Hot Topic: Challenges in Our Own Journeys

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When you come to fasting, you think of one
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thing; you think of hunger.
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And, unfortunately, that's sometimes not
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the only thing that we experience as
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a side effect for fasting.
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But I think most people will find that,
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even though there are some other things
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that are a little uncomfortable with fasting,
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they're worth the trade.
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They're worth what you get in trade for the
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benefit from fasting. [music]
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Welcome to another episode of
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The Fasting Method podcast.
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This is Coach Terri Lance and I am
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joined today with the amazing Coach Heather.
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Heather, how are you doing today?
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I am doing fantastic Terri, thanks for
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asking.
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Well, Heather, one of the things that
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listeners might not know is that sometimes
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we get together to record and we are
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both still pondering what should
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we talk about, what do people need
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to know?
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So I was thinking as we were leading into
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this that sometimes people seem
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to think that we, as coaches, find
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all of this very easy.
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We had a swimmingly
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simple time doing our
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fasting and going through our health goals
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and our weight-loss journey, and that
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now we just expect that it should be
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simple for all of them.
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And I think in our recent Coaches Corner
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meeting, we've really tried to highlight that
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it was not simple for any of us either.
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And I thought, Heather, today maybe we could
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talk a little bit about what were some of
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our struggles along the way in our
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journey so that people can hear that
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we too are human just like them,
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and struggled, and also
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had to figure out some ways to get through
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those challenges.
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You know, it's funny, when you brought up this
topic,
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Terri, because I was like, "No, I didn't have
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any problems whatsoever," because my memory
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is so short! And then, with just
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a few moments of reflection, I was like,
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"Oh wait, that's right.
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I did have all of these things that we
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talk about." So I think that's a fantastic
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topic because, you know, when you come to
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fasting you think of one thing; you think of
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hunger. And, unfortunately, that's
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sometimes not the only thing that we
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experience as a side effect for fasting.
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But I think most people will find that,
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even though there are some other things
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that are a little uncomfortable with fasting,
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they're worth the trade.
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They're worth what you get in trade for the
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benefit from fasting.
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Absolutely.
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Which I think is part of why you had that
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little bit of amnesia about what
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were the challenges.
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[laughter] You know, isn't that why most
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women are able to have a second child
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because they forget that actual
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experience?
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So, Heather, I was thinking-- you just
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mentioned hunger, and, for me, that's
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an interesting one because I
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don't even think in the beginning actual
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hunger was the issue for me
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because I think,
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for me, it was because I was pretty well
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dialed-in already in a low-carb
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approach to eating.
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I think I was well fat adapted.
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But, for me, it was I
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missed eating.
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I missed tasting something.
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I missed the frequent
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enjoyment of food that I was so
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used to.
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So, for me, that wasn't actual physical
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hunger, but it was that, like, I'm missing
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out on something because I'm not eating.
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Not just, I'm not eating those meals, but I'm
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not snacking, I'm not, you know,
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just constantly kind of going for food
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as my go-to focus.
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So, for me, that was one of my biggest
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challenges as I got started is
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getting used to spending time
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without having food.
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And that's interesting because I would even
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say that, for me, it wasn't the hunger
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sensation either after I started
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getting into fasting.
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It was absolutely more the fear of
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hunger. I was afraid of it.
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So, before I started fasting, you know,
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I was a recovery room nurse and, whenever
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it was lunchtime and we were super busy,
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my coworkers would coordinate and organize
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to make sure at least I got to lunch because
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I got so miserable when I was hungry.
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It's a true story!
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So, you know, the idea that I would
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intentionally put that on myself
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and choose to have that experience regularly,
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it took me a long time to even
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accept that that is something that I'd be
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willing to do.
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And even once I started fasting,
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the evening before a 42-hour fast--
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so I'm gonna-- you now, I know I'm not gonna
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eat the next day at that dinner, I would
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sometimes think, "Oh no,
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I'm going to feel hungry tomorrow." And
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sometimes-- and I did this, and I know some
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of my clients do too, we're like, "Well, I
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better reinforce my storage,"
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right, "I better eat more in preparation so
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I'll be ready," which is of course
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counterproductive to our goals of weight
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loss.
