I have been fasting for two days. It is not in conjunction with weight loss efforts, but I will gladly accept any weight loss. Even though this fast has been for medical reasons, I have had some thoughts come into my head in relation to food.
Let me start by saying that this period of no food has been in preparation for a colonoscopy. I have been long overdue for having one. My father died of colo-rectal cancer in 2017. I should have run with all haste to have a colonoscopy when he was diagnosed. I should have not put it off or at least done it in honor of him when he died. Yet here I am over 5 years since his death and FINALLY getting one done. The hesitancy is a combination of a few things. First, I don’t like to go to the doctor and secondly I’ve heard the horror stories of the prep for the procedure. But thirdly, I’m afraid of the results. No know…silly to ignore it! But I’m doing it now…today in fact.
So I have been in prep mode now for a while. I actually decided to try to make it easier on myself. On Wednesday I ate really lightly. My calories were low…I ate minimaly. I figured the less food in my body the better right???
So Wednesday dinner was my last meal. Friday dinner after this test will be my next meal. That is a 48 hour fast. Ok, maybe it hasn’t been a total fast. I drank a can or two of 7-up and I did have about a cup of jello in the 48 hour period. But seriously, that’s so little we may as well call it a 48 hour fast. And do you know what? It hasn’t been bad I never had to dip into the popcicles or Italian Ice that I had in the freezer.
I actually wasn't worried about the fasting part. I knew that I would be fine. My husband seemed more worried about that for me. But it posed no problem. However, the thoughts in my head were enlightening!
It actually wasn’t even a challenge to not eat. I wasn’t gnawing at the kitchen cabinets or anything wanting to eat. I was content without food. Didn’t really miss it. Isn’t that crazy? Now that’s not saying that I won’t be ready to eat when the procedure is behind me! But I wasn’t desperate for food at any time during the last few days. Not on the day of minima/light eating and not yesterday on my liquid diet day. Interesting…hmmm
The biggest revelation for me though was the thoughts in my head. The habit to go grab something was strong. And I was able to realize that it wasn’t hunger but literally a ‘nothing to do so may as well eat’ thought.
The best way to describe this mental thought is to talk about what happened when the power went out. I was working and the power went out. It ended up being out for about 2 hours. I used the time to sit quietly in the living room and read. Over and over my head told me to ‘go get a few pretzels to eat while you read’. Or ‘some grapes would be great while I’m reading’. I never felt hunger…it was a boredom thing. With the enforcement of my fast (or close to a fast) for the colonoscopy prep I couldn’t eat and it cleared my brain to realize that the thoughts/need/desire for food was simply that. Boredom.
I don’t know what I am/can do with this newfound knowledge. But hopefully I can remember it whenever that urge to ‘go grab a pretzel’ hits in the future.
Meanwhile, it’s snowing…so we will be leaving for my test a bit early. Wish me luck! (With the roads and with the results)
