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Food and fasting
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Let me make sure you know the situation. I am 5'11" tall, and weigh somewhere between 245 and 265 pounds at any given time. I don't look as heavy as I am (although I am still visibly fat), but I am way into obese by most BMI estimations. I have number of bad habits involving food, such as eating to feel better, eating when I'm not hungry, and eating crud which will kill me before I'm 50 (mmm...Ultimate Cheeseburger...).
I also have had no ability to stop myself from overreacting to even the slightest pang of hunger. Heck, I eat too much when I'm not hungry at all; if I feel a bit hungry, then bring on the bag of chips!
Thus, I decided to try something different a few days ago. When I woke up Tuesday morning, I decided to begin a fast. I would allow myself some (i.e. 2-3 cups) of fruit juice or V-8 each day, and a morning multivitamin, but only water aside from that. That ends up being less than 500 calories a day. My goals were to teach my body what hunger actually is, and to show it that it will not perish from not getting fries *and* stuffed jalapenos with that burger. I am also simply curious about the effects of fasting.
The only break I have made was this afternoon, when I ate half a tuna sandwich and had a small bowl of french onion soup. I did this because a relative was visiting, and it would have made him awkward for me to go out to lunch with him and the rest of the family, but eat nothing. I intend to continue fasting for at least two more days at this point.
So here's what I've learned so far:
1. I am amazed at how little hunger I have felt. I have noticed that my mind has dwelt more on food than usual, but the actual feelings of hunger have been minimal, and virtually no actual discomfort.
2. I feel full on *vastly* less food than I usually eat. My stomach has undoubtedly shrunk somewhat in the last two days, but the half sandwich and small soup today made me feel plenty full, and I haven't been the slightest bit hungry since (that was about four hours ago). I knew that I ate more than I needed before, but I don't think I realized how dramatically I was overeating.
3. My craving for horrendous fast food has already dropped dramatically. Even after 48 hours of no solid food at all, I felt no particular desire for cheeseburgers. Vegetables sounded better. from that, I conclude that my taste for cheeseburgers is mostly learned/comfort food, rather than any physiological need.
I am sincerely hoping that doing this will help me to alter my relationship with food and eating, a change which is LONG overdue. If I can learn what it is to actually be hungry, then perhaps I will be able to dismiss the slight inclinations to food (or satisfy them with a carrot or something like that, which is all they really deserve). If I can break some of these habits, I might be able to choose my food based on what I know I actually need and really want, and eat reasonable amounts of it.
I tend to be a believer in the idea that our bodies can handle most things in moderation. Thus, even in my idealized eating habits, there's no reason not to stop at Wendy's or Jack in the Box once or twice a month, or have a slice or two of pizza now and then. I don't know who said it, but the quote "It's not what we eat occasionally that makes us unhealthy" makes a lot of sense to me.
We'll see what happens.
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