NPR: Retune the Body with a Partial Fast

[AdamCrafter]

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16513299

Doctors claim that fasting for up to 24 hours has its health perks: a lessened dependency on sugar, a smaller chance for diabetes, and lower blood pressure. The catch is that while you're avoiding the food, you should still consume water during this partial fast. If fasting is not for you, limiting your calorie intake might work instead. The goal is to give your digestive system a rest and to prevent the creation of byproducts that the body doesn't need.
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That was the News, here is how IF is treating Adam:
The alternate day form of intermittent fasting is still working very well for me.
I've lost almost 10 inches off of my waist since the End of May.
I'm also enjoying a clarity of mind that is really helping with my school and Finals this term.
I need to find a clothing resale place after finals are over, most of my clothing is now severely baggy, so I need to trade down in clothing size.
I need to sell off all my 38-44 size clothes, and get things in the 34-36 range.
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A longer post is coming soon: My school term finals end on Dec 13th.

[Steven Barnes]

Fantastic, Adam. Couldn't be happier. I'm finding myself looking and feeling so good on average that I get lax with I.F. I think I need to tie it more deeply into a spiritual discipline to lock down my motivation. Health alone isn't quite cutting it.

[AdamCrafter]

At my current rate of progress, I can see myself 'catching up' with you in this area in another 2-3 months.
By catching-up, I mean having arrived at a level of satisfaction with my physical self, so that further physical change is not sufficient to keep me focused on this habit.
The good news here is that it is a lifestyle habit now, I'd have to deliberately change off of IF now for some external reason, and I can't think of why I would do that.
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My first thought is that I could start up a habit of a longer meditation session upon rising after a full days fasting.
That would have me going for a longer meditation session after having been fasting for the longest time period.
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If I want to try this right away:
I ate last near midnight last night,
so If I try this tomorrow morning when I wake,
it will be an extended meditation session about 30 hours into fasting.
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I don't think this is a spiritual goal by itself,
but a great opportunity to meditate while far removed from my last meal.
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I've noticed that my small, quiet voice of inspiration speaks up most clearly while I have been fasting.
I think I'll give it a chance tomorrow morning to talk to me about higher spiritual goals.
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*laughs at self* I suspect that I'll forget to do this unless I leave myself a note,
so I'll be putting a post-it note where I can find it first thing tomorrow morning.
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I'll let you know what happens.

[Steven Barnes]

Adam:
read over the way you sequenced those last thoughts. Then, look up one of Suzanne's posts. You'll notice an interesting similarity of syntax. I consider this indicative of genuine engagement with the Self. Saying your meditation "isn't a spiritual goal" in this context should bring a smile to your face. You're playing games.

[AdamCrafter]

Hunh.
I hope that if I am playing games, that it starts with myself,
I'm trying to keep my sense of play present in my goals.
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I think meditation is one of my primary spiritual tools,
my goal is to let a better understanding of myself lead to a deeper understanding of the multiverse.

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Wow... I just read her posts and followed the link back to her website...
the similarity of syntax is rather eerie and cool.
(Although it is something you would not have seen,
the poetry I've been writing lately is even closer to her syntax/style.

It makes sense that writing style would be changed by meditation, i just find the similarity *fascinating*...
I should drop her a email and talk to her.

[baubosboy]

"I should drop her a email and talk to her." I dunno, dude. That woman's serious trouble.

[Steven Barnes]

Yep. All good women are.