March 2013 Fasting Thread - Join ANYTIME of the month

[ReneeH]

PLEASE... feel free to join this thread any time ... we loooove having new friends to fast with!!!

Here's are the 'rules' of this thread:

Please do not discuss specific food. Feel free to share "My hubby was eating and it was hard for me." Please don't share "My hubby was eating X, Y and Z..."

The reason we do this is so no one ends up getting a craving from a fasting thread. As a faster we can choose to click on a thread which discusses food but we need the safety within this thread to know food is not discussed. Juices are shared, M/C is shared, green smoothie recipes are shared... but not 'chewable' food.

Please join us... by listening to our theme song. We all come together... from around the world to fast together and support each other. Please join us!

There is a great deal of info in this stickie. Please take a moment to read it.

And here is a thread where we share our favourite recipes. If you haven't contributed yours, please do!

Here's Aleesha's commitment:

I'm here to fast. I'm not here to eat. I will fast until I choose to stop but I will NOT stop my fast on a bad day, at night or today. I can choose to break my fast tomorrow in the morning but not today.

I'm here to gain health.
I'm here to gift my body the time and energy to bring my body to a state of health.
I'm here to release - whatever needs to be released. Physical, emotional, conscious or unconscious out-moded things... I'm here to release them all.
I'm here to bring a greater depth to my spirituality.
I'm here to support myself, my super amazing husband Parz, and anyone here who wants support.
I am here to continue to be mindful - focusing on this moment and not anticipating the next one.
I am here to share my experience and gain knowledge from what others share.
I'm here to feel whole. I'm here to give my beautiful, cherished body a break from digesting food!!!

This is the "Fellowship of the Fasters" - unlike the LOTRs fellowship of nine, we are a fellowship of many. We welcome newcomers daily and embrace everyone no matter what they are fasting on or their personal beliefs.

Yes you can prefer green juices to fruit. Yes you can use agave instead of maple syrup or raw honey. Yes you can juice in your Vita-Mix and use a nut mylk bag to extract your juices.

We don't care how you fast... we want to support you... and in turn, we ourselves get supported... so please... join us!!!

Come on everyone.. join in the fun and grab your Elf, Dwarf, Hobbit or Human names for our "Fellowship of the Fasters"... you just make them up, it isn't from the book/movie. (if you want to participate) and put it in your signature line!

Ever wonder how the Fellowship began?

Back when I first began fasting there were the Fasting Bandits. This was a group of amazing people who fasted together all the time. The 'theme' was a convoy of truckers. I was the water tanker! Over time the Fasting Bandits moved on with their lives and weren't around much at all. A few of the members are still here... but seldom fasting anymore.

I was missing the camaraderie of the FB and was always hoping to find a new group to fast with, find support with and to support myself. The Fellowship of Fasters began because Cathy and I watch the movie Lord of the Rings a LOT and we fast together a LOT as well. We began speaking to each other as though we were Golum - and our juice was our precious.

And then the Fellowship of Fasters was born!

So to be a member... you simply need to choose a name, put it in your signature line and love fasting. You can become a life-time member or one for a short time... it's up to you.

I'm here for the long haul. My water tanker is here beside me - because I'll always be a Fasting Bandit... but now my precious walks beside on a slower path than the truckers... enjoying the grass at my feet and the flowers growing out of the cracks and crevices in the rocks around me.

[allie_x]

First day of a 3 day juice fast for me! it's only 8am so...... going good! :P

[allie_x]

at the end on day 2 now... some headaches and dizziness, but mostly a calm blissful state :)

[TackleBox]

Second morning of my three day juice fast. Last night I had to remind myself to make some juice because I had NO appetite (which is fine). This morning I'm drinking lemon water and not hungry at all. I know I need to get some nutrients into my system, so I'll be making a big breakfast juice very soon. I hope the cravings stay away, because right now I feel great, optimistic, happier in general. Yay for fasting!

[TackleBox]

Third morning of my three day juice fast. I'm a really light sleeper anyway, so didn't get much sleep last night, but I can't say it's because of anything food-related (or not). Last night late I did have some of what I thought was genuine hunger. I didn't crave anything specifically, but even after a kale/carrot/cilantro juice right before bed I could still feel my stomach feeling "empty".
This morning I'm drinking 32 oz water with 1/2 lemon juice before I juice breakfast. Not terribly hungry, and I have to say I haven't had ANY tough cravings YET.
I'm worried I'm not getting enough nutrition, though, because it doesn't seem like I'm drinking that much. I'm thinking I should use a calorie calculator to figure it out, but I don't know if the normal counts would be the same as juiced. Anyone have any idea?
I would like to maybe continue this fast throughout the weekend. Somehow this feels easier than regular raw because I don't have to think about meals or plan them, just pop some stuff into the juicer about 4 times a day.
BTW I decided to weigh myself each day just for the heck of it. I started out a 174. The second morning I was 170, this third morning I was 167. Still feeling pretty great!
If anyone has any pointers or suggestions I'm totally open to them. This is my first juice fast...

