Intermittent fasting – 5 months later

I wrote my memoir Starving Girl – my 30-day experience with the miracle of intermittent fasting in 30 days. 

Every day, I took time to journal how I felt about what I was doing, the challenges, rewards and impressions.  I wrote about hunger, body image and overcoming negative self-talk.  I was in uncharted territories, I mean me, the girl who loved eating and had been overweight most of her life was going without food for 16 hours a day and writing about it.  I was no expert on fasting, prayer or weight-loss.  All I knew about fasting was what I’d been taught by my Christian parents as a child: on the first Sunday of every month our family skipped two consecutive meals.  The money saved from not eating the two meals was given to the poor.  We were intentional about our fast, praying for those in our family or community in need of help.  With this concept, I was going to fast for 30 days, meaning skipping two meals a day.  I skipped breakfast and lunch and would eat from 4:00pm to bedtime.  Before bed, I’d kneel in prayer and start my fast for the next day.  Why?  This may be difficult to believe, but it was because God told me to.  I fasted on Sunday January 3, 2016, my typical best-effort once-a-month fast when I felt impressed to fast for 30 days.  I was told it would change my life and my life needed a lot of changing. 

At first, I tried to talk myself out of it.  Why would I feel impressed to do such a thing?  Was fasting for 30 days even healthy?  My once-a month attempts at fasting were pretty pathetic and usually resulted in either sneaking something to eat or having a bad attitude and complaining about how difficult it was.  Truth was I didn’t want to fast for 30-days, but throughout my life, through miracle after miracle and blessing after blessing, I’d learned to recognize God’s voice.  I couldn’t deny the inspiration to fast for 30 days came from Him.  He’s the boss.  I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t follow through with what I’d been instructed to do. Even on the most difficult days, even when hunger made me nauseous or when there was chocolate chip cookie dough right in front of me, I carried on. With God right by my side, quitting was never an option.

While fasting, I learned things about myself I didn’t know before like:

I learned I had a food addiction. 

I realized I had a negative body image and talked down to myself because I felt fat.

Although I thought I was grateful for food, I learned most of the time I resented food and blamed it for most of my problems.

I’d exaggerated my relationship with food.  When I thought I was starving, I learned there were people in the world who were truly hungry; even starving.

I didn’t realize how much food I had wasted throughout my life until I went without food. 

I lived in a constant state of either procrastination or rush and was never settled with myself.

Even with God at my side, fasting for 30 days was one of the most difficult things I’d ever done, but it was also one of the most rewarding.

The rewards were the following:

I was able to stop the negative self-talk in my mind.

I overcame my food addiction.

I developed a habit of praying every day, even multiple times a day for those in need.

I turned to the sweetness of the scriptures when I craved sweets.

I stopped wasting food.

I learned hunger was not something to fear or despise, but to turn to gratitude.

I became aware of my ancestors, those who’d lived before me who had gone hungry and was incredibly grateful for them.

I developed true empathy for the poor and prayed for them throughout the day.

I was able to give the money I saved while fasting to the poor.

I developed a relationship with God that literally brought me to tears.

I learned I am a child of God and I believe it whole-heartedly.

I learned to live in the moment.

Oh, I almost forgot because it’s not as significant as the other rewards - I lost 12 pounds.

After my 30-day experience, I continued fasting because not only had I learned to love it, but I discovered a term called intermittent fasting.  Believe it or not, what I was doing was healthy and promoted by many doctors and researchers.  Intermittent fasting concludes there is a pattern to eating and the body runs more efficiently when it consumes its daily calories in an 8-hour eating window.  I believe it is not promoted like it should be because nobody makes any money off it.  Intermittent fasting is free.

I continued editing my memoir; adding additional insights, stories and impressions.  It is now in the hands of a very talented miracle-working editor.