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So getting over that fear was actually
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more difficult than the actual
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real-life experience of feeling
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hunger.
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I can so relate to that and,
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as you mentioned, with clients and
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Community members and listeners,
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I know that some people *do* experience
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the actual physical hunger.
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A couple of thoughts I had as you were
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just talking is, one, dialing
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in your relationship with food I
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think is a big helper
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with avoiding some of the hunger,
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but recognizing, too, that hunger waves are
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natural.
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Using electrolytes, I think, was a big
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key for me at some points and others,
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even though it wasn't, for me, physical
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hunger, even just having some salt took
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my mind off of it, satisfied something.
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Several years ago, when I was hosting a
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couple of fasting retreats for
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The Fasting Method, one of the members
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utilized this strategy so
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naturally it kind of surprised me.
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We were driving across the
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island and we were going to a volcano.
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We were all excited and it was our first long
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day of a fast.
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I was sitting in the way back with
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everyone's bags and she had
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her little salt container in her bag.
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So I swear, it was like every 15 minutes, she
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would say, "Terri, can you grab my
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bag?" And I'd grab her bag and she would say,
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"Could you get my salt container out of
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there?" And I would get the salt container
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and hand it to her.
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Then she would hand it back.
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Finally, one of the other members said, "Why
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do you keep asking her for the salt?" And
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she said, "Every time I think I'm
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hungry, I just put some more salt on my
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tongue and it stops." Now, at
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first, for her, it was every 15 minutes,
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but I noticed, as the week went on, she
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wasn't having to do that quite as frequently.
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So having some tools that
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help you navigate the waves of
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hunger. For some people, suppressing
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their hunger a little bit with tea, you know,
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the catechins can help alleviate some
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of that. For me, also, sparkling water
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I think is a helpful tool because
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it makes me have a little more of a sensation
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of something is in my belly.
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I, too, was a big fan of the sparkling water,
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but, interestingly, yes,
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it definitely gave me that sensation of
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something in my belly, but, also-- I was
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working in primary care when I was doing my
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therapeutic fasting.
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And I'm in this room, quiet room,
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with one other person, and my stomach
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would just be acrobatics.
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There were all kinds of noise and gurgles,
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and it was just-- [laughs] I could hear it,
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they could hear it. They're looking at me.
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And I found that using sparkling water
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kind of calmed that down and made it less
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noisy.
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So I was notoriously sipping
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on seltzer water all day long for that issue,
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and the hydration, and the
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feeling. So it covered a lot of things.
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I love it.
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What other things did you notice, especially
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maybe as you got started with fasting
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and as you really built up to that
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therapeutic level?
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Any other things that kind of
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surprised you or made it more challenging?
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You know it's funny, when you first talked
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about the side effects that we
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experienced in our own story, I
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was like, "Huh, I can't remember." And then I
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remember, at the very beginning, I was so
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cold all the time, freezing
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cold. And I started my fasting
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journey at the end of April, so I was fasting
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through summer. There was no reason
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for me to be cold and I was freezing.
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I actually have this little sauna in my
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house and, in summer, I would sit in
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that thing and crank up the heat in order to
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feel warm.
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And that was especially interesting for me
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because, as someone who was overweight for
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a really long time, I used to say that my
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superpower was I always had hot hands, right?
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You know, if my kids were cold, I would put
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my hands on their face or over their hands to
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warm them up.
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And then I lost that superpower.
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[laughs] I had ice-cold
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hands.
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Again, worth the trade.
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I certainly wouldn't give up, you know, my
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healthier body for my hot hands, but that
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was definitely something, at least in those
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first couple of months really,
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I had that experience of extreme coldness
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a lot.
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I hadn't really thought about that one for
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me, but I started fasting in October,
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and I lived in Ohio at the time,
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so I fasted late fall
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and through winter.
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And I remember almost being
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a little excited because it justified
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all of the turtlenecks and long
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johns that I had been saving for years
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and years and years, because I suddenly
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had a really good use for them.
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And during my longer fasts,
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I would just layer up.
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I would have a base layer on
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of long johns, I would have a layer of
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sweatpants, sometimes two sweatpants.
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And then if I was going to be, let's say,
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sitting down watching TV or something, I also
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had a blanket on.
