The science of fasting- Part 4. What to do after the fasting period

Congratulations, you just finished your first round of fasting. How do you feel? If you feel as like you were run dawn by a buss, don’t worry it is normal. this could of happened because your body was probably not used to it, and it is like “what are you trying to do to me human????”, which means you forgot to get your body ready by following the recommended steps in Part 2 of this serious of blog posts. This will get much easier the second time around, because now your body is used to going without sugar and fueling on fat, specially if you take the time to get ready before starting the full fast.

Best way is to get your body into ketosis, burning fat instead of sugar, before starting the fast. Remember, we are all individuals with individual body composition, so the time that will takes us to get into ketosis might vary. The best way to get into ketosis, is by limiting, your carbohydrate intake and add to your healthy fats, the key is Healthy fats, few days or weeks prior to going into the fast. the best way to know if you are in ketosis, is to purchase some ketosis strips, there are many available and are very affordable. This way you can ensure, that your body is ready.

If you did this fast right, you should be feeling more energetic, more focused, people have reported a clearer skin, probably weight loss, and less in pain. Again, don’t get discouraged if you are not feeling this way after your first round of fast, the first round is the hardest, specially if you did not get into the full ketosis before starting your fast.

Now, what should you do after your fast is over?

What to eat

There are a lot of “experts” who advise to follow a ketogenic diet after your fast. Please note, there are no long term studies available on health benefits of ketogenic diet as of yet. There are some studies that show this diet is very helpful with patients, who have epilepsy or seizures, but not a regular individual.

Also I don’t think it is wise to completely eliminate any specific macro-nutrient from your diet. My suggestion would be to follow a balance diet, away from processed foods and the foods that causes inflammation in your body.  Please note, that what causes inflammation in my body can be completely different than what causes inflammation in your body. If you don’t know what causes inflammation in your body and would like to learn more about it, you can read my post on inflammation and how to address it.

What to drink:

short answer is, plenty of water. Hopefully during this fast, you created a habit of drinking water, so stick to your habit and drink water, no sugary beverages and juices please. I have dedicated an earlier post all about how much water you need to drink and tips to stay hydrated.

You definitely can drink teas and coffees, but don’t use artificial sweeteners or refined sugars in them. I personally like to sweeten my coffee, with a teaspoon of 100% pure maple syrup. Also you can add some coconut oil or MCT oil to your coffee. For creamers, if you are not sensitive to dairy, then 100% Grass fed whole milk is a good option and if you are allergic to dairy, like I am, you can use Almond milk, coconut milk or other nut milks.  be aware of added sugars in these nut milks. You want to get the ones that are unsweetened, so look carefully at the ingredient list.

What else:

Sleep, Sleep, and sleep. You can’t do it with out rest. Your body needs to rest in order to build itself. If you are not getting enough, quality sleep, you will not get the full benefit of your new lifestyle. Please remember, too much sleep is just as bad as too little sleep.

You should be moving your body every day. So exercise should be part of your routine too. Just pick an activity that you like and enjoy, this way you are most likely to stick to your routine, and start there. 30 minutes a day is more than enough. Don’t beat yourself up at the gym. Start slowly and take your time.

Meditate. I know we are all sick and tired of hearing the word meditate. who has the time to sit around and do nothing. After all we have kids to take care of, we have work, we have bills to pay, we have to clean the house, we have to ……..  . What if I tell you, you can meditate, while you are getting some of your chores done. Just be aware of your breathing and try to let go. My favorite times to meditate is while I am in the shower, just taking deep breaths in and out and thinking about all the blessings that I have in life, or while I am washing dishes, staring out the window looking into our back yard, taking deep breaths and trying to let go of all my worries by reminding myself of all the good things that I am surrounded by. Can you do this?

Bottom line:

You are here, because you know you can live a happier and healthier life and you want to make a change. Fasting can be a great start and a rewarding one to your new lifestyle. just remember the above house keeping points and you will be good for life, you will not have any regrets. 

Here is my personal experience, after years staying away from refined carbs and highly processed foods, even looking at donuts, sodas or greasy fast foods, make me want to throw up. even now that I am pregnant :)

Believe me, you will get there too. 

Stay happy and healthy

Roya

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