Day 16 Dieters May Have "Wait" Problem

Up at 6:15 a.m. 7 hours of sleep, weight - 180 lbs. 7:15 a.m. Optimist club meeting
8:30 Push ups For Peace committee meeting. 9:30 taught lesson. 10:3o taught class
drank 12 fl. oz. Amazon Energy drink. 12:30 drank 15 fl. oz. of 1/2 orange juice 1/2 H2o.
3:30 -7:00 p.m. taught classes. did exercises with teen class. 6:00 drank 16 oz. of almond dream. 7:00 to 7:30 - weapons training. Maybe you've noticed my weight has not changed
in four days. This is not unusual in a fast. What allows me to fast is the very thing that frustrates eaters on a diet. A slow metabolism. If I'm having 4 day plateau fasting, just think what you could have just eating less. So if you are trying to lose weight on any diet, be prepared
to give it time. Siddhartha said " I can think, I can wait, I can fast. reason # 16 to fast - to
watch your body improve it's form. (as long as you exercise and listen to your body).

Day 15 Guinness World Records

Up at 6:45 a.m. 9 hours of sleep. weight - 180 lbs. 8:20 drank 6 oz. of aloe vera juice.
10:oo to 11:30 drank 20 oz. coffee with 25 grams of whey protein mixed in.
12:15 t0 1:30 p.m. time for workout - did 55 2 sec. perfect push ups, 50 leg lifts with 2 bricks,
36 more perfect push ups, ran 12 flights of stairs, and 29 more perfect push ups.
2:15 p.m. drank 20 oz. Gatorade. 3:30 drank 15.2 oz. Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein, 19 grams of protein. 4:30 - 7:45 p.m. taught classes - did push ups, leg lifts, sit ups with the students.
8:30 p.m. drank 14 oz. of green tea.
I received an e-mail from Guinness World Records regarding my attempt for most push ups on the knuckles. " ...and so we suggest you attempt this instead: 'Most push ups (using back of hands) in an hour'. The current record is 1,940 set by Paddy Doyle, Birmingham, UK on 8 November 2007." This was disappointing. There's no way to appeal their decision. I'm going to have to take their challenge. It's gonna' be painful. But It'll hurt so good. reason # 15 for fasting: To face trials while believing for the best outcome.

Day 14 The Family Easter Feast Fast

Up at 8:45 a.m. 8 hours of sleep. weight - 180 lbs. 9:00 left for church - stuffed plastic eggs with candy for an Easter egg hunt in church basement. 10:45 hit the road for Houghton Ia. 1:15 p.m. Everyone sat down for a delicious meal of ham, potatoes, rice, vegetables and desserts such as German chocolate cake and key lime pie. Easter Sunday for me happens to fall on the 2nd Sunday of Fastivus. As you may know from a previous blog, Fastivians drink only water on Sunday. We eat no food for 41 days. We drink only fruit juices and protein drinks. Chicken soup broth is permitted twice a week. So Sunday is a fast within a fast. So here I am, sitting at the table with all this great food, drinking my water. I steer the conversation away from myself or fasting once the initial " aren't you eating" is asked. A good fastivian is considerate of eaters and has no need to talk of his practice. Nor does he have any real desire for food. That is gone during Fastivus. As Grand Elder of Fastivus I do not depend on food as a source gratification or comfort as eaters do. I look forward and prepare for the Great Feat to close the Fastivus season.
reason #14 for fasting - to triumph over impulses, cravings and desires for long term happiness.