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So it got all the old blankets out of the
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linen closet.
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So for me, it definitely--
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it fit seasonally.
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So at least I wasn't the only person walking
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around in turtlenecks and multiple
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layers. But it really gave me an
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opportunity, like I said, to justify all
273
00:10:09,750 --> 00:10:12,249
of those winter clothes that I had hung onto
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when no one else was using them.
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[music]
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[promotion] Hi, this is Dr. Nadia, and I am
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so excited to be hosting the Fat Fast
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Masterclass once again.
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This is a three-day masterclass.
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On day one, we will be talking about what
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is a fat fast and why is it so effective.
282
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On day two, I will go
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over how to fat fast with
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you. I will be giving you a
285
00:10:38,630 --> 00:10:41,149
omnivore fat fast list and a
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vegan, plant-based fat fast
287
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list. And on day three, we will
288
00:10:45,910 --> 00:10:48,221
be finally talking about when to fat
289
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fast. I will also be with you for three
290
00:10:50,790 --> 00:10:53,329
live Q&A's where I will answer
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all of your questions, as well
292
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as join you in the exclusive
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forum where we can chat daily.
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I am so excited to go over
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what to eat with you and why
296
00:11:05,660 --> 00:11:08,099
fat fasting is the most appropriate
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fast-mimicking diet.
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See you there. [music]
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Okay, so we've gone over hunger
300
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and missing food, we've gone over
301
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the gurgly stomach
302
00:11:21,220 --> 00:11:23,679
and the coldness, the loss of
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hot hands. [laughter] Another one for me,
304
00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:28,499
at first, was just navigating
305
00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:30,459
the scheduling of it.
306
00:11:30,460 --> 00:11:33,119
I was pretty strict about doing three
307
00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:34,579
days a week.
308
00:11:34,580 --> 00:11:36,679
I was working with Megan as my coach and
309
00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:38,540
that's what she had told me to do and so, you
310
00:11:38,541 --> 00:11:40,779
know, come hell or high water, I was gonna
311
00:11:40,780 --> 00:11:43,309
get three fasts in a week, And so,
312
00:11:43,310 --> 00:11:45,429
at first, it did make it a little challenging
313
00:11:45,430 --> 00:11:47,789
for me to figure out when will I spend time
314
00:11:47,790 --> 00:11:50,189
with other people? When will I schedule a
315
00:11:50,190 --> 00:11:52,489
happy hour? When will I schedule a dinner or
316
00:11:52,490 --> 00:11:54,829
things? So it did require me to make
317
00:11:54,830 --> 00:11:57,469
some adjustments until I
318
00:11:57,470 --> 00:11:59,749
realized-- and this scares
319
00:11:59,750 --> 00:12:02,209
some people to even imagine, but I
320
00:12:02,210 --> 00:12:04,469
realized I could go out with people
321
00:12:04,470 --> 00:12:06,329
and not eat.
322
00:12:06,330 --> 00:12:08,569
And I remember I met up with a friend at a
323
00:12:08,570 --> 00:12:10,269
bar. She was going to have a drink, we were
324
00:12:10,270 --> 00:12:11,769
going to maybe have some appetizers or
325
00:12:11,770 --> 00:12:14,409
something. But I knew I wasn't going to be,
326
00:12:14,410 --> 00:12:17,049
so I had the sparkling water,
327
00:12:17,050 --> 00:12:19,389
she had wine or whatever, and, at
328
00:12:19,390 --> 00:12:21,149
some point, she said, you know, "Would you
329
00:12:21,150 --> 00:12:23,769
mind if I ate?" I said, "No, no, go ahead."
330
00:12:23,770 --> 00:12:26,029
So she's eating an appetizer, the guy
331
00:12:26,030 --> 00:12:28,469
sitting next to me is eating his meal,
332
00:12:28,470 --> 00:12:30,929
and I was fine because I was just
333
00:12:30,930 --> 00:12:33,729
drinking my sparkling water and engaging,
334
00:12:33,730 --> 00:12:36,689
talking to them, having a good time.
