Do you eat extra bites of leftovers while you’re clearing up food from the table? 

Do you often eat while doing other activities? 

Are you ever completely stuffed and miserable after eating?

I’ll go even further: How often do you eat even though you’re not hungry? How often do you eat because you are bored? How often do you eat to ‘medicate’ an unpleasant emotion like anger, sadness or frustration? To change your eating habits long-term, it is definitely important to pay attention to our eating habits. That’s what this article is all about.

.

Healthy Helpings: Are you a mindful eater?

“Research suggests that a slower, more thoughtful way of eating could assist us with our weight concerns and possibly even direct us down a better path of making healthier food choices. When you are a mindful eater, you are more aware of your actions, …”
http://www.ydr.com/ci_22985596/healthy-helpings-are-you-mindful-eater-63

The good news is that, no matter how bad your eating habits may be, you have the ability to change and transform your life and health. We can’t go around distracted, clueless about what we are putting in our mouths. Neither can be succumb to the ‘screw it’ syndrome and allow food to destroy us.

I implore you to take this article to heart and put the information to practice. If someone like me who was 110 pounds overweight can lose it and keep it off going now on 12 years, then certainly you can do it as well. You have to get ‘sick and tired of being sick and tired.’

You have to get mad and refuse to continue to give in to every whim of the belly. You can do it.

It is true when they say that ‘disease begins in the digestive system’ and that ‘ you are what you eat.’

This article touches on the very heart of what we are trying to do in our health-improvement quest.

The whole point of fasting for weight loss and detoxification is to live our lives in optimum wellness.

And the ONLY way that this will happen is if we abandon poor eating habits and embrace a lifestyle of digestive health. Think for a moment of everything that you eat in a given month.

How much of that food is conducive to your health? How much of it, on the other hand, is toxic and downright harmful? It is true what they say that ‘disease begins in the digestive system.’ 

Digestive Wellness – The Ultimate Health Article!

by Adam J Zaks

What is the foundation of a tree? The roots right? Well in the same way you can kill a tree by killing the roots, you can kill a human by going straight to the digestive system; the digestive system is the mother of all systems.

There are 11 systems in total and the other 10 all relate back to what’s going on with your digestion! Now that we’ve established our focus here, lets break it down…

* The modern food habits of the masses

Firstly I don’t mean to scare anyone here, or maybe I do, but only to get you to act. We are currently in the rise of a powerful epidemic with 85% of men and women destined for obesity by 2022 and the most common cause of death is heart disease and cancer.

What does obesity, heart disease and cancer all have in common? They are SYMPTOMS of poor health and specifically a polluted or poisoned digestive tract. To break that down even further, rotting matter, fermentation, dysbiosis and clogged villi.

Whichever angle you at it from these origins all create an acidic blood stream. The blood is considered as the river of health OR sickness, and it all depends what you put into to it from upstream! We are continuously polluting our bodies with ‘non food’ items, most of which I’m sure most people believe to be actual food.

Which foods from this list are you eating every day? Sugar, dairy, wheat, alcohol, commercially grown meat (grain and corn fed), stimulants, artificial sweeteners, cooked or processed matter?

Furthermore, have you taken antibiotics, paracetamol (or any other ‘pain killer’), drunk tap water in fluoridated communities or taken any pharmaceutical drug?

If you’ve answered yes to at least one or more of these things then my suggestion is that you make some drastic changes!

The above listed are all acid forming in your blood stream and you are currently making that red river, a river of sickness. What is the first thing that happens when you have an acidic blood stream and what are some ways of improving the situation?

Your blood does everything it can to keep in the range of neutral when it comes to acidity and alkalinity. This is approximately 7.36 on the scale. Though when we force our blood into acidity, what’s the first thing that gets attacked? Our bones!

Our bones are the most alkaline part to our body so alkaline forming minerals get stolen from our bones causing the bones to become weak, brittle and in severe cases like fibromyalgia the bones actually become painful!

How do we stop this from happening?

* Your new diet

First of all, when I say ‘diet’, I do not for one minute believe one should go on a diet as this is something in the industry that I spit on! Diets are a title so that the lazy can go ON one or go OFF one. Don’t become a statistic of the FAD! I do not prescribe diets and I am not a nutritionist. I am a health coach who has studied and been absorbed with health research and practises my entire life.

I know what’s good for the human digestive system and what is not. You can sit there in your nutrition class and tell me it’s the fat consumption and I’ll tell you it’s the sugar.

There are the people who have done some research and had no experience, there are people who have done a bit of both and there are the wise who are extensively well read and actually been a practitioner at the same time. The latter is the origin of advice you should listen to.

Fill your diet with at least 51% uncooked, plant based matter. Please, I cannot stress stress enough the words ‘at least’. 51% minimum. On top of that if your food is organically grown then that’s even better. The amount of journal articles I’ve read on the benefits of organic food are extensive.

The need for chemicals to be sprayed on plants are not applicable what so ever. Plants have protective mechanisms called antioxidants which protect them from bugs. However!

The plants will get eaten if they are in a mono environment. That is an environment which doesn’t allow all of nature to reside in that immediate community. Mass produced corn is a great example. Corn is the only thing seen for miles, of course it needs to be sprayed! It’s got no protection!

Decrease or eradicate sugar, wheat, foods with soy, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. Drink non fluoridated, non chlorinated water and when you do eat meat (yes I believe in flesh), make sure it is properly raised, organic, free range, fed properly, no chemical intervention what so ever. How do I make sure of that? Get off your bottom and go and meet your farmer, you’ll learn something!

* Supplementation

Probiotics, why do we need them? There is 100 times more bacterial DNA than human DNA in your body. If you believe that your DNA is what makes you YOU, think again. The health of the bacteria in our body is one of the most vital elements of health. Our gut is loosely coined as the term ‘the second brain’ for two major reasons.

1. The bacterial DNA that resides there dictating to the rest of the body what’s about to happen next. This wad of bacterial DNA is called the micro biome, almost considered to be an organ itself.

2. There are more neurotransmitters created in the gut than in the brain. This further proves the need for endocrinologists and digestive professionals to work together as these systems are so heavily intertwined like lifelong friends from birth until death.

The difference between a probiotic and a prebiotic: Easy to remember, a probiotic is a supplement which is pro formed healthy bacteria usually from two families; lactobacillus and bifidobacteria.

These guys come and and set up a better nutritional profile in your small and large intestine, improving the function of your other systems like the endocrine system that creates more balanced hormones through the healthy cholesterol that the bacteria has produced. (Probiotics are a healthy alternative to statins)

The parasympathetic nervous system also benefits because healthy bacteria assist in peristalsis which is the contraction of smooth muscles like your oesophagus. Peristalsis is very magnesium depleting though having enough healthy bacteria in your body slows magnesium depletion. These are just SOME of the benefits of probiotic supplementation.

Prebiotics: These are the non digestible elements of real whole food and plant based supplements that stimulate bacterial growth. It is my opinion that we combine prebiotics and probiotics because then we have two pathways for healthy bacterial growth.

Mechanical digestion – chewing the food well increases surface area which then means we absorb more nutrients

Chemical digestion – enzymes, hormones, hydrochloric acid, bile etc.

Enzymes, why do we need them? There are two main types of enzymes needed to digest your food. Pancreatic (animal) enzymes and plant based enzymes. Don’t take me too literally here though, our body is responsible for about 50% of the enzymes needed to break down our food, these are the pancreatic enzymes.

The other 50% comes from food. Here’s the thing though… If your food is cooked to temperatures of 47.7 degrees or above your plant based enzymes are 100% dead. By the same token, all packaged, processed food also has no enzymes. This is of course unless you’re taking a supplement range like YOR health which has NDS.

The patented nutritional delivery system, packed full of enzymes! Enzymes switch our food on, making it recognisable to the body and absorbable into the blood stream. One of the big reasons we need to supplement with probiotics is because we need to supplement with enzymes.

There is a synergy there! If enzymes are not assisting us in breaking down and assimilating our food then the food in our gut starts to ferment (go off!) and the need for probiotics presents itself again to clean the villi.

What if I just eat whole food and don’t cook it? Our food has the lowest amount of nutritional value ever in the history of plants unless, as I said you go to organic farms or eat wild plants.

Then there’s cold storage. Even the most organic of apples loses 50% of its enzymes 30mins after its been picked, so you can imagine how much enzyme depletion there is after 10 months of cold storage!

