Beautiful Fast

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by SarahJaynee

This is currently the best thread on this site IMO. MightySunTzu I admire you doing this fast and letting us observers in also.

Sarah, thank you again for your kind words. I really appreciate it and i am happy that you can observe my fast and enjoy it.

Originally Posted by SarahJaynee

So MightSunTzu, how are your sleep patterns? have they changed since starting the fast?

My sleeping has been very sound. Often i wake up earlier than i want because my body has had the sleep it "needed", but i have always been able to get right back to sleep and get a couple more hours. Generally over these 20 days i have slept 8 hours per night... choosing to sleep extra to intensify the level of rest (and therefore detoxification) i am receiving.

Originally Posted by SarahJaynee

I know its quite intimate but what about your sex Life? I read the Shelton book excerpt (I dont have the book but have ordered it now) on Fasting and Sex and I wondered if you had notice a difference in ability/cravings/desire etc.

It is typical in a fast for sex drive to diminish (as the entire body is slowing down in so many ways), but to emerge strong upon the return of refeeding. This has always been my experience as well. Also, if i was currently in a relationship where sex was appropriate, it would definately be enjoyable and the energy would be there. But the body "craves" it less.

Originally Posted by SarahJaynee

Also what about your concentration levels? have they increased/decreased. have you been more productive or less so.....?

Actually my concentration levels have decidedly increased within this fast... when i am not exhausted. My productivity has been about the same, capable of more mentally while being capable of less physically.

Originally Posted by SarahJaynee

I am SERIOUSLY thinking about doing a prolonged fast. I currently "don't eat" every Tuesday (Monday dinner at around 6pm and then breakfast at 7:30am Weds). In your (Mighty and Gingko) opinion how many days should I aim for as my first prolonged fast.

Sarah, this really depends so much on you... it could be 3 days or it could be 30. I would recommend commiting to 3 and then taking it a day at a time after this, with no pressure upon yourself to reach any certain number of days. Have you ever gone beyond the day and a half? How long have you been doing this? I propose that 3 days could be very easy for you having trained in what seems to have been several or many 1.5 day fasts you have done.

Originally Posted by SarahJaynee

I'm looking to sleep less, revitalise my skin and shed the last of my baby weight (she is 7months now and I'm not breastfeeding).

You can definately accomplish each of these goals in a fast. A body that needs to detox wants to sleep more, so a cleaner body will require less sleep. I have experienced this benefit many times after fasting. Revitalization of the skin is a can't miss as is burning a certain amount of fat. Depending on your weight, current activity level and anticipated activity level in the fast, i could do my best to estimate how much fat per day you would likely lose.

Good luck in whatever you decide. I hope you create a thread when you do it

[MightySunTzu]

In my last update, i said 20 days was my next mini-goal, so i am well pleased that this goal has now been met. 20.5 days now. The end draws near, or so it seems. It could be another day or it could be another 10, but I won't likely go beyond 30 days unless i feel quite differently by then which remains a distinct possibility. I still hope to experience a return to genuine hunger before then, but i can't help but wonder if that may be too much to hope for.

I continue to feel well and asymptomatic. Continue to "dry-fast" comfortably for 18-20 hours each day, drinking only within a 4-6 hour window and only "to thirst" therein. It's been about 10 days of this now. Basically i feel today much the way i felt when i updated 4 days ago, so there's not much to add.

Weight Log at 20.5 days:

Scale weight and "estimated real weight" upon start of fast: 192
Scale weight today: 160.25
Overall weight loss: (which means nothing): 31.75
Estimated real weight today: 176.1 (Estimated body fat: 9.5%).
Estimated real weight loss (fat loss): 15.9
Estimated temporary weight loss incl. water, intestinal content and other (i consider the small amount of protein i am losing to be temporary as well, expecting to put back double that amount within a very short time upon refeeding with a newly rejuvenated supercharged body): 15.85

Note that this 15.85 pounds of temporary loss will most assuredly be back on my body within 2-3 weeks of breaking the fast.

Feeling pretty great. Next mini goal is 21 days, then 22, then 23. Keeping it simple . Would prefer not to stop before at least 25 days (or an immensely preferential return to genuine hunger), but we will see what happens.

[angies]

I am amazed at your discipline and mind power.

It sound like you are doing great. I just wonder if you see much difference in how you look after 20 days of no food. A friend of mine was really sick and had to be admitted to hospital and was put on drip for 5 days with no food. When he got back to work. He looks so pale and skinny and unwell.

I am also worry about the metabolism slowing down when the body is in starvation mode. How long does it take for the body to enter this mode? Does this mean that after a fast, your body will be so super efficient that it will store away everything you eat, an all the fat will come back with a vengeance with any amount of food that you eat. After the re-feeding period, would you be able to go back to some normality, by this I don't mean stuffing your face with bad food but be able to go out and have a normal dinner say once a week.

[ginkgo]

See my fasting website to see why you do not need to worry about metabolism. It only slows down when your body is concerned about you not having enough fat to finish the fast. Also saying that starvation is like fasting is like saying that running for president is the same as being president.

[ginkgo]

Originally Posted by SarahJaynee

This is currently the best thread on this site IMO.
MightySunTzu I admire you doing this fast and letting us observers in also.
Gingko, thanks for replying with all your informed posts - they are great. Although I have to agree with Might over your choice of words re Muslims and "eating like pigs". Made me LOL!

I know its quite intimate but what about your sex Life? I read the Shelton book excerpt (I dont have the book but have ordered it now) on Fasting and Sex and I wondered if you had notice a difference in ability/cravings/desire etc.

As far as sex drive, I have a strong sex drive from lots of testosterone. They found that testosterone in men and women increases sex drive. I think that my body stops producing it after 10 days of fasting. I have no sex drive and have no association with being a male or a gender. It is a nice vacation from the war of the sexes. I feel androgynous. My body is putting that energy into healing my body and making my mind work better.

This is my experience. I do not know what it is with others. Also maybe they lie. But this is what guys are trying to achieve (see other threads under this section) with no ejaculation for a while (no sex or masturbation). But the body is still putting the energy into creating viable semen. This is the way to stop the body from putting energy into procreation. Also in case you have no food and will starve to death later, this way your body can last longer. Survival takes precedent over procreation with humans. Not with praying mantises. The female eats the male after they have sex! What a way to go?

[MightySunTzu]

Hi Angies,

Thank you for the compliment and you presented some good questions here.

Originally Posted by angies

I just wonder if you see much difference in how you look after 20 days of no food. A friend of mine was really sick and had to be admitted to hospital and was put on drip for 5 days with no food. When he got back to work. He looks so pale and skinny and unwell.

