Slowly I'm Fasting

Today at 7:00am I celebrated the end of another 36 hour fast with a double egg sandwich and a cup of coffee.

I feel great.

My New Year's resolution this year was to "become a better person", so somewhere in the sub- articles and sections of that extensive goal I wanted to complete a weekly period of fasting. The first few weeks I settled on a 24 hour fast to ease my way into it, and then I stepped it up to 36 hours once I felt comfortable. 36 hours - that's over 20% of the week if you do the math.

So now every Sunday night at 7:00pm I stop eating. I consume absolutely no calories. It's water, water, and more water until Tuesday morning at 7:00am.

My inspiration? Well, it occurred to me years ago that hunger was a feeling that I had been missing out on. I ate so frequently that I would bypass hunger all together. It was back then that the concept of fasting really started to interest me. And when you factor in all of the references to fasting in the Bible and various non-secular health literature, I was almost certainly sold on the idea. The tipping point for me was reading this article in Men's Health. And all the great benefits that this guy describes, I'm now feeling.

My appetite has been suppressed. My stomach gets full a lot quicker. I do get attacked by hunger pains and vicious tummy growls, but that's nothing that 32 ounces of water can't make go away. When I'm playing sports during my fasting periods, I feel light on my feet and strong. And at the end of the fast, an egg sandwich and coffee can taste like a trip to Ruth's Chris.

Do I recommend fasting? I think everyone should give it a whirl.* 

All I know for sure is that I hope to keep it up the entire year - and beyond - because I've been really feeling the benefits, and I feel wonderful.

*Disclaimer: The World According To Chuck does not hold a medical degree. Before persuing any change in your diet or exercise, please consult your physician first to achieve a program that is the most medically suited for you.