Breaking Your Sugar Addiction with Fasting
If I told you there was something you could do that would make you live longer, help you to lose weight, reduce your risk of getting cancer and so much more, all while costing you no money at all, you would say that it is too good to be true, but it is not.
It is called fasting, and it will change your life.
My health journey has been amazing over the last few months. I’ve lost 40 pounds and gained a ton of energy and to be honest with you, I feel better at this point than I have at any other point in my life.
“One of the most transformational things that I have done over the last six months has been practicing intermittent fasting.”
I fast and eat all of my meals within an 8 hour window. In my case, that means I don’t eat my first meal until 4 PM or later. This has been extremely successful for me and honestly, it isn’t as hard as it sounds. In this blog I want to tell you what things you can do to break your addiction to food and start fasting to get healthier.
What is fasting?
Fasting is like a vacation for your digestive system and it comes in many forms. Whether you are completely abstaining from food for several days, only eating at a certain time of day, or only consuming a particular kind of food, you are practicing a tradition that is not only good for the spirit, but for the mind and body as well. People have been using fasting to cure diseases for thousands of years, but today it is far more important than ever before.
What is Intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is when you fast 18 hours of the day and then only eat your food within an eight hour period. That means that for 18 hours you drink only water and nothing else. The only exception that some people make (and I do as well from time to time) is to drink black coffee. Coffee helps to reduce hunger and cravings and for people who drink coffee regularly and giving up coffee while fasting can be extremely hard. You will still get many of the same health benefits, including weight loss, but it is preferable to not drink coffee simply because your body still has to process the caffeine and so your body doesn’t get a complete break.
Here is what an intermittent fasting schedule looks like: You wake up in the morning and drink only water until 4pm. At that time you have some light protein such as a handful of almonds. 4:30pm you have another snack with a little more protein and some healthy fats. 5pm you have your first meal. From that time on you are free to eat for the rest of the day. Intermittent fasting is something that you can do every day, but most people do it between 3 and 5 days per week. I have been doing this 5 days a week for the last 5 months and I feel so good the days I fast that days when I am not fasting, I actually miss it.
Who needs to fast?
Many of us don’t eat as healthy a diet as we should and our digestive systems are overworked, tired and developing all kinds of problems. When our digestive systems struggle our mental clarity decreases, our energy drops, and we develop cravings for unhealthy foods. This is especially likely if you do not eat enough fruits and vegetables or, like most people, your diet contains a lot of sugar and carbs. And even with balanced diets, most of us eat so much so often that our bodies never get a chance to take a break and fully cleanse, and this causes all kinds of sickness.
But fasting is so hard…
If you don’t know how to do it properly or if you aren’t prepared, then yes, fasting can be hard.I know that for a fact. As a teenager, the church our family was a part of would do a week every year where everyone was encouraged to fast, and I usually participated. I remember the night before starting the fast I always ate a big dinner in preparation for the fast.Through the fast I usually drank some fruit juice to “give me some energy” (or so I thought). Fasting was hard work, something that I endured, and couldn’t wait to be over, but I was literally doing it all wrong. Today when I fast it is in a completely different way. I do it in a way that refreshes, cleanses, and strengthens me physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Too much, too often…
When you eat, your body first has to digest the food. After digestion, your body begins to use the food to provide energy and nutrition. The problem is most of us tend to eat again right after our body finishes digesting the food and never give our bodies a chance to utilize the food we’ve already consumed. When you eat more food before your body has used up the last meal, it causes problems including weight gain, indigestion, heart problems, joint pain, nausea, and more.
You’re not hungry, you’re addicted.
One of the reasons why fasting is so hard for most people is because of the way that we eat. Most of us eat a lot of processed carbs (things made from wheat such as bread, cakes, cereal, and so many of the other foods we eat) as well as refined sugars. These foods are incredibly addictive. If your body is accustomed to eating these foods and you suddenly stop it will cause severe withdrawals. In fact in many studies of sugar, it has been found to be 10 times as addictive as cocaine. In a study from 2007, rats were given access to an unlimited supply of water containing sugar and water containing cocaine. 43 out of the 45 rats chose the sugar.