In summing up: For a healthy digestive system and long energetic life, lived to its full potential; my recommendation is to eat plants from the richest of soil, eat ethically grown, free range flesh and to supplement with the worlds highest quality digestion products.

Adam Zaks from A2ZedHealth – Health coach, teacher, speaker and fellow human.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

The problem is that many people are always fasting and/or dieting, but they never make a firm commitment to make ‘permanent’ eating-habit changes. Where are you in this process? Are your dietary habits improving? Are they getting worse? Or are you just ‘coasting,’ eating clean once in a while but still overindulging in junk?

You need to make a decision once and for all. There is no time to be straddling the fence. How you treat your digestive system will determine the quality as well as the length of your life.

That is why the message I bring you in this website is so important. It is great that you want to lose weight and look better. There is nothing wrong with that at all. But, in the end, what we are talking about is our very lives.

And YOU are the only one that can truly make the difference. I’d love to hear your thoughts and/or comments on this topic. God bless.

 This type of article is what really makes all of my work worthwhile. What is interesting here, however, is that it doesn’t talk about calorie restriction as malnutrition.

Rather, it emphasizes that calorie restriction is most effective when accompanied by a nutritious diet. It isn’t the same to cut 20-40% of a diet comprised of pizza and cheeseburgers, than to do the same eating healthy, balanced meals.

And, honestly, it doesn’t cease to amaze me what these calorie restriction studies indicate. Please take a moment to read this article and you’ll see what I mean, but to give you a taste, it says that

“Where adequate nutrient intake is obtained, CR may increase longevity, reduce morbidity and autoimmune disease, and reduce the age related onset of atherosclerosis, CVD, cancer, diabetes, renal disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and respiratory diseases.”

Calorie Restriction: Is it the route to health and longevity?

https://www.ahealthyphilosophy.com/article/calorie-restriction-is-it-the-route-to-health-and-longevity

 I don’t know about you, but the amazing power of fasting / calorie restriction never ceases to blow my mind. That is why I am so adamant that you give it a try. It is a lifestyle that pays huge dividends. I realize that, at first, it is not easy to control our appetite and practice fasting / calorie restriction.

But I can tell you from first-hand experience that it gets a lot easier with practice. And, we cannot deny, the benefits in health and life quality are astounding. Just to drive to message home, check out the video bellow on calorie restriction. I’d love to hear your thoughts and/or comments on this topic. 

The problem lies in the first six-to-nine months after a person loses weight and goes off their diet. Most do not have a solid plan of action in place and, sooner rather than later, start nibbling on the wrong foods all over again. That’s why I always take about, not a diet (or just fasting), but – rather- a lifestyle change. You cannot have any illussion that once you lose the weight (or finish fasting), then it is business as usual. That is the trap right there.

Why Diets Don’t Work

“Studies suggest that people who diet by trying to restrict their calories, end up eating more than people who don’t bother to go on a diet at all. The dieters may …chestsculpting.com/why-diets-dont-work/”
http://chestsculpting.com/why-diets-dont-work/

And, of course, the body will take at least nine months to get used to new eating habits, during which it will harass you with hunger and cravings. But if you refuse to give in to those snares and hold your ground, then there is no reason for you to end up back where you started.

Do check out this article though, as it presents a number of very good and valid points that I think will help you in your journey. 

Many Americans skipping meds to save money

“The report also revealed that 6 percent of adults between the ages of 18 and 64 opted for less expensive alternative therapies, compared with 2.3 percent of adults aged 65 and older. About one in every 50 American adults also purchased their …”

http://www.wrex.com/story/21918520/many-americans-skipping-meds-to-save-money-cdc-says

I think over the years we will see holistic / natural medicine advancing to the forefront. And it seems like, right now, the economy is forcing the tide in that direction. What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. 

You CAN reach all of your fasting/health related goals. Let go of the past and be your own wish fulfiller TODAY!

When I look back today, I am amazed of how things have turned out. I did not think I would live to be here with you today. It’s incredible all of the addictive, compulsive behaviors I’ve had to overcome in my life! For a long time I was angry and bitter.

I thought I had been dealt a “bad hand.” I was always stewing in depression and self-pity. Poor me, poor me, poor me was my mantra. Now, I see differently.

Today I understand that God, Life, the Universe, was actually “pushing me” to a better place. One day, tired of feeling defeated, sad and suicidal, I stopped fighting and accepted the test. And now, more than ten years later, here I am, healthy, happy and sharing my story with you!

I feel immensely grateful to have been able to overcome the horrid food addiction that kept me trapped for so many years.

As a kid (and later in life) I could literally eat constantly all day long – unable (and unwilling) to stop. It was an act of desperation.

I did not feel “fit” to be alive. I felt insufficient, inadequate…inferior.  Here’s an example of what I would eat in a typical day:

In the morning – Omelet filled with cheese and bacon, a plate of pancakes, some pastries, coffee loaded with sugar and a huge glass of orange juice.

All through the day – Countless bags of potato chips, nuts, chocolate bars, ice cream, pizza, sandwiches etc… I could not stop until I was completely sick, nauseous, bloated, depressed and crazy.

I was in hell.

Alarmed by my compulsive eating and rapid weight gain, mom tried to keep tabs on my eating the best that she could. But, of course, any time she was not around – I would gorge… sometimes hiding in the closet to eat. Anytime my grandma or mother moved my bed to clean under it, they would stumble across countless candy bar wrappers that I had “hidden.” Eating was the only thing that made me feel good. Food was my comfort, my oasis… my best friend. Indeed, compulsive overeating took over my life. Then came the turning point.

When I was 9 years old my grandmother took me to the movie theater to watch a movie called Rocky.  We used to go to the movies a LOT… it was our favorite pastime. But that day I was angry: I didn’t want to watch Rocky.  I wanted to see a new movie that had come out about cavemen and dinosaurs. But, given that grandma gave in to me plenty of times, I finally agreed to see Rocky.

Needless to say, that movie changed my life. I fell in  love with Rocky, his humble personality and fire to overcome what seemed like insurmountable odds. Since I had grown up without a father, Rocky became my new dad. Sylvester Stallone was my idol.

I had Rocky posters, Rocky T-shirts, Rocky lunchboxes and wanted to be just like Rocky, Rocky, Rocky. As I grew older, life showed up as it does for all of us. In spite of Rocky, I found myself gaining more and more weight, feeling more and more depressed, demoralized, rejected, inadequate and alone. The years passed and Rocky became but a distant memory of a child’s naive illusions.

Years passed and one day being at the hospital, due to my binging, obesity and overall destructive lifestyle I hit bottom, because I almost died. I had a very vivid dream that I was flying through our planet, and was taken to different places where people were in need. Suffering, like I had been. I really wished to help them and make a difference.

This is when I made a choice that defines who I am today and that was: Overcoming obesity and compulsive overeating.  Later on, fasting and other disciplines entered my life. I started to learn about fasting and clean diet could help me lose weight, cleanse my body and get a whole new lease on life. But this was no “overnight” or instantaneous” success. I struggled at first. I tried to fast several times and failed.

Other times I completed the fast and lost weight but did not know how to eat after the fast. So I gained the weight back.This happened more than once. Dejected, I wanted to give up. “What’s the use Robert?” my mind would say.”You just don’t have what it takes to overcome this.” And for a while I believed it. The old depression, sadness and self-pity started to re-emerge.

Then I remembered Rocky. He fell, he fell, he fell… but he got up every time and came back for more. Right! I get it! That is what I had to do. NOT look at some external “Rocky” to save me and make me feel safe and valuable. But BE MY OWN PERSONAL ROCKY, to conquer my addictive behavior.

NOBODY could do it for me.  Sure, family always loved and encouraged me, but in the end it was MY LIFE and it was therefore MY RESPONSIBLITY to overcome and, like Rocky said, “go the distance.” I became willing to do whatever it took, regardless of the discomfort, to gain my freedom and accomplish my goal.

It’s funny because a few years ago Stallone  wrote and directed part 6 of the series called Rocky Balboa. And in one part he tells his son: “Nothing is going to ever hit harder than life. It will knock you down and keep you there permanently if you let it. It ain’t about getting hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and KEEP MOVING FORWARD.”

My wishes were always to be free of my destructive behavior. That wish came true. I always wanted to make a difference in people’s life. And I have many testimonials that attest that I have, in fact, made a difference. Here’s my message to you:

Become Your Own Wish-Fulfiller !

