Fasting to Lose Weight : Fasting To Lose Weight Journal DAY 3

6:30 AM

Today I woke up feeling pretty good, although the hunger pains are definitely present.

I got through the night without eating. To read the previous entry, go to Day 2 of Food Fasting.

Although I slept relatively well, I still was awakened several times with very hard cravings.

All I could do was stay in bed, drink water and breathe.

Now it is morning and I face another day of fasting to lose weight. I clearly see just how important it will be to keep my mind focused in the present moment.

When I allow my mind to start looking at the steep hill ahead, the hunger pains get stronger and my thoughts and emotions become very negative.

8:00 AM

I am here, right here - right now.

It is important to focus on the lean vision of myself (positive) and how I will feel if I do not reach my fasting to lose weight goal (negative).

This combination of positive-negative works and keeps me motivated.

Go Ahead and Feed!

The stomach feels very empty. I have a lot of gas. The hunger pains are gaining ground.

One of the psychological tools that is helping me is to look at my belly and the fat in my body and view the flab as food.

So when the hunger hits, I squeeze my potbelly (or stare at it silently if I am in public) and tell my body:

"There's plenty of food here! Go ahead and feed! Feed all you want!"

I then visualize the flab going into the fire and being consumed by the body, thus appeasing its demands for food.

I also like to use an analogy: From the rolls of flab in the stomach, chest and back, it is clear that I have plenty of "stored reserve fuel."

So I tell myself: If one has been storing lumber and the house is overflowing with logs (fat), then one should probably stoke the fire with that wood.

NOT continue to cut new food (eat) until the reserves are consumed.

After going through these mental exercises, the hunger pains are reduced for the moment.

I am not willing to let my mind and body trick me with the delusion that I will starve if I continue fasting to lose weight. Water and breathing are my best friends right now.

Breathing

I also have found a breathing technique that gives me the sensation of being full when the hunger pains get acute.

I inhale with all my might until I simply an unable to take in any more air.

I hold it is as long as I can (usually 15 to 30 seconds or until I run out of breathe), then I exhale all the way out until the lungs are totally empty. This has done wonders to keep me calm and focused.

10:00 AM

I am at a work training program and there are pastries all over. A guy next to me is eating a glazed donut - one of my all-time favorites.

I want to wrap my hands around his neck and squeeze! And, worse yet, they are serving deli sandwiches for lunch! God help me.

My stomach is grumbling like crazy. It helps me to realize that I have eaten dozens of donuts and sandwiches in my life.

I am not missing out on anything just because I am fasting to lose weight. In fact, giving in to these foods is what has put me in this situation to begin with.

I was unable to control or moderate my eating. I lost all control and became toxic and obese. A food addict. It is never pleasurable to break any addiction.

And not many worthwhile achievements in life come without some type of sacrifice.

The thought of still being obese (and probably sick) five years from now is just too much to bear.

11:32 AM

Ok, now everyone is eating. The smell of cold cuts is in the air like torture knives to my stomach.

There is a tray of chocolate chip cookies nearby.

The sandwiches are fat and meaty - just the way I like them. But at this moment my fasting to lose weight resolve remains firm.

I made myself a cup of green tea. Hot liquid hitting the belly feels very good.

I thank God for granting me the willingness to press forward fasting to lose weight. It hurts. But I know that I will not ever regret doing this.

So - I have the afternoon with optimism and feeling relatively calm. But I must remain vigilant.

My mind and stomach can, together, be a cunning and powerful adversary.

I ask God for more help. I wish not only for success in fasting to lose weight, but that in the end I might emerge a better person. One that can be of maximum usefulness to others.

The Eternal Present

The "present-moment" focus this fast is forcing me to keep is helping me to realize just how much time I usually spend worrying about the future.

It seems that the default mode for my mind is worry, fear and negativity.

And these feelings always crop up when I either start to rehash the past, or project (usually doom) into the future.

It occurs to me that the true source of power and reality is strictly in the present.

The fact that the fasting to lose weight hunger pains abate when I focus on the present speaks volumes to support this realization.

Ending the Day

The rest of the afternoon transpired without incident, although the hunger pains continue at a very tolerable but strong level.

I came back home at night, drank another cup of green tea and went to bed almost immediately.

I am starting to feel weakness from fasting to lose weight.

The energy levels are down. But hope remains high. Let's see what happens when I continue Fasting for Quick Weight Loss in DAY 4.

Return from Day 3 of Fasting to Lose Weight to Fasting Journal MAIN.

Robert Dave Johnston
Fitness Through Fasting - Editor

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