Re: mind tricks?

I consider my job active physically and mentally. The mental part is what sometimes makes me want to run to the pot of coffee and just say forget about fasting. Somehow I have found the will to overcome these daily challenges which I could very well make a thoughtful excuse of why I am healthier to not fast today.

My best suggestion would be not thinking about breaking the fast. It seems so simple but I find whenever I think about “what if I break it right now...” is what gets me in trouble.

If exhaustion is what makes me want to break fast I remind myself this phase will pass in time. I then preoccupy my time with something that won’t let me think about breaking.

There is very little one can do while fasting. Going for a walk is sometimes impossible. I had a few days this week when standing for too long made me dizzy and almost ready to pass out. I then wanted to break fast right when I got home. Instead I decided to run a cool bath and sit in the tub. This might not work for some people but it has helped me break my usual four day mark.

I would also not suggest fasting when you know you will be social with others. People tend to gather to eat; it is part of being ‘social’ for humans. I would not go on a date while fasting. No one wants to sit next to someone not eating.

Same goes for holidays, I find the holidays impossible to fast. Holidays are a time to eat things one usually would not get a chance to eat. This is why I scheduled my fast before Thanksgiving. I do not want to be anti social during the holidays, it is rude and people tend to take it personally.

Best time to fast is scheduling a mindful plan. If you fast for ten days make sure you won’t have to go out with friends or family. Saying you wont eat at these events can be considered rude and you will set yourself up to fail.