It's All in Your Mind

Your biggest road block will probably be your own mind. It helps to have a clear idea why you are doing the fast, what you hope to accomplish, how long you intend to keep going and what you will do when you are done. I wanted to lose weight, get rid of belly fat, and lose my addiction for foods that are bad for me so I could keep the weight off, for example. Knowing where you are headed and why will help when people you love think you have lost your mind and need to be “saved”.  You will also want to arm yourself with information so you can defend your choices—especially from yourself.

One great reason to do a juice fast for even a few days is that it changes your bad habits which you can then easily replace with the habits you want. If you binge on ice cream pizza and chips and feel out of control about those choices, not eating will prove without a doubt that you do have control and the final say about what does and does not pass your lips. Somehow not eating at all makes not eating junk a lot easier. In fact those stewed lentils and salad start looking really good after a few days.

You will also learn a lot about your relationship to food. On the first three days of my fast I would find myself looking into the refrigerator. I would get up and walk over to the fridge for no reason. How much did I do that during a normal day with nothing stopping me from reaching in and putting something in my mouth...how much extra eating did I do that involved no thought? I also thought about food all the time in the early days not eating and I know I probably ate when I wasn't hungry. Sound familiar? When you fast, these habits and thoughts are very easy to see and once identified, to break away from.

You will have moments of great weakness and even pain. It is a wonderful thing to have a partner to help you through and someone that you can compare notes with. My husband and I did the fast together. We compared notes to see if what we were experiencing was normal. We both had weak times when we felt tired and near the end of our ropes but not usually at the same time, so we took turns crying on each others shoulders. We both had ghost pains that came and went. Aches and pains that appeared for no reason and from no obvious cause—sore leg, sore arm, achy back which would just as quickly disappear. It is a wonderful thing to have someone to talk to or just to cheer you on. If you don't have someone keen to join you there are internet based support groups for people fasting and blogs that can be a support and inspiration in times of need.

One of the most helpful mental tools is to accept and love yourself right now. To love the belly you are trying to lose, to accept the thighs you want to hate and to realize all these things about yourself that you want to lose are there to support your life. You didn't get a big belly for no reason. Your body saved your life--took a bullet for you when your blood sugar would have been out of control. Saved every calorie for you for the famine to come when you sent the signal that disaster was imminent. You sent that signal when you stopped exercising, by the way. Animals are hard wired to move, forage and mate. As animals, when we stop moving, your body figures there's something wrong and it better prepare. So, appreciate your body right now and support and nurture yourself through the process of becoming the healthy, vibrant and vital person you really are.

And finally, great habits are made over time and often follow failure. Get back up if you fail. If day five comes along when you meant to go to day seven and you find yourself hitting the Hagen Daz, get back up, dust yourself off and get ready to go again. If you keep trying you will succeed. As you have probably heard from the anti smoking experts, most people will try to kick the habit several times before they are finally successful. Don't kid yourself. Your food habit is just as much an addiction, just as deadly and just as hard to beat.

For some people it is helpful to keep a journal and refer back over time. You will be amazed. When you think you are making no progress, read your journal and you will see that you have already made tremendous progress. I was amazed to re-read my journal after two years. I'm not the same person. Don't forget to count your blessings in the journal and cultivate a grateful attitude. This one thing will carry you like a wave carries a surfer...you can wallow in self pity or surf on waves of gratitude.