Time to Climb Back on the Wagon

If you are like most people, occasionally you fall off the wagon. This might mean that you scarf down an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby after committing to that new diet. Or maybe you smoke a cigarette after quitting for several weeks, months, or even years. Perhaps you have a glass of wine after a "dry" spell. Maybe you bake several pans of beet brownies and eat most of them even though you normally avoid sugar. I may have personal experience with this.

Most of us relax over the holidays and indulge in some less-than-strict eating and drinking. We might also take a break from our exercise classes and/or go on vacation. And yes, the pounds seem to creep on much more easily over these winter months, probably due to less exercise and more caloric input. The lack of sunlight can make us feel tired, depressed, moody, even spark sugar cravings. We are human, so sometimes we succumb.

At some point, we need to put our collective foot down. When is it time to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH?

For me, that day was yesterday.

I had had a bad night. I couldn't sleep, kept tossing and turning. My body seemed to be rejecting everything I had put into my stomach. I had pretty much every digestive issue they sing about on that hilarious commercial: "Upset stomach, indigestion, acid reflux..."

No, I did not turn to Pepto Bismal.

Instead, I realized I needed to do one simple thing: stop eating.

When animals get sick, they stop eating. It's such an easy and obvious solution, I wonder why we humans don't always think to do this.

When I get home from teaching my evening classes, I usually eat. I don't consider whether or not I'm hungry, I just eat out of habit. But last night, I listened to my body. It told me that it was not hungry. Instead of eating, I drank a large mug of decaf green tea. This morning, I got up and drank a cup of coffee plus a large mug of bone broth. I taught Pilates and Bootcamp on an empty stomach. By the time I got home and made lunch, I had been fasting since 4pm yesterday--that is 20 hours. Not bad, as my longest fast to date has been 24 hours.

At this point, my stomach feels fine. Not bloated, not excessively full, not angry or upset.

I think my problem has been overindulgence. I've been eating out of habit, or compulsion, with little sense of how much food I actually NEED. Although I am mostly eating healthy, nutritious, "good" food, I've been eating too much.

Fasting is a wonderful way to let the digestive system rest and heal. We humans were built to fast. It's a natural process that our bodies are equipped to handle. (Children, pregnant or nursing mothers, and those with serious health issues should avoid fasting or speak with a doctor first.)

If you've been overindulging in your own way, whether it involves food, drink, drugs, or other "pleasures," you might consider climbing back up on the wagon. You can fast from smoking, drinking alcohol, eating, watching television, getting on Facebook, or anything that is not serving you. Listen to your body. It might have a message for you...