Lessons on Intermittent Fasting
Lesson 1) Be prepared to face hunger and become friends
The type of intermittent fasting I experienced required going without food between the hours of 10pm to 4pm. During this 18-hour fast, I learned much about hunger.
Let me tell you, hunger messes with you. Its persistence forces you front and
center. First, hunger taps lightly on
your window and although you know it’s there, it can be ignored. A while later it starts yelling when suddenly
its steel-toed boot kicks the door. The
walls of your home shake and once again, hunger will go away but this time you
have to yell at it through the peep hole.
“You’re not invited!” you scream, but it lurks in the window well like a
thief, waiting to bust down the door the minute you least expect it. Hunger forces the least imaginative person
into a make-believe world of food where anything besides nothing tastes
delicious.
So, why would I put myself in
a position to feel hungry? As a Mormon, my Christian
faith encouraged its members to fast the first Sunday of each month, a task I’d
ignored for almost 20 years. On January
3, 2016 God told me if I fasted it would change my life. As someone with a food addiction, this seemed
impossible. Although I knew going
without food would be difficult, I could see the beautiful parable of
sacrifice. Fasting was an offering of
self-will, one of the few things I possessed to give to God. Fasting was a willingness to go without so
somebody else would be blessed. The law
of the fast involved praying for somebody in need while going two consecutive
meals without food. For me, that meant
skipping breakfast and lunch. Once the
fast was complete, a financial offering was made to the church equivalent to
the cost of the missed meals. Most
church members donated generously because their money went specifically to feeding
the hungry, clothing the poor and providing shelter to the homeless. On January 3, my attempt at fasting was full
of failure. At one point I forgot all
about my commitment and ate a piece of chocolate. When I was hungry and thought I might faint,
I drank grapefruit juice. Several times
I thought of giving up, but barely hung on.
I thought of my own needs and and the food I desired. At dinner that night, I found some solace in
my meager accomplishment. If God could
grade my fast, I would probably receive a D-; passing only because I had
attempted to do my best. Little did I know God had a surprise for me. He wanted me to experience the same type of
fast for 30 more days.
(Several days before I started my fast. When being photographed, I'd become very comfortable hiding behind my children.)
“No,” I said in my mind. “You’ve got the wrong girl” and I dismissed
the thought. Was I gluten for punishment and making this idea up? Was fasting for 30 days even
healthy? I’d been taught to keep the
body fed, eating small meals throughout the day so the metabolism burned like a
small camp fire. Going without food
seemed counterproductive and for me it flashed impossibility like a neon sign. God couldn’t be serious, but again the
persistent thought to fast for 30 days flooded my thoughts. Once the idea settled a bit I wondered what God
had in store for me? I could see the poetic irony – overweight girl
gives up food and learns to rely on God.
Like the Sunday fast, it was an enchanting parable for someone else to
experience, but I couldn’t imagine it manifesting through me. Still, I knew God well enough to recognize
His voice, so with a willingness to try, I stumbled into my first day. For 30 days I struggled, cursed, fought and
eventually rejoiced in my fast, which I now know is called intermittent fasting. What I didn’t realize, was hunger would soon
become my friend and teacher.
(A note my husband left for me during my 30-day fast.)
Hunger forced me to think
outside myself. Without hunger this
opportunity would not have been possible.
Hunger was a mental game between my body and spirit. Once my body realized it was not in control, my
spirit was allowed to be in charge. Like
perspiration through the pores, I literally felt the dim light of my spirit shine
through growing brighter and brighter with each day. Released through hunger, my spirit soon began
a journey of learning. I understood my
relationship with food, how it held me back and kept me in a constant state of
low self-worth and procrastination.
Food; a sore spot for many women who struggled with body-image reminded
me of Eve and how she was tempted by the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Through deception, food could be a tool
inflicting hurt and pain on women. While fasting I constantly
asked questions. Why was obesity
wide-spread? Was over-eating and
depression linked? Why was body size
related to self-worth? Why had I turned
to food after being sexually abused? What
type of example was I setting for my children?
Would my daughter struggle with the same issues? I learned when every impulse and craving of
the body was not satisfied, the spirit became stronger. Such strength allowed me to not only conquer
the pains of my past, but find purpose in them.
Fasting projected me towards what I could accomplish and what I was
doing right in my life. Self-discipline
and gratitude rose out of ashes and through fasting, my best self became
present.
Because of the weight I’ve lost,
I’m tempted to call fasting dieting but these two terms are counter
opposites. While dieting is an internal
struggle of deprivation fasting is an outward expression of love and
healing. In other words, I wasn’t
willing to give up my food addiction for myself, but I was willing to do it for
someone I loved and could pray for.
Throughout the next few
weeks, I will continue sharing tips and insights on intermittent fasting and what
I learned. If you feel someone will benefit from this information, please share this blog post with them.
Read more about my experience by clicking here.
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