I look "artificially" thin, 15 pounds lighter than i will be about 2-3 weeks after breaking the fast... once the temporary water loss comes back on. Not pale and unwell, but definately thinner than i would want to stay. The 15 pounds of water will fill me in nicely and i will be exceedingly pleased with my body composition at that point.

Originally Posted by angies

I am also worry about the metabolism slowing down when the body is in starvation mode. How long does it take for the body to enter this mode? Does this mean that after a fast, your body will be so super efficient that it will store away everything you eat, an[d] all the fat will come back with a vengeance with any amount of food that you eat.

I discussed this earlier in the thread, but to recap... a fasting body on average will have a reduced metabolism of about 10% after 7 days and about 20% after 21 days. The "myth" you speak of may have arisen because of the replenishment of the temporarily lost water weight. No matter how light you eat post fast, you will likely gain a pound per day until your normal water levels have been restored. People who understandably don't know what is happening may assume it is fat... when it is actually water.

Aside from this, a faster needs to be very careful to break the fast gradually and then to eat within the dictates of the reduced metabolic rate for a few weeks. A careful, disciplined, nutritious breaking of the fast makes it pretty easy to keep within these metabolic limitations. (More on this below). The metabolism is said to build its way back to normal little by little within about 6 weeks. Many fasters have been known to fail in the area of keeping fat off post-fast... perhaps because they "believe" they are too thin and don't realize they will be regaining 10-20 pounds of water, so they mistakenly want to "hurry up" and put weight back on.

In such an instance, if caloric intake exceeds caloric expenditure, the faster will indeed add body fat. But it need not be this way if the faster emerges from the fast with as much discipline as he demonstrated while in its midst. In my previous fast of 10 days (about 3-4 months ago), i burned 7 pounds of fat and kept off every ounce of it and more, while simultaneously building some muscle. It has been said that the post-fast discipline is more essential than the fast itself (which obviously is quite essential and amazing itself in the immense benefits it provides) and can often be more difficult.

The discipline in breaking the fast is critical primarily to gently nurse your long slumbering digestive system back to normal (and what will become super-normal) functioning. You don't break a 25 days fast with a juicy steak. I am very careful in this crucial area and as a rule of thumb i will have only live juice and fresh vegetable broth 1 day for every 4 days of water fasting. Therefore if i should go 28 days, i would have only juice for a full 7 days. Then for the following 7-8 days i would have only fruit and vegetables, primarily raw, in addition to juice. Only after these 14-15 days would i have anything more digestively challenging. Keeping the fat off, while very important, is actually secondary in importance to the careful nurturing of your digestive system during the easing out period.

The super efficiency of the body is generally in reference to the rested, cleansed and rejuvenated organs (and blood) all performing at their best. As two examples, both digestion and the assimilation of nutrients will be greatly enhanced. As another, the body is far better equipped to eliminate unwanted waste with supreme efficacy.

Originally Posted by angies

After the re-feeding period, would you be able to go back to some normality, by this I don't mean stuffing your face with bad food but be able to go out and have a normal dinner say once a week.

Absolutely, positively .

[angies]

Might,

Thank you for your patient, polite and comprehensive answer. You are such an amazing person in many ways. I am sure after all this fasting, you would look fantastic as well.

Do you mind if I ask how old you are? You show such maturity.

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by angies

Might,

Thank you for your patient, polite and comprehensive answer. You are such an amazing person in many ways. I am sure after all this fasting, you would look fantastic as well.

Do you mind if I ask how old you are? You show such maturity.

Hi angies,

Thanks again .

Chronologically i am 47. Pretty excited to see how old i feel after i begin to refeed with this newly rejuvenated system.

[CroMagna]

Man, you are the master. I can't wait to start my fast, I'm just waiting for an optimal time, because I have engagements where I will definitely be expected to eat with people. I should be starting my fast next Monday.

[smileybean]

Hi there Mighty.

This is my first post here and to be honest, it was reading eagerly through your posts on fasting that has prompted me to join the forum.

I must say, your posts are super inspriational.

Do you mind if I ask a few questions? I'm totally new to real fasting.. I have used intermittent fasting but only ever for 18 hours max.. so I really am new to it all.

Firstly, how do you explain it to worried loved ones? If I were to declare I was to fast, the commupance that I would receive would be huge!!

Secondly, I usually find that the thing that makes me break my intermittent fast is a terrible feeling mid afternoon, of being drunk. LIke, my words start to slur and my thinking slows. I feel wobbly on my feet... Do you not experience any of these feelings, or do they dissipate after the first day or two?

Thirdly, sholud one only consume water on a fast? What about herbal teas??

I would love to hear your opinions and experiences with regards to these questions.

Smileybean

[MightySunTzu]

Hi there SmilyBean,

Originally Posted by smileybean

This is my first post here and to be honest, it was reading eagerly through your posts on fasting that has prompted me to join the forum.

I must say, your posts are super inspriational.

Thank you very much Smily. I'm very happy that this post caught your attention and that it has done so much to inspire you.

Originally Posted by smileybean

Do you mind if I ask a few questions? I'm totally new to real fasting.. I have used intermittent fasting but only ever for 18 hours max.. so I really am new to it all.

I don't mind in the least.

Originally Posted by smileybean

Firstly, how do you explain it to worried loved ones? If I were to declare I was to fast, the commupance that I would receive would be huge!!

You would have to fill me in on more of the specifics of your situation. I don't know how old you are, but if you live with your parents i do realize that it becomes a far more difficult matter. For me on the other hand, this is very easy. It starts with the fact that I am my own person, make my own decisions and have my own house (meaning i don't need to live with somebody worrying about me while i'm fasting). Not to say that you don't.

If i choose to fast, what other people want me to do is vastly secondary in importance to what i have already chosen to do. Blatant? Perhaps . Once it becomes obvious that i am avoiding meals, i just come right out and say "i'm fasting". Most will say nothing, some might say "be careful" or "you better be careful" or "i'm worried about you" or "that's so bad for you". Interestingly and perhaps sadly, none of these people know anything about fasting, especially the ones making that last comment. They have been programmed throughout their lives to believe that skipping a meal is so bad for you, let alone 25 days worth.

Now it doesn't really come down to me having to be "hard core" in the way i talk to them... but if it became so, i would be prepared. Usually i can just smile and say, "it's good for you, you should really read up on the subject" . I have shared about the benefits, the fact that it gives the digestive system a much needed rest, cleanses, repairs and rejuvenates the system, and can enhance ones emotional, mental and spiritual well being... and have gently encouraged loved ones to give it a try. It's interesting how vehemently opposed most people are to engaging in such an experience. But life goes on. Their life is theirs and mine is mine.

