I just finished a three day fruit fast.
The fast is part of the 40 Days to Personal Revolution, a program put on by my yoga studio and based on the book of the same name by Baron Baptiste.
During the last three days, I ate nothing but fruit.
During the last three days, I drank no coffee or any other caffeinated beverage.
I am still processing this journey, but in the meantime, here are my immediate thoughts and observations:
1. I have never thought about food as much as I thought about it in the past three days. In fact, I don’t think I have ever thought about anything as much as I thought about food in the past three days.
2. The fact that zucchini is a fruit really doesn’t help me. And don’t get me started on “faux pasta” made from scraping a zucchini. I am pretty sure that could get you killed in Philadelphia.
3. Grocery stores are not my friend when I am on a fruit fast. I normally eat healthy foods – vegetarian, whole grains, low fat. All of a sudden, the twinkies and ding-dongs were calling my name.
4. I can be a serious bitch witch when I am hungry and under-caffeinated. Perhaps that explains why my husband had to leave town suddenly for a trial (“dear, don’t they schedule those things way in advance??”).
5. Since when is something that is mushy and brownish-green considered ripe for eating? Avocados are edible only when they are part of guacamole and served with chips and a cold beer with a lime stuck in it.
6. I am sure that this is related to #4, but the people who enjoyed the fruit fast seriously got on my nerves.
7. Again probably related to #4, but I am not sending Baron Baptiste a holiday card or inviting him to my birthday party.
8. I found myself oddly envious of people who had the flu. At least then I wouldn’t be hungry.
9. I figured out why you can’t have caffeine during the fast, even though TECHNICALLY coffee is a fruit (trust me, I researched it). It is so that the pounding headache you get from the caffeine withdrawal will take your mind off the fact that your internal organs are digesting themselves.
10. And, finally, have you ever smelled a mango fart? My English Bulldog left the bedroom last night.
Oh, LeeAnn! How I was laughing with you (but I realize you weren’t laughing for the three days.). I’m proud of you for getting through it. (But I’m secretly pleased that–you know–it wasn’t life changing.) (that sounded mean. It wasn’t meant to be. Can’t explain it, but I hope you know what I mean.)
Jenn – I have a huge smile on my face now that I have coffee in my blood stream. I have a feeling that laughter will come much more easily today. And I totally get what you mean! : )
Hey – can you do lunch today? I was thinking of going to our fave for a fruit salad!
I am literally laughing out loud~! Come spend Yom Kippur with me this year. When I fast for 24 hours it is such a mind game. How is it possible that I can be so busy that I forget to eat breakfast or lunch sometimes. Then, on Yom Kippur, I feel like I am dying by 9:00am. I am proud of your discipline. YOU really made me smile today!
Kelly – I don’t know HOW you do that every year!! It is a total mind game and with no food at all, I am sure that I would have to be committed. I seriously thought this would be easy for me. Wrong. So glad you smiled – you made me smile big time yesterday!
When I read the title of this post…I thought….hmm…that sounds interesting, maybe I will try it. Then I read this laughing the whole way and now for some reason have second thoughts… ha ha ha…Great post.
Jill – for Smudge’s sake, you really might not want to. : )
Wow, LeeAnn, I would be feeling really witchy too, if I had no coffee and nothing but fruit for 3 days! 🙂 Even one day would do it for me. I can’t tolerate fruit (too much sugar for me) so I’m in awe that there is such a thing as only eating fruit. I’m curious, is it supposed to have some kind of health benefit? Sounds like it just made you cranky, which is exactly what I’d expect would happen to me! 🙂 Glad you’re back on the coffee!
Hey Laurie – it is supposed to be a bit of a detox, but also make you much more conscious of your eating habits. I definitely realized how much snacking that I had been doing, really without thinking. The focus of the eating portion of the program has been on whole foods, in the state that they are produced naturally. It has been very interesting. Thanks for visiting!
I am sooooo with you on #6!! I’m doing mine Saturday,Sunday, Monday. Pray.
Good luck Beth!! You are very brave doing it over the weekend!
Oh my gosh I laughed so hard when I read this, even as I felt such a very sincere sympathy for you!
I’ve done caffeine withdrawal. It is not a pretty sight. My husband would have left town too if he had the choice.
P.S. Fave is #6.
Hey Ilegirl!! So glad you laughed and also that you can understand the caffeine withdrawal. It is miserable, isn’t it? Have a great weekend!
I have nominated you for The Beautiful Blogger Award. Feel free to view the post here: http://inspiredeverymoment.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/beautiful-blogger-award/
🙂
Katherine – thank you so much!!
Your ending had me cracking up. Based on your experience I think I will skip the fruit fast (even though at first I was thinking I should try this) 🙂
Hey Amy – glad it made you laugh! : ) The whole experience really did have some value, if I am serious about it. It was great for making me realize how often I snack mindlessly – and it broke that habit. Hope you are doing well!
Like others, I was laughing out loud reading this. I definitely do not think I could have done it. Replace the fruit with ice cream, and yes, I’m all on board. What discipline you have. Now, any chance you are craving fruit? 🙂
Hey Robin – hmmm, an ice cream fast – I like it!! I bet that would be good for making us dislike ice cream, although I am sure that would only be temporary. I am not craving fruit, but I did build into my routine some more unusual fruits. It really helped to shake up my routine.