Advice for getting through the first few days...

[mdm4888]

Hi everyone! I hope that all is well with all of you! I am on my first fast and almost done with day 1. It is a juice fast by the way. My fast is for 7 days. I would really like to hear from the people who have fasted before and can remember what it was like the first 3 days. I hear that it is ****! If there is any advice you can offer for how to get through, it would really help! I am nervous about not lasting, and really want to.

Thanks for all of your posts as every little comment will help me.

Love and Light,

Michelle

[Bridle]

Dear Michelle

How exciting to be on your first fast. A road many others have already successfully navigated (it will be fun to see what others say).

Believe you may wish to focus on what is going right about the fast (even if it is simply that you are on the fast). You see, from what I experienced and know others have, the first few fasts make you realize how much of your life has been focused on food and in a sense playing with food. Also realize that stopping any fast should be gentle... Fasts also tend to bring emotional issues up to the top (partly cause your body is detoxing of all gunk) and patterns such as 'not seeing things through or allowing yourself to succeed or Shoulding all over yourself (I should do this and that etc. etc.). Have a belief (that you may not share) that if you focus on the hard aspects of fasting and see it as deprivation this may be what you notice more... my invitation is for you to focus on everything that is going well, how by fasting you are making room for more in your life and how you have a whole community rooting for you!!!

Bonne chance! You can do this!
And, please stay away from should-ing all over yourself!!!

[star1919]

Hi mdm4888... Congrats on your 1st day!

There are a few things I do to help myself at the beginning of a fast. I drink small amounts of water frequently throughout the day. Sometimes I add a touch of lemon to the water... which is good for the liver. I also drink hot herbal flavored teas in the colder weather. That helps me a lot.

I find that there is both physical hunger and emotional hunger. For the physical pangs it helps me to get moving... exercise tape, walk etc. For the emotional hunger... I find this is often triggered by sense of smell... I carry a small bottle of Anise extract... it smells like black licorice and helps curb those kind of cravings.

I like to keep busy... maybe organizing something, a creative project, good book or something to occupy my focus.

I take aromatherapy baths, candles, music, meditation. I go outside in the day and soak in some sunshine. I do beauty treatments... masks, manicures etc. Sometimes I go to bed earlier and get some extra rest too. I nourish myself in other ways besides eating.

You're sure welcome to join the Fasting Support thread.

Wishing you a positive fast... :D

[mdm4888]

Thank you so much for all the positive support and amazing tips! I will take EVERYTHING you have said into consideration! It is day 2, and I am surprised at how easy the first day was. I am anxious to see about dayh two, but I am meditating a lot, and I think it is helping me a lot! Thanks so much again! I will be joining the support group. Do you think that 7 days is enough for a fast?

[Sharon in Colorado]

Yes the first 3 days of fasting or going raw can be a big challenge.

The best thing I've found to do is get REAL busy to pass the time. Maybe even stay off the computer during that time :eek:

Like, cleaning out a closet, or doing a project that is going to take a couple of days. It helps keep your mind off your stomach and on what your doing, then before you know it, the time passes.

Also brushing your teeth helps. Freshly brushed teeth/tongue helps to keep you from wanting to eat.