As usual, I excitedly cracked open my June issue of Men’s Health when it came the other day. Or rather when I found it, as I check my snail mail on average of once per week or so. Men’s Health is one of the few physical periodicals that I still read, and the only one for which I have a subscription. You know, that’s not true. I have a few industry rags that I get for free; so I guess an accurate statement would be Men’s Health is the only magazine that I pay for. (no matter how hard I try, I can’t keep from ending sentences in prepositions. it’s a nasty writer’s habit. like rambling.)

So, back on point. In it was an article about fasting by a writer named Speed Weed – which by the way is a totally sweet name. The article, The World’s Most Effective Diet, is all about this guy’s experience with regimental fasting; specifically, he fasts 36 hours every single week, and as of the article’s writing, had been doing so for 60 weeks. It’s a terrific read since he’s an excellent writer, and it paints fasting in a whole new light from the perspective of someone who loves food.

I think Speed Weed and I would totally get along.

I’m not going to rehash the article. I recommend you read it for yourself. To summarize, the writer covers some of the health benefits of fasting regularly, but then touches on some benefits you may not have thought of, like the fresh appreciation for food once the week’s fast is over.

Well, taking a cue from Steve Pavlina, I’m going to try out this fasting 36 hours a week thing for myself for 30 days. Try it on for size. See how it fits me. Traditionally, fasting has been for spiritual reasons. Or mostly for the gratification it gives my inner self-disciplinarian to tell my body “no”. But this guy has made it feel like something natural that I should be doing on a regular basis.

Therefore, tonight’s dinner was the last food my tongue shall taste for 36 hours. The plan is every Sunday night, I’ll eat dinner then not again until breakfast Tuesday morning. During the 30 days I may switch up the days a couple of times. Mondays feel like the right time because basically nothing happens on Mondays, but I’m wondering if Monday afternoons will be the least productive 4 working hours of my week, so I may have to do like Mr. Weed and fast Sundays instead. We shall see, my friends.

I’ll try to keep this blog (notbadbutgood) updated with my progress…wish me luck!

Tags: fasting, 30 day trial, health, self-discipline, food

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Comments ( 2 )

Dan, How’d the fasting thing go for you? Thanks,Hal

hal added these pithy words on Jan 02 10 at 00:43

Wow, I said I’d update that one as the trial went on, huh? I try to be a good blogger, I really do.

Actually, it’s going well. It’s matured into a 24+ hour fast rather than a hard 36. Essentially, my dinner on Sunday is my last meal until dinner on Monday. Sometimes, my “dinner” on Sunday is actually closer to 3:00 in the afternoon, and I rarely if ever eat dinner on Mondays before 6 or 7, so It’s usually a little bit more than 24 hours, but not by much.

So far, it’s worked well. I can’t say whether I’ve noticed any health benefits, but the food appreciation thing is definitely true! Monday night’s meal is always delicious, no matter what it is.

I will say this: if you’re going to fast, make your first meal back fairly lightweight. I’ve tried eating heavily on Monday night after not eating for a day, and that just makes me feel worse. Also, I know that sleeping away 7 – 8 hours of my 24-hour fast is probably cheating a little since Speed doesn’t eat for any of his waking hours on the day of his fast. I just found that by the end of that day, I was pretty cranky, so I decided to do 24 hours instead. That way, I’m pretty distracted for most of it.

Dan added these pithy words on Jan 02 10 at 13:14

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