Day 32 of my Post Water Fast by Sacristia Blog entry

Blog: My Health Journey
by Sacristia

Day 32 of my Post Water Fast

My daily Journey to a healthier life style

Date: 12/27/2010 3:50:46 PM ( 16 y ) ... viewed 50443 times

December 26, 2010

Today is a very saddening day for me. It has been a year since I had to put my beloved 14 year old cat, Canna to sleep. It is hard to believe that he has been gone a year. I really missed him a lot as he was such a big part of my life for the last 14 years that it has been hard to deal with at times. I still at times, expect to see him walk in a room. I really miss him sitting nearby and hear his usually purr, which I could always tell between him, Mekong and Lammy. He had a very distinct purr that was just all him.

I guess that if I was to start a fast on any day, it probably would be this day, as it is very special to me and probably always will be due it being a day that I lost my closest buddy.

I was watching TV in the living room, when I had a craving for some salad greens, which I still have a half of a tub left. I serious thought about how I thought how I ate during the week, and realized that it wouldn't hurt to use the week to repair any bad habit eating of last week. That means that I would being using this week to eat high fiber foods like leafy greens to prep my body for my fast fast. They say that you should do that before a water fast, so for once I am able to follow it to the rule. LOL

I was up most of the night December 25/December 26 as I had a lot on my mind and really nothing to help me relax enough so that I could sleep. I thought about Phil a lot and about what my future might hold, since I couldn't see where my future might be going. I got a text message from one of my ex-boyfriend's (my first boyfriend, J. to be exact) asking me if I would like to spend some time with him. I texted him and told him that I was busy. I was busy figuring out my own life. I realized that I definitely don't want any ex's (especially J, regardless if he has been sober for 6 months or not) in my life. I don't want to be taking steps back, only steps forward. I know that with Phil, I might be taking a couple steps back, I definitely don't want to be taking several steps back into my past. My journey is one that is moving forward to healthy way, not in a way that might cause me more harm mentally and/or emotionally. I know that J. would not understand that. He never does. Another one that focus on what his needs and wants are. I think his issue is that he had me (for 2 ½ years and even another 6 months when we tried once again, only to have him walk off once again) and now that he realized what he once had, he wants it back. I don't know how many times I have heard that he regrets how he has treated me in the past and does miss me. It isn't that I don't believe him, I just don't want him back in my life. A dog that has been beaten will only endure so many beatings before they stop moving forward. They end up slinking away to save themselves for a beating. After the second serious dating period J. and I had, I realized that he had changed and I would not do it again. I was through. I think he realized how serious I was about not wanting to see him, hang out with him or even talk to him. Yeah, he texts me once in a while, but I never answer his calls or call him. I have moved on long ago and I have no desire to take steps back. If I ignore him for a while, he will go back to looking for a woman somewhere else.

I was planning on doing a couple exercises today. I did about 10 minutes of some toning exercises, which were inner thigh, outer thigh, and crunches. I picked up a couple books at the Goodwill on the 24th of December, and one of the was Denise Austin's Hit the Spot: How to target, tone and slim your problem areas. It looked like a very simple and direct exercise book. It was only 74 cents so I got it. It has a nice little chart to follow how often I exercise during the week. I also got a Taebo VCR tape that I am going to try out during the week. It this the week that I should develop a routine with exercising so that when next week I start my Water fast, I have a little routine already set that, it should help with my detoxification stage of my fast.

I am a little disappointed that I didn't start my fast today, but then again I realized I shouldn't be because I am just preparing a bit better then I would have if I started today. Three days of slightly unhealthy eating is not a good way to prepare for a water fast, so that is why I decided to extend my post water fast diet by a week. Maybe I am just a slight disappointed because today was a special day for me, and I wanted to start my fast on that day. Oh well, I am sure that Canna would have rather had me to eat, as he loved to eat and rest, and eating well and enjoying some rest is that I am doing. I guess it is all good. I think he would understand, if he was here. After all he was my buddy. As well I have to start working on working on my Canna blanket, since I didn't finish it on time for his yearly anniversary, I do want to finish it by my birthday in February. No excuses!

