I'M NOT EATING TODAY

Hold on---not because I indulged yesterday and need to "make up for it" (that doesn't really work btw). I'm doing a 24-hour fast.

Does that really have any benefits? I believe it does. I always feel better after doing a 24-hour fast. It's hard to describe, but words like "lighter", "clearer", "energy" come to mind. And that is apparently what other people say as well. But it can be difficult to do. I only do it once a month now. When I was doing a different program (the one where I truly wasn't eating--remember when I said I was well below 1000 calories? I was doing a 24 hour fast once a week.)

Basically, when your body doesn't have to digest food it can focus on other important processes, like cellular repair. Your body cleans house! Your body becomes stronger over time. Look up the word autophagy----you'll get a deeper understanding.

People have been fasting for centuries. We all fast while we are sleeping. So what are the benefits? It improves metabolism, improves sleep, improves digestion, improves your hormone profile (which impacts many things). It helps maintain skeletal muscle mass (did not know that one before). It lowers blood sugar; lessens inflammation, which improves a range of health issues from arthritic pain to asthma; and even helps clear out toxins and damaged cells, which lowers risk for cancer and enhances brain function.

So as I sit here with my stomach growling (lol), remember fasting is NOT a substitute for a diet full of whole foods. But it does boast a lot of positives! I challenge you to try it if you haven't.

I'd love to hear from you if you have tried fasting!