Religious Fasting

jordantylergillespie · April 2013

I fast for religious purposes about once a month for 24 hours. I typically eat normally on Saturday and then don't eat again until Sunday evening. I've been doing this, once a month, most of my adult life.

When I was extremely overweight I would eat a huge dinner Saturday night, feel starved all day Sunday, and then eat another huge dinner again on Sunday cause I "earned" it for my efforts fasting.

Nowadays I am able to feel in control during my fasting and this has helped with the spiritual reason that I'm fasting in the first place. However, I still feel like I want to overeat majorly when dinner time on Sunday rolls around, and by this time I'm craving carbs in a bad way.

I enjoy my monthly fast for the spiritual strength I feel it brings and I don't intend on giving it up. Does anyone have and good advice on how to avoid over-indulging when I break my fast?

eep223 · April 2013

Maybe try starting the meal with a giant salad. I know, for me, lots of veg will fill me up quickly and I'm less likely to over eat afterwards. After the salad, go for lean protein. I think the high fiber/ protein combo is where it's at!

BuffyEat2Live · April 2013

the only thing that I can think of is to maybe start your meal with a bowl of hot miso soup. That always takes the edge off the hunger pains but doesn't fill you up to where you can't eat anything afterwards. Good luck to you!

jordantylergillespie · April 2013

Thanks for the responses. I like the idea of a salad to start. I will definitely try this one. I also enjoy miso soup so that will be something to try as well.

Are there any ideas on what I eat before I begin my fast to help or is it generally accepted that after 24 hours I'm going to be hungry no matter what I ate the night before?

daniel_parrett · April 2013

You could eat a mess of oatmeal if you are trying to feel full, but you could also consider the spiritual side of it... from a conference talk by Shayne M Bowen of the Seventy:

"Whenever hunger pains come, use them as a reminder to pray again about the purpose of your fast."

holothuroidea · April 2013

Give your body the calories (and carbs) it's craving.

The purpose of the fasting is not to create a huge calorie deficit. If you're hungry enough to eat back the calories you would have eaten while you were fasting, I say have at it. You will still loose weight. Think in terms of weekly calorie goals instead of daily if that helps.

action_figure · April 2013

I just did the Eastern rite's 40 hour Holy Saturday fast. I ate dinner (4 ounces of tilapia, and a small salad) at 6 pm on Friday, and didn't eat again until after I'd taken communion on Sunday at 11:30 am. I found that my first meal afterwards was very small just because I was eating so mindfully. Try savoring every bite and eating slowly. Enjoy the textures and tastes, and try to really experience it. Let the taste of the food fill you with gratitude. You may find that if you eat that way, you will get full far before you thought you would.

Edit to add: also, it's probably really important to prep properly for your fast. I also did the Western rite's wimpy Good Friday fast this year, which is defined as one small meal and two collations (snacks) which cannot together be larger than a regular meal. On Good Friday I had a small protein shake made with plant protein and milk for breakfast, another one for lunch and then the tilapia and salad for supper. I think avoiding carbs on Friday made it so that I didn't have huge cravings. Also, I don't know if you do water only, but I drank yerba mate tea during the day on Saturday. It seemed to really help.

Hearts_2015 · April 2013

I fast for religious purposes about once a month for 24 hours. I typically eat normally on Saturday and then don't eat again until Sunday evening. I've been doing this, once a month, most of my adult life.

When I was extremely overweight I would eat a huge dinner Saturday night, feel starved all day Sunday, and then eat another huge dinner again on Sunday cause I "earned" it for my efforts fasting.

Nowadays I am able to feel in control during my fasting and this has helped with the spiritual reason that I'm fasting in the first place. However, I still feel like I want to overeat majorly when dinner time on Sunday rolls around, and by this time I'm craving carbs in a bad way.

I enjoy my monthly fast for the spiritual strength I feel it brings and I don't intend on giving it up. Does anyone have and good advice on how to avoid over-indulging when I break my fast?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937891-chia-seeds?hl=chia+seeds

Here's a thread on Chia seeds, that might be something that would help you feel satiated longer. There are a few other threads in the archives and I'm sure Google can provide even more.

I'd take a look for you but I'm headed to bed.:yawn:

Good luck :flowerforyou:

AmberleyAngel · April 2013

I find that if you eat a huge meal then you feel even hungrier the next morning than normal because you've stretched your stomach out a bit extra, so I would eat a normal meal the night before.

I fast also, though not for so long as I have to be careful my blood sugars don't drop into a hypo. I assume that while you're fasting you're praying so pray not to be hungry and for help with control.

I also suggest, like the others, a salad or soup to assuage those desperate hunger pangs. A starter of some raw vegetables with salsa and a small amount of low-fat cheese can help too. Also perhaps having a normal portioned meal prepared on Saturday night (if that's possible) so that Sunday night you're not tempted to heap extra helpings onto the plate.

Marcellus_08 · April 2013

Try eating a high protein shake or protein bar first, give yourself 20 minutes and go from there. I fast too, and I notice if I have a protein bar first and plan out a decent dinner (I skip breakfast and lunch and eat dinner) I tend to eat better and feel fuller longer.

Religious Fasting

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