Hurry up and Fast

I have no problem fasting. For some abstaining from food and drink or perhaps just food can be difficult. I routinely skip lunch and I don't even notice. When I take the opportunity to fast for two meals at the beginning of each month, I am somewhat hungry, but not uncomfortable. I consider myself lucky in that regard. However, it got me thinking about fasting and the reasons and the blessings and what the scriptures say etc. I decided this would be a good thing to investigate myself.

What do the scriptures say?
I was feeling weak at the beginning of a fast recently so I decided to see if I truly needed to abstain from water. Not because I have a particular hard time abstaining from water, but if it is unnecessary, perhaps I could reap some physical benefits. None of the prophets had a sermon recorded specifically on how to fast so, as always, we have to go by their examples. Moses fasted 40 days wherein "he did neither eat bread, nor drink water." I will assume the lord quickened him as he was in his presence. (Exodus 34:28) When Queen Ester had to go plead before the king on behalf of the house of Israel, she asked the Jews to fast for her and "neither eat nor drink three days." (Esther 4:16) I have never done a three day fast, but the result was very positive so obviously it worked. I would imagine that those who participated suffered considerably. Other that those two examples, the only thing ever mentioned is that fasting took place. Even the gospels only mention Christ's abstinence from food...though he was in the desert.

What does science say?
There have been many studies regarding fasting for health. What it seems to boil down to is fasting is very good for you. The following articles are all pretty positive about fasting:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-intermittent-fasting-might-help-you-live-longer-healthier-life

http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/the-benefits-of-occasional-fasting-20121116

http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-green-effective-fasting-benfits,0,2843882.story

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting/#axzz2mNubBHuu

A commenter in the first article did point out that there are major physiological differences between men and women and perhaps more gender specific studies are needed. I would agree with that. My wife seems to struggle with the occasional religious fast and for all her complaints about being pregnant or nursing, she likes that she does not have to fast.

My recent experiences
As I said, I recently fasted for religious reasons. I went without food and water. I had snacks and dessert somewhat late into previous evening then I skipped breakfast and lunch. We ate dinner at about 5:30 that evening so I went without food and water for about 19 hours. I always get thirsty. It is the worst in the morning. When I wake up I have major cotton mouth. I have also learned not to brush my teeth. Somehow when I brush my teeth while I am fasting, my breath is worse. Between 2:00 and 3:00 my stomach started to grumble some but I didn't feel that hungry. After a few minutes of that, it subsided and then I didn't feel hungry. Even while I cooked turkey chili, I never felt uncomfortable.

Today I fasted lunch but I was drinking plenty of water. I ate 2 Costco sausages and 2 eggs for breakfast and then I didn't eat again until I had some mixed nuts while Sarah was finishing dinner. I don't remember feeling hungry prior to getting home and then I felt very hungry. I was hungrier at the end of the lunch-only food fast than I did yesterday while doing a food and water fast. I think I will experiment more prior to settling on the possible reasons.

My hypothesis
I am not a very good writer. As I read articles and blogs they have a certain flow to them. Mine do not. Yet. I think I will figure this out as I continue to blog. Nevertheless, here is what I believe. What is a blog if not an arena to express my beliefs? Fasting is very healthy physically. Fasting is tremendously healthy for spirituality. Fasting without giving to the poor and the needy is just a diet. I have heard that fasting without prayer is a diet, but the donating to the poor is even more crucial. Spiritual fasting should exclude water. Fasting for physical reasons can go either way. Next month I am going to fast a full 24 hours. I will continue 'fasting' lunch regularly while drinking a lot of water. Finally from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 17:

15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for oft times he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said...bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?... 21 ...this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.    

Follow Up

I forgot to mention that my 40 days of no carbs was practically a success.  I ended up losing about 13 pounds and having my abs show more than they have in a long time, but not all of the way.  Todd came over and did the body fat monitor and he clocked in at 8.9% and his abs are visible, all six of them.  I am still at somewhere between 12.5% and 13.5%.  Pamela has lost her mind.  I will have to comment further later.

