I have drunk 66 ounces of water today. I haven’t eaten anything more than a small nibble on a piece of roast beef because Sean said it tasted funny–guess it was going bad, I didn’t like it either. At around 4 or so, I took a nap, during which I dreamed of eating a baked potato that cost me 300 calories.
These holidays have really messed me up. I’ve had so much bad food that my face is breaking out (ew). And yesterday I couldn’t seem to stop myself from snacking. So today I just decided that I would not eat anything.
It’s actually a lot easier to not eat anything than it is to just eat a little. Once you’ve started eating, it’s difficult to stop at a reasonable point. But if you haven’t started eating at all, you can just pretend you’re putting it off until dinner.
I figure, though, that my system needs flushing out, and that fasting today will help me remember some of my resolve tomorrow.
I’ve heard lots of different things about fasting, that it’s good for you, that it’s bad for you. Muslims fast all day during Ramadan, to a crazy degree–they will not consume anything, including water and toothpaste, while the sun is up. I found myself wondering today if that kind of fasting is helpful in a desert setting. (Muslims are very particular about being clean, too, so it’s interesting that during Ramadan they have to be sure and do their washing before the sun comes up and after it sets. I’m not really sure why this is. And let me stress that this is all second-hand knowledge from an old friend of mine who converted to Islam; I may not be remembering correctly.)
In any case, I have fasted before, though it’s been a long time. I have never fasted for longer than a day. Always I have been concerned with flushing out my system. This time was a little different, because now I am taking vitamins and calcium daily, and I didn’t skip those, but I hardly see how that can hurt me.
(An aside: DietPower says that my Nutrition Quotient for the day is 100–an “A+”–advises me that to be even more healthy, “Get more calories, less vitamin B12.” For some reason I find that infinitely amusing.)
Tomorrow I plan on being back on track…starting my day with oatmeal, eating a sensible little lunch, and enjoying a nice dinner.
Sean says he wants pizza tomorrow; obviously his goal is to destroy my diet at every turn. ;P And speaking of Sean, off I go to make his dinner.