What is Your Why?
The most common question that comes up for Angi and I around the topic of fasting is simply: what are my fasting options?
To give an answer to this question that applied to everyone would be quite a feat as the types of fasts are varied and based on circumstances specific to each individual. But having said that - I do want to answer generally as best that I can and hopefully inspire you to keep exploring!
One thing that applies to everyone is that if you are fasting, you're doing it for a reason.
To me - that's the most important part because, as cheesy as it sounds, you have to ask yourself - what is your why? I know that phrase has been overplayed in recent years, but it really is an important question. Because there's a why behind everything that we do.
What comes to mind when you think about the main reason you're going to do a fast? Is it to...
be a part of a community?
challenge yourself physically?
push yourself mentally?
create or regain health?
They all have different paths, but the main objective remains the same: understanding why you're doing it. This is what will give you the arrow of your direction as to what type of fast you should do. Maybe your "why" has to do with physical health challenges, or maybe mentally you need to do this for yourself because it's been a rough few months. Once you identify this for yourself, you can then build the right plan and set your goal.
“Fasting is the first principle of medicine; fast and see the strength of the spirit reveal itself.”
-Rumi
Let's say, for example, you're trying to change your physiology. If that's the case, then using a fast that allows you to get into autophagy would be your direction. Reaching a state of autophagy would be something that is going to change your physiology and deal with things like autoimmune disease, systemic inflammation and other issues on the health challenges side of things.
If your main objective is mental training, then it may be more effective to do something like intermittent fasting as opposed to deep diving into a multi-day fast that will present great physical shifts. I use intermittent fasting as an example of mental training, even though there are obviously multiple physical health benefits, you just won't have the same level of autophagy and cellular apoptosis. Intermittent fasting provides a nice structured pattern to allow you to build your mental training while easing into the physical shifts like reduced inflammation and insulin sensitivity.
Another side of more structured fasting would be doing a fasting mimicking diet like what Prolon offers. There are also extreme versions of fasting like water fasting, or the most extreme version, which is dry fasting. You could also do a caloric restriction fast, a liquid fast utilizing something like Organifi (code “Angi for 15% off), or a caffeine fast with Kion coffee (link auto applies discount).
I know I've just shared links to lots of products for purchase, so I want to touch on the issue of finances as there are a lot of us in this moment in less than ideal financial positions with little to no disposable income. On this topic, you can always make the argument of looking at it from the standpoint of how how much you are saving if you're not eating normal foods. So if we're talking about purchasing Organifi or Prolon - you have to weigh the cost of the product with the savings of what you're not consuming. And of course - using our discount codes can make that an even greater savings!
A disclaimer here is that I don't mean if you're flat broke you should water fast - absolutely not. I just mean you can be flexible and accommodate your own unique situation. Maybe you join for 2 days instead of all 5 days, maybe you do intermittent fasting instead.
Find whatever is is so you can be involved in the way that fits your lifestyle and in a way that is realistic for you to start - particularly if this is your first fast.
Speaking of beginning fasting: when you sign up for Kion’s 5 day fasting challenge, you get a free e-book that is chock full of info. There's so much to understand about fasting and so much to consider about each of us individually. We will all be on such different journeys with fasting. If you're just starting out with fasting, you have to think of it like someone running a marathon.
You don't just sign up for the marathon and that's it. You do things to prepare your mind and body so you can actually endure a marathon. Maybe that means you'd start with a 5k and work your way up. All that to say - it's not that people can't do a 5 day fast right out of the gate, but whatever you choose to do - simply be kind to yourself and allow things to happen as they will....because things can get ugly with fasting! How you feel can be a roller coaster and the different things that come up mentally and physically can be heavy.
But in the discomfort can be where the most beneficial change happen.
That can be a slippery slope though because there's no benefit to constantly hammering yourself to go beyond a point that your mind and body aren't ready for.
A huge point to note here is that Angi and I are not doing the same fast this week.
We are doing the Prolon fast this week, but Angi is using it just as a meal guide. She is a week out from starting her cycle, so she is intermittent fasting with the Prolon plan and adding calories as her body needs in this phase of her cycle. She wrote her own blog about this though, as there's obviously a lot to say on that topic alone. See that link below!
So, in closing: just start. Start where you are with what you have. To start the process is a win unto itself. The point of saying any of this is just to make sure you feel encouraged in starting a process that in my opinion is one of the most beneficial things we as humans can do for our overall mental, physical and spiritual health.
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HEALTH DISCLAIMER: This blog provides general information about health and related subjects. The information and content provided in this blog are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that have read on this blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately. The opinions and views expressed on this blog should not be a substitute for medical advice.
The most important thing for women when it comes to fasting is honoring your cycle and knowing that we as woman have very different needs than men. This is not to say that women are weaker or more fragile, if anything - it's the opposite. Our reproductive systems run in powerful cycles that simply dictate different needs.