Note: None of this is medical advice. Always see your doctor before making dietary or lifestyle changes. This is my own personal experience with fasting.
Last week, I fasted for two days, intermittently, for my first time.The overall effects were amazing. But what was my reason behind it? For me, I wanted to give my body a time a “reset” so to speak. And I also was looking for a challenge. Activists and passionate people might fast for a variety of reasons. It could be for religious purposes. It could be to fast in solidarity with friends, or in honor of a certain event. Fasting is used all over the world, across cultures, for a variety of reasons. However, fasting doesn’t have to mean going completely without food; it could be “intermittent” fasting or a “cleansing” fast.
What is intermittent fasting? Intermittent fasting refers to any refrain of eating meals whether it be during certain hours of the day or even up to a couple of days at a time.
How can it be healthy? Some people healthily skip breakfast each morning and only eat between the hours of 12-8pm each day. However, the way I did my fasting was that I fasted for two days consecutively. However, I still put nutrients in my body interspersed throughout the day. Since I was going two full days without big meals, I took supplements that helped revitalize my system and keep me going. This also means I could still do mild exercise.
Was it hard? Yes, for me. In fact, the first day, I had to “have a meal” for dinner. However, it was small, but was necessary to sustain me. Listen to your body! If you are getting certain reactions to fasting, you might want to eat! I will say though, it wasn’t nearly as hard the second day. It was a breeze in comparison.
What did you learn from it? Intermittent fasting with cleansing (cleansing here referring to the nutrients I gave my body throughout the day) was a challenge. I’m an activist and I love challenges! It made me feel very accomplished after the second day even though the first day was rough. I learned it was right for me and my body to include this into my lifestyle.
What about stress relief? Because you’re giving your body a “break” from full meals, it gives your body a way to decrease stress. It didn’t have to “work” to break down those meals into parts. It was very relaxing and I felt more mental clarity. Additionally, because my body had to pull from reserves of energy already in my body, I felt more refreshed, especially after light exercise.
I’m interested! How often should I do this? First, like I said, talk to a doctor first! Second, feel free to message me at hope.e.schmid@gmail.com for more info on fasting and cleansing. Depending on your goals and your body, you’ll want to fast for different amounts of time.
(Great source on the science behind Intermittent Fasting: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/08/06/a-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting/)
-Hope Schmid, Founder of Warrior’s Pose
Warrior's Pose 