You might even want to print some good, condensed literature on the subject that you can share with them (ie: 1-2 pages, not 10-20)... and if their interest is piqued, you can show them more. Earlier in this post, there are some links i pasted.

I hope this helps, but again if you wish to share more specifically what your home life is like, i might have some additional ideas.

Originally Posted by smileybean

Secondly, I usually find that the thing that makes me break my intermittent fast is a terrible feeling mid afternoon, of being drunk. LIke, my words start to slur and my thinking slows. I feel wobbly on my feet... Do you not experience any of these feelings, or do they dissipate after the first day or two?

General overall weakness, light headedness and brain fogginess are quite common symptoms... perhaps most especially in the first 3 days or so when the toxic uprising is at its strongest. A person who is relatively "clean" and healthy will definately enjoy a reduced intensity in these symptoms. In my case as i mentioned before, i had fasted for 10 days 3-4 months ago, then ate extremely nutritiously and exercised very fiercely and consistently over the nexr 80 days in leading to this current fast. In 4 words, "i was exceptionally ready" .

It is well advised but not mandatory to prepare for your water fast by eating only raw fruits and vegetables for a few days, then live juice (with some fresh broth too) for a few days. This pre-cleanse will go a long way to minimize your symptoms once you enter into the water fast. If you choose instead to just jump right in as i often have, you may just have to "bear the suffering" through the first couple of days. Generally it will get easier... and generally you will awaken on day 3 or 4 with a vastly diminished feeling of physical hunger.

Originally Posted by smileybean

Thirdly, sholud one only consume water on a fast? What about herbal teas??

From all i have read, you should have only water and the water should be distilled. No vitamins, minerals, teas, or anything else. It has been said that anything your stomach has to digest or any taste can interfere with what the body is trying to do... not to mention, tastes can keep your feeling of physical hunger from going into hibernation. Water only is really the way to go. I won't even use toothpaste... i only brush with water. On the other hand, if you need tea to help get you through the first couple of days and that would make the difference, then by all means have it. Far better to use an "aid" to get started (if absolutely necessary) and to get you over a difficult hump than to be forced to stop prematurely.

[smileybean]

Well, I have just completed my first 24 hour fast!!! I know it seems like nothing to people that have been fasting for a long time, but the sense of accomplishment you get is unbelievable!!! It didn't even feel to bad at all. The hunger came and went and really wasn't an issue, I just felt quite weak by the last couple of hours!! I am now totally inspired to try for longer next time!!

Hows it all going Mighty??

[ginkgo]

With terrible symptoms during a fast, did you know that not using heroin can kill you? On Star Trek, these people were addicted to a drug but were convinced that they needed it to live. So if you have a strong heroin addiction and you stop taking it, it can kill you.

So people have an addiction to different things in their food that have been added by man. When you stop taking it, the body detoxifies and gets rid of that stuff. Naomi Allen of Australia was addicted to heroin. She got hooked on the pure stuff in Thailand. I loved her deeply. In the hospital, they slowly reduced the amount of heroin she got until they stopped it. She then died (heart stopped) and they injected her with heroin and she came back to life. They released her saying that they could not detoxify her of the heroin.

Note that this had worked earlier in her life but she got back on it again and was taking methadone as a replacement from the doctors. Many say that methadone is worse than the heroin.

Christians think that it is not good to do fasting for health benefits. I like the both sides of fasting. They believe in fasting for problems in life like if you are confused about a decision, or you are having a lot of bad luck or you are having financial troubles. Ben Franklin says that you earn money by fasting. He says that a penny saved, is a penny earned. I have seen how fasting can change around my luck.

Dr Shelton ignores the spiritual side of fasting. The Christians ignore the physical side of fasting. I embrace both sides. Gabriel Cousins, MD is a psychiatrist. He embraces both sides of fasting. Many people think that people on a raw foods diet need to get their head examined. He promotes being on a raw foods diet. He has written a few books like Conscious Eating as apposed to unconscious eating. The most addictive thing in foods may be HFCS. Some describe it as it is the devil! » Why High Fructose Corn Syrup Is Your Worst Enemy! on  Journal of Healthy Living

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by smileybean

Well, I have just completed my first 24 hour fast!!! I know it seems like nothing to people that have been fasting for a long time, but the sense of accomplishment you get is unbelievable!!! It didn't even feel to bad at all. The hunger came and went and really wasn't an issue, I just felt quite weak by the last couple of hours!! I am now totally inspired to try for longer next time!!

Hows it all going Mighty??

Wow Smileybean great job! What did you do differently this time that enabled you to complete 24 hours after only being able to reach 18 in the past?

I continue deeper into my fast and will post another update soon.

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by ginkgo

Christians think that it is not good to do fasting for health benefits. I like the both sides of fasting. They believe in fasting for problems in life like if you are confused about a decision, or you are having a lot of bad luck or you are having financial troubles... The Christians ignore the physical side of fasting. ]

Say what you will, but speaking as one Christian, I excitedly welcome the physical benefits with open arms .

[MightySunTzu]

Greetings to all once again,

About 24 hours ago, i reached what was for me a big goal: 25 days. I meant to post yesterday but got caught up in things... so in any case, i now have completed 26 days. At this point, i would love to see 30 days and so far everything is going exceedingly well.

The way i am feeling at this moment, if i reach 30 days without "a return to genuine hunger", i will likely break the fast. Of course if i reach "true hunger" one hour from now (and affirm that this is indeed the genuine article), i will break the fast with the utmost urgency in that very moment . In lieu of genuine hunger, one exception to my stopping at 30 days would be if somehow by then i was feeling better and better each day... enjoying noticeable breakthroughs. But so far i have encountered no such phenomenon, so if everything continues as it's been going, i will likely stop at 30 days, very pleased and satisfied.

I did some grocery shopping a couple of days ago in anticipation of the "break". The plan of course will be to gently and gradually reawaken my long slumbering digestive system starting with only live juice and fresh vegetable broth for about 7 days... so i came home only with juiceable produce.

For live juice: Pineapple, grapefruits, watermelon, apples, carrots, celery, beets, lettuce, tomatos, red, yellow and green bell peppers.

For broths: Kale, bok choy and other asian green leafy vegetables, beet greens, brown, yellow, white and red onions, garlic, squash, zucchini.

I continue to experience a near absence of physical hunger and continue to feel well and asymptomatic. The only possible exception i've been experiencing in the past couple of days is the need to "burp", sometimes 5 good hearty ones within a minute or two. But it's not in any way uncomfortable.