335
00:12:36,690 --> 00:12:38,969
And that was so important for me, now
336
00:12:38,970 --> 00:12:41,109
when I look back on it, that I did that early
337
00:12:41,110 --> 00:12:43,369
on in my experience because
338
00:12:43,370 --> 00:12:45,749
now that's more common for me.
339
00:12:45,750 --> 00:12:48,069
I don't alter my fasting schedule
340
00:12:48,070 --> 00:12:50,529
because my friends invite us to dinner.
341
00:12:50,530 --> 00:12:52,429
I say, "I'd love to come over.
342
00:12:52,430 --> 00:12:55,029
I won't be eating." And I have two friends
343
00:12:55,030 --> 00:12:57,269
who will still set a place at their table
344
00:12:57,270 --> 00:13:00,169
just in case I decide to eat,
345
00:13:00,170 --> 00:13:02,589
but I just sit there with my coffee or
346
00:13:02,590 --> 00:13:03,869
my sparkling water.
347
00:13:03,870 --> 00:13:06,269
So that was something that I did experience
348
00:13:06,270 --> 00:13:07,229
early on.
349
00:13:07,230 --> 00:13:08,649
I love that, Terri.
350
00:13:08,650 --> 00:13:10,589
And, interestingly, and I think that we
351
00:13:10,590 --> 00:13:12,669
should probably highlight this fact that both
352
00:13:12,670 --> 00:13:15,409
of us heard Megan say,
353
00:13:15,410 --> 00:13:17,989
"Treat this like therapy, show up
354
00:13:17,990 --> 00:13:20,329
hell or high water," because I felt the same
355
00:13:20,330 --> 00:13:22,729
exact way. And I've noticed that
356
00:13:22,730 --> 00:13:24,949
clients that are really successful tend to
357
00:13:24,950 --> 00:13:26,529
have that same feeling.
358
00:13:26,530 --> 00:13:28,225
Because we don't always want to do it.
359
00:13:28,226 --> 00:13:30,589
[laughs] Let's talk about
360
00:13:30,590 --> 00:13:31,829
that other elephant in the room.
361
00:13:31,830 --> 00:13:33,839
We don't want to, we don't feel like it, but
362
00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,099
we do it anyway because we're able to
363
00:13:36,100 --> 00:13:38,079
conjure that discipline because of how
364
00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:40,359
desperately we wanna reach our goals.
365
00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,159
But to what you were talking about, about
366
00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,879
being able to go out and not eat,
367
00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:46,959
I honestly started to feel like that was a
368
00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:49,259
superpower that I could go out into the
369
00:13:49,260 --> 00:13:51,599
world where everyone else was eating and I
370
00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:53,979
could choose to control my biology
371
00:13:53,980 --> 00:13:56,699
in such a way that I would not eat.
372
00:13:56,700 --> 00:13:58,959
One of my proudest moments was,
373
00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:01,279
in the middle of my six months of therapeutic
374
00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:03,359
fasting, I had a conference scheduled.
375
00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:05,699
I was going to Florida, to Disney World,
376
00:14:05,700 --> 00:14:07,679
one of my favorite places to go.
377
00:14:07,680 --> 00:14:10,039
And I was thinking, "Well, you
378
00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:11,359
know, it's a week long conference. How on
379
00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,839
earth am I gonna keep up with my
380
00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,079
therapy whilst on this conference?" And I'm
381
00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:18,519
like, "Well I'm just going to." And
382
00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:20,799
I did. The thing about these conferences,
383
00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,339
there's all kinds of included food,
384
00:14:23,340 --> 00:14:25,199
and you know it's like, well it's free, of
385
00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:26,200
course you have to eat it. Do ya? No, it turns
386
00:14:28,450 --> 00:14:29,769
out. You don't.
387
00:14:29,770 --> 00:14:32,009
And so I would go to the conference meetings,
388
00:14:32,010 --> 00:14:34,849
I would go back to my room for lunch and
389
00:14:34,850 --> 00:14:37,109
not eat. I would go to the parks, and
390
00:14:37,110 --> 00:14:38,189
not eat.
391
00:14:38,190 --> 00:14:40,869
And it turns out, yeah, you can
392
00:14:40,870 --> 00:14:43,209
choose not to eat even if everyone
393
00:14:43,210 --> 00:14:45,689
around you is, even if the streets literally
394
00:14:45,690 --> 00:14:47,489
smell like hot sugar.
