I've been on a juice fast for almost four days now and I'm having an EXTREMELY hard time dealing with the cravings. I don't FEEL hungry...but I keep WANTING certain foods...that aren't juice... Any good ways I can deal with those cravings? Who here has done any sort of fasting? Thanks for any help!
I've fasted before for various reasons (religious reasons, personal reasons, dietary reasons). I've done two types of fasts: absolutely no intake fasts and water fasts. I've found that when I'm starting to get cravings, it's because I'm thinking about it too much because I'm bored. When that happens, I just go outside and do something. That's all the advice I can really give to ya... Just go outside and get your mind off of it. Take a book outside and read under a tree, go do some gardening, go for a walk or bike ride, etc. Good luck.
If you have urges for candys just add some calcium in your diet since natural juices made by you are high in potassium potassium + calcium=Less desire for sugars fats carbs
I don't have cravings for candies...I have cravings for stupid random things like plain popcorn or chips and salsa.
Oh yeah, that's always what happens to me. I always crave random and ridiculous things. Just stay focused on your goal and keep busy. Whatever you're fasting for is worth it.
Hey Annie, congrats on your fast...way to go!!! Your cravings will pass. How long do you plan to fast??
I am personally not down with the fasts.. longer than one day anyway. You're probably HUNGRY. And even if you're not you're probably bored with drinking some drink.. Just eat something! Food is wonderful, be grateful that you aren't poor and starving.
Americans eat way too much...some cultures fast on a regular basis. Fasting is about being grateful...that's what I think you don't understand.
Not only is it about being grateful, it's also a really good way to gain mastery of your own temple. Most people are really RULED by food. You know the kind that get hungry and that's ALL you hear about, "we need to get some food" or "I NEED to eat something". More than likely you don't NEED to eat a thing. By being able to control your desire for food you really can control a lot. I find the best thing to do when I have a craving is just drink some water or sit and meditate on why I'm having that particular craving, figure out where it came from. It's a bit harder because you have to focus on the thing you want... sort of. Just remember, even if you give into your craving there's nothing lost! Just start over again, you've got your whole life on this journey!
I disagree. Fasting is mentioned in every religion and spiritual tradition and it's a core part of life on the planet that we've really suppressed...we all claim to be apart of religions that promote fasting yet how many people do you know who actually fast on a regular basis? Fasting and prayer are mentioned like 66 times in the bible together...and I really think everyone should fast at least a few times a year and do some sort of cleansing regimen...since most people do eat more than they need to everyday and most people don't eat pure food, and even if you do eat pure food, there's a good chance your body still needs to heal from SAD food it used to live on... You can fast for a long time and this girl here did a 92 day juice "feast" on fresh made juice and coconut water - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2055968753902029556&q=Angela+Stokes&total=30&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0 I also know someone personally who was 30 days in on a juice feast and I could tell just by seeing him by how he was acting that that he was not lying... I personally fast or eat extremely light everytime I get sick or feel like I am about to be sick...and I basically just take in fresh juice or really light water-rich food like oranges and I never get sick when I do that. Over eating really does contribute to sickness and sap vital energy..... Hey Annie, IF you do a lot of fruit juice, sugar will make you feel hungrier and very quickly...Try doing a higher ratio of vegetables to fruit when you make your juices, and do just enough fruit to make it sweet. Also, take some powdered kelp to cover all your mineral needs...it's a very strong appetite suppressant because it's so rich in nutrients that generally aren't found in even organic fruits and vegetables today, and definatley not conventional produce. The main reason people feel hungry is cuz they aren't getting the minerals they need, and kelp can really fill a lot of nutritional needs without taking too much digestive energy or hurting a fast...Just be sure it's powdered, like you'd find in a bulk herb section or from a store like Mountain Rose Herbs - http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/cgi-bin/Main.pl?AID=071215&BID=4095 If you kno whow to ID wild food, juice that too...Dandelion, lambs quarters, whatever fresh food you can get, is very powerful and rich in enzymes that help you cleanse. Also, it's great to do colonics while your fasting, or take something that helps keep things flowing out instead of stagnating Hope this helps
even buddah discovered that fasting isn't everything its cracked up to be, then he went the other way and eventually ate himself to death as i remember. eat a normal healthy diet and forget punishing yourself
What is a "normal healthy diet" to you? Fasting can make you feel quite calm and joyful if you do it right...it's by no means a punishment if your actually enlightened about the whole concept of it and you've studied up on it even just a little. I assume you've never done one before? I think over-eating or eating to break a fast and the deep sense of lethargy cooked processed food gives you after fasting is punishment... but that's not the fast's fault that you didn't break it properly....
Yeah fasting doesn't have to be a punishment. I don't fast to punish myself or to lose weight. It's just a way to gain greater understanding and control over my own body. Just because people abuse fasting and make it about something else doesn't mean the fasting is the problem.
What's a bigger punishment for your body...fasting and cleansing, or overeating? Worse, eating mindlessly.
Fasting is punishing your body if you stop listening to your body. Or if you're drinking store-bought juice. There are few things worse to put into your body than sugar water. If you're juicing your own, then that's good. Fasting can be a huge punishment for your body, especially if you don't drink water. Everyone is different, but if I even drink less than my typical 3 litres a day minimum, I get dehydrated fast and my body shuts down. I've passed out at more Yom Kippur services than I'd like to remember because I didn't drink water- and I wasn't listening to my body which was telling me to drink. You only punish yourself if you stop listening to yourself in order to make some superficial goal.
If your not healthy or your hypo-glycemic, fasting might not be good... But hypoglycemia is not natural or normal. Most healthy people should be able to fast and feel really good in the process.
You're body USUALLY craves certain things, because it craves certain vitamins or nutrients from those things... in your case, you said popcorn and chips and salsa... I'm guessing, either you're craving salt and/or carbohydrates... Though, I'm not a fan of fasts, is there any way that you could find a way to add some salt and/or carbs to your juice? You are making your own juice, correct? If so, if there's anyway you can blend something that contains salt/carbs into your drink, that might help curb the cravings. I'm not trying to sound like a know-it-all, by the way, I've just learned a lot about cravings and all that jazz from having dealt with an eating disorder and being in several years of therapy and seeing a nutritionist. So, that is just my guesstimate from what I've learned.
This thread is old, but the reason why I was fasting was because I may have lupus and I"ve read that if I fast, it will cleanse my body and alleviate some of the symptoms.