As with my previous update, I continue to "dry-fast" comfortably for 18-20 hours each day, drinking only within a 4-6 hour window and only "to thirst" therein. It's been about 16 days of this now.

One change in the past 5 days is that i took a trip, was visiting with people and "broke discipline" in the area of walking 2 hours per day. I have been averaging about 20-30 minutes instead, but i feel that the fat burning i have accomplished is quite sufficient, so i am no longer feeling the strong need or desire to supplement it with 2 hours of exercise each day. Primarily i am making sure to walk for a few short minutes 3 or more times per day to keep the lymphs moving and getting the benefit of whatever additional elimination will accompany that.

Weight Log at 26 days:

Scale weight and "estimated real weight" upon start of fast: 192
Scale weight today: 157.5
Overall weight loss: (which means nothing): 34.5
Estimated real weight today: 173.5 (Estimated body fat: 8.5 %). (Height is 5' 11" by the way).
Estimated real weight loss (fat loss): 18.5
Estimated temporary weight loss incl. water, intestinal content and other (i consider the small amount of protein i am losing to be temporary as well, expecting to put back double that amount within a very short time upon refeeding with a newly rejuvenated supercharged body): 16

Reminder: this 16 pounds of temporary loss will most assuredly be back on my body within 2-3 weeks of breaking the fast.

[ginkgo]

Sunday morning at 1:45 AM EDT, it will be summer. A friend of mine fasts for 2 weeks before the change of every season. According to ancient Egyptian literature, it helps your body adapt to the change in weather.

This comes from before the Jews existed but the Jews were experts on fasting. Two Jews (Moses and Jesus) fasted 40 days. The bible has 74 references to fasting. The people who copied my website do not know the source of that info. I never counted it. It comes from Patricia Bragg's flyer on fasting. She also has a book of fasting.

The above guy says that the pyramids were built before Abraham's grandfather was alive. If you are a Christian, aren't you supposed to end every paragraph with a "Praise Jesus" or a "Hallelujah"? Have you heard of Hallelujah Acres? They (Christians) do not fast but follow an 85% raw diet with 15% healthy cooked foods at end of day as a reward. They cure depression with their lifestyle that includes lots of sunlight. They have studied nutrition extensively.

This site on Healing Depression has under Most Dramatic Healing the story of a minister who cured his severe depression, bipolar, anxiety disorder and horrible physical health including cancer and anemia with this lifestyle. It is the worst thing that I have ever read about MDs. He had 15 surgeries. They almost killed him (they severed his artery) when taking out his gallbladder.

[ginkgo]

Salt has no calories but makes you fat. It causes people to retain water. Not only does the water fast cause people to lose water weight but a juice diet or any diet with no salt causes them to lose water weight. I have a big section about this on Losing Weight.

If someone goes on a diet with no salt, they will lose all that water weight just like on a fast. Salt is not a food. A quarter pounder burger is 4 ounces. You could eat lots of them and not die. If you consume 4 ounces of salt at one time, then you die.

Salt causes water not to work. If you drink sea water on a raft in the ocean, you get more dehydrated. Salt is anti-water. Your body decides to add or subtract water to your body by the concentration of sodium in it. It is normal to retain lots of excess water weight when consuming a fair amount of salt.

On the site above you can read how even the AMA wants to make salt a restricted substance. Of course they (MDs) make their money from people getting heart attacks and strokes, but with too many, there is not enough money in the country to pay for it.

Dr Shelton says that on a fast someone can lose up to 80,000 mg of sodium in a single day. Urine and sweat are very salty since the body is desperate to get rid of it. But people who do not consume salt do not have salty sweat and urine.

[MightySunTzu]

Today has been a sensational day for me!

For starters, i knew it was to be my final day of fasting whether i achieved a return to genuine hunger (also known as "fasting to completion") or not. I was both excited about the prospect of achieving this goal of 30 days (if genuine hunger did not arrive sooner) and about the truly exciting prospect of being able put something in my mouth that had an actual taste.

What took me by extraordinary surprise is that about 8 hours before the 30 days were up, my body entered into this amazingly desirable (and desired) state of "genuine hunger", telling me that it was definately time to break the fast. I had pretty much given up on the hope of achieving genuine hunger this time around, so the surprise to me was phenomenal and i am sensationally excited that this arrived!

Had i not been 8 hours away from reaching a full 30 days, i would happily have broken the fast within an hour of experiencing this... the hour would have been to just be sure it was the real thing. But since i was so close to the 30 day goal, i forced my way through this very powerful sensation of physical hunger in these final 8 hours, which became more and more intense with each passing hour. These final 8 hours were most certainly the most fantastically difficult hours of the entire fast as my body was SCREAMING for food the entire time and it was so intense as to be all-encompassing.

The transformation of how immensely hungry i became today contrasts rather strikingly with the near total absence of physical hunger i had experienced in the previous 29 days and 16 hours.

*****************

As stated in the previous post, i plan to gently and gradually reawaken my long slumbering digestive system starting with only live juice and fresh vegetable broth for about 7 days.

My produce was about 6 days old and its a bit of a distance to the nearest major store (i live in a small mountain resort town), so i had to toss out all of the green leafy vegetables and a couple of other items, but most of it is perfectly fine. I was really wanting a nice broth from various green leafy vegetables, but had to settle for a tomato broth and a 3 onion broth. Now that i know i am done fasting, i'll make another trip soon because i really want to nourish myself with the best of everything .

I chose to break my fast with fresh juiced red bell pepper, wanting to break it "live" and not wanting anything too sweet just yet. The juice was diluted 50/50 with water and initially i had only about 2 tablespoons... waited 5 minutes then had 4 more, waited 5 minutes then had about 8 tablespoons. I continued to break the fast very gently in this way, and after an hour i had a half cup every 15 minutes or so. I then enjoyed some delectable tomato broth.

Throughout the entire fast, i experienced no nasty symptoms whatsoever... no heartburn, no nausia or other debilitating feelings of illness. To be sure i was often light headed upon rising and i had a coated tongue and a bad taste in my mouth, but i consider these to simply be par for the course and not so unpleasant as to cause me discomfort.

In the end, i burned 20 pounds of actual fat over the 30 days (keeping in mind that i walked 2 hours per day for the first 21 days which contributed substantially)... and 18 additional pounds of temporary loss (predominately water) which will be back on my body within 2-3 weeks. Thus i consider 172 pounds to be my "real weight", though today i weigh 154 from a starting point of 192.

I am excited to enjoy each step of the easing out process and to get back to the point where i am eating immensely nutritious full meals... as well as once again enjoying the intense exercise which i had taken a 30 day break from.

