I really appreciate the support.

I did eat a little crap, but I'm back to good now...went to a movie and immersed myself in illusion for a bit...came out feeling just fine.

Ahhhhh.

(bad doctor!)

S

Hello Holly and congrats on reaching day 5! Thanks so much for your kind note. I spent the first 5 days or so just reading posts and then I decided it was time to begin posting myself. Lots of folks struggling through the first days left me a bit bewildered I guess. For me there had been no difficulty at all. IMO it comes down to wanting something bad enough and putting yourself in a frame of mind that allows you to go get it. Not that I always practice what I preach...which takes me to a short story about why I'm here. I grew up in a very athletic and outdoorsy family. Our family room was more like a gym that happened to have a small TX and couch in a corner. As an adult I began to party. I still worked out but was more interested in having the type of good time that a person may find on the partying scene. After marrying and before my daughter was born, I was hit by a car as a pedestrian. I think I survived. It did bust me up a bit. THat was a real downturn for me physically. My worst injury (GOD was looking after me that night) involved a knee and I never really rehabilitated it properly. Fast forward a few years and I am gaining weight cause I'm eating far too much for a person who is getting really no exercise. I slowly begin to workout but can never seem to focus on it long enough to make it a regular part of my life. Fast forward to 1 year ago. Was working out pretty solid. Stopped about a week before going on a Mexican vacation. Never started again upon return. Gained weight while sitting on my can. Been eating for years with the appetite of a athletic competitor with only sporadic athletics involved.

Even though I know probably too much about it and I should be embarassed by this, I have failed to take care of myself physically. So now with a vengence, I am on a new journey to change my lifestyle. When I began I thought I would try the 10 day minimum because I wasn't sure how my body would react to a fast. But I knew that 10 days would be easy no matter what because it is only 10 days and I am surrounded by comfort...and lemonade. I started the fast at 231.5 lbs. I am 6'1" tall. My ideal weight is 180-185 lbs. I feel fantastic in that range. Today on day 27 my weight is 205 lbs. I am looking a bit skinny. According to BMI I am now in the acceptable weight range for my height. I want to lose another 20 lbs but that will come with diet and exercise. About day 14 I had decided that if Jesus went 40 days on a much tougher fast then I should do 40 days on my fast. My wife was absolutely not interested in fasting although she is supporting me well. I prepare meals for my family almost every day and am surprised that I have been able to do so without breaking down. Within the first few days of the fast I was slicing some Celery and carrots for the family and I absent mindedly put a carrot stick in my mouth and my eyes got big as saucers as I yanked the carrot stick from the jaws of carrot death. It was just a habit. I didn't want to eat it. I wasn't even aware I was doing it until my tongue reminded me that it wasn't tasting lemonade. For me eating is apparently not so much that I really like or crave something but more of a habit. A habit which I am now modifying. I have never been a vegetarian or vegan. I probably will never adapt fully to that lifestyle although I will stick much closer to a vegetaian diet in the future.

My exercise routine takes 6 days per week. I am currently taking it easy but once the fast is over I will be going very hard at it. I alternate days of resistance training with cardio. My resistance training involves lots of squats and lunges (with just my body weight) and pushups to cover the core muscles and then I am doing weights for other areas such as the tri/bi/lat/calves/ and a few others. I also do 100 reps in a sequence of ab exercises. My cardio involves some martial arts and walking. When I end the fast I plan to transition into a routine involving exercises that I did in my youth as a wrestler. We didn't lift weights but relied solely on our own body weight and the routines worked big time! It is going to be hard so the routine I am doing now will be helpful in the transition.

I follow the Burroughs book to the letter. I do the smooth moves tea at bedtime and the SWF (Salt-Water-Flush) upon waking every day. While the SWF (Salt-Water-Flush) is washing my insides, I am mixing my daily batch of lemonade. I add 3/4 cup of organic 100% pure grade 'B' maple syrup and 3/4 cup organic freshly squeezed lemon juice to 60 oz of room temp purified water. I then add about 2 droppers full of organic cayenne pepper extract which can be quite spicy. The instruction son the bottle says 5 drops per glass but I like it hot! I give my jug a shake before pouring each glass. I spread the drinks out through the day never allowing my tummy to growl. I always finish my lemonade no later than 3 hours prior to bedtime. I still have some water after. I always follow each glass of lemonade with a glass of water. I swish really well to wash away the acid attack on my tooth enamel. I also often brush my teeth after a lemonade. I mix my batch of SWF (Salt-Water-Flush) at night while my tea is steeping for 15 minutes. That way I can crawl out of bed, weigh-in and walk to the kitchen where my salt water friend or flush is awaiting.

Sorry for the long boring story about me. I will keep a leash on my future ramblings.....I hope I have answered your questions.

Best of luck to you and yours Holly. You can do this with ease.

Ray