If you know me, you know that a healthy lifestyle is part of my core. Now, more than ever, at the age of fifty-one, I can see that the efforts I have made in my life are paying off with the perfect report card with each physical, reaching my goal of optimum health.
Pursuing a healthy lifestyle never ends, as I constantly implement new things into my routine. That brings me to fasting. I have been intermittent fasting for years, eating daily in an eight-to-ten-hour window. I note the time that I eat my last meal of the day and ensure I do not eat again for 12-16 hours. I have noticed incredible results, from sleep to energy to the clarity of my skin; it is a no brainier and something I will continue throughout my life.
To add to my intermittent fasting routine, I have been reading about fasting one full day a week, for a minimum of 24 hours. I decided to try it as I was returning from my travels, as I usually don’t eat my first day home to fight the inflammation from traveling. I ate my last meal at 9 pm on Friday, and as I sat here Sunday at 12pm, I just had a smoothie. My total fast time was almost 39 hours.
At the 24-hour mark, I felt less hungry and more leaning toward eating as a thing; I asked myself do you need it, or is it in your head, I chugged some water and was fine as I wanted to see how I would feel if I slept one more night on an empty stomach. I was more than satisfactory.
I felt great as I woke up today and got ready to hit the gym. The mental clarity I read about with the cleanse was real. Some call it a “gut reset,” as your body begins to eat stored fats where unhealthy cells can lie. The body replenishes with clean new cells after eating away at the bad stuff. I feel all of it; I feel great. I was surprised I didn’t have less energy at the gym; I had more. I didn’t even look at the time during cardio; I just kept going. It was awesome.
The suggested time frame for the 24-36 hour fast is once a week, ensuring you wait 5-7 days between. I love how I feel today, and I just had to share. I will implement this into my life for the next six months and journal my experience to share with you.
This content was originally published here.