Thank you to everybody who offered their support .

[ginkgo]

You could have rounded it out to 30 days since it was hours away from it. The dictionary defines broth as "liquid in which meat, fish, grains, or vegetables have been cooked." I never heard of breaking a fast with cooked food. Especially with cooking taking out the taste, so people usually add salt to the broth.

Did your tongue clear when you had genuine hunger? Sometimes the body needs food even though it is not done cleaning out stuff. Also with real hunger, you can start eating again instead of converting to a juice fast.

Just like Dr Shelton gave enemas to 6,000 fasters before he stopped, the hygenists had learned that it is better to break the fast with solid food, instead of juice, like a half an orange every 2 hours which Dr Fuhrman uses to break fasts of up to 50 days. People do juice fasts of up to 120 days.

Also Arnold Ehret says that fast is really broken when you have your first bowel movement which solid food helps with. Actually for me, after going weeks without a bowel movement during fasting, it comes very quickly. It feels like the peristalsis starts again as soon as you start eating. I like to ask MDs how do you stop peristalsis without drugs or surgery to hear them say that they do not know. Then I tell them with fasting.

I have read lots of fasting books but never read the above, but they did not say that it does not stop. But it is common sense that when you have all that stuff in there that is not coming out, but then comes out like crazy when yous start eating, it is obvious. So technically, you did starve yourself for around 8 hours.

Although I understand how it is. In Philadelphia, there are bad areas where if you accidentally bump into someone or put down someone, they will kill you and spend the rest of their life in prison. But while in prison they will brag about how they killed a guy who bumped into them. This is called biting off your nose to spite your face. The one word for this (even though it has multiple meanings) would be ego.

Oddly the name for these areas is the name of the areas where the Nazis would put all the Jews at first-- ghettos. Please note for everyone reading this that the professional fasters like Joel Fuhrman, M.D. recommend that people fast under the supervision of someone like them where they check the blood every couple of days.

[angies]

Congratulations Mighty on the completion of your 30 days fast the experience of true hunger. Although it sounds so difficult and scary to mortals like me, you sound genuinely excited about the whole experience. I can't help but feel the positive energy from your post.

Keep us posted with your progress during the post fast period.

[Amandaaa]

MightySunTzu...

Do you have any advice on how to stay satiated and keep your energy up throughout the fast-- like after Day 3...?

I'm starting my fast today, and I'm hoping to go for at least as long as you did. (I've been reading about fasting for years, I'm aware of the benefits and the detox process, and I'm prepared for what to expect.) But I have a serious "flavor addiction" -- I need to be able to taste some sort of flavor at least once or twice a day. So I was wondering... did you consume anything during your fast? Did you even allow yourself a piece of gum? Did you drink any green tea or black tea?

If not, then how did you keep your energy levels up? Do you have any advice on establishing a sleep schedule...or when to work out?

How much time did you spend outside?

Is there anything else that would help keep me going during an extended fast? ...What worked for you?

[ginkgo]

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

MightySunTzu...

Do you have any advice on how to stay satiated and keep your energy up throughout the fast-- like after Day 3...?

I'm starting my fast today, and I'm hoping to go for at least as long as you did. (I've been reading about fasting for years, I'm aware of the benefits and the detox process, and I'm prepared for what to expect.) But I have a serious "flavor addiction" -- I need to be able to taste some sort of flavor at least once or twice a day. So I was wondering... did you consume anything during your fast? Did you even allow yourself a piece of gum? Did you drink any green tea or black tea?

If not, then how did you keep your energy levels up? Do you have any advice on establishing a sleep schedule...or when to work out?

How much time did you spend outside?

Is there anything else that would help keep me going during an extended fast? ...What worked for you?

It is hard, not easy, to overcome an addiction. Say someone wants to overcome his addiction to raping little kids. Is it OK to just rape 1 kid a month? It is a good chance that it will be the hardest thing you ever do, but it is worth it. Going through withdrawel can be like hell. "That which does not kill us makes us stronger."
Friedrich Nietzsche

Here is how to keep energy levels up. Food is for building up what is breaking down in the body. Energy comes from sleep. Go without sleep for 3 days and eat all that you want and you will not have energy. Conversely do not eat for a month and go to sleep. You will sleep like a baby and have lots of energy. The child rapist says "where can I get enjoyment if I can't rape children."

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by ginkgo

It is hard, not easy, to overcome an addiction. Say someone wants to overcome his addiction to raping little kids. Is it OK to just rape 1 kid a month? It is a good chance that it will be the hardest thing you ever do, but it is worth it. ... The child rapist says "where can I get enjoyment if I can't rape children."

Wow Ginkgo, you have such a charming way with words. I sadly feel that this sacred thread has been violated. .

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

MightySunTzu...

Do you have any advice on how to stay satiated and keep your energy up throughout the fast-- like after Day 3...?

Hi there Amandaaa!,

Hmm. For me, the feeling of physical hunger is almost always toughest the first couple of days, then quite a bit easier as of the morning of day 3 or 4 at which point ketosis has kicked in and my appetite is largely suppressed. Not a whole lot of great ways to feel less hungry i'm afraid, however if hunger presents itself in the first couple of days, sometimes i will drink extra water beyond thirst and i also find that exercise serves to suppress my appetite.

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

But I have a serious "flavor addiction" -- I need to be able to taste some sort of flavor at least once or twice a day. So I was wondering... did you consume anything during your fast? Did you even allow yourself a piece of gum? Did you drink any green tea or black tea?

Haha, a flavor addiction, huh? . For me when i am fasting, I consume nothing whatsoever except for distilled water. No coffee, tea, gum... and i even use no toothpaste when i brush. No vitamins, no minerals, no electrolytes. I trust my body to provide for my needs. I don't even drink mineral water... however, if one really wanted to, one could, it's just not as ideally suited to a fast and the resulting cleanse as is distilled water. If you really felt you had to, it is not ideal but u could have plain tea or black coffee, though it is my understanding that any taste will just tend to keep your appetite from going dormant. Nevertheless and particularly if tea was helpful in getting you through the first couple of days (generally the toughest ones), i believe it would be a lot better to use it than to completely break the fast instead. It is afterall zero calories, so it shouldn't interfere with the desired state of ketosis. But eventually i have to believe it is easier to surrender to the process if you do not stir yourself up with tastes.

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

If not, then how did you keep your energy levels up? Do you have any advice on establishing a sleep schedule...or when to work out?