395
00:14:47,490 --> 00:14:49,789
So I think sometimes our
396
00:14:49,790 --> 00:14:52,149
clients, and even us, can feel like, "Oh,
397
00:14:52,150 --> 00:14:53,221
well, I had no choice. I gott a eat." No you
don't!
398
00:14:56,380 --> 00:14:58,600
It's so funny as you got started with that, I
399
00:14:58,601 --> 00:15:00,819
was thinking, "Oh my gosh, I'm going to bring
400
00:15:00,820 --> 00:15:03,199
up the fact that Heather might have
401
00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:05,859
been my only client ever who
402
00:15:05,860 --> 00:15:08,179
managed to do," I think it was,
403
00:15:08,180 --> 00:15:11,039
at the time, 42 or 48-hour fasts, "while
404
00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:13,779
in Disney World," and
405
00:15:13,780 --> 00:15:15,719
I still put that one out there.
406
00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,299
So I'm so glad you shared that, that reality,
407
00:15:18,300 --> 00:15:20,759
like you said, is it's not only we
408
00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:23,019
get used to forgoing
409
00:15:23,020 --> 00:15:25,499
meals for us, but we have to do it
410
00:15:25,500 --> 00:15:27,939
sometimes in situations where food
411
00:15:27,940 --> 00:15:29,139
is the focus.
412
00:15:30,420 --> 00:15:33,019
I think what you're talking about and what I
413
00:15:33,020 --> 00:15:35,339
experienced is I had to learn to make
414
00:15:35,340 --> 00:15:38,719
other parts of the experience the focus.
415
00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:40,839
You didn't go to that conference to get free
416
00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:41,919
food.
417
00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:44,379
You didn' t go to Disney World to eat hot
418
00:15:44,380 --> 00:15:45,380
sugar.
419
00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:48,479
[laughs] There were so many other things of
420
00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:50,759
value in those experiences, and
421
00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,299
that mindset shift I think is
422
00:15:53,300 --> 00:15:54,568
golden.
423
00:15:54,569 --> 00:15:55,864
Oh, Terri, say it again!
424
00:15:55,865 --> 00:15:56,865
[laughter]
425
00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,379
Getting people to separate
426
00:16:01,380 --> 00:16:04,119
community, fun,
427
00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,039
entertainment, learning from
428
00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:08,099
food. Right?
429
00:16:08,100 --> 00:16:09,719
Those are separate things.
430
00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:11,359
Yes, food can give pleasure.
431
00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:12,639
There's no arguing that.
432
00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,219
We know that to be true.
433
00:16:14,220 --> 00:16:16,619
But it isn't the only thing when you're with
434
00:16:16,620 --> 00:16:18,939
other people, and when you're on vacation,
435
00:16:18,940 --> 00:16:21,279
and traveling that provides
436
00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:23,959
all of the things that you look forward to.
437
00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:25,115
And if it is, that's a little sad.
438
00:16:25,116 --> 00:16:26,116
Right?
439
00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,119
You know, I would encourage everyone to
440
00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,959
be a little bit more creative about what
441
00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:34,759
they can enjoy when they're traveling,
442
00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:36,837
right? It actually opens your mind a little
443
00:16:36,838 --> 00:16:38,579
about-- it's like, well, if eating's off the
444
00:16:38,580 --> 00:16:40,719
table, how am I gonna have fun?
445
00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:42,699
And then you can start to come up with much
446
00:16:42,700 --> 00:16:45,059
more interesting things, unique things
447
00:16:45,060 --> 00:16:47,039
that maybe you didn't even consider before
448
00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,359
when that easy one is off
449
00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:50,419
the table.
450
00:16:50,420 --> 00:16:51,619
Absolutely.
451
00:16:51,620 --> 00:16:54,279
A few weeks before we recorded this,
452
00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,799
I had the experience of two
453
00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:58,399
events in one week.
454
00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:00,959
I was not technically fasting,
455
00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,699
but it was about events that
456
00:17:03,700 --> 00:17:05,279
include dessert.
