Erica’s journal

[Erica]

I was waiting until I completed 24 hours to post this so here I am, 24 hours into my water fast!

The past few months have been really hard on me, after dealing with my grandmother’s passing 3 days before my birthday, I just went on a downward spiral of emotional eating and put on a lot of weight.

So even if my main goal is to lose weight, I actually want to go back to the place I was before. I want to eat when I’m truly hungry and not because I am bored, sad or upset.

I’m going on a trip to Australia in 33 days. Now, I’m not sure for how long I will be fasting, I want to set small goals along the way and if I can make it to 21 days it’ll be amazing, but I’m starting with 48 hours first, and then 5 days, 8 days and so on.

I’ll be writing here for accountability and motivation.

Hope you all have an amazing day!

[Compdude]

Good choice on focusing on baby steps to get to your goal. I did 2 weeks of Intermittent Fasting then OMAD then Prolonged Fasting where I did a 4-day, 7-day and 5-day. Then a 9-day ReFeed before embarking on my current 40-day. I’m currently on Day 22. Good luck to you. We’re all cheering you on!

[Erica]

Thank you so much for your words. Your journey is so impressive and motivational! Also I have read some of your comments on other posts and I love your Arya saying to the god of death : not today! As a game of thrones fan I will be using it myself!

Good luck to you too, you’re doing amazing!

[Emily_Oh]

I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother Erica. Grief is very powerful and it’s a very strong instinct to try and comfort yourself any way you know how. I have felt a similar way when a friend commited suicide. I’ll share a blog series on emotional eating that has really helped me identify and understand it, if you are interested you can check it out here https://personalexcellence.co/blog/emotional-eating/

Congratulations on your first day of fasting! The first few days are the hardest so just stick it out and then you’ll be good how cool that you’re off to Australia soon! I’ve been there a few times (as a Kiwi it’s the closest holiday location hehe) and I’ve loved every part I’ve visited. Its a great goal to be feeling awesome for your trip! Whereabouts are you planning on going?

[Erica]

Thank you so much for your kind words, Emily! I am very sorry about your friend, grief is definitely a challenging feeling.
I did read it first thing this morning and I identify with a lot of what she experienced. Especially seeing food as more than it actually is. Weirdly enough, I had come across her journey with water fasting before, but I never read her emotional eating series.

I’m 37 hours into my fast, a new record as I have never gone past 24 hours before and I feel pretty good. I haven’t felt hungry or anything, I do still think about food a lot but I think that’s completely normal.

I’m visiting my family for the first time in Melbourne, I’m spending a few days in Sydney and Brisbane too. I honestly can’t wait! Did you like it there? I had a class about New Zealand history last year and I definitely want to visit some day.

I hope you have a great day!

[Emily_Oh]

That’s awesome that you’re doing so well!! I’m sure you’ll nail this fast. And congratulations on passing your previous record!

I really loved Brisbane! The surrounding areas are so cool too. The Gondwana rain forests are incredible.

[Erica]

So I have officially completed 48 hours of fast so far! I haven’t been hungry at all which I think it’s a little weird because whenever I did intermittent fasting for 16 hours sometimes it would be really hard. Anyway, I’m still thinking about food a lot, I think we’ve built our lives around food so much that we have no idea how to be without it.
My boyfriend’s mother invited me over for dinner on friday night and I haven’t seen her since summer so I don’t have it in me to tell her that I can’t go or that I can’t eat. I’m not sure of what I’m going to do but I know for sure I will be fasting at least until then and after it as well.
As for my weight I’m going to weight myself tomorrow morning, I’m trying to stay away from the scale because I tend to get obsessed with it and whenever it doesn’t move I get discouraged.

Anyway that’s it for Day 2!

[Emily_Oh]

Sounding good Erica!! 48 hours is fantastic! And great that you’ve not been hungry.

I think it’s fine to break your fast with your boyfriend’s mum. I think that it’s always better to not hurt people’s feelings! After all as you said, your can fast again after. One of the reasons why I chose this time to fast is because my parents are in the UK visiting family and I have no social plans, so I won’t be distressing anyone by not eating.

[Erica]

Thank you so much for your reply, your replies always make me feel amazing!

I haven’t been feeling hungry but last night during my class I wasn’t feeling well at all, I was feeling dizzy and lightheaded but when I stood up the whole room was spinning so my friends made sure I ate something. I didn’t want to worry anyone or even tell them I was fasting so I ended up breaking my fast with some tea and a couple of crackers. I am a little disappointed because I’m pretty sure I was in ketosis (my breath was funny and I felt really nauseous) but I didn’t have anything since then and I jumped right back into fasting again until I have to go to my boyfriend’s place on Friday. I think you are right, there’s no point in breaking anyone’s feelings plus I plan to keep fasting until I leave for Australia.

