Intermittent fasting – How to Start

Hi, let me introduce you to my food crutches.

Because I’d grown up fasting, I was accustomed to the pattern of skipping two consecutive meals on day a month. Although difficult, most fast Sundays I’d at least attempted to fast. I can only think of one time I actually did it 100%.

January 3, 2016, was only going to be another attempt to complete a fast I when I felt impressed I should fast for another 30 days. Yes, I questioned my sanity more then once.

January 4, 2016 was an interesting day for me. Other than 100% committed to fasting, I had no idea what I was doing. After getting the kids off to school, I cleaned up the breakfast dishes when the first wave of hunger hit. The hunger was an earth-moving force and I gripped onto the side of my kitchen counter. I thought the hunger from the day before was tough, but this was a whole new level. My stomach felt like a black hole and there was soreness. The actual muscle of my stomach ached, but nothing about the hunger made me crave food. I didn’t feel desperate. I didn’t feel out of control. I felt surprisingly in control. I felt present and accountable when I felt in my heart should pick two grapefruit from my tree, juice them and drink.

Grapefruit juice became my first of three food crutches.

On January 5, 2016 I stumbled out of bed dizzy and lightheaded.  I held onto the wall as I walked into my daughter’s room.  The sky was dark as night and I could hear the rain pouring down on the roof.  Barely able to move, I started boiling some water for mint tea.  I took some aspirin and once the kids left for school laid back down.  The baby awoke and with the little energy I had, we played on the floor with his toys.  I’m not sure what was going on.  Either I was having a strange detox or I had the worst cold in the history of mankind.  

At this point, I did what I could to manage a little self-evaluation:

Self:  Are you ok?

Self:  Are you going crazy?

Self:  Do you need to eat?

Self, clearly and confidently said back to me: “No, I am fine.  Keep fasting.”

The spirit whispered “You crave sweet foods when you want something sweet out of life.  Fill yourself with the sweetness of the spirit of the Lord.” 

With the little energy I had, I opened my scriptures and read.  For the first time in my life, the scriptures literally came alive.  What I’d read time and time again felt brand new.  So startled was I by the beauty of the words and the profound importance of their message, I started reading the scriptures out loud.  I had to repeat passages over and over again, amazed at the understanding.  I’d heard to feast and hunger after righteousness, but I never expected the words to literally fill me up.  They did. 

January 6, 2016 introduced me to my second food crutch.  I was still very sick with my cold, but at least could manage caring for Canyon while the other kids were at school.  I felt impressed to drink some hot chicken broth.  I called my sweet mom and asked her to bring some over.  I drank the piping hot liquid and let it sooth my throat.  The taste was a salty confection of flavor.  Never had liquid tasted so good.

Chicken broth became my second food crutch.

From that day forward, I had grapefruit juice first thing in the morning and chicken broth around noon.

January 8, 2016 - Although I struggled throughout the day with hunger, it never affected my energy level.  I didn’t feel tired, I felt invigorated.  I wasn’t sure how that could happen without food in my belly, but it did.  There were many things I was starting to notice while fasting like greater mental awareness.  My temperament toward my children when the argued and were contentious was more mild.  I could talk to them about how they felt without projecting my own disappointment and frustration.  Many times I felt like an observer in my home, like I was elevated above the chaos.  I reflected on what was happening around me and made quick and accurate mental assessments before reacting.  I didn’t feel the pressure of time because hunger kept me present.  I was living in the moment and could focus on the current crisis with my best self.  I also found an interesting confidence in what I was doing.  My newly-learned self-discipline quieted the voices in my head that before were constantly putting pressure on me.  No longer did I feel I was missing out on a greater purpose – all the “if only” moments that kept me from living the life I was experiencing to wanting the live the life I couldn’t seem to acquire.  My purpose was here, in my home, with my kids and I was to fast at this very moment.  I was journaling every day, reading my scriptures and praying.  A part of myself I thought was gone forever started peaking her head around the corner, making herself present.  No longer did I fight the mental energy to judge my time management or tasks of the day.  I was doing what was most important and my mental “naysayers” had nothing to say about that. The present hunger kept them shushed!

While working in the kitchen, I opened my cupboard and put my hand on a bag of Green Smoothie Girl protein powder.  I just stood there, staring at the bag when I realized what I was touching.  “I should have some of that,” I felt in my heart so I boiled some water and put a scoop into it.  Green Smoothie Girl protein powder is raw, vegan, organic and sprouted – and it tastes really good, especially when you’re fasting.

Green Smoothie Girl protein powder became my third food crutch.

To recap, my first three weeks consisted of the following:

First thing in the morning: two citrus, either juiced or eaten.  I did fluctuate between oranges and grapefruit.

10:00am: 1 scoop protein powder in boiling water.  Boiling water made me sip my drink, which really made it enjoyable and last longer.

1:00pm:  Boiling chicken broth.  Some days I drank an entire quart. 

4:00pm:  I broke my fast with prayer and opened the scriptures to see what God wanted to impress upon my heart.

Once I broke my fast for the day, I felt impressed to not follow any food plan.  I used common sense and because my stomach began shrinking, I could only eat about 1/3 of what I usually ate. 

On my next blog post, I’ll share how I learned because of my food crutches I was not really doing intermittent fasting, but then later I learned my food crutches were essential to starting a long-term true intermittent fast.  I’m telling you, this journey has had a lot of twists and turns; all directed by a loving Father in Heaven.  

Come see me speak on intermittent fasting March 12, 2016 at the Christ-centered Energy Healing Conference in Mesa AZ.  More information here.

If you have a question about my journey with intermittent fasting, please leave your question below or on my facebook page here.