I don't believe energy levels would be kept up by tea or coffee in a fast. What keeps our energy levels up is our nutritional reserves. The fat, vitamins and minerals that are within our tissues enable us to survive for the duration of the fast... for most people 30 days or longer. It's much like a bear in hibernation. They don't drink any tea or coffee, nor do they take vitamins, electrolytes or other minerals . Yet they basically fast throughout the winter on their nutritional stores.

A main cause for our feeling less energetic is the toxins being kicked up for removal. Generally the more toxic we are and the more agressively we detox, the weaker we will feel. For example, a water fast is more aggressive than a juice fast and a water fast with "complete rest" will detox more aggressively than a water fast where we are exercising. I would say i felt so good in my fast partly because i started out fairly clean having fasted for 10 days about 3 months before this fast as well as leading into this 30 day fast with an immensely excellent nutritional and exercise plan... and secondly because i was walking 2 hours per day during this fast.

I noticed that in the final 9 days where i was no longer walking so much, i felt the symptoms of detox more strongly... primarily the light-headedness and the keto mouth... as my vital energy was being more acutely conserved lending itself towards the bodys efforts of intensified detoxification. In this fast, fat loss was one pretty essential goal for me along with the other goals, so it was important to me to get the extra exercise to contribute sizably to the fat burning. But in my next fast, now that i am very happy with my body fat %, i will likely exercise very little to experience the deeper cleanse it will bring, not to mention to conserve my reserves.

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

How much time did you spend outside?

In this case and largely because of the 2 hours per day of exercise, it was probably about 2-3 hours per day on average.

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

Is there anything else that would help keep me going during an extended fast? ...What worked for you?

Hmm. I think it's a matter of finding things your enjoy doing and peacefully settling in for the long journey with a great abundance of patience. It is exceedingly helpful if you are in a place where you love the idea of reaching your goal and enjoying the phenomenal benefits more than you love the idea of breaking the fast... no doubt we will love both ideas, but which will we love more? Once you become "anxious" to break the fast, it can only make it tougher. For me, I spent 80% of my time in the mountains, did a lot of reading, enjoyed some very warm baths listening to my favorite radio programs, and visited with people the other 20% of the time. I had an exceedingly patient attitude about breaking the fast. Each day it was an exciting prospect, but i knew i could postpone that pleasure and enjoy it soon enough.

I think that about covers your questions. If you think of anything else you want to ask, please feel free. I am here to help where i can .

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by angies

Congratulations Mighty on the completion of your 30 days fast the experience of true hunger. Although it sounds so difficult and scary to mortals like me, you sound genuinely excited about the whole experience. I can't help but feel the positive energy from your post.

Keep us posted with your progress during the post fast period.

Hi Angies,

Thank you for your supportive comments . Remember that i was once a fasting mortal too. I thought the first fast i ever did was the hardest thing i'd ever done in my life. How long was that fast? 2 days and 5 hours . I am genuinely excited about the whole experience indeed... especially now that i am refeeding and feeling astonishinly good, i would even say euphoric... I actually feel a sense of "lightness" as if i am walking on the clouds.

[CroMagna]

Wow! Congratulations! Tell me more.

[ginkgo]

"Wow Ginkgo, you have such a charming way with words. I sadly feel that this sacred thread has been violated."

Now that sounds more like what a Christian would say. Many say that Christians have "a holier than thou" attitude. In the bible Jesus specifically says that when you fast you should not let others know about it-- you said that you were a Christian. A lady is paraphrasing Jesus and says "Jesus tells us that our fasting should be seen only by God. If fasting is public, instead of private, then we have already received our reward - the approval of society. If we fast in secret, then our reward is in heaven - with God." Shouldn't she quote Jesus?

"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." -Matthew 6:1-18 But Jesus says to pray in private but all these ministers pray in public.

But since you did not like that approach and explained that people may try drinking tea, here is something easier than a fast that would satisfy a craving for flavors. Many people swear by the Lemonade Diet. With water fasting, the more that you do it, the better you become at it. If you were dying and went to one of the pro fasters, they would tell you that you will have nothing but pure water during your fast or you can take the highway and leave like a tree. No comprimise.

The lemonade diet or master cleanse lemonade fast is a lot more fun. You make fresh lemonade or lime-ade. You add maple syrup or agave to make it taste great. Then you add cayenne pepper to give it some spice. Actually you would want to use less than they recommended amount since it can be too spicey. You can even alternate between lime-ade or lemonade. It can be done longer than a water fast.

Beyonce lost 20 pounds in 10 days on the lemonade diet. Many celebrities like the lemonade diet like David Blaine, the street magician. There was a great article about the lemonade diet and Beyonce in People Magazine. There are more people dong searches for master cleanse or lemonade fast or diet than for fasting.

The Natural Hygienests that have treated people with fasting all say that energy comes from sleeping, not from the food you eat. As I explained, you can go weeks without any food and get a good night sleep and have plenty of energy. This was proved with experiments where fasters won Olympic events.

One MD did a public fast where he was kept in a prison cell so he could not cheat. A reporter asked him about energy and he challenged the reporter to a race on day 10 of his fast. The MD won and the public fast was recorded in the newspaper everyday and lasted 40 days. This was in the Foreward of Dr Shelton's book, The Science and Fine Art of Fasting. Or maybe I made it up. Here is the NY Times article about Dr Tanner on July 18,1880. TANNER STILL FASTING; HALF OF THE FORTY DAYS NEARLY COMPLETED. - Article Preview - The New York Times Of course if you had not contradicted me about where energy comes from, then I would not have posted this great article on his public fast.

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by ginkgo

[SIZE="2"]Now that sounds more like what a Christian would say. Many say that Christians have "a holier than thou" attitude.

We know you are bigoted against Muslims. We know you are bigoted against Christians. We know you are given to vast, foolish blanket statement overgeneralizations such as "Christians do not appreciate the health benefits gained in a fast" and "Muslims fast during the daylight hours and then eat like pigs when the sun goes down". These three points are inarguable as you have provided multiple examples of each.

But i am betting that people need not be Christian or Muslim to despise your sick references to child raping. I know you think you're clever and you are doing it to get a rise out of people, but it really is just plain despicable. Somebody needs to challenge you in your asinine behavior. If this makes me "holier than thou", then i am only pretty much like every other person in the universe that doesn't talk about child raping as if it were something "cute". Could i really be the only one that feels this way? Enough is enough champ.

Originally Posted by ginkgo

In the bible Jesus specifically says that when you fast you should not let others know about it-- you said that you were a Christian.