Day 13 Zen Fast In Wonderland

Up at 7:00 a.m. 8 hours of sleep. weight - 180 lbs. I was surprised to see I had dropped 5 lbs. However, with three workouts, a B.M., and a low intake, I guess it makes sense. Fridays are pretty intense. 8:30a.m. taught class - light workout, drank 20 oz. Gatorade. 10:00 taught kids class. 11:00 taught adult class - light workout drank 15.2 oz. protein drink - 10 grams of protein. 12:30 p.m. taught one private lesson. 1:00 p.m. drank 7 oz. protein drink - 5 grams of protein. 1:10 - 2:55 conducted a knife throwing seminar. knife throwing is a very zen activity, and fun too. 4:25 p.m. went to the showing of Alice In Wonderland with Johnny Depp. When I fast, it seems like I've fallen into a different world as well. Time kind of slows down. there's no lunch time, no dinner time, just time. People who complain about time going by too quickly should fast. You just fall into the present and stay there. It's good for you. 6:30 p.m. 5 .5 oz. of V8. 9:00 p.m. 5.5 more 0z. of V8. reason #13 for fasting - to slow down time and think more.

Day 12 A Good Friday

Up at 6:20 a.m. 7.5 hours of sleep - weight 185 lbs. 7:00- taught the early class till 8:15 a.m. workout included 4 sets of 50 push ups, as well as 100 leg lifts and 60 sit ups. 9:00 - sipped on 10 oz. orange juice and 10 oz. coffee with 10 grams of protein powder. 10:30 - taught class - light workout drills and staff work. 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. - did 15 push ups per minute for total of 900 perfect push ups about 1.5 seconds each. 1:45 drank 20 oz. Gatorade 4:45 drank 11 oz. E.A.S. Myoplex light shake - 20 grams of protein. Had a great day today. I would rather have three good workouts and no meals than the other way around. They say a fast can make you weak. I say not if you do it right. Reason # 12 for fasting - To get stronger. Jesus said "Man does not live by bread alone." Find the true source of your strength.

Day 11 Pleasure vs. Happiness

Up at 7:50 a.m. 8.5 hours of sleep. weight - 185 lbs. 8:45 to 9:25 a.m. - drank 16 oz. coffee. 9:30 taught lesson. 10:30 - drank 16 oz. Arizona blueberry white tea till 11:30. Taught classes 10:30 to noon. 2:45 p.m. - drank 12 0z. fresh carrot-apple-ginger juice from Heritage Natural Foods. 3:30 - 7:00p.m. taught classes to kids and teenagers. I've noticed that I have been happier in the last week even though I haven't had the pleasure of a meal and have working almost constantly. It occurred to me that many people who seek and get pleasure are not happy. Smoking, drinking and eating are examples of pleasure many people pursue to excess. Too much and prolonged pleasure in smoking can bring lung disease. Too much pleasure in eating brings overweight conditions, then obesity. Too much drinking can bring drunkenness with tragic results. When pleasure is the goal it may not lead to happiness. Long term happiness seems to result from meaningful and fulfilling activities. So is true happiness the sum of your pleasures? Or is it the fruit of your positive efforts? Reason #11 to fast - to move from the ordinary state of mind to bliss (happy for no reason).

Day 10 Success through Failure

Up at 8:00 a.m. 9 hours of sleep. weight - 187 lbs. 9:25 - drank 8.25 fl. oz. of Muscle Milk 15 grams of protein. 11:45 - drank 11 oz of E. A. S. 20 grams of protein. 12 noon - 1:30 worked out. did sets of exercises till failure (till no more repititions can be done with out losing proper form) 120 push ups, 75 dips, 55 reverse rack rows, 30 upward rows, 30 incline presses, up and down 16 flights of stairs, 25 reps of bicep and tricep dumbbell curls. 4:00 drank 8.25 oz. protein drink - 15 grams of protein. 4:30 to 7:45 p.m. - taught classes. Had a good workout with the last class - did 75 push ups 100 leg lifts 50 sit ups

Had a good day today. good workouts and stayed with three protein drinks only. weighed in one pound more today. not easy when you're fasting, unless you drink a lot of salty soup. I'm feeling better every day. I'm down two more holes on my belt, my knee bends more and I can jump higher. my feeling of well being is increasing. reason #10 for fasting - to improve flexibility & lessen joint pain (many joint problems are made worse by being overweight).