457
00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:08,318
And, for me, I'm not eating sugar,
458
00:17:08,319 --> 00:17:10,358
so dessert was off the table.
459
00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:12,659
And I have reflected on it so
460
00:17:12,660 --> 00:17:14,919
many times since then, not
461
00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:17,559
having dessert did not
462
00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:19,338
break those experiences for me.
463
00:17:19,339 --> 00:17:21,719
It did not make them unenjoyable.
464
00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:23,679
I did not go home from my birthday meal
465
00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:26,078
thinking, "Oh, that would have been so
466
00:17:26,079 --> 00:17:29,079
good if I had just had dessert."
467
00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:31,399
And having the dessert is not
468
00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:33,539
why I was celebrating.
469
00:17:33,540 --> 00:17:35,859
I was with people I enjoy.
470
00:17:35,860 --> 00:17:38,399
We were laughing until we were crying,
471
00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,619
telling stories, and things.
472
00:17:40,620 --> 00:17:42,359
Dessert wasn't the issue.
473
00:17:42,360 --> 00:17:44,799
Dessert was not going to make it, and
474
00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:47,479
it certainly didn't break it by skipping it.
475
00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:49,879
You know, another thing, Terri, that a lot of
476
00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,419
times people bring up in the Community, that
477
00:17:52,420 --> 00:17:54,519
I kind of forgot about happening to myself,
478
00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,079
is the idea of having a plateau.
479
00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:59,459
And when you're in it, when
480
00:17:59,460 --> 00:18:01,919
you are fasting three therapeutic days
481
00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,299
a week, and you're on point
482
00:18:04,300 --> 00:18:07,279
with your eating, you just expect
483
00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:09,619
that scale to move, right?
484
00:18:09,620 --> 00:18:11,999
You know you feel like, "Look, I'm doing
485
00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,359
the necessary inputs," and you look
486
00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:16,609
down at that scale and it's like, Your job is
487
00:18:16,610 --> 00:18:18,649
to give feed back, the information that I'm
488
00:18:18,650 --> 00:18:19,909
looking for. I deserve it.
489
00:18:19,910 --> 00:18:21,169
I have earned it.
490
00:18:21,170 --> 00:18:22,309
Tell me what I wanna see."
491
00:18:23,450 --> 00:18:25,809
And sometimes it doesn't.
492
00:18:25,810 --> 00:18:28,169
It doesn't. And while I was in the
493
00:18:28,170 --> 00:18:29,869
middle of those six months where, like I
494
00:18:29,870 --> 00:18:32,369
said, I showed up like clockwork,
495
00:18:32,370 --> 00:18:34,209
there was a two-week period where the scale
496
00:18:34,210 --> 00:18:35,289
did nothing.
497
00:18:35,290 --> 00:18:37,589
Now, it didn't do nothing because,
498
00:18:37,590 --> 00:18:40,009
as anyone who has some experience fasting
499
00:18:40,010 --> 00:18:42,409
knows, the day after you fast, it
500
00:18:42,410 --> 00:18:44,939
goes down, and then the day after you eat,
501
00:18:44,940 --> 00:18:48,019
it goes up. It has this zigzag,
502
00:18:48,020 --> 00:18:49,959
sawtooth pattern which is a little
503
00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,259
uncomfortable to experience
504
00:18:52,260 --> 00:18:54,559
as it is, but you expect the general
505
00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:56,599
trend line to come down.
506
00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:58,879
So to have two weeks in a row where,
507
00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,319
day after day, you're not seeing any kind
508
00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,739
of a trend line go down, it can
509
00:19:03,740 --> 00:19:05,499
be very unnerving.
510
00:19:05,500 --> 00:19:07,779
And the thing is, is that our bodies are
511
00:19:07,780 --> 00:19:10,399
not input-output machines where
512
00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,849
we can just dial up what we
513
00:19:12,850 --> 00:19:15,029
expect out of it and we're supposed to get it
514
00:19:15,030 --> 00:19:16,569
out like a computer printout.
515
00:19:16,570 --> 00:19:18,169
We don't work that way.
516
00:19:18,170 --> 00:19:19,649
Our body has a say.
517
00:19:19,650 --> 00:19:21,529
Our biology has a say.