[TackleBox]

And...here come the cravings! Can't stop thinking about junk food (not raw: cooked and full of MSG!!), and then boyfriend comes home and brings alcoholic beverages!
Made myself a giant celery/carrot juice and am powering through cravings. Also, I made the yummiest fruit drink today; Granny Smith apple and Bartlett pear with added water to mellow it out. Only wish I'd added ginger. It was awesome on ice!
BTW I feel like I'm hijacking this whole thread. Where are all the fasting peeps?

[laughalways]

I decided to fast today. I made a ton of juice yesterday which I didn't get much chance to drink at work. I need to make some more because I am getting hungry. But I've made it this far so just juice and water today!

[laughalways]

I am going to extend my juice fast through Sunday! I need to get busy making more juice today!

[TackleBox]

So I did three days of juice fasting. I am amazed that I had the willpower and discipline to do so; even dealing with the cravings on the third night. Yesterday morning I intended to keep fasting unless I acquired my favorite food (I was going fishing). Started out with juice, even making some and taking it with me in a bottle while everyone else was cooking junk food over a fire outdoors. Sure enough, I caught a fish (ironically the first one this year!).
When I got home I ate a small piece of fruit slowly, chewing thoroughly to activate my saliva and digestion. I drank a ton of water. Being my first fast I wasn't sure how to break it, even though I know animal flesh is a bad choice. But I took it slow and no side effects. Yay.
Laugh, congratulations on your fast (today hopefully being the last day). Do you have a masticating or centrifugal juicer? I have a Jack LaLane and can't really make big batches of juice to store without losing nutrients and getting oxidation. I'd love to fast again asap but I'm so dreaming of an expensive juicer right now for convenience! LOL...

Note to Moderators: If this post contains too much reference to specific food please delete. I just couldn't explain my point without it.

[laughalways]

I have an Omega 8004 which is a masticating juicer. It does very well with greens but not as well on soft fruit. I have to make sure I alternate the soft fruit with something harder like celery. My juice will last in the fridge for up to 2 days but if I make extra I freeze it. I only do this if I am juice fasting because of the time it takes to make enough to get me through a day.

Congrats to you for doing the fast. I am on my third day so I know at this point I can make it. I plan to do another next Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well. It's just too hard to do it when I work 11 hour days so for the week, I'll eat lightly with mostly fruit and greens.

Also, even with your juice if you add lemons I believe your juice will last longer.

[TackleBox]

I heard that about the lemons, too, and tried it. But I am really envious you have an Omega. Have you juiced wheatgrass in it, and how did that work? If I spend $ on a new juicer I need one that will do wheatgrass, for sure!
You know, the juice fast wasn't too difficult for me, surprisingly. It's easy to turn down cooked food when you can't have solid food; period. If I'm on raw solid food somehow it's easier for me to justify sampling something cooked. Weird.
I'll be trying to eat as close to 100% raw as possible for the next two months. I have weight to lose and bad food habits to kick. This forum has been so helpful, even if mostly I'm just lurking : )

[laughalways]

I have never juiced wheat grass but since it handles greens well perhaps it would. Maybe others who have this juicer can comment on that. I used a cheaper juicer for over a year before I committed to a more expensive model. It's not perfect as to juicing soft fruits....sometimes I wonder if I could have purchased a better one for a similar cost but overall it works for me.

I hope you succeed on your goal to eat 100%. I did for a long time but now I am high raw and vegan. I am probably 90 to 90%. I only have a few pounds to get off...maybe 5 that have crept up on me :-)

[laughalways]

I checked and the Omega will juice wheat grass!

[TackleBox]

Thank you! Haven't been very good at raw for the last day or so. Probably because of the crappy way I broke my fast and giving myself permission to be lazy about staying 100%. Seems like it's all or nothing for me to make it work. LOL.

[laughalways]

I am starting day 2 of another 3 day juice fast. I actually didn't drink much juice yesterday...mostly water. I hope next weekend to try a water fast.