I just finished my fifth month of fasting.  My memoir is done and hopefully will be up on Amazon in the next month.  I’ll have a book launch on my blog soon, but I’ve learned so much more about fasting then what you’ll find in the first book.  The rewards keep on coming, as does the weight-loss so I’ve decided to start book 2 of Starving Girl.  Because I plan on practicing intermittent fasting for a year, I may also write a book 3 of Starving Girl. 

For many people, the most interesting part of intermittent fasting is the weight-loss.  Dieting is a billion dollar industry and people are desperate to get those unwanted pounds off.  I get this because dieting was the focus of my life every since I was a teenager.  That’s right, for 30 years I’ve fought this demon.  I will share my numbers, although I do this with one caveat:  fasting has changed my life because of the spiritual and emotional benefits, not because of the number on the scale.  I weight myself at my doctor’s office, as I do not keep a scale in my home.  I will not give the glory to the scale, but to my Heavenly Father.

 Before intermittent fasting:

After five-months of intermittent fasting:

I’ve lost 30 pounds, dropped two dress sizes and am running 2 miles a day.  I’ve incorporated a lot more exercise into my life because I love it and my body is lighter and stronger.  If it wasn’t for the spiritual growth, awareness and empathy I’ve developed, I don’t know if I would have ever learned to commit to a healthy eating plan, but this is it for me.  Intermittent fasting is amazing and now, it’s pretty easy.  I rarely feel hungry while fasting.  Prayer is essential, as is scripture study and giving to the poor.

I started a conversation on facebook about intermittent fasting and there were some haters.  Out of maybe 100 positive comments, 3 people voiced negative concerns.  I was told I was anorexic (yea, right!), needed therapy and should not be promoting intermittent fasting because I’m not a doctor or dietician.  Several people involved in the discussion defended intermittent fasting and voiced they had been advised by their doctor to practice the same thing.  Despite my insecurities, I combated the negativity pretty well and only wallowed for about a month.  I wondered if I should I keep my journey private, but when I was told to fast for 30 days, I was also told to write about my experience so I’ll share my story with the greatest of hopes to help others who struggle with the same issues.  You should talk to your doctor if you're considering trying it.  I'm ever so thankful for God's law of the fast.

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.

Without food, who am I?

On Sunday January 3, 2016 I did something I hadn’t done in two decades.  I fasted.

As a Mormon, my Christian faith encouraged me to fast one day a month and abstain from eating for two consecutive meals, a task I’d ignored for 20 years.  Little did I know God had a surprise for me.  He wanted me to experience the same type of fast for 30 more days. 

30 days!!!

For 30-days I skipped breakfast and lunch and ate dinner at 4:00pm.

At first, I didn’t know what I was doing.  Going without food was like walking into a jungle with no guide or compass.  I stumbled and felt lost, but I knew what I was feeling was truth.  Fasting was a physical experience with a spiritual purpose and God’s presence in my life became immediate and all-encompassing.  I knew why I needed to fast.  I’d become emotionally passive and after having my last of six kids, I was ready to let myself go. 

Loving my sixth baby Canyon days after he was born.

I'd taken on a laissez-faire approach to life.  

Where I’d once been stalwart and determined I was a now a victim with a withering self-esteem.

Something needed to change in my life or I was going to slowly age into the sunset with all the benefits of obesity and poor health.  Fasting for 30 days was my gift, my necessary journey of high-seas and low-tides.  Some days, even moments I was elated while other times I felt like banging my head against the wall.  With all the spiritual benefits of fasting, I knew change wouldn’t come easy.  Change was painful, especially waking up from the ugly nap of denial and facing what years and years of complacency looked like.  Fasting was a tool a loving Father in Heaven created to help me remember who I was.

My husband has been such a support.

Without food to help me cope with my everyday emotions, on day 12 of my fast, I hit a wall.