Do it today. And maybe I can take a small part of the credit for helping you get there faster. Please take a moment and write your feedback on the Facebook box underneath. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

Fasting is, by far, the fastest weight loss method on this earth, but it is important to go in armed with information and structure

If you are interested in utilizing fasting to either lose weight or improve your health, then it is important for you to know what to expect and watch out for.

That’s what this article is all about. So, please, when you finish reading it, take a moment and leave feedback and/or questions at the Facebook comment box bellow.

That way you can add your own experience for the benefit of the entire fasting community.

For centuries, fasting has been used to heal and balance the body and promote spiritual awareness.

What is fasting, exactly?  The definition of fasting is to abstain from eating food – or sometimes just certain foods. To use fasting for weight loss and wellness, you need to first consider what your goals are.  Do you just want to lose weight, or do you also want to balance your body and become healthier and stronger?

If you simply want to lose weight and return to unhealthy eating habits afterward, fasting is probably not the right path for you.  The real purpose of fasting for weight loss is to cleanse and detoxify the body so you can then embark upon a healthier lifestyle and keep the weight off permanently.

Fasting can help you to:

· Release toxins

Clear addictions

Heal ailments

Hydrate your body

Increase energy

Improve mental clarity

Strengthen your spiritual connection

Before we continue exploring the many ways to do this, it’s important to note that:

Fasting puts the body (at least initially) under notable stress. If you have an illness that you are being treated for; if you take medication; or if you have a heart condition or any other serious condition that fasting has to be done with extreme caution and with the direct supervision of a qualified health professional..

Even if you consider yourself to be completely healthy, it’s important to check with your doctor to be sure fasting is safe for you.  Find a qualified doctor that supports fasting and work closely with him or her to bring your body back into balance.

I’ve shared some personal things about myself and my fasting journey in this video; things you might be able to relate to, because I think it might really help you.

Just click on the ‘Play’ button to watch now…

Ok, let’s move on with our fasting primer. Please note:

The information we are about to cover should serve as a good educational starting point, but is not intended to be and should not be construed as medical advice.

Different Types of Fasts

There are several kinds of fasts you can undertake, depending on your goals and experience.

Water Fast

The best known type of fast is a water fast.  You eat nothing and drink nothing except water for a period of 24 hours or longer.  A water fast is the most challenging kind of fast, and it is often too strenuous for beginners.  Not only is it difficult to handle the intense hunger pangs that result, you may also be surprised by the intensity of detoxifying side effects you experience.  On a water fast it is not unusual to feel very weak, dizzy, and nauseous.  You may also have strong headaches, diarrhea or constipation, bad breath, and have strong flu-like symptoms as your body releases toxins.

Juice Fast

A juice fast is usually less intense than water fasting because you drink natural fruit and vegetable juices, which provides nutrients and eases the intensity of side effects.  However, with this kind of fast you cannot use bottled juices; you need to use a juicer to squeeze organic fruits and vegetables, so there is a bit of a financial investment if you don’t already have a juicer.  The good news is that they aren’t as expensive as they used to be years ago – you can find some decent models for as little as $75.

Detoxification Fast

A detoxification fast is a little different than water and juice fasts.  In fact, some people may not consider it a “fast” at all because you may still be eating solid food, but the key is to change the quality and type of food.  For example, one common form of detoxification fast involves eating raw, organic food only.  Nothing cooked.  Obviously that means a vegetarian or vegan diet, since it’s unsafe to eat raw meat.  Other detoxification fasts may indeed be liquid-only, including plenty of fresh juices, water, and herbal teas to help cleanse the body.

Partial Fast

A partial fast involves fasting for part of each day, or abstaining from specific foods or beverages but otherwise following your normal diet.  This kind of fast is helpful when you want to give up a certain food or drink, like sugar or coffee; or a substance like nicotine.  To help cleanse the body, you might start drinking herbal teas, water with lemon, or simply filtered water – but the rest of your diet would remain the same.

 No matter which kind of fasting methos you wish to undergo, you’ll need to take your time and prepare for it instead of impulsively jumping in with both feet.  Take a look at the following suggestions for preparing to fast.

Preparing for a Fast

 Fasting should not be taken lightly.  It can be a big shock to the system – physically, mentally, and emotionally.

To lessen this shock, it’s a good idea to take a few common-sense steps beforehand:

Choose a Good Time to Fast

Since fasting can be physically draining, it’s a good idea to choose a time when you aren’t required to do a lot of physical activity.  Choose a weekend, or perhaps when you have some vacation time and will be spending it at home.  It’s important to be able to rest frequently if you need to.

Avoid fasting when you’re very stressed, busy, or sick with a cold or flu because you may not have the energy to handle the strain of fasting.

Also avoid fasting when you have to attend a big party, wedding, or other function where food will feature prominently.  Even if you are strong enough to abstain, you may feel uncomfortable watching everyone else eat, or receive a lot of questions from other people about why you aren’t eating.

Start Small

If you are brand new to fasting, you definitely don’t want to start by diving straight into a 30-day water fast.  That’s simply too much for most people.  Instead, a 24-hour juice fast might be more manageable.

If that still seems like too much, you could even try a simple 12-hour fast from dawn until dusk.  If you have no trouble doing that, you may be ready for a more strenuous fast.

Prepare Your Body

A week or two before you plan to start fasting it’s a good idea to start eliminating sugar, caffeine and processed foods from your diet.  Drink more water and start eating more fresh vegetables, fruit and salads.

If your diet has been particularly unhealthful for several years, you may even want to start this clean-up process earlier before you attempt any kind of fasting.

Jumping straight into a fast from a chronically unhealthful lifestyle can be extremely difficult, and a short period of preparation like this can help immeasurably.

 How to Handle a Fast

 The first day of a fast is always most challenging, no matter what kind of fasting it is.  There are several common challenges that arise for most people:

Cravings

The first thing you may struggle with is a strong craving for foods and beverages you used to enjoy every day.  For example, coffee or whatever you usually eat or drink first thing in the morning.  You may feel a twinge of anxiety (“How will I make it through the day without coffee?”) or you may simply feel deprived.

Cravings can also arise when you smell food cooking, or when you see others eating, or when your customary breakfast, lunch and dinner hours come around.  You may be surprised to realize just how much you used to look forward to meals and snacks!

You will find that all cravings can be dealt with effectively by reminding yourself why you chose to fast in the first place.  Reaffirm how important your goals are, and remind yourself that you won’t be fasting forever – you’ll be able to enjoy many great meals in the future.

Hunger Pangs

Another common challenge with fasting is recurring hunger pangs – that empty, growling, hungry feeling in the pit of your stomach.  These can be challenging to overcome, but they usually decrease in intensity after a couple of days.

In the meantime, it’s helpful to drink a lot of water, as well as hot beverages like herbal tea or hot water with lemon.

Sometimes just distracting yourself from the urge to eat can help a lot too.  Try reading, meditating, light cleaning, anything to take your mind off of food.

Feeling Lost or Left Out

If you live alone and can limit your interaction with other people while you are fasting, it will be easier to avoid temptation.  However, if you live with other people or have to interact with other people while you are fasting, you may find that you feel left out when you see them eating.

Even if you can isolate yourself completely, you may notice that you feel lost or restless, not quite knowing what to do with yourself.  Eating normally monopolizes a large part of your day and you may not realize it until you stop eating and suddenly feel like you’ve got too much time on your hands.

The best way to deal with these feelings is to simply accept them as a natural part of fasting, remind yourself of the important reasons why you are fasting, and affirm that you will be able to enjoy great food again.

You may find it helpful to keep repeating encouraging words to yourself, like, “This is only for a few days; I can handle this; I’m doing a good thing for my body . . .”

Weakness

Feelings of weakness are common while fasting, simply because you have stopped providing the amount of fuel that your body is used to having.  Even if you are doing a juice fast, you may still feel a little more tired than you usually do.

The obvious solution is to take it easy.  Take naps, rest a lot, and perform only modest activities that don’t require a lot of physical energy.

Most people notice that after several days of fasting a renewed sense of energy returns, but it’s still a good idea to go easy on yourself and avoid overdoing it physically.

Detoxification Side Effects

Probably the most challenging aspects of fasting are the detoxification side effects.  Not everyone will experience these, but many people will.

Side effects include unpleasant physical symptoms like chills, aches and pains, dizziness, nausea, headaches, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, acne breakouts, strong body odor, and bad breath.