518
00:19:21,530 --> 00:19:23,789
So what we can do is show
519
00:19:23,790 --> 00:19:25,849
up for our fasts, and our eating, and our
520
00:19:25,850 --> 00:19:27,929
movement, and our sleep, and manage our
521
00:19:27,930 --> 00:19:30,249
stress, but, ultimately,
522
00:19:30,250 --> 00:19:32,869
our body is going to twist and turn.
523
00:19:32,870 --> 00:19:34,909
The hormones are going to adjust, the body
524
00:19:34,910 --> 00:19:37,129
composition, the hunger, all of those things
525
00:19:37,130 --> 00:19:39,389
are going work together, and sometimes
526
00:19:39,390 --> 00:19:41,799
it just needs a little pause from
527
00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,079
letting go of the fat so it can
528
00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:46,359
reorganize, and then it will start
529
00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:48,819
back up again in its own time.
530
00:19:48,820 --> 00:19:51,039
And patience is a little necessary, and
531
00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:53,199
recognizing that that is just a natural part
532
00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,159
of the process is necessary.
533
00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:58,459
And I think that's why having a coach
534
00:19:58,460 --> 00:20:00,239
was so helpful to me.
535
00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:02,539
So when I came to you, panicky--
536
00:20:02,540 --> 00:20:04,319
"Okay, Heather, it's all right.
537
00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:05,759
Just keep doing what you're doing.
538
00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:07,559
This isn't a true plateau, right?
539
00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:09,039
Two weeks isn't even a plateau.
540
00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:11,339
We don't need to make any adjustments.
541
00:20:11,340 --> 00:20:13,299
We need to ride it out and see what happens
542
00:20:13,300 --> 00:20:15,599
before we start to tweak." And sure
543
00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:17,799
enough, you get that whoosh, things start
544
00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,779
moving again, and all systems go.
545
00:20:20,780 --> 00:20:23,219
So I encourage everyone that is
546
00:20:23,220 --> 00:20:25,519
experiencing that kind of-- I don't wanna
547
00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:27,899
say flat line [laughs], we won't go there,
548
00:20:27,900 --> 00:20:30,639
right? It's more of a jaggedy line anyway.
549
00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:33,199
But to take a deep breath, be
550
00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,039
real with yourself. Are you doing what it
551
00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,419
takes? And if you are, give it a little
552
00:20:37,420 --> 00:20:40,159
time, give your body time to catch up and
553
00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:41,039
see.
554
00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:42,959
I love that, Heather, and I think we see
555
00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:44,779
this-- obviously just because it's being
556
00:20:44,780 --> 00:20:47,419
measured with people who do weigh themselves
557
00:20:47,420 --> 00:20:49,759
every day, and sometimes multiple
558
00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,279
times a day-- is that they are watching
559
00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:53,759
every bite of food.
560
00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:55,719
How did that affect my weight?
561
00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,059
Every hour I didn't eat, how did that affect
562
00:20:58,060 --> 00:20:59,179
my weight?
563
00:20:59,180 --> 00:21:01,579
And some people hear us or
564
00:21:01,580 --> 00:21:03,999
Dr. Fung say, you know, "You could lose
565
00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,459
a pound during a 42-hour
566
00:21:06,460 --> 00:21:09,019
fast." And so they take that as gospel and
567
00:21:09,020 --> 00:21:11,119
they say, "OK, well, if I'm doing three of
568
00:21:11,120 --> 00:21:13,459
those a week, that's three pounds this week,
569
00:21:13,460 --> 00:21:14,839
it's three pounds next week.
570
00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,559
Oh, that's 12 pounds a month." And
571
00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:19,199
at the end of the month, when they've lost
572
00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:21,659
four pounds, they're knocking on our
573
00:21:21,660 --> 00:21:24,049
door, "Hey, you told me one
574
00:21:24,050 --> 00:21:26,429
pound each fast." [laughter] And as you
575
00:21:26,430 --> 00:21:28,909
said, it is that jagged line,
576
00:21:28,910 --> 00:21:31,349
it's that sawtooth pattern - up and
577
00:21:31,350 --> 00:21:33,749
down, up and down, up and down - with an
578
00:21:33,750 --> 00:21:36,049
overall decline
579
00:21:36,050 --> 00:21:37,789
over time.
