But another option is to be non-reactive and calm, working to notice the feelings without needing to get dramatic or emotional about them.
To this end, I’ll be re-reading one of my fave books this week: Zen Mind, Beginners Mind. I highly recommend it!
(Clearly, my reaction to the wall ball slamming into my seat suggests I need a re-read. Ha.)
Last thing: I did not workout today (my knee really needed rest and compression after Friday) but I will workout tomorrow before flying to NC to be with my girl Ella.
In episode 300, I announced an upcoming extended fast & talked about the hormonal & metabolic science behind fasting.
Today, I’m tackling your questions and comments to help you determine if fasting is right for you & what type of fast makes the most sense.
If you want to learn more about fasting, don’t miss this episode and also check out The Complete Guide to Fasting by Jimmy Moore & Dr. Jason Fung as well as all the resources below!
If you want to join us (or just cyber-stalk our week long fast), click the button below to get on our email list. We also have a private Facebook group!
