Hi everyone,

It is the morning of my 5th fast day (my first was two weeks ago today, Aug. 15). Last week, my first weigh-in, I had lost 4 pounds (I need to lose about 20 in total)! But today I had only lost .4 of a pound. However, before I got discouraged, I got out the tape measure and noticed that I have lost 1/2 inch off my waist and 1/2 inch off my neck. So that has me happy and feeling good.

Today my plan is to go as long as I can without eating and then I’m going to eat the Moroccan soup that someone posted in the Recipes section. I have found I do better if I eat my “larger” meal (300 cal)in the day and save my smaller one for evening (200). I eventually want to start going 24 or even 36 hours with nothing but water, because I think that is really and truly the best for health benefits. BTW–I can recommend reading Joel Furhman’s “Fasting and Health” book, published in 1995. It is rather eye-opening and has solidified my commitment to fasting as a way of life.

A couple of other comments: It does seem to get easier the more you do this. I think your body does get used to being deprived. I am still feeling quite hungry, with my stomach growling up a storm, but at least I know now that it won’t kill me and I won’t pass out. I am still a little foggy in the brain on fast days, but that is also clearing up with each successive fast. So, for those of you just starting out, please do know that it will probably get easier, even if it’s only mentally easier.

I have always had such a fear of being hungry, ever since I was diagnosed with low blood sugar 30 years ago (as a teenager). I was afraid I would pass out or otherwise drop dead if I didn’t eat protein every 4-5 hours. After reading Furhman’s book and realizing that tests for low blood sugar are notoriously unreliable, and that the “symptoms” we feel from hunger aren’t really hunger but instead your body detoxing from the effects of the food we eat, it has been OK. My own doctor told me not to worry about blood sugar, so I’m not.

Anyway, this has been long, but I wanted to let you know how I was doing so far. I hope everyone is doing well.

Thanks, Joyce. I might try your way of doing it next time….sounds very do-able!

Yes, I highly recommend the Furhman book because it will just convince you even more that fasting is the way to go.