Fasting Update: Day "Nearly 9"

I completed my entire yoga practice today--YAY! Asana, Pranayama, and Meditation: 24 minutes worth. Yesterday I did Prana and Meditation. It's after 10am, and I still don't feel "normal": feeling tired and low energy.  When I'm hungry, I will eat today.  I will check in and make sure it's body hunger.  I'll start TRE manana.  

I have to figure out what IF protocol will work for me after I give myself recuperation time from this current long fast of nearly 9 days.  I'm going to take a break from my longer 7+ day fasts for a month.  I will focus on weight loss with these shorter fasts, which I will start later this week or next.  I will listen to my body!  I will definitely keep up the progress I have made emotionally and mentally by working on my concepts around eating and self-compassion.

During the past 8 1/2 days, I've lost 10 lbs.  I feel pleased and proud and relieved! I acknowledge that near half of that is water weight, but IDC (I don't care)!! I also recognize that as I begin refeeding, I'll put on a few pounds from food and water reabsorption. IDC! Once my body is recuperated and my heart and mind have reintegrated into eating and life, I'll begin shorter IFs. I still want to reach the goals I set for this 14-/21-day fast: lose another 5 lbs. and into the first two weeks of June, for a total of an additional 10 lbs. by June 10. Ten pounds over 16 days should be doable with IF after I recuperate from this fast. At the bare minimum, I will do 36-hour fasts, but I foresee longer fasts of several days, since they seem to be easier for me.  Then again, maybe this time--after my third long fast-- I won't be so focused on food. Maybe I'll give the Clark Protocol a go. It is a progressive fast building from 2 fasting days up to 5, with 2 rebuilding (eating) days in between, over a 22-day period. That might be easy and beneficial for me.  It's a cumulative 14 days of fasting during a 22-day period, which is pretty damn good! The other options I am considering include: fasting 2:1, 3:1, 5:1, (ratio of fasting to eating days). IDK!

For today, I will break my fast consciously and gently with some nourishing deonjang miyeok juk (fermented soybean paste soup with seaweed).  I will ask my body if it's hungry, and make sure my heart and mind are already nourished with non-food activities.  Later in the day, when I'm hungry again, I'll add an egg to the soup.  I've got some creamy vegetable soup in the freezer, for tomorrow.  I'll stick to my nourishment plan of liquid food for at least 3 days, before reintegrating solid foods.  Again, I'm going to listen to my body to see what foods feel most nourishing to my body and my heart, and then return to LCHF/Keto when my body says it is ready. 

I'm starting to love and appreciate my body again, and it is a good feeling to experience my Self reintegrating.  Too many years of separation!  Yay!