"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." -Matthew 6:1-18 But Jesus says to pray in private but all these ministers pray in public. [/QUOTE]

If you want to quote the Bible, you might want to first gain a better understanding of it. Jesus meant that people should not fast "as the pharisees did" to show people how wonderfully spiritual they are. To share your fasting experience as an encouragement to others is hardly what Jesus was refering to. He also said to pray "in private"... and he meant it in the same way... not something you want to be doing as a means of "showing off". But public prayer such as a pastor making a prayer on the pulpit is perfectly acceptable and in no way what he meant. Jesus Himself fasted for 40 days and clearly he let people know about it. Jesus Himself also prayed publicly. You really have to take the Bible in its entire context before drawing too many conclusions from individual verses.

Originally Posted by ginkgo

But since you did not like that approach and explained that people may try drinking tea, here is something easier than a fast that would satisfy a craving for flavors.

You seem not to have read my words very carefully and have thus taken what i said out of context. I recommend against tea in a water fast, but if a person is going to otherwise break the fast without it, i would encourage them to use the tea only if it was going to help them through the first couple of days. Nevertheless, it provided you with yet another terrific opportunity to spam your "lemonade diet" link which thankfully isn't getting the least bit old yet .

[ginkgo]

Actually I should have thought of the lemonade diet when she said that she was addicted to flavors. I guess that is why so many like the lemonade diet. But I was just thinking about the pure water fast. But the lemonade diet is a viable alternative. I personally prefer the pure water fast. It has to do with what I said about Ben Franklin.

On the pure water fast (I have an R/O water purifier), you spend nothing on food. So you save a lot of money. The lemons and maple syrup can be costly but some who will never do the water fast will be willing to just drink lemonade. Also on the water fast, you save lots of time-- more than if you have to buy lemons and make lemonade.

I guess that you meant that I was a bigot who was prejudiced against Muslims. Bigot is "one who obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his opinions and prejudices." That sounds like me and most people including the people in the presidential debates. Also the idea of prejudice is about things that people have no control of like the color their skin or where they are born. Whereas being a Christian or a Muslim is from people making a conscious (or unconscious) choice.

So can you say that someone is a bigot who is prejudiced against child rapists? If you could say that, then it would be true with many people. But I do not think that the word is intended for people making a choice. Although it is controversial with gay people since they say that they are born that way and it is not a choice. But others say that it is a choice they make so they are not prejudiced to hate gays just like they are not prejudiced to hate child molesters.

As far as the example about Christians, that is not a negative thing to say that they are devoted to God and not devoted to the world or their body. I was saying it objectively. This is what they say on the the Christian TV. I think I explained that their reasons for fasting was not for health but (or did I put this on another thread) was for 1) something to do if you do not know what to do and are looking for an answer (which includes who to vote for), 2) if you are having money problems and you want to help that or 3) you feel bad about something you did and want to forgive yourself.

As far as what I said about the Muslims, I got that from Dr Shelton's writings. There are probably some Muslims who do not eat like pigs and drink lots of alcohol at night like Dr Shelton said. As far as prejudice, I make generalizations about groups of people but know that there are good and bad in all groups.

You can look up all the terrible things that I have said about MDs on this forum but I like MDs like Gabriel Cousins, Joel Fuhrman and Andrew Weil. But as a group.... On another thread I tell how in the late 1800s the MDs main way of treating people was from bleeding or bloodletting killing many people. Have you ever read any of Dr Shelton's books? I have read almost all of his writings and get this stuff from him, like with Dr Tanner. I also read Dr Fuhrman's book about fasting and many MDs consider him the country's expert on fasting.

On a thread about the 5 elements, I put up stuff about the bloodletting that I got from Dr Shelton. But maybe he got it wrong. So I also put up a link to Wikipedia showing that he was right. Also I found that stuff on the NY Times to make sure that Dr Shelton was not just fabricating it.

If you look at the threads that I have started, then you can see that I am prejudiced against stupid people. Also people who do not think for themselves or just blindly follow a doctrine. I read a book about the different groups of Christians battling it out after Jesus died and before the New Testament was written.

Also I read a book about one man (a minister) in NY who shaped the way that most Christians today think about their religion (he created the evangelical approach). "We know you are given to vast, foolish blanket statement overgeneralizations such as 'Christians do not appreciate the health benefits gained in a fast' and 'Muslims fast during the daylight hours and then eat like pigs when the sun goes down'. These three points are inarguable as you have provided multiple examples of each."

Apparently the statement I made about the Christians comes from the ones that I hear on Christian TV but it does not apply to all since you are a Christian. The biggest reason that there have been so many cases of children being raped comes from people having a problem facing the issue or even thinking about it. They try hard to pretend it does not exist. But it does exist.

"If you want to quote the Bible, you might want to first gain a better understanding of it." Maybe I am wrong, but shouldn't the words of Jesus come first and the interpretation of them come later. Also among the Protestants, do they not believe that it is up to each person to interpret the words themselves? Whereas among the Catholics, only the priests can interpret the bible and the people should just listen to the priests (even though many of them raped little children).

Oh, it could be that you are a Catholic. The Christian TV that I watch is all Protestant. Before World War II, the Catholics and Protestants were at war with each other and killing each other-- all in the name of religion. That is what I read in books and online. I was not there myself. Among many Protestant groups it is a terrible thing to tell someone what you interpret the bible to mean instead of letting them read the words of Jesus themselves.

You said "Jesus meant." So are you saying "do not read the words of Jesus yourself and try to understand them, but listen to my intepretation of them instead?" On my webpage about healing depression, you can see that I admire the Christian group Hallejulah Acres and thier 85% raw diet. It also tells about a minister curing his very severe depression along with many other problems like anemia and cancer. They are some brilliant Christians.

So here is where you ask that if they are so concerned about the exact percentage of raw foods in their diet and taking B-12 supplements, and other minor details, then don't they fast for health? They make no mention of fasting at all. None, whatsoever! I love the movie, The Jewel of the Nile. In it, the Sufis are the heroes and they are a sect of Muslims. But I guess the bad guys are also Muslims.

[MightySunTzu]

After fasting 30 days, i enjoyed some highly anticipated live juice and cooked broth from freshly juiced vegetables, namely tomatos and onions... after enduring 8 hours of genuine hunger to reach the full 30 day goal. Immediately upon waking in the morning, i had 3 very nice bms.... presumably the final contents of my colon. The juice, as if by magic, seemed to prompt my body to let it go.

On to the following days...

Generally in previous fasts i have been very disciplined in doing things a certain way... in particular breaking the fast with a day of juice for every 4 days of water and a day of juice + fruits & vegetables for every 4 days of water+juice. This has always worked out for me exceedingly well. With this in mind, my plan was to go about 7.5 days of juice and broth, then about 9 days of fruits and vegetables before anything else.