In most cases these symptoms can’t be avoided; it is simply your body’s way of releasing toxins that have built up in the body.

Drinking plenty of water can help flush the toxins out more quickly – but be prepared to spend a fair amount of time in the restroom for a day or two.

A Word of Warning:

While the above symptoms are normal during a fast, be aware that very intense side effects can be a sign that something is wrong.

For example, if you experience heart palpitations, strong episodes of dizziness or fainting, extreme weakness, or other excessively strong side effects, discontinue the fast immediately and consult your doctor.

This is especially important if you take medication, if you are diabetic, or if you have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).  A fast will affect these conditions in adverse ways.  Again, consult your doctor before attempting a fast to be sure it’s safe for you.

  How Long Should You Fast?

 When you want to use fasting for weight loss, you may think that you need to abstain from eating until you’ve lost all of the excess pounds you are carrying, but that is not necessarily a good idea.

First, consider how much weight you need to lose.  Five pounds?  Ten pounds?  Smaller amounts of weight like this can be lost fairly quickly while fasting.

However, if you need to lose 20 pounds or more, it’s not a good idea to undergo a complete fast to lose all of that weight consecutively (unless your doctor instructs otherwise).

Instead, see fasting as a jumpstart into a new healthier lifestyle that will result in long-term, healthy weight loss.  You may indeed lose 5, 10, or more pounds during a fast, but a significant portion of that weight is going to be retained water, not fat.  On longer fasts, there is also a risk of losing lean muscle tissue in addition to water and fat.

How long to undergo a fast is definitely a personal decision, and it will depend on your goals, as well as your current condition.

If you are a beginner and have never fasted before, it’s wise to go slowly and start with a partial fast, or perhaps a one-day juice fast.  Then note how you feel.  Did the fast seem to have a positive effect on you?  Do you feel clearer mentally and physically?  If so, wait a week before trying another brief fast.  If these shorter fasts work well for you, you can even fast for one or two days each week if you want to.

After you’ve mastered shorter fasts, you may be ready to try a longer one.  Common durations for fasts are 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, and 30 days.  It’s usually best to work your way up to the longer fasts over time, rather than jumping from a single day fast to an intense 30 day fast.

If you find that you struggle with even a one-day fast, you might try a partial fast first.  A partial juice fast would entail eating one small, balanced meal, and drinking fresh vegetable and fruit juices for the other two meals each day.

Another example of a partial fast would involve eliminating all processed, refined foods from your diet and eating only whole, natural foods.  Still another example would be eating mostly raw fruits and vegetables and eliminating cooked foods.

There are many ways to fast for weight loss and wellness – simply consider which of your eating habits most needs to be changed and choose the type of fasting that will help you to accomplish that.

Ease into it and stick with it for as long as you feel is right for you, or for as long as you doctor suggests.

  How to Break a Fast

 The way you break a fast is very important, especially if you have been fasting for 3 days or longer.  If you have been following a complete fast – meaning no solid food whatsoever – it’s vital to very SLOWLY reintroduce food into your body.

Be gentle with your digestive system, it has been on hiatus for awhile!

A good way to start gently breaking a water fast is by ingesting small amounts of fresh vegetable and fruit juices (not bottled, only those you have pressed yourself so they contain all of the natural nutrients and no preservatives).

Continuing to drink plenty of water is important, but don’t gulp the vegetable and fruit juices too quickly – sip them slowly and allow your digestive system to wake up.

If you have been on a long water fast, you may want to simply stick to juices for one whole day or two before gradually eating solid food again on the second or third days.

If you have been juice fasting, you can break the fast by eating small amounts of solid food – but whatever you do, don’t dive into a big, heavy meal.  Your stomach and intestines will not be happy, and it can be dangerous to overload your system like that.

Instead, a small serving of fresh, raw fruit is gentle enough not to overload your system.  Good choices for fruit would include bananas, melons, grapes, cherries, and citrus fruits like grapefruit and oranges.

Eat slowly, chewing each bite fully and pausing a few minutes between bites to see how you feel.  If you feel nauseous after a few bites, stop eating and give your stomach time to digest what you’ve just eaten.  Try eating again a few hours later and see if it feels better.

Rather than feeling nauseous, you may feel rejuvenated and discover that every bite of food is delicious and flavorful, much more so than before.  This may tempt you to eat more than you should, so be careful to restrain yourself and eat only small servings of fruit to begin with.

On the second or third days (depending on how long your fast was, and whether it was a juice or water fast) you may want to try a few small servings of vegetables.

You can eat them raw or cooked, but again, eat slowly and chew each bite very well to help your stomach digest the food more easily.

Over the next several days you can gradually reintroduce other foods back into your diet, like grains, dairy products, and fish and poultry.  However, try to avoid foods that are heavy, oily, fried, or overly refined.

Possible Side Effects from Breaking a Fast

After the initial detoxification symptoms of your fast passed, you probably felt great.  You may have enjoyed feelings of lightness, euphoria, inner peace, well-being, emotional calmness, physical energy, and mental clarity that you’ve never experienced before.

When you begin eating solid food again, however, it’s possible that those feelings will dissipate quickly.  You may feel a bit weighed down, sluggish, or emotional, which can be upsetting when you were just feeling so wonderful a few minutes before!

Don’t worry; these feelings are normal and they do not last for long – especially if you take care to watch your diet carefully after the fast.  We’ll be covering the various aspects of that in just a moment, but first let’s go over some other things you can do to recapture and maintain that feeling of inner peace and well-being.

Get Adequate Rest

One of the reasons why you probably felt so good during your fast is because you took it easy physically.  Since you didn’t have a lot of energy available, you probably rested frequently.  If so, it’s not surprising that you felt happy and relaxed during your fast.

To keep that good feeling going after you break your fast, you simply need to take care to get adequate rest each day.  Be sure to sleep a full 8 hours each night when possible.  Give yourself permission to rest if you get tired during the day.  Some days you may not be able to do that, but compensate by making sure one or two days a week are low activity days where you can rest, recharge, and rejuvenate.

Daily Meditation

Meditating for a short period of time each day is a good way to keep that sense of spiritual connection strong.  Simply find a quiet place where you can be alone, close your eyes, and breathe deeply for 10 or 15 minutes.  If sitting quietly is difficult for you, you might try listening to soothing music or taking a slow walk through a park – these are forms of meditation too.

Stress Management

Chronic stress can place a burden on your body, leaving you feeling run down, exhausted, cranky, and unwell.  Combat this by practicing good stress management daily.  Avoid getting entangled in negative thoughts.  Mentally let go of things that are bothering you, especially if they are things that you have no control over.  Breathe deeply and make time to do things you enjoy.  Burn off tension with physical exercise, and take good care of yourself, mind, body and spirit.  All of these things will keep you feeling balanced, calm, and happy after your fast.

  After the Fast

 When it comes to eating, what you do after the fast is even more important than the fast itself.  Fasting helps to purify your body, releasing toxins and chemicals.  The last thing you want to do after a fast is start eating a lot of unhealthful, low-quality food again.

The best diet to follow after a fast is really common sense – a healthful, nutritious, whole foods diet will keep your body energized and happy.  (If you aren’t sure what such a diet would include exactly, take a look at the general guidelines below.)

One important point to keep in mind if you are using fasting for weight loss – it is normal to gain a few pounds back once you start eating solid food again.  That does not mean the fast didn’t work!  As you transition to a healthier diet and resume physical activity, the pounds should continue coming off, but be patient.

Drink Plenty of Fresh Water

For your body to function well, it’s vital to drink enough water (64 ounces or more daily, for most people).  Some people might struggle with this – after all, there are so many other beverages to drink, who would bother with plain old water?

Make the effort to drink it anyway; it’s so worth it!

Being fully hydrated makes your joints feel better; your skin looks clearer and feels softer; your energy level is naturally higher without the need for stimulants; you can think more clearly; and your organs function more efficiently and with less strain.  Not to mention that weight loss is much easier when you drink adequate water each day.

For best results, stick to filtered or bottled water rather than tap water.

Whole Foods, Not Processed Foods

The more processed, refined foods you eat, the unhealthier and heavier you will be.

Eating a diet filled with fresh fruit and vegetables provides your body with plenty of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to keep your body strong and balanced – and keep the excess pounds melting away.  In addition to fruits and vegetables, you may want to include a few servings of nuts and seeds each week, as they can provide beneficial fats and proteins.

