The holidays have come and gone, and we have the wonder and opportunity of a new year ahead. Hopefully you finished 2017 grateful for how far you have come, and all you accomplished in your wellness lifestyle. I know I'm very thankful for the journey, and the blessing of another healthy year completed, and a year of adventures ahead.
If you're starting out hoping to lose some weight, or just get things back 'under control' since the holiday feasting, there is some hope with an old approach that's getting new attention. Maybe it's time to give fasting a try.
Fasting is not very popular in some modern circles, but it has been with the human race since the dawn of time. Long recognized as the right way to recenter our thinking, fasting is simple and very worthwhile. From a faith standpoint, fasting combined with prayer is the best way to seek God's direction and check our own motives.
More recent research shows that fasting has really healthy results for folks who are in relatively good health to begin with. Check out this list of 20 benefits of fasting from the Global Healing Center in Houston, TX - Benefits of Fasting
The best way to get started with some intermittent fasting is to ‘skip’ some meals. Maybe you have something small and simple for lunch and supper and forgo breakfast a few days a week. I know a very accomplished leader at a local College who only eats two meals a day, and has followed that guidance for over a decade. And he's healthy and full of energy and vitality.
The point of intermittent fasting is to give our bodies a chance to clean up, regenerate and take a break from the abundance of empty calories so prevalent in our culture. It is a commitment, like other aspects of a wellness lifestyle- do what is healthful for your body. We are over fed and under nourished as a society, and intermittent fasting is a step in the right direction.
So as we settle into the new year, think about intermittent fasting as a way to gain control of your weight and food choices, and get your wellness off to a great start in 2018.
By the Way
Check out this short video from PBS Digital Studios about the basic and benefits of fasting.
Should You Eat Everyday?
