How is it possible to...

[CosimaMoon]

...NOT totally binge after breaking a fast? I have literally NEVER been able to break a fast with a normal amount of food, I usually end up eating everything I would've eaten that entire day anyways...

[sport]

I am surprised at that as I would feel that you would want just a little gentle food.

[streetsurfer]

I guess it just takes self discipline. That is something that is exercised during a fast (the part of your brain that controls discipline). During your next fast you might want to meditate daily on how you will carry out the recently exercised eating disciplines beyond that fast. Determine the foods you will break your fast with before you start your fast. Allocate time in your fast to plan and make ready the "break-fast" meals. I believe a good rule of thumb is to have one meal of fresh fruit or juice for each day you fasted. I find juicing a good way to slowly return to foods. When hunger calls within the time period of those first few light and gentle meals, drink water to stave it off, just as you might have done during your fast. You might read some fasting guides and discover the health dangers of binge eating while breaking a fast. I think a couple are perforated intestines and hemmohroids/fissures. Those alone are enough to cause me to commit to being gentler about breaking a fast.

Good Luck. I think it gets easier with each fast. There are much more experienced fasters here than myself. If I have stated anything that is contrary to popular opinion, I am open to correction.

[margoss]

I made myself a fruit plate & my eyes definitely thought my tum needed more. I ate all of it & was miserable. THat cured me!!;)

[Draginvry]

Self control.

[CosimaMoon]

Self control.


Thanks, that's really helpful.

[misslinda]

I don't think you are alone in this experience. I believe that there is a "sense" of deprivation when going into fasting. I know myself looking back almost 5-6 years ago, I use to view fasting as a period of "suffering." Subconciously, suffering meant working hard and waiting for the "reward." In this case, food!

Briefly, it does require much awareness about WHY you are fasting, intention and planning on how to transition. Let's face it, by shutting down the digestive system, everything you do to it post fasting, you will see the result of it 6 months down the road. Be gentle and kind to your body and know that food will ALWAYS be there. So enjoy a harmonious transition.

FASTING is such a intimate experience ;)

[Aleesha Sattva]

sooo true miss linda (((hugs))) so true.

eating the wrong foods, bingeing... it all CAN happen when you break a fast. i find that planning how i'll break the fast BEFORE i begin really assists me a lot. then i just have to have the self discipline (which hopefully i learned while fasting) to carry me through the breaking of my fast.

the breaking is almost more important than the fast itself. when you fast you get into a zone... when you break... the zone is gone.

[Belladonna]

the breaking is almost more important than the fast itself. when you fast you get into a zone... when you break... the zone is gone.

That's a GREAT way of putting it Aleesha. :D
I don't think I've ever fasted long enough to get into that zone until now (day #3 of 10 on Master Cleanser), and discipline when it comes to food is DEFINITELY something I've lacked in the past! That's actually the main reason I decided to do a fast for so long. When i did it for just a day I felt so depraved of food when I ended it that I ate as much as I would've throughout the entire day anyway! which of course made me feel like crap...