Here’s an expert from my memoir Starving Girl of what I experienced:

Day 12 - I spent most of the day at home doing what I did – cleaning, laundry, caretaking, garbage collecting and I was somebody I didn’t wanted to be around.  There was a chip on my shoulder (unfortunately nothing I could eat), a grudge building in my heart that rang loud like an alarm, but unfortunately it wasn’t louder then the empty pit of hunger screaming back at me.  The hunger magnified all my emotions.  I knew I was hungry and I knew it was the emotional reasons I wanted to eat and I was mad as a bankrupt millionaire.  I missed the comfort of food, the way I could suck on a piece of chocolate or whip of a batch of cookies when I was bored or sad or scared.  I missed the impulsive eating where I could eat without giving it a second thought.  I missed the warmth of food, the punch of flavor and the freedom of moving my mouth.  I missed the escape and liberation.  I wanted food for unexplainable reasons – to feel like a kid again, to feel like a grown up, to feel safe, to feel cared for - to feel, to feel, to feel!  Without food, I had to feel everything!!!  I wanted to explode. In my mind I envisioned lacing up boxing gloves.  Punch, PUNCH I hit at my emotional punching bag.  Harder, harder and in my mind my body was sweating out the anger. The girl in my head growled loud and louder while hitting away at an almost disintegrated punching bag.  I showed it!  That punching bag had nothing on me!  I was starving!! I was starving, when my inner voice shouting at me “It’s not about the food!”

“What are you starving for?” I screamed back at myself in my mind.  “What is it you want!!”

The girl with the boxing gloves, exasperated, finally collapsed and breathed heavy while she collected her thoughts, but before long she was screaming back at me.

“I’m starving for life!  I’m starving to do something big, to reach beyond myself and not hold myself back any more.  I want to live.  I want my dreams!! I want what I know I can be.”

I knew it!  I wasn’t starving for food but something much, much bigger.  Food couldn’t even touch what I was starving for.  Food had nothing to do with it. 

Food had nothing do to with the hunger brewing inside me!

Food was actually holding me back.  Food controlled me.

Without fasting, I would have never learned this.

I knew I was overweight; I knew most days I hated my body but I didn’t know I had a food addiction until I started fasting. 

While researching food addiction, these particular questions made me realize how big of a problem I had:

Do you pray and ask God to help you with your weight, and then feel your prayers aren’t answered?

Do you find yourself eating when you are upset or reward yourself with food when you do something good?

Have you tried different diets or weight loss programs, but none has worked permanently?

At times fasting another day seemed impossible, but the blessings that came into my life were far greater than the hardship of going without food.  God knows all and He created a perfect system to overcoming the trials of obesity and food-addiction – that gift is fasting.

 After 30 days of fasting, I decided to keep going.

Now, my friends, I am going to ask for a gift from you.  I have a 200-page memoir I’ve written about my experience. If you think something I have to say can benefit you or someone you love, please share my blog posts on social media via facebook (click here to like my facebook page), instagram (lalalofgreen) or pinterest, etc. The only way I’m going to get the attention of an agent is by building my readership.  Please help my posts on intermittent fasting go viral.  I have so much more to share. 

Also, feel free to add comments with questions on my blog or facebook page and I will do my best to answer them on my next post. 

Never did I think I would conquer my food addiction and low self-worth and I have a long journey in front of me, but God knew obesity would be an epidemic in our day.  I truly feel intermittent fasting with prayer and an honest fast offering is the answer.  It's free and it's free-ing.  Research intermittent fasting and see if it is right for you. My favorite lecture is by Dr. Mike Lara and can be found by clicking here.  

Over the next few weeks, I will share what worked for me but your fast may be different from mine.  My brother fasts 7pm to 7am Monday through Friday and then does a 16-hour fast on Sunday.  My mom fasts until noon on weekdays and doesn’t fast over the weekend.  My other brother has given up energy drinks.  The point is to make your fast intentional.   Sacrifice something physical not only for your spiritual growth, but to pray for someone else in need.  Fasting is the answer to helping those in need.  It creates a greater awareness in us to think of others.  God will let you know your specific fast.