Other good choices are low-fat dairy products, lean meat, poultry, fish, seafood and beans.

You can also include modest amounts of grains from bread, cereal, crackers, rice and pasta, but whole grain products are better than white, refined versions.

Eat Less, More Often

Were you accustomed to eating large meals before your fast?  If so, you’ll find it helpful to start eating smaller meals more often throughout the day.

By changing your diet and including mostly whole foods that contain natural fiber, beneficial fat and protein, you’ll notice something interesting – you need less food to feel satisfied, and you’ll stay satisfied for longer.

One of the hardest habits you may struggle to break is the tendency to eat way beyond the point of satisfaction, and you can do that by simply practicing eating less.  If you have to, keep reminding yourself that you don’t have to leave the table feeling hungry, but you also don’t have to eat until you are uncomfortably stuffed.

Even if this is challenging for you, keep working on it and over time you’ll get more comfortable with eating less, and eventually it will become a habit.

Eliminate or Strictly Limit These

After a fast, it’s important to avoid slipping back into unhealthy habits.  Some common bad habits that can quickly deteriorate your new sense of well-being are:

• Skipping meals or eating sporadically

• Drinking excessive amounts of coffee or tea

• Ingesting too much refined sugar or artificial sweeteners

• Drinking too much bottled juice, soda, or energy drinks

• Eating too many refined grains and baked goods

• Eating fried foods

• Drinking too much alcohol Obviously, if it’s not good for you, eliminate it from your diet or at least strictly limit how often you have it.

Final Thoughts on Fasting

When done safely and wisely, fasting can be a powerful tool for healing, weight loss, and well-being.  You can incorporate fasting into your life only when you need it to correct an imbalance, or make it a permanent part of your lifestyle by fasting monthly, quarterly, or yearly to maintain an optimal state of health. Please take a moment and write your thoughts/comments bellow about this fasting introduction.

Rather than sitting around while fasting, waiting for the suffering to end, I actually became engaged in various activities, which made me forget about hunger and made the entire fast go by much faster.

by Robert Dave Johnston

Find us on Google+
Rob’s Google Page

Fasting is tough. Even though physically the discomfort can be great, I have found that the biggest battle is in the mind.

If you can manage to overcome the onslaught of thoughts and impulses that urge you to stop fasting, you will have exponentially increased your odds.

So let me just jump right in and talk about various types of distraction that I have found very useful while fasting. I constantly use all of these methods while fasting and they help me immensely.

I may have fasted many times, but I am no less human than anybody else and it can still be quite tough. Last year, in particular, I completed a 50-day water fast that was perhaps the toughest I’ve ever done. If it wasn’t for distraction, I would have thrown in the towel many, many times.

The first type of fasting “distraction” is based on new activities you can start to take part of that do not include food and eating. Do this: sit down in your office or kitchen table with a notebook and pen. Make a pie chart and write on it what you enjoy (or would enjoy doing) besides eating.

These can include very simple activities as: playing with your children, going to the movies, swimming, reading a book, going to the mall and window shopping, praying etc…

Write down things that you already do as well as things that you “would like to start doing.“ Do not hurry this process. Be gut wrenching honest with yourself and make sure that the list you come up with is real and realistic. Then, once you have completed the compilation, it is time to put it to practice.

 * When fasting and the old feeling of eating and binging comes up, immediately go to the list and DO one of the things that you have jotted down. Make sure that you have things in the list that you can do immediately. Delay the trip to the refrigerator and instead direct all of your attention to the activity that you have chosen.

* Spend at the very least a half-hour in the activity. In my particular case, walking twice around the block did the trick. You will find that once you are done, not only did you not eat during that time, but in the majority of cases the “voracity” to raid the refrigerator or go out for fast food will have diminished or even gone away all together.

When fasting, the toughest hunger pangs, in my experience, come and go in waves that rarely last longer than 25-30 minutes.

If it the activity has not provided relief, then do it again… persist! Do not, however, do the activity yet be focusing all of your mind energy on that juicy cheeseburger you want to devour, or feeling sorry for yourself because you are fasting. This would be self deception. The correct way to use the distraction is to redirect all of your focus, thoughts and attention into what you are doing. Bring emotion to it.

If you are outside, start to pay close attention to the clouds, birds or vegetation – for example. This will take some practice, but I strongly encourage you to develop this mental tool to help you go the distance when fasting.  It will prove invaluable as you continue to work on losing weight and getting healthier.

Most people then tell me: “Well that is too simplistic! My eating problems are way too strong and this solution is petty and silly.”  “Yes, I tell them. But have you honestly tried it with all of your heart? More than once? ” Nine times out of then there is either no response or the person admits they have done it “half-heartedly” without any true desire for change.

This type of distraction is actually very powerful and gives your brain a totally new paradigm to follow when hunger strikes at “off hours.”  When I say “off hours” I am referring to those times in which I know that eating is not the way to go like, for example, between meals or when I am fasting or amidst a CLEANSING DIET.

Make a commitment to distract yourself with the activities in the list. Do it more than once. Do it consistently. It may take some time, but if you do it with a real desire to change, you will find that it gets easier every time. Eventually, I found myself increasing my activity levels substantially rather than eating, which over time de-activated the automatic response to eat. It works. It really does.

Rather than sitting around while fasting, waiting for the suffering to end, I actually became engaged in various activities, which made me forget about hunger and made the entire fast go by much faster.

 Abstract Distraction

Another “distraction” technique that has worked wonders for me is to focus my mind on something abstract, or something I want to do or accomplish.  When the desire to binge, overeat, nibble or simply eat at “off hours” strikes (hunger while fasting), it is imperative to take immediate action to disrupt the thinking pattern.

Often this desire may come at times when some type of active distraction is not possible. A good example – and it happened to me many times – is at 3 AM when time and again I would abruptly awake with a blinding obsession to eat, eat and eat. Every time that I am fasting, the hunger hits me hardest in the middle of the night.

At this hour, walking around the block or going shopping is not usually at hand.

So, what can one do?

Abstract distraction is the practice of swiftly using your “imaging” power to cut off the eating pattern. It is, to some extent, a form of daydreaming.   One vision that works for me when fasting (or when wanting to eat the wrong type of foods) is to see myself lean and wearing the types of clothing – and sizes – that I always wanted to.

Another one is seeing myself doing activities I dreamed of doing like, for example, rock climbing, scuba diving and completing a triathlon. The result, if done properly, is that within approximately ten minutes, the hunger starts to abate and I can go back to bed without gorging and then waking up feeling groggy, depressed and full of remorse. I can continue fasting and reach my goal.

I tell you, this may sound totally “cheesy” and silly, but it works!!!!!!  Sit down and think of a list of things you want to do or accomplish with your body and health. Some ideas are:

• The Size of Clothing you want to fit in. What style or size have you always wanted to fit into? How does it feel to wear that size? How do you look? How do your friends and family react when they see you in such good shape? These are all elements of the imaging that are important to develop while fasting.

• An Activity (Athletic or Social) You Want To Take Part Of that, due to being overweight, you have either shunned or not done. Going to the beach and actually taking off my shirt was one I used – I was very ashamed of my body and was always hiding in large and black-colored clothing. Another one could be feeling confident in a crowd rather than ashamed because of excess weight, as I often was.

How do you feel taking part of these activities? How do you look? How are others reacting to your new and healthier physique? Do you feel secure? Sexy? Dynamic and assertive? Go all out and really give the vision life. Don’t hold back, fortify your fasting with lots of imaging.

• The Feeling of Accomplishment and Pride You Will Feel “the next day” when you realize you did not succumb to the obsession to overeat, or eat the wrong types of foods, that you are still fasting and on your way. How does it feel you know you did not eat that pizza or box of donuts? How great is it to confront your “sweet tooth” and not let it dominate you? How does your stomach feel? You feel lighter and hopeful, right?

• Knowing That You Are Going To Be Healthier For Your Loved Ones (children, spouse, siblings etc…). Imagine being lean and healthy and, consequently, having many more years of health and life to share with the people that you love. Taking part in many different activities with them that A You currently “don’t feel like it” (apathy, sloth, shame) or B You Simply Don’t Have The Physical Energy. (Intestinal, Body-wide Toxicity)

This list should be tailored to YOU specifically. Take your time and do the work. Make sure the list and corresponding images are as extensive, detailed and clear as possible.

