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determination will give you strength when you are tempted to give up.

Physical preparation is also very important. The day before you fast, prepare your body by eating a normal amount of food. * Do not by any means overeat thinking that you are storing food for the fast. This will cause very uncomfortable cramps and the hunger pains will more than likely be stronger than they would otherwise.

The Fasting Day

During the fasting period, it is best to limit yourself to light physical tasks and to concentrate as much as possible on introspection and spirituality. Use this fasting period constructively. Meditate on scriptures, pray or read inspirational books - spend some time taking stock of where you are in life, and what are some of the areas that you would like to improve.

These can be spiritual, mental, physical, social and even financial. It is often helpful to write a list of issues you would like to resolve and then use the time of fasting praying and meditating to receive inspiration and guidance. *If you are unable to take this "time out" because of an active work or family schedule, then go about your business but maintain an "internal" attitude of prayer, meditation and contemplation.

The way I accomplish this is by not allowing time to consume my thoughts but, rather, I make it a point to go from moment to moment - focusing only on what I am doing one second, one minute at a time. You will be surprise just how often we go about our day-to-day
activities thinking only of the future or obsessing over the past. This negates the present moment and can keep us in a state of confusion, stress and restlessness.

Breaking the Fast

Benefits of fasting can be truly enjoyed only if you break the fast in the right manner. Do not do like I did at first and break a period of fasting with a full-course meal. You can get stomach cramps and, in some cases, become seriously ill. On the morning or evening following the fast, break it by either drinking water with lime or grape juice diluted with water.

Drinking lemon juice with a pinch of salt helps flush out toxins from your digestive system. Wait approximately four hours and then have some soup or light salad with lime. Please - NO heavy dressings at this point! Four hours after that you can have a light meal of poultry, salad and maybe steamed vegetables or brown rice.

The next day you can resume your regular eating habits. Of course, the period of fasting hopefully will give you time to meditate on how you have been eating. It is important to realize that fasting only to return to destructive eating will limit the benefits. After you break the fast, make a resolution that you will start to move away from destructive eating.

This is not done in a day, and you may stumble much - but no matter what, keep going and never give up! Periodic fasting such as the one described here is definitely one of the elements of a balanced and sustainable weight loss program.

Learn more about this author, Robert Dave Johnston.
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