If something is bad for you, but your body keeps making you crave it, it’s because you are addicted to it. Even though the negative effects are not seen as quickly, many people are addicted to certain kinds of foods the same way that people get addicted to drugs, and it can be almost as hard to quit. Fasting while addicted is hard, but it is a vital first step in breaking that addiction.
If you have ever spoken to someone who has fasted for a week or more they’ve probably told you, “It gets easier after the third day.” The reason for that is after roughly 3 days your body is through the hardest part of carbs and sugar withdrawal. Even though it’s been 3 days since you have eaten, you really don’t feel that hungry.
Breaking Your Addiction to Carbs and Sugar
For many of you, if you tried to do a fast right now, you would feel terrible and some of you would even get really sick. Essentially your body would begin to detox too fast shocking to your system.
If you want to get rid of your addiction to carbs and sugar, you have to start by replacing the addiction.
If you have never fasted or haven’t fasted for a long time, there are some things you should do before starting a fast. The best thing possible to begin to replace carbs and sugar with nutrient dense foods like green vegetables, raw or frozen berries, healthy seeds and nuts and healthy fats. Instead of focusing on what not to eat when you start, focus on getting as much nutrition into every meal you eat. By putting as much healthy food into every meal as you can, you will naturally start that process. Once you’re able to incorporate a large amount of fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet, you’re ready for a fruit vegetable only fast.
Level 1
Fruit and Vegetable Fast
This is a fast where you eat as many fruits and vegetables as you like and nothing else (with the exception of spices and healthy oils and fats). You’ll want to eat them as raw as possible, but for some people, you’ll find this very challenging and have to start with more cooked vegetables and gradually transition to eating more fresh and raw.
The reason that this is an important first step is vegetables and fruits are naturally high in nutrition and contain antioxidants and fiber to begin cleansing and detoxing your body. You’ll be amazed how much your health can change just by setting a period of time aside to only eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
Level 2
Juice Fasting
Juice fasting is a form of fasting where you only drink vegetable and fruit juices. This is one of the most popular forms of fasting because, if done right, juice fasting can be extremely good for your health and healing. If you want to do a juice fast, it is very important that you do not use store bought juice. Store bought juice is way too high in sugar and, believe me, that is the last thing you want when fasting. It will create a spike in your blood sugar and create hormonal fluctuations that will make your fasting experience miserable. Another reason not to fast on store bought juice is that it has been pasteurized, removing all the enzymes and a lot of other health and cleansing benefits.
If you don’t have a juicer, don’t worry, you can make juice by grinding your fruits and vegetables to a pulp in the blender and then pressing the blend through a cheesecloth to strain it. This method is a little more work but yields the same amount of juice and is handy for someone who does not have a juicer.
When juice fasting you want to focus on high nutrient dense fruits and vegetables. And always drink more vegetables than fruit. I recommend juicing carrots, cabbage, cucumber, kale, spinach, oranges, pineapple, and then going from there.
Level 3
Water fast
Once you’ve been able to do a successful juice fast, you are ready to do a water fast. Honestly, water fasting is almost easier than juice fasting simply because your digestive system gets to take a complete break and your hunger responses don’t get triggered like they do when you’re juice fasting. Both water fasting and juice fasting cleanse and detox your body in different ways and both are extremely good for your health.
When water fasting, I recommend taking a trace mineral supplement or adding one to your water because when you’re not eating food, your body still needs certain minerals that it isn’t getting from food. Adding a little bit of trace minerals to your water will provide your body with the minerals it is used to getting from your food and can keep you feeling strong and energized.Whatever your current health state, fasting is an important practice to consider. Some of you won’t be able to do a complete fast right away and that’s OK. Start with the fruit and vegetable fast and go from there. This can be hard, but your body has to do this in order to avoid other diseases and sicknesses down the road. Almost every disease, including arthritis, cancer and more, can be traced back to unhealthy food consumption, resulting in an unhealthy, acidic body. I urge you to consider making fasting a regular discipline in your life. I promise you that you’ll find that the benefits far outweigh the (temporary) difficulty.