Give each image substance and detail (site, sound, smell, tactile, emphasizing the emotions and feelings that they bring out (joy, healthy pride, elation, bliss, self-esteem etc…). The more time you spend developing these abstract visions, the more powerful will be The Machine Gun at your disposal to wipe out the obsession to eat.

 The Mental Barrier

Again, some people tell me: “This stuff about imagining is stupid and it doesn’t work. It is a superficial patch to binging and overeating, which is a deep-rooted illness and disorder.”  My reply is: “Yes, binging and compulsive overeating – and obesity – are terrible conditions and I have suffered from them ALL myself. It certainly is not my intention to minimize their seriousness … but have you tried the imaging? Have you done it more than once, especially while fasting? Have you taken the time to develop this mental discipline? Have you put aside ALL of your pre-conceived notions and simply done it?”

In many cases, the reason why these weapons do not work is because of mental laziness – yet another problem that many overweight persons often face, including myself. Mental laziness while fasting will take you down every time! So the bottom line is: If you are unwilling to break through skepticism, cynicism and mental laziness, then overcoming obesity will be much harder.

Why? Because obesity and toxicity are not just about the body. They feed A LOT from the mind. That is why it is so crucial to know how to use The Mind and be prepared to take whatever steps are required to the changes we want in our lives. Again, the change HAS to come From The Inside Out. And there is little in this world that can help you get there faster and with such amazing power as fasting.

In other words, when the internal change is made, then that change reflects on the outside. Trying to change externals without internal change is folly and does not work. Lord knows, I tried it for many years!

 Desire

If you want something bad enough, then chances are very good that you will attain it. But if you think negatively (that you’re too heavy, that you’ll never make it with fasting… why bother? what’s the use?) then surely you will become stuck in apathy and hopelessness as I did. Since I had no other tools at hand, these emotions always led to eating in excess.

We must be prepared to assault the mind with not only new thoughts, but with powerful, positive visions of what we want to be and accomplish. When it comes to fasting, binging and overeating, “Distraction Visioning” is one tool that has helped me to avert disaster many, many times. I use it pretty much on a daily basis.

But the impact of imaging is far from unique to weight loss or fasting. I have heard of people with high blood pressure calming themselves by thinking peaceful thoughts live a vacation in Hawaii. Cases have also been documented of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who have received healing by envisioning the diseased cells being destroyed by the radiation.

So, what is the message in all of this? Dive in the mud! Do what it takes! Get mad ! Resolve that you will do what it takes to start to transcend obesity – using every weapon at your disposal to create the life you so want and deserve.

It is not easy… there are no magic solutions; but if you follow the steps we have and will continue to outline, you will start piling up a very efficient arsenal of tools and techniques to counteract that terrible monster of binging, obesity and compulsive overeating. You can do it! And you are worth it! You have what it takes to succeed with fasting.

I have yet to be tackled to the ground by a cheeseburger with legs and had it force itself down my throat along with a hundred walking French fries. It was always ME who, embattled by the ceaseless hunger pangs, detox symptoms and mental chatter about food and eating, would give up internally on fasting for weight loss, say ‘screw it,” and then “Swiiiish!” – off to the doughnut shop I went.

by Robert Dave Johnston

Find us on Google+
Rob’s Google Page

When I first started fasting for weight loss, I knew that if I wanted to find permanent freedom from obesity, I was going to have to redefine who I was and what I did.

Then it occurred to me: just because I had defined most of my life around food and eating, that was not who I really was at all!

I had, in essence, been affirming a “false identity” made up of all of my life’s negative and painful memories, a twisted identity that led me to give up on fasting for weight loss, give in and binge every time. It was an endless (and automatic) cycle of failure, discouragement and destruction).

But it doesn’t have to be this dire. If you have tried to lose weight many times and have not yet reached your goal, or if you reached it but relapsed to poor eating habits and gained it back, then you probably will relate to what I’m talking about.

Just when I was starting to make progress with fasting, BAM!, some negative thought, feeling or impulse would cause me to abandon my fasting for weight loss efforts. In my case it was overeating, but this pattern is also similar for people addicted to drugs, alcohol and gambling, for example.

First and foremost I want to clarify: When I say ‘twisted identity,” that is not to say that EVERY memory or experience in our minds is negative and destructive. No. We are a collection of good and bad. Indeed, there are many beautiful and precious memories that are there for us to cherish and gain strength and inspiration from. Furthermore, it is important to indicate that, as human beings, we all go through pain and negative situations like, for example, the death of a loved one. I am by no means saying that every painful event in our lives needs to be eliminated.

When a loved one dies, the grief from their passing comes together with the love we had for that person, and that is the pure essence of our humanity. Again, I am talking exclusively and specifically about counterproductive thought and behavior patterns, the ones that hold us back and lead us away from our maximum potential, and with fasting for weight loss.

Human existence is complex, and I am by no means trying to present you with a panacea. But these exercises, if adopted as a lifestyle, will provide powerful ammunition to defeat the minions and, in the case of fasting for weight loss, help you stay the course until the desired objective is attained.

Let me give you a hypothetical so that you can see where I’m trying to go:  If you were placed inside a machine that erased all of your negative thoughts and belief systems, who would you be when you came out? Well, you would be totally you, minus the mental BS, right? The negativity would be vanquished, but all that is good and beautiful inside of you would remain. Who would you be? Would you be the same person? Do you think you would be empowered? Of course you would! Do you think that you would reach your fasting for weight loss goals? You WOULD reach your goals, right? Of course!

Outside, nothing is different. But INSIDE, everything has changed; and when we change on the inside, everything on the outside does as well, for better or worse. If the negative thought and behavior patterns were removed, you would CERTAINLY reach your fasting for weight loss goal.  I don’t have a machine that can erase the mental minions, if I did I would rejoice in letting you use it. What I have are strategies that, when taken seriously and practiced regularly, will keep the minions at bay and allow you to be much more effective, not just in fasting and weight loss, but in every area of your life.

Now I am going to make a statement that you may find puzzling. Here it is: The negative thought patterns and belief systems that have drawn you away from your dreams and goals are but ghosts; they aren’t even real. Further, they have absolutely no power; the only way they can stand in your way is if you agree and act on their detrimental suggestions. I have yet to be tackled to the ground by a cheeseburger with legs and had it force itself down my throat along with a hundred walking French fries. It was always ME who, embattled by the ceaseless hunger pangs, detox symptoms and mental chatter about food and eating, would give up internally on fasting for weight loss, say ‘screw it,” and then “Swiiiish!” – off to the doughnut shop I went. So much for fasting for weight loss. “But what do you mean they’re not real?” people ask me.

They’re not real because negative thought and behavior patters are, in essence, bad software. They aren’t part of the computer as a whole. When you were born, none of that mental garbage existed, did it? Bad software is simply erased; it has no impact on the computer’s identity whatsoever. In fact, the computer’s operating capacity actually improves when the bad software is removed, right? And so it shall be with you.

Everything that is good and beautiful inside of you, THAT is what is REALLY real; that is the true essence of who you are, the rest (negative thoughts and belief systems) is but dirt that earmarked for the trash. But here is the crux of the matter: To give our true essence the maximum opportunity to express itself in this planet, it is our duty to confront the minions and do whatever it takes to suppress their impact on our lives. Amazingly, your goal of fasting for weight loss places you at the very forefront of this challenge.

The first step to triumph in fasting for weight loss is to learn to question our thoughts; question our intentions… question everything the mind tells us and, even more important, meditate on what your mind is telling you and identify where that course of action would take you.

If what the mind is suggesting leads you to your highest good, then you know that those thoughts came from your true essence. If the thoughts, feelings, urges and intentions lead you away from what is important to YOU, then you can be certain that the minions are involved.  In fasting for weight loss, they are ALWAYS involved because fasting squeezes all of the buttons in our humanity.

This practice of self reconnaissance and examination is supremely instrumental when fasting for weight loss, but not widely used. Most people are like puppets; whatever the mind says, they do it. They hardly, if ever, give a moment’s thought to the world of (good or bad) consequences that resides behind each and every one of our actions.

They are always speaking negativity, make bad decisions for themselves and are prompt to give in to anything that the mind presents, no matter how absurd and/or destructive. Our thoughts while fasting for weight loss may not always be the clearest, particularly during the first days! Hey, that paints me right there very clearly, so I certainly am not editorializing. The problem is when people get stuck and stay stuck. They always talk about fasting for weight loss (or any other diet), but never actually do anything. When they find themselves obese, depressed and unfulfilled and wonder why. That is why starting a journal where you can log your thoughts, feelings and ideas is so important, especially when fasting for weight loss.  It allows you to see in black and white what is going on upstairs (in the mind).