I napped a lot since I was up most of the night before, so my day when a bit quick at times, and slower at other times. LOL I spend a lot of time reading as I bought a couple books before Christmas for myself. All from Goodwill. I have been reading “South Beach Diet” as I have heard so much about it, as well the one attorney told me about it as he was on it for a while. I am not interesting in using its principles, since I am doing fine doing what I am doing right now. I guess I am more interested in reading it, as I want to see what type of extreme it might have it that most fad diets have. I am learning more and more just by keeping my own diet simple and fresh. I can say that it isn't hard at all to follow or adapt to, so I won't be changing my current diet at all, other then trying to start some type of exercise routine into it. I also have been reading. YOU on a Diet” by Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, which is an amazing informational read. I am also reading a book by Denise Austin exercising and toning. I am learning that I should tone my muscles even though I might not be seeming losing weight in that area. It strengthens and primes the area, when it comes to when my body does finally whittle the fat off an area like the mid-section or hip area. Wow, I didn't know that! As I said I am learning so much about my body, just by documenting all the new things that come up or observations that I notice about myself. and/or reading about how I can keep a healthy body.

I am beginning to believe that a lot of people's problems with being overweight or consuming horrible foods is that they might not be knowledgeable on how their bodies work and what they need to do to keep in great working order. I know that I never knew about how I should keep my muscles tone. I only know this now, because I have a hunger to know what I should be doing to keep a healthy toned body. I guess in the past, the only thing I did know is that “ I need to go on a diet to take care of any weight gain” as most people do when they gain a lot of weight. I know how to properly fast, but I didn't know the deeper particulars of it, such as why my body does what it does or how what I eat can affect how my body's chemicals react in telling me that I am full or starving. I have learned that any type of water fasting or even juice fasting will not be successful, until I am committed on how I treat my body and understand it on a deeper level. I am learning all this by reading the book “YOU on a Diet”. I can actually see how particular people in the Water fast forum are in danger of harming themselves due to the routines or systematic fasting they under take to deal with a weight problem. I can see a pattern from their posts of fasting and binging and fasting and binging, which is not good for one's body. They are not following the proper way to introduce food into their systems or eating the proper foods, thus causing their bodies' to signal to the wrong chemicals. I watch them start a fast again soon after to correct the failure of their water fast. I think a lot of is much deeper and they don't see it. I think other then water fasting, they should be focusing on learning how to eat properly and baby their bodies with good healthy food. I only say this because I have learned more in this post water fast then I ever have in previous water fasts in the past.

It is true that I successfully completed a 55 day water fast, but honestly, was I successful? I didn't learn what I feel that I really had to learn or maybe should have learned from it. That fast was more spiritual based when for health reasons. My last mini water fasts were for health reason, and I was very determined to learn from them (which I have!). I believe now that I have really learned during this post water fast how to have a healthy relationship with food. One important with is no healthy relationship with food is convenient and instant like fast food. A healthy relationship takes planning, learning and moderation. I have learned to plan healthy meals, to make meals and snacking convenient for my busy lifestyle (even packing a lunch for when I leave the house for a couple hours such as going over to my friend's house) and to eat small meals to enjoy and savor, instead of stuffing myself to fill an emotional or physical void in my life. It hasn't been the easiest thing to learn, but since I wanted to succeed in losing weight and becoming healthier, I keep my eye on the prize. I might even be able to get rid of the fatty pooch on my stomach area, but even if I don't get rid of it in the next couple months, at least I know I am capable to trimming it down if I continue to live a health lifestyle. I guess it all depends how dedicated I am to achieving it in a healthy way, not a quick fast way like just water fasting, like some people are doing continually to deal with a weight problem. I think any water fasting for health reason should be a very serious and committed undertaking, as if not done properly, can only possibly develop into a type of eating disorder, as I think I have seen is several people that have posted in the water fasting forum.

I am just happy that I am able to see all this with a clear mind. I am very glad that my post water fast has been so successful in teaching me this! I have been blessed by it.

FOOD INTAKE:

BREAKFAST : one half of red delicious apple

DRINK: 12 ounces of Water

SNACK: 3 Wasa multi grain crackers with small smear of Jarlsburg cheese dip

LUNCH: 1 ½ cup of Fresh Express Spring Mix with out dressing and 6 each baby carrot and celery sticks

DRINK: 20 ounces of water

SNACK: 4 each of celery and carrot sticks

DINNER: 1 cup of Steamed diced squash, baby corn, broccoli and carrots, 2 cups of Fresh Express Spring Mix with out dressing

TOTAL CALORIES FOR THE DAY: Unknown -stopped counting calories

EXERICISE: Walked 1.79 miles around the house and store; 10 minute toning exercise on abdominal, inner and out thighs

WATER INTAKE: 32 ounces of water with a little bit of lemon

WEIGHT: 134 pounds