I think I’m going to get some magnesium supplements because finals are coming up and I honestly can’t afford to be feeling so tired and lightheaded. Did you get any? Or just pink salt does the trick?

Have your parents ever been to the UK before or is it their first time? I have family in London but I have never visited anywhere else there.

The cake dream is really funny. I dreamed I was eating cheese fondue when I took a nap before my class yesterday!

P.S there was still a 0.4 kg difference on the scale this morning, not much but it’s something right?

[Erica]

I officially completed day one again! After not feeling well yesterday during class and getting something to eat I decided to jump back into it and I did it. I’m quite proud of myself for sticking to my word and not giving it all away just because I didn’t succeed at first.

I wasn’t hungry at all today, I was, however, tempted to eat after an argument because I was sad and upset which only shows how much I look comfort in food but I didn’t. This whole using food for more than it is has to stop!

Anyway I’m ready for bed, can’t wait for tomorrow, I’m fasting for another 24 hours before I have to go to my boyfriend’s house in the evening and then I’m jumping back right in again.

[Emily_Oh]

Dizziness and lightheadedness seems to be pretty normal while fasting. I’ve had it throughout the fast, and I believe it is low blood pressure caused by low electrolytes or simple lack of energy/body diverting energy away from non essential functions. I take care to breathe deeply and stand up slowly. I think pink salt is the number 1 vital supplement for fasting, but magnesium citrate definitely helps too.

Great that you continued fasting after the small break!! I’m positive that the benefits of continuing the fast will far outweigh the small snack. And 0.4kg is a perfect amount of weight loss. After losing the glycogen weight, that’s about as much fat as the body can burn in a day.

My parents are both British actually, they emigrated to NZ. Mum goes to see her family every couple of years, dad goes less often.

[Erica]

I honestly felt awful at first for breaking it but I realized that instead of feeling awful I could just be happy that I managed to go for over 48 hours because I never went over 48 hours in the past. I will definitely make sure to get enough electrolytes from now on.
Anyway I just weight myself and I lost 1.1 kgs, I know it’s just water weight but it makes me so happy. I’m just ready for my body to concentrate on healing and detoxing, I think never have been truly ready before.

And that’s pretty cool! Do you visit the UK often? I remember you said you went to Australia but I don’t think we talked about Europe at all. It’s getting really cold here in France, but I absolutely love winter!

[Emily_Oh]

1.1kg that’s great!! It really is a nice feeling to see the scale go down hehe.

Oh wow you live in France! That’s so cool. I love summer but I am jealous of winter Christmas! It’s just hot here and we go to the beach which is nice of course but the lights and the snow always looks so magical! I want to go to Europe at Christmas some time and experience it. I’ve been to England when I was 17 to visit my grandparents. Its really, really far though so I’ve not been back since.

[Erica]

It truly is the best feeling!

I honestly understand what you mean because I’m having my first summery Christmas this year and I know I’ll miss the snow because everything is just so magical when it snows.

Ugh don’t get me started about how far away you are, I’m already dreading spending so many hours on a plane, I’ll be soo bored.

[davidjc]

Hi Erica,

Well done on getting started again. I remember some quote says something like - if you fall seven times and get up seven, you’ve succeeded. And if you fall seven times and get six, you’ve failed. So, no sense feeling too bad about it, because you got up again!

Anyway, keep it up!

Dave.

[Erica]

Hi, David!

Thank you so much for your words. I love the quote and I’ll keep it in mind. I’m actually a little proud about myself for dusting it off and jumping back into it.

Stay amazing!

[Erica]

So I have completely another 48 hours of fast. I’m going over to my boyfriend’s for dinner and I am not hungry at all but I know I will break his mother’s heart if I don’t it so I probably will which is fine because I plan on fasting until I leave for my trip on december 16th.

I felt a lot better today than the first two days last time, I had pink salt and took magnesium supplements and I think it helped.

[Emily_Oh]

Yupp it’s a pretty long way lol!

Enjoy the meal with your boyfriend’s mum! It will give you a good boost for your next fasting stint

[Kattystrong]

How many days are you planning to fast for?

[Erica]

I did, I didn’t even eat much and my stomach hurts a bit. I was getting used to fasting ahah. But I really want to fast for as long as I can, it just sucks that so many things always end up coming up. Anyway, Hope you have a great weekend!