Once you spend several days writing, you will have begun to unmask the enemy. Fasting for weight loss is very powerful mentally and spiritually; take advantage of it! You will start to see those thoughts and feelings for what they really are: lies and distortions. Lies about who you are, lies about your abilities, lies about what you can do… lies, lies, lies! Distortions. What are distortions? Those are thoughts, feelings and desires that are not based on truth and reality. They are like those funny mirrors they have in many circuses. You stand in front of one and you look really tall and skinny, then you stand before another one and you look very short and dumpy.

Have you ever seen those type of funny mirrors? Well, that is exactly what mental distortions do to us. They make us see ourselves as we aren’t, they make us believe things about ourselves, our abilities and capacities that are simply false… distorted. Then we abandon our fasting for weight loss or diet and come to believe that we’ll never make it. You are NOT any of the negative things that the mind tells you.

You are NOT weak, a loser, a good for nothing, a failure, inferior to others, a person with no will power, a victim of circumstances, a person destined to be overweight for life… YOU ARE NOT ANY OF THOSE THINGS! They are all lies and distortions. Even more, they ARE NOT IN ANY WAY PART OF WHO YOU REALLY ARE! The lies and distortions are derelict thought and behavior patterns that we learn as coping mechanisms over the course of our lives; these imps blossom and feed on everything negative and painful that we see, hear and experience since we are born.  But they do NOT define you or have the ability to determine your identity and future.

Starting immediately, I want you to start disassociating yourself from all of this negativity. How? By rejecting the thoughts, feelings and/or impulses when they come, by telling  them to go back to hell where they belong, by doing THE OPPOSITE of what they are suggesting. Tell those thugs that you are no longer going to be a puppet to the sick whiles of the mind. That you are claiming your identity as your own, not as belonging to these destructive patterns. Reject the thoughts, feelings and impulses, do the opposite of what they are suggesting. Refuse to give in to what they request; stick to your fasting for weight loss efforts and walk through the discomfort.

If the mind tells you to eat at off hours, say NO and stick to your guns.

• If the mind tells you that you cannot lose weight, tell it to shut  up and continue with your diet.
• If hunger hits you and the mind tells you to break the fast and eat right now, reject it, endure the pangs and stay the course. Hunger pangs are temporary and will pass within 15 to 30 minutes. Think of the benefits of fasting for weight loss. Drink a large glass of water instead.
• If you feel the urge to go inside the bakery ‘to see’ the cakes, identify the imp, tell it to go fly a kite and keep going.
• If you had a bad day and feel sad and the mind says you should have sweets, identify the imp, tell it to shut up and go home. Drink a large glass of water.
• If your kids are driving you bananas and the mind says that you ‘deserve’ to splurge, identify the imp, and visualize yourself tossing the thought into the trash.
• If you pinch your belly and the fat doesn’t seem to be decreasing and the mind tells you to forget fasting for weight loss because ‘what’s the use?”, identify the imp, reject the garbage thought and re-affirm your commitment to go all the way. Even if you are losing weight slowly, you WILL lose it all eventually IF you stick to the plan and not stray. It’s better to go through the discomfort NOW and get it over with than to spend the next 25 years constantly dieting and getting nowhere. Life is too short.

Note: There is a little system that I jokingly call ‘Effective Laziness.” It basically means that it is best to do the hardest and most uncomfortable task first and foremost so as to get it over with and be able to relax and do what I want to do. Weight loss is no different.

• If fasting for weight loss is causing you discomfort and you feel whiny and irritable, tell your mind not to waste its time with brilliant ideas, that you are committed to going the distance no matter what.
• If you get the urge to go to a restaurant by yourself ‘because I’ll just order a salad or something healthy,’ DON’T. Tell the imp to stuff his crappy idea and continue fasting for weight loss.
• If the hunger gets really bad that you feel you just can’t control yourself and that ‘you have to eat NOW,’ tell the imp that he’s a liar and that you can handle it. Drink two large glasses of water or a cold soda/sparkling water. Sit on your hands if you have to and visualize ‘white paper,’ not allowing the imps to come out and start offering counterproductive suggestions.
• If you wake up at 3AM wanting to raid the refrigerator while fasting for weight loss, drink a large glass of water instead and suck it up. It’s high time that you take this to the end zone and stop playing games with your health. Hunger will always be with us, and you are NOT going to starve or lose your arms just because you’re hungry. If the imps pop their heads out, hammer the suckers down like carnival clowns and tell them to get lost. Keep fasting for weight loss.

It will be a battle at first because these patterns have become used to bullying you; they are used to you believing their lies and then reacting to them. So, for the hours and days of fasting for weight loss, you may find yourself struggling and possibly giving in to the voices and urges. If that happens, simply dust yourself off, get up and keep fasting for weight loss. It took me the better part of three months before the negative thoughts, behaviors and impulses began to quiet.

Today, I can tell you that I never hear that garbage. Oh they may come whispering at me sometimes when I am tired and vulnerable, but I KNOW who those thugs are. I KNOW what they do and where they will take me if I let them. So I become angry and rapidly disassociate myself from them. They aren’t mine, don’t belong in my mind and have no say on who I am, what I do and how I behave.

And when you cast out the lies and distortions, something very funny begins to happen. We start to hear a small, still voice at the center of our hearts, a soothing and kind voice that helps us to receive a brand new identity, one based on courage, action, self-control and power. It is that small voice inside which has been waiting all of this time to tell you: “You can do it. Nothing can stop you now!”

So today is the time for a new beginning for you. Disassociate yourself from the thoughts, feelings and impulses. What do I mean? Simply this: look at them as strangers who have no right to dictate anything in your life. If somebody you didn’t know came into your home and started to talk negatively to you, telling you that you are weak, fat, a failure and that you should forget the diet and go to the pizza buffet down the street, what would you do?

Would you allow this stranger to speak to you this way in your own home? Of course you wouldn’t! Then why do we allow these mental derelicts run our thoughts, feelings and behaviors? They are derelicts! They don’t belong there; get rid of them, throw them out once and for all! For me, no matter what happened or how I felt, the solution and scapegoat was always the same: food. But when I mastered disassociation, all of the negativity, resistance and self-pity that ALWAYS caused me to fall of the wagon started to vanish.

A man is coming to your house to fill you with negativity. Do you open the door and embrace him as a member of the family? Or do you look through the keyhole as he approaches and say, “naaaah, I don’t think so buddy.” Sure, he can knock and knock, but YOU have the prerogative to keep the door closed. Hey he can stand there and knock for half an hour; he’s very insistent and he MUST give you the negativity. But you chose to not open the door.

Sooner or later, the man will grow tired and simply leave. The process is exactly the same with the mind. These realizations were very, very powerful for me. They marked a real turning point because the lie and folly of my assumed identity became clear. It was a revelation that shook my life. And just in time, because I was deeply depressed and suicidal. I then found myself unusually willing to let go of who I thought I was and, with an open heart, find a lifestyle that could re-define me in a positive way. One thing is certain: When fasting for weight loss, you will find the strength to stick to the program until you achieve your goal.

Hands down, changing the way we think is one of the most important parts of any transformation process, fasting included.

by Robert Dave Johnston

Find us on Google+
Rob’s Google Page

One of the primary issues that most people face when fasting is this: They start fasting very strong and motivated, but over time, as the hunger increases, their resolve abates until – Bang! – they are eating again (usually in excess) and feeling like crap. I know how disheartening this is because it happened to me, particularly when I first starting fasting 15 years ago. But I found some mental positions that helped me to stay the course when hunger threatens to knock me off. This here is an excerpt from one of my Kindle Books. You can check out the various fasting and detox titles I’ve written by visiting the Amazon Author Page.

Hands down, changing the way we think is one of the most important parts of any transformation process, fasting included. Here’s the equation: What You Think Becomes What You Do, and What You Do Becomes Who You Are. This truth has been documented many times throughout history. “You Reap What You Sow,” the Holy Scriptures say, and the Law of Karma in Eastern religions speaks similarly. The fact that I thought mostly of food, then ate too much, and then became obese, showed me the truth of these ancient principles.

