I am blogging this just to say that we actually did it! I was SO doubtful of myself, I knew David could do it. And though I agreed to do it and help him succeed, I thought by day 2 or three I would sneak some dark chocolate (at least).
David proposed we fast from all sugars, that is anything that breaks down into a simple sugar and all natural sugars. He meant all breads (starch), starchy veg (no corn or potatoes), no fruit, no beans. Only meat and veg for two full weeks...
Why on earth??? We are not gluten free per se, we are not paleo per se, we are not in these boxes, David has been all of that and then some before they became the fads they are today, simply to attack his heart arrhythmia and other issues .
Our family actually enjoys some delicious sugars (I just had a piece of Chocolate Eclair Cake and black coffee) (and making desserts together counts as homeschool). We also delight in some amazing gluten (bread=yum). But we certainly have tapered the past few years.
David got the suggestion from here. He has come to really appreciate Dr. Phil Maffetone and his take on exercise physiology. He also wants me to follow the "Maffetone Method" for distance running if I ever commit to a long distance again.
The whole point is to get your body off its dependence on burning carbs and start burning fat for fuel. And then see which carbs your body does not tolerate very well as you slowly work them back in after the fast. (Depending on what your symptoms are). David and I are not close to obese, we don't have blood sugar issues that we know of (I might who knows), but David does have some cholesterol issues. I actually didn't have hardly any symptoms (except the craving for sugar and caffeine). He does say that if you are not 'carb-intolerant' then you may not see much change.
But I did feel change. And hear this, we did not eat less. I actually felt like I was eating more calories, especially at lunch. We had to get creative when we could not eat our spinach/strawberry/oil-filled/protein powder smoothie. We ate huge salads, veg filled omelets, lots of nuts, and meat and veg every night. Soda water with a little squeeze of lemon became a favorite, and David oven roasted almonds that were delicious and carried me through the 2 weeks as my go-to snack.
Our goal was not weight loss but we each dropped 2kg (4.4 lbs) in two weeks.
We got in bed on time each night when we were tired but we were never 'dragging'. We woke up more alert and ready to go before 6 a.m. each morning. After the first three day adjustment with our bowels (we felt bloated as our bodies adjusted), and making it through the first weekend (which is when we tend to go carb crazy), we knew we could do it. My skin felt smoother, and I felt more focused for longer periods of time. I also really realized that most of my afternoon sugar snacks are actually habit, not hunger. I knew I would go back to my small pips of dark chocolate and cranberries but I did not miss them. I drank a ton more water too.
Date night? We couldn't do our fave sushi (filled with rice), so we opted for Ma La Cai...
Go light on the msg please. This is all veg with some small boiled eggs in there, put in a delicious broth. David loves this, but the first week I wasn't feeling it, by week two I said, yes!
Please appreciate the big-ness of this plate. We each had our own and ate the entire thing!
The real questions:
Did I enjoy this fast?
Yes and no. By the end I was ready to be through because I was a bit bored by meat and veg. Though I didn't crave things at all like I thought I would. I did miss noodles, sushi, and dumplings.
Would I do it again?
Probably not like we did, unless I was helping David or someone else through it. This fast made me very aware of self-control issues in the food department. It also re-convinced me as to the huge part nutrition plays in overall health. And while that is basically what my college degree is in, I have always struggled to put it into practice.
Results? I listed a lot above, but what real changes? I think in daily practice I make better snack choices, even at night. Of course when a good dessert is made (1x/week or less) we eat it. And we basically go sugar free past lunch time. I still do a bit of dark chocolate in the afternoon (it is almost 100% dark and bitter to the taste, the girls and I eat a few bites over language arts). I also now know that I can do sugar free, it is not a 'no way' thing anymore. Our night time snacks are also not sugary as much anymore.
And here for fun, Tobin, who tried to give me a piece of his candy during our fast and waited a full 10 days to watch me eat it.
