#117 - On Fasting
Built to fast, no more roaming, and fads
I’ve stopped eating on Tuesdays.
Eccentric? Perhaps.
This post is my attempt to explain myself.
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Built to Fast
First of all, what do I mean exactly?
I’ve started, with a group of others, a weekly 36 hour fast.
From Monday evening to Wednesday morning. Nothing but water & herbal tea.
Why fast at all? It’s a good question.
A contentious topic but the possible benefits are numerous:
Do all these hold? Who knows, time will tell and I’m sure the answer is complicated.
But the real kicker, for me, is I just can’t believe we’re not built to fast.
No More Roaming
My prevailing assumption is that humans now live a lifestyle damaging to our biology.
We haven’t changed biologically since our hunter gather days; and yet life has changed beyond recognition.
Our ancestors spent their days roaming, eating a varied diet, and maintaining a few strong relationships.
And us?
We spend our days hunched over laptops, eating crap, and maintaining hundreds of superficial digital connections.
Today’s norms might not be serving us. Including the constant eating.
Fads
It’s not my first interlude with fasting.
That came during lockdown. Intermittent fasting (a fancy way of saying skipping breakfast) led to a couple of 5 day fasts. Which in turn led to some worried messages from my parents.
The 5 day fasts were really quite tough.
The hunger goes quickly but it’s really quite boring. I realised just how much of the day revolves around food.
I also had mixed results on the reported mental clarity. The mind focused perhaps but I felt like I was walking through water. Time slowed down.
I ditched the longer fasts and had largely parked the topic. Until a couple of weeks ago…
And it’s been a joy so far.
Skipping a day’s eating is surprisingly easy. It actually feels good to be hungry. Good not to give into the slightest craving.
It’s a reset. Breakfast on Wednesday tastes incredible. And once fed again there’s a feeling of wellbeing.
The key, like meditation, is consistency. And to find a schedule that’s sustainable. Life just gets in the way otherwise. These things compound if we let them but we’re quick to surrender.
So here goes my next health fad. Maybe this will be the one. Wish me luck!
My Week in Books📚
Built to Move by Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett
Very good. I’m sure you can deduce the thrust of this one but the message is spend less time sitting in chairs and more time moving, stretching etc etc.
I’ve changed a few things since reading. Spending more time sitting on the floor for one! A couple of raised eyebrows in WeWork but no one really cares…
Book recommendations welcome & encouraged. Just hit reply! 🙏
Unplugged 🌳📵
Spotted in a pre-stay survey:
Down to the last few stays free in July.. Find them here
From the blog: Managing the inbox
A Final Thought 💡
“Start the practice of self-control with some penance; begin with fasting.”
– Mahavira
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A) love the floor sitting - making my way through Kelly’s new book and his pod with Tim Ferriss inspired me to sit a lot more on the floor
B) Just finished a 72-hr fast so this was well-timed