My Thirty Day Water Fast - Day Three

Nice Bunny

Day Three seriously sucks. It is always considered the worst day in a fast. I woke up and had my breakfast water and then went for my walk. I got ten minutes down the way, took a picture of that cute little rabbit and turned around and went back. Weakness is what one feels on the third day and, along with that, an incredible desire to chuck the whole idea. Most people quit on this day, never getting to Day Four which is so much better (at least that is what I read and think I remember from before). On Day Four, hunger diminishes and energy increases as the body goes into ketosis and burns stored fat for energy. But, meanwhile, Day Three is damned hard to get through. I am hating it.

But, I am making it. I went out and got a nice massage for an hour which was quite interesting because I noticed that during that massage, I actually didn't think about food. Likewise, while swimming in the pool; for some reason, these nice sensations seem to replace the need to eat temporarily.

Then I went out for "lunch" with my wonderful literary agent,Claire Gerus, and while she had salad, I had sparkling water. I managed to enjoy her company without having to eat which is something I am trying to learn, that I don't need to consume a ton of food every time I am out socializing.

Another thing I learned today was that I don't have to drink liquid all night. I have been quitting having liquid at sundown and start drinking liquid again only after sunrise (I tend to drink Diet Pepsi all night). Quitting night drinking sure helps me sleep through the night!

So, the day from hell is near over and I am just crossing my fingers that Day Four will be much, much  better.


The Stats

Weight: 148 -
Exercise: Walked for twenty minutes; felt like crap within ten minutes and turned around and that was enough exercise for the day.
Hunger: Yes, and had to fight really hard to not give in.
 Side Effects: Mild headache late in the day.
Mental Clarity: Not so good because all I wanted to do was crawl into the refrigerator and make friends with anything in there.


Criminal Profiler Pat Brown

July 1, 2012

My Thirty Day Water Fast - Day Two

Not Dinner

Day Two is a difficult time on a fast. I actually wasn't as hungry as yesterday, but my mind would constantly jar me towards thinking about food. Really interesting....I would be walking to the bathroom and suddenly I would turn sharply towards the kitchen without even a picture of food in my mind. As soon as I picked up my towel at the pool to go back to the condo, I thought, "Lunch." When I was going out for my walk, I grabbed a credit card "just in case" I needed to get something to eat or drink. So even without a hunger pang, there is a constant memory of food that keeps rearing its ugly head like every five minutes.

You will be happy to know that I only watched one show of Cupcake Wars on the Food Channel and then turned to America's Next Top Model.....those girls never eat.




The Stats:

Weight: 149 - yes, you read that right! Six pounds less than yesterday morning...I think it has to do with the fact I gorged myself the day before I started this fast for my last meal....so I probably really wasn't 155 pounds yesterday....maybe 151 if I hadn't eaten ten pounds of food before bed.
Exercise: Walked around the golf course for forty-five minutes and took lots of animal pictures - chipmunks, lizards, and bunnies.
Hunger: Yes, but not awful.
Side Effects: Mild headache late in the day.
Mental Clarity: Fine, but the images and constant pull towards finding food is distracting.



Criminal Profiler Pat Brown

June 30, 2012

My Thirty Day Water Fast - Day One

So all of you are wondering how the first day of a fast feels (if you have never done one yourself). Well, I didn't have much of an issue until about lunch time because I am not a big breakfast eater. Then, I thought I really might like to have something to eat, but, of course, I ignored the thought. I continued working, all the while imbibing in the only thing I am allowed to swallow on this fast - boiled spring water between sunrise and sunset.

In order to do something nice for myself that involved some other senses rather than smell and taste, I went for a swim and an hour of sunbathing. The sun was wonderful and then the feel of the water as I swooshed through the pool....aah....and then I wanted to eat something.

I came back to my work station and watched the Food Channel. Naughty, naughty....turned it off....and focused on my writing. God, my head hurt. My bad...I forgot to give up the caffeine...the coffee and the Diet Pepsi...a few days before the fast. So, now I have a double headache from caffeine withdrawal and hunger.

Which makes me a bit nauseous! The first day of not eating is not so much fun! Not too worry -  if I remember correctly - Day Two and Day Three are worse.


The Stats:

Weight: 155
Exercise: Walked and ran a little bit through a nice arroyo for forty-five minutes
Hunger: You bet; thought about food on and off
Side Effects: Bad headache, mild nausea
Mental Clarity: Just fine but headache is distracting



Criminal Profiler Pat Brown

June 29 2012

My Thirty Day Water Fast - The Eve

The Last Meal

I know, I know, it sounds crazy and I am not sure I will not change my mind, say, about one hour after I consume that last disgusting meal (pictured left). I have done a ten day fast once in my life....that would be nearly forty years ago, and I have fasted a day here and two days there, but never anything prolonged.

A thirty day water fast is called Maaskhaman by the Jains, a fast done for purely spiritual reasons. My reasons are a bit more all over the map: spiritual, health, weight, curiosity, but, most of all, I have a desire to get off a pattern of careless behaviors, to institute mindful choices and to learn to accept some suffering and not always  gratified myself instantly.

I will attempt to blog about this journey, what I am learning from it on a daily basis, how I deal with not celebrating with food on the Fourth of July and my birthday on July 23 (if I am still fasting), and, if I break the fast along the way, what caused me to throw in the towel.

Off to my final Diet Pepsi and my two Red Velvet Whoopie Pies.



Criminal Profiler Pat Brown

June 28, 2012