My total weight loss to day is 43.8 lbs. Amazing- absolutely amazing that I've lost 44 pounds in 55 days. I am feeling good (I'll be feeling way better once I'm eating though!), and am looking good. I am feeling better about myself, and can't wait to continue my journey via less extreme measures moving forward.
Some of you may be saying "wait a second... thought this was a 60 day fast??". Well, it is. So here's the deal: It takes a bunch of time to get back to eating normal. This is hard to gauge exactly. Some fasts can take up to a week to break. Some less. It all depends on how extreme they are and how long the fast has been. A two month juice fast is a pretty extreme fast. So this means that I will likely have about 4-5 days of pretty limited eating in front of me before I get back to normal.
There are two main reasons for this taking so long. When you fast, your body quits producing a bunch of the enzymes that your body uses to break foods down in your stomach. That's the first bit of it. The second piece is that you have this stuff called "intestinal flora" (pretty gross). This is the piece of the digestive tract that breaks down food in your colon after your stomach has done its part. The body has to replenish both of these adequately and slowly before I plunge into that pizza I've been craving. Jumping the gun on this could mean a trip to the hospital and a week or two in recovery. I'm going to play it safe and avoid this.
So I'm beginning to break fast before the fast is actually over because it's going to take days to get my digestive tract into functional form again, and I'm still technically fasting while going without a full selection of foods. A technicality? Absolutely. But my wife's birthday is next week as well and I promised to be able to share a meal with her and enjoy it together. I plan on making good on that promise!
So what have I learned from this long, rigorous time of fasting? Tons. To sum up a few things, I've learned to have more faith in God, and in myself. I never thought that I could lose the weight and get in shape. I never thought that I could maintain a diet (let alone a fast) for long enough to make a dent. I've now learned that I can. When you go a couple months without eating, there's not much that you think you can't do any more. I also learned more about being patient, and having long-suffering. These are both fruits of the spirit that are real character-builders. It's not easy exercising these attributes ourselves. Sometimes life throws us into situations where we don't have a choice whether we will be patient or not, or how we will deal with really tough circumstances. But when you're volunteering for the lot of it, it really is a complete exercise in spiritual health that forms you. I've also learned a huge amount about my body. I thought I had a pretty good grasp before this, but now have a sense of control of my body that I've never had that is derived from a better understanding of how it works. Better understanding my metabolism and metabolic burn rate, my bmi, what my body needs to be healthy physically, and details of dieting and fasting effects is eye-opening. I feel empowered to continue on the path that I need to be on now.
It's also amazing how this adventure has been used to share what I'm going through including the spiritual aspects of it with so many people. I've become closer to people that I love, and have benefited from the thoughts and prayers of over 500 people taking part in my blog as spectators. I hope that I have been an encouragement to those who are in need of encouragement. It took a few guys inspiring me to get me to take on this enormous challenge, so I can relate, and am glad to be able to carry this on beyond my own experience here through others.
So tomorrow, I'll bite into something and it's going to be amazing. I'll chew food again, and have a full stomach for the first time in two months. I will feel the endorphins released as my cravings finally subside, and will smile as I reflect on this accomplishment. Morning can't come soon enough!
Thank you all so much for your thoughts, prayers, and encouragement. If it wasn't for this blog and the community that has come around me, I probably would've thrown in the towel and quit half way through. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm a happier, thinner person for your interest in my success.
I'll continue to post a few updates as I approach day 60 to keep everyone informed of what's going on while I break the fast.
One final thought to leave you with:
Lamentations 3:22-23
English Standard Version (ESV)
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[a]
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
~Until later
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