It was Alan Lakein who said, "Failing to plan is planning to fail." This quote rings true when it comes to fasting. You might believe that fasting only takes discipline but it's also about having a good plan that will promote persistence. To be successful, you must take into consideration certain aspects of fasting like transitioning and creating a food list and a preparation routine.
Transitioning
A common mistake many folks make is pigging out right before a fast. You might want to partake in Fat Tuesday but be sure to give your body time to ease the King Cake out of your system. Your body reacts to these abrupt changes and cravings can be hard to curb at first.
You can transition by slowly cutting out bread or sugar and eating more fruits and vegetables. No matter how you transition, remember this one rule.
For example, I am fasting for 30 days, therefore, I must transition for ten days before and after my fast. The 1/3 rule helps prevent shocking your body.
Creating a food list
When I started fasting, I felt like I was restricting myself. Having that mentality didn’t help me through my first fast. Switching my perspective from restriction to exploration or abundance really helped me out.
I switched my perspective by creating a list of the vast amount of fruits, vegetables, teas, and supplements I could consume. I carry this list whenever I go to the grocery store.
If you see something that’s not on your list, don’t be afraid to pick it up and try it out. I’ve definitely picked up the swiss chard when I was looking for kale a few months ago. Now it’s a fave on my revised food list.
Creating a food prep routine
In order to see this fast through to the end, I realized that I couldn’t be a sporadic eater anymore. There are no late night salad bars and I can't get fresh juice at my local Chipotle. So, I have a weekly and daily prep routine. Every week, I go to the grocery store, wash and cut my produce. Every night, I juice for the following day and get my apple cider vinegar infused water ready for the next morning.