Carb Lent Reloaded

I had to start over on my Carb lent.  I was unable to keep it going on vacation.  Sarah warned me that it would happen.  I stayed strong for the first half and slowly, while having to eat in Disneyland and at fast food and then the drive home...it wasn't meant to be.  So, I have started over.  I started on May 14th so I am in it one week. I have had a few (less than 10 a day) 63% cocoa chocolate chips and some fruit and such but that is it.  No sneaking a delicious honey nut cheerio or justifying some major meltdown on the weekends.  When I weighed in on the Sunday evening after our vacation and after enjoying Mother's Day and all its carbs, I was 195 pounds.  I am now at 189.2 as of last night.  I was probably heavier than usual on Mother's Day due to many, many desserts.  I will finish on June 22.  The nice thing about that is the 23rd will be a Saturday and I will have a donut.  I just remembered, I did take some Gatorade to my frisbee game and I probably had about 1/2 of the  bottle.  Even with those carbs, I was lighter Thursday than any other day this week.  I assumed from the sweating that took place at the frisbee game I won.  I scored one point, had two Ds and made one turnover.

Day 4

After today I will be 1/10th into my goal of doing super low carbs for 40 days, in the style of Lent.  I have put on a bunch of weight and I decided that I needed to cut out the deliciousness of carbs for a Lent period of time.  Day one and two were indeed rough.  By the evening I was very tired and had no energy.  Sarah pointed out that I may have been more gradual the first time around and this time it was sort of a cold turkey response to the fact that I had been eating as many carbs as ever.  Yesterday was better.  I didn't eat any sugar or carbs and I felt fine the whole day.  With our Cali trip coming it might get a little rough, but I believe I can lose weight on vacation by carefully watching what I am eating.  This time, when my 40 days are over, maybe I will buy into a monthly donut-orgy-fest but not weekly.  I am pretty sure that is what derailed me.  We (I) were buying donuts every Saturday and once the carbs start coming in, they sure get addictive.  Just for the ease of keeping track, the first day of no carbs was Monday April 30.  The end of my carb super-restriction will be June 9.

Choosing the Left

I suppose he isn't the first child to wonder about such things, but you are never quite prepared for the funny things that come out of your children's mouth unsolicited.  Michael was given a 'choose the right' ring in his primary class. When Sarah asked him about it, he said that it wasn't a church ring.  Sarah countered and said that it was a ring that reminds us to choose the right. He got very serious and asked, "What if I want to choose the left?" I am raising a democrat.  

March 13

I am going to attempt to make my post titles more generic.  So far so good.  So far this month I have read 2 books on mneumonics and am currently reading Maphead by Ken Jennings. It is ok.  I loved the memory books and am trying to put them into practice.  It has become more depressing to think about how much I don't know.  I watch Jeopardy! every day and there are times where the contestants seem to have studied the most obscure subjects immaginable.  I will have to use it for motivation.  This past Sunday I memorized the 12 tribes of Israel along with their moms and in order of youngest to oldest, as far as the OT is concerned.  Next I am going to try and construct some system to memorize the tallest two mountains on each continent.  This equals 14 or 15 mountains, but the names are just weird enough to make it somewhat difficult for me at this point.  Foer mentioned in MWE that memory is less about having a "photographic" memory and more about being creative. I am still struggling with that though I remain convinced that I will get better at it with practice. I also hope to begin eliminating the "good enough" plateaus. I think that is what he called them.  

Jeopardy!

Jeopardy! is the only show on television that remains interesting to me.  I am not aware of another show I care much about.  The Office is holding on by a thread or two.  If Sarah decided to stop watching, I would be fine with it,  Nevertheless, the point is I have finally found an interest of mine.  I like trivia.  I have decided that I am going to try and go on Jeopardy! in the next 10 years or so. I have begun memorizing the presidents of the US.  I am reading a book about a former winner who was also a big loser, but I am only a chapter or two in and I don't know what he ended up winning or otherwise.  I will try to read Ken Jennings book as well.  I have been saying for years that I don't know what my interests are.  I now have something to put into the "hobbies" box on surveys and such.  I also hope that my experience will transfer into something I can write about on a more regular basis.  I thought it would be goal setting and things I wanted to accomplish, but that has proven to make me feel about as motivated as a lion who has just eaten a full grown zebra.  I also want to learn how to write better metaphors.