Here is what we need to do: We must carry out a reconnaissance mission in our own minds to identify the negative thoughts, emotions and behaviors that lead us to fall when we are fasting.

There are TWO attacks that we have to be aware of when fasting. Number one is the attack on the mind; filling you with endless arguments, what you should do, what you shouldn’t do, where you should go and, the one that never fails, constant reminders that “losing weight is going to take way too long.”

“After all, you are a hard worker, right?” the mind asks. “And you have to take care of children as well. Tough days. So, by all means,” it tells me with glee, “you deserve a splurge tonight; the fasting diet can wait for a little while, right? Life can’t be all fasting, working and taking care of a home, can it? Of course not! Have a good time tonight, eat it up and rejoice; you’ll be fine tomorrow.”

And so the argument goes on and on ad infinitum.

So what happens to many fine people? They agree with the mental minions and, before they know it, are behaving in ways that are totally contrary to what they most desire in their hearts. When we do this, we, in essence, betray ourselves. Why? Because we fall prey to the mind’s subterfuges and, in doing so, sacrifice our cherished fasting goals and dreams.

But it doesn’t end there. The mental minions, after goading you to let your diet go ‘to celebrate’ (or whatever other reason), then turn into accusers. One particular night I was very depressed and alone. I had been dieting for several weeks and the weight loss was beginning to trickle. Sitting home at night, the chatter began:

“You should not be here all alone,” said the minions. “You should go out and enjoy your life. You have even been sick. Is this the life you deserve? You should go out and eat; enjoy the beautiful, cool night.”

I paced around the room for what seemed like an eternity, bombarded by endless reasons why I should do this or do that, break the fasting process. Not having any mental tools to counterattack, I ended up going to an Italian restaurant and eating a large pepperoni pizza by myself. I wobbled to the vehicle, crest fallen and humiliated. Another diet failure. I remember feeling deeply crushed and hopeless with fasting. No sooner do I start the car and begin to reverse, the mental minions launch their vicious tirade.

“You see, you are weak and can’t stick to fasting. You are a pathetic fat slob that nobody wants and that will never amount to anything in this life. You are nothing…. You are less than nothing…. Just give it up and accept that you will be obese your whole life. You’re a filthy no good dog. Kill yourself!”
The internal voice was loud and angry, just like an adult scolding a child – except that the ‘scolding’ was more of an emotional assault. This phenomena has happened to me many times over the years. That incident, however, was truly devastating. And so, feeling lost and disheartened, I did what anyone like me would do: I said ‘screw it’ and went on a massive binge that lasted three weeks, from which I barely escaped with my life.

I can look back now and realize that it all began when I was sitting in the couch watching TV, thinking about ending my fasting. If I had known then what I know now, I would have been able to sidestep the fiasco and protect my fasting efforts (and health). And I have spoken to scores of other dieters who have recounted similar experiences.

It’s almost as if the negative thoughts, feelings and impulses know that all they have to do is press a few buttons, nag with some hunger pangs and, persisting, the person will eventually agree, give up on fasting and DO what the mind suggested.

At that point, a fall is almost inevitable. The most common mental chatter, based on the scores of people I have worked with and spoken to, goes something like this: “This fasting is all a waste of time. You will never achieve your goal; it would take way too long. Just accept it; you were born to be fat and that’s that.”

Let me clarify something: We are talking about weight loss and fasting as a means of improving our lives and health. But, fat or slim, you are and will ALWAYS be a special and precious human being deserving of love, joy and happiness. Being overweight does not make you ‘less’ a person than anybody else. It may feel that way but that, again is a lie. You are pressing forward with fasting because YOU have a dream of being leaner and healthier… you have dreams that matter a great deal to YOU! That is why you are here with me.

My point is this: You don’t need to lose weight through fasting (or any other means) to become a better person. You are already a worthy human being. You are doing this because the goal that you wish to attain is like a dream that burns deep within your soul, because you want to cross the finish line and experience the joy that comes from reaching your objectives. That’s what this is all about. So let’s take a deep breath and let go of all anxiety and fear. All is well, and you WILL have your victory. How do I know? Because I was far gone in the depths of obesity and insanity, yet the principles we are talking about here almost singlehandedly brought me back from certain death.

And I’m not better than you! We are one and the same. So if it worked for me, by all means it will work for you. As I said, fasting requires practice, commitment and determination. Do that, and one day a light bulb will turn on inside your head and you will be amazed at the transformation that will take place inside of you. And I don’t say this because I am presenting the material; I cannot give myself any credit for having ‘invented’ anything or been soooo intelligent. It has been the invisible Grace of The Creator which allowed me to grasp these truths so that my life would be spared.

We’re confronting a slick foe who works exclusively with trickery and manipulation. But these minions are not very creative. Once you do your reconnaissance and start to identify the thoughts, feelings and intentions that lead you astray, you will notice that, in almost every case, they are the same. You must get angry in your heart and say NO MORE!

Here’s the bottom line: Any thought, feeling or intention that invites you in a direction  opposite to your dreams and goals – those are lies and distortions. They mean you no good and are looking for ways and means to make you fall from your fasting efforts again, again and again. It has to be from a place of anger that you react, something like this: “No freaking way! I am not going to go another year overweight and with substandard health. No more! No more!”

As I said, imagine yourself one year from now without having made any progress with your fasting / weight loss. You kind of just let your weight take a back seat to other things. How does that feel? How does it feel that a YEAR has passed and you have accomplished nothing? It doesn’t feel good at all. It hurts deeply and causes us to lose dignity with ourselves, in our own minds.

I want you to never give up with your fasting and weight loss; keep taking action. Over time, you’ll gain awareness of the mental trickery that causes you to fall. And, that, in turn will give you the upper hand in this fasting challenge. To be sure, some people I have worked with, in spite of having made tremendous progress, in the end decided to give up. For a long time I wondered why?

They clearly identified the thoughts, feelings and intentions that caused them to stumble, yet they quit before the miracle happened. But today I see the answer: Fear. Fear that, “even if I go all the way with fasting,  I still won’t look any better and my life will still suck.” Fear of letting go of what is familiar. Hey, negative thoughts, feelings and intentions (as well as obesity) can feel comfortable if that is all that one has ever known. And even painful things are hard to let go when they have been with us for a long time.

I bring this up because I want you to examine your heart and identify if fear of change is something that crops up while fasting. And not just fear of change, but fear of being thin. It’s true; some people begin their fasting weight loss journey and stop halfway because they realize that the thought of being thin terrifies them. For those who have been overweight for many years,  facing the world thin can be a terrifying experience.

Do you identify any such fears within yourself? I respect every person’s decision, but the truth is that fear of any kind in this arena is simply more minion trickery. There is no question that a person who is obese will radically improve their health by fasting and losing weight. Not losing it because of fear of being thin, in my opinion, comes from a deeply-rooted habit of agreeing with any preposterous argument that the mind presents. For some, the mental prison is frighteningly deep. And behind all of that is the all-encompassing thought: “What’s the use fasting anyways! I’m never going to make it!”

And here, the minions have won. They fed the lies and distortions and the person ate them ala mode with vanilla ice cream. The minions are (figuratively-speaking) laughing their butts off. They are laughing because they of themselves have no power except that which we give them by believing the lies and distortions, and acting on them.

These negative thought and behavior patterns make themselves at home in the mind and, if allowed, will begin to call the shots and run a person’s entire life. And they’re terrible managers, always leading the person down the path that goes opposite to their dreams and goals. Fasting? Forget about it! The more the person gives in to the lies and distortions, the farther and farther they get from what matters to them most, weight loss and fasting in our case. And walking away from that which we yearn and hope for sickens the mind and breaks the human heart, just like the circus elephant that has his huge leg tied to a pole with a thin string, a string he could easily break with a kick.

But he no longer wishes to kick; he is broken and all he does is stand there, with that thin string holding him in place. The elephant has lost his will to fight for his own freedom; he is convinced that he is weak, helpless and cannot do anything for himself. And so he lives and dies. And so many human beings also live and die. BUT THAT IS NOT THE PATH THAT IS MARKED FOR YOU! 

You are here to identify the imps, unmask them, disassociate yourself from them and then kick them to the abyss where they belong. Does it take courage? Hell yes! But what is worse, to take action, face your fears and vanquish the lies and distortions from your life, or to let them continue to control you for another ten, twenty years? Where will you be then! Fasting is tough; but you can do it!