However, I believe that somehow, "Fasting to Completion" is a whole different animal than any fast i had undertaken before. I was still being digestively cautious, but quickly felt that my body was "DEMANDING" more than just juice. I felt i kept returning to "genuine hunger" all over again 20 minutes to an hour after i had some juice.

I decided i had to have whole fruits at least, to start there cautiously feeling my stomach and paying attention to it... as well as paying attention to how well the bowels seemed to be moving. This was at about 1.5 days of breaking the fast. In listening to my body, i felt very strong signals that this is what i "HAD TO DO" to escape a genuine hunger that was continually nipping at my heels or to say it another way, a genuine hunger that was "heckling" me . I began to feel i was in a race against it and i had to out-run it, lest some nutrient that i was extremely low in manifest itself in an unhealthy way.

Foremost, i wanted to do what i believed to be the most healthy given my situation and i felt i had to improvise as my normal caution in gently and very gradually breaking the fast did not in this case seem to be the healthiest way to proceed.

The whole fruit i started with was Watermelon. It is perhaps the most easily digested fruit of all, so it makes for an exceptionally gradual transition from juice to whole fruits. The watermelon meal was so juicy and delicious... i enjoyed it immensely after 30 days of eating nothing. Without exaggeration, it honestly felt as satisfying as Thanksgiving dinner .

The many other fruits i moved into over the next several days include: pineapple smoothies, cherries, mangos, grapefruit smoothies, blueberries, grapes, peaches, nectarines, papayas, apple, strawberry/banana smoothies.

Also, at this point, upon taking whole fruit and still not feeling satisfied, i very quickly began to feel a fantastic demand for the juice and cooked broth of the green leafy vegetables that had gone bad in my fridge and so with the utmost of urgency as if still driven by genuine hunger (which indeed i was), i raced down the mountain to satisfy this high intensity demand for spinach, green leafy lettuce, kale, beet greens, collards and other such super-foods.

Initially upon breaking the fast, i knew i did not want to be without the very best of everything so soon after a fast to completion, but since it is not close, i was going to give it a few days and make it work with the many other exceedingly healthy foods i had before making another trip. The DEMAND i was feeling, however, convinced me that it simply could not wait.

So instead of my plan to have only juice and fresh veg broth for 7 days, in listening to my bodys special needs unlike any i had ever experienced before, i limited myself to only juice for just 1.5 days then had whole fruits. By 2.33 days, i was having both whole fruits (chewed or smoothied) and also whole vegetable smoothies (spinach for one, leafy lettuce, and red, yellow or green bell peppers to round out the dance card). Additionally, i was having the fresh, live juice of carrots/beets/celery/parsley and the cooked broths of fresh juiced kale, beet greens, asparagas, broccoli, as well as brown, yellow, white, red and green onions and garlic. Fresh tomato "puree", i have been enjoying both live and cooked.

Something still seemed to be missing so by day 4 i cautiously stepped into some almonds as well as fish oil. Day 5 i thawed some sushi grade salmon that i had purchased a couple weeks ago for this occasion and enjoyed some salmon sashimi that melted in my mouth. I don't believe i began to feel i was "beyond teetering on the brink of genuine hunger" until i had this all too satisfying salmon. Perhaps my body was needy for a fair portion of protein... or who knows... all i am doing here is speculating, walking in something (genuine hunger) i had never experienced before.

Each time i was eating a new food, i would do so carefully, feeling my stomach (not to be confused with the large intestines) after a little bit and each time my stomach has felt fine. When the almonds didn't create an unwanted challenge, i felt confident by the next day that i could have some raw salmon.

As well, after eliminating the 3 initial bms, my colon felt strange and gassy for about 2 days, but it was moving fine right from the start. (the strangeness could have been from a complete absense of intestinal flora perhaps, as both bad and good are said to be wiped clean after about 10 days of water fasting). After the first 2 days of feeling odd and gassy (perhaps also the colon was reacting this way in response to its emergence from long hibernation) my colon seemed to be basically back to normal. I am pretty sure i was "eliminating" the first whole fruits i ate within 6-8 hours or so of eating them and have been enjoying excellent regularity ever since.

So i am at 7 days right now and basically enjoying the following each day: Live Juices, cooked broths of freshly juiced vegetables, fruits and fruit smoothies, vegetable smoothies (not chewing whole vegetables as yet, nor having any that are cooked), salmon sashimi, yellowtail sashimi, almonds and other nuts and sometimes protein powder,

I feel astonishingly good, not unlike a man walking on clouds.

On day 6 i decided to test the waters by easing back into both cardio and isometric muscle workouts, not expecting much. For cardio, i was amazed to find that my body carried me up the hill at 80% of my max heart rate for a steady 7 minute climb (I was anticipating a transitioning 70% climb but the 80% came quite effortlessly). This was my first workout in 36 days of anything remotely intense and it felt amazingly good and easy. I expected to work gently towards this and be at this point in 2 more weeks, but what a great surprise. And this 80% was me taking it easy, being very careful not to over do it. I specifically slowed myself down a little bit to keep it under 81%.

Today i made the same climb and was prepared to move to the next level... still easy going, but a little bit more of a challenge than i provided to myself 24 hours earlier. So i took the 7 minute hill with a steady state pace of 85% of max with a final peak of 87%. Again this was easy, i could have pushed considerably harder, but want to be patient and ease back gradually into the highest intensity levels.

I definately feel an amazing "lightness" that seems to make the climb noticibly easier than it had been pre-fast (having lost 20 pounds of fat and countless toxic elements within). Another exciting development is that my lungs feel newly rejuvenated like i am 18 years old. Taking exceedingly deep, comfortable easy breaths is something i haven't enjoyed for quite some time... not that my lungs had it particularly bad before, nor did i notice them being in any way below normal... but now that they are feeling this amazing, i can compare the difference and it becomes clear that my lungs were not in the same league 36 days ago. I would say that my lungs had been ever so slightly my weakest link where cardio was concerned, my heart and legs both being in better shape. It will be interesting to see now, if my lungs are no longer the weakest link how much harder i will be able to push.

On both days of quick cardio "ease in workouts", i followed with about 45 minutes to an hour of isometrics, straining half of the muscles each day as a prelude to getting back to some weight training within the next few days.

At the fasts end, i weighed 154 pounds. I have been stating all along that i believed 18 pounds of my 38 pound loss to be temporary and would be back within 2-3 weeks of breaking the fast. At the 6.5 day mark, fully 8.5 of this 18 pounds is already back on my body, so this morning upon awakening, I tipped the scales at 162.5. Within 2 additional weeks or less, i expect to be at about 172, the point at which the tempory loss will all have returned.