Anyone can fast for 7 days, but it's not for everyone. Sounds confusing? We'll explain what we mean by that: Fasting requires courage. It's a step into the unknown. A step out of your comfort zone. The beginning is usually hard, but the benefits are all the greater. In this report, Saskia, yoga teacher & coach, shares her experience with the Body & Mind fasting cure and the difficulties she encountered along the way.
My Body & Mind Fasting Experience
As a yoga teacher and coach, I already had experience of fasting, but it is always a special time. I don't want to hide the fact that 7 days of fasting were not always easy. The fasting experience was marked by ups and downs. But as is so often the case in life, it is worth putting long-term goals ahead of short-term pleasure. In the end, I not only experienced my fasting high, but also strengthened my self-discipline and learned to be more mindful of food and myself.
I firmly believe that I grow with every challenge and every mistake. For this reason, I would like to share with you the following three difficulties during the Body & Mind fasting journey.
1. The need for more rest
My everyday life is usually fast-paced and my schedule is full. Do you know what it's like? Job, friends, family, housework and then finding time for sport and all the beautiful things in life. Sometimes there's little time for myself; for rest and reflection. That's where the fasting cure came in handy. I had consciously reduced my schedule a little beforehand. But it wasn't until the fasting cure that I really took my foot off the gas and slowed down. I felt how my body and mind needed this rest period. My limits were automatically shown to me and I was able to slow down. After an initial rebellious phase in which I thought I had to continue to be super active, I was finally able to let go and enjoyed the peace and quiet to the fullest.
2. Stop thinking about it earlier
I confess: I kept thinking about just ending the fasting a little earlier. Whenever it got a little uncomfortable for a moment, I thought to myself, "Oh, 5 days of fasting is good." On the other hand, there were peak periods when I toyed with the idea of adding a few more days of juice fasting. That showed me just how much a fasting phase is a matter of mindset. You set yourself a goal, you know your intention and you know why you are embarking on the experiment. But something inside you keeps trying to dissuade you from your path. Ultimately, it's about always returning to your motivation and the why and staying on track. It helped me enormously to write down my motivation at the beginning of the fasting cure and to read it through and reflect on it during difficult phases. The Body & Mind fasting cure journal was my perfect companion for this.
3. Willpower at social events when everyone else is eating
Admittedly, I deliberately stayed away from social events and group activities during my fasting period. Of course, I still met a few friends and simply told them about my fasting experiment beforehand. They all took it with understanding or even admiration. Instead of making food the focus of a meeting, as is so often done, we simply went for a leisurely walk or drank a cup of tea. For me, it was mainly about strengthening my willpower , setting healthy boundaries and communicating openly with those around me. Even though it wasn't always easy (at least when my friends ate pizza next to me), I can say that it was an enriching experience and I was able to inspire friends and family and sometimes even encourage them to try it themselves.
Conclusion
In short: Fasting is simple - but not easy. Temptations are always lurking along the way and sometimes your inner demons have completely different ideas and concepts than "just not eating anything". It is not always easy to stick to it and discipline yourself. But I have learned how giving up can be a gain and I would not want to miss out on this physical and mental experience. That is why I believe that anyone can fast (as long as they have no pre-existing health conditions), but you simply have to make a conscious decision and take your time. So it is up to you whether you give a fasting experience like the Body & Mind fasting cure a serious try.
About Saskia
Saskia is a yoga teacher and holistic health coach. Her vision is to support people on their personal path and accompany them in their transformation towards a healthier and happier life. Find out more about Saskia in our I·DO short interview , which will give you a little insight into her personal life as a yoga teacher and coach.