580
00:21:37,790 --> 00:21:40,309
But if you make or break your decisions based
581
00:21:40,310 --> 00:21:43,109
on what the scale says today,
582
00:21:43,110 --> 00:21:44,969
you're generally going to get in trouble.
583
00:21:44,970 --> 00:21:47,749
I often share this in the Community.
584
00:21:47,750 --> 00:21:50,089
I wish I had kept a journal,
585
00:21:50,090 --> 00:21:52,469
but I remember when Megan first told me
586
00:21:52,470 --> 00:21:55,099
to do three fasts a week, I did it.
587
00:21:55,100 --> 00:21:57,559
I was like, "Okay, Sarge, I'm doing it,"
588
00:21:57,560 --> 00:21:59,719
and nothing seemed to happen.
589
00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:02,099
I don't think the weight was moving at all,
590
00:22:02,100 --> 00:22:03,539
nothing was changing.
591
00:22:03,540 --> 00:22:06,179
I just felt like I was doing a lot of
592
00:22:06,180 --> 00:22:08,479
hoop jumping for not a
593
00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:11,259
lot. And it wasn't until,
594
00:22:11,260 --> 00:22:14,039
I think, maybe around week four
595
00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:16,359
or so that I started to
596
00:22:16,360 --> 00:22:17,879
notice some changes.
597
00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,199
If I had based my decision
598
00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:22,599
about should I keep fasting, is
599
00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,019
this working for me, on those
600
00:22:25,020 --> 00:22:27,399
first three to four weeks,
601
00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:29,539
I would have high-tailed it out of there and
602
00:22:29,540 --> 00:22:31,859
we would not be having this podcast,
603
00:22:31,860 --> 00:22:33,999
or at least I would not beyond this podcast
604
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,459
with you. So it's really
605
00:22:36,460 --> 00:22:38,839
that matter of not expecting that
606
00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,219
our bodies are just going to perform the
607
00:22:41,220 --> 00:22:43,639
way we want them to perform.
608
00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,159
We're gonna keep giving it the right inputs,
609
00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:48,519
doing the things that support it and let
610
00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:50,189
it do its job.
611
00:22:50,190 --> 00:22:51,949
Absolutely. One of the things that I like to
612
00:22:51,950 --> 00:22:54,469
say is that your choices are:
613
00:22:54,470 --> 00:22:56,609
it's gonna go at the pace that it's going to
614
00:22:56,610 --> 00:22:58,829
go, which is probably slower than you want it
615
00:22:58,830 --> 00:23:01,209
to, or you're gonna quit and
616
00:23:01,210 --> 00:23:02,829
you're not gonna reach your goals at all.
617
00:23:02,830 --> 00:23:04,249
There's no third choice.
618
00:23:04,250 --> 00:23:07,029
I feel like the mic was just dropped,
619
00:23:07,030 --> 00:23:09,489
I might've thought there was a glitch in the
620
00:23:09,490 --> 00:23:11,769
internet here, but, yes, those are the
621
00:23:11,770 --> 00:23:14,829
two choices. So, as you always say,
622
00:23:14,830 --> 00:23:15,949
make good choices.
623
00:23:15,950 --> 00:23:18,209
All right, Heather, I want to take
624
00:23:18,210 --> 00:23:20,529
it down a notch here, get into the
625
00:23:20,530 --> 00:23:22,889
parts that aren't so fun to talk about,
626
00:23:22,890 --> 00:23:24,989
maybe, or maybe for some of us are really fun
627
00:23:24,990 --> 00:23:26,769
to talk about [laughter], I don't know.
628
00:23:26,770 --> 00:23:29,109
But I wanted to share that, one of the
629
00:23:29,110 --> 00:23:31,749
things I certainly experienced (and
630
00:23:31,750 --> 00:23:33,789
not just in the beginning of my fasting
631
00:23:33,790 --> 00:23:36,069
journey, but for quite a of
632
00:23:36,070 --> 00:23:38,329
time while I was doing a
633
00:23:38,330 --> 00:23:39,809
therapeutic level of fasting)
634
00:23:40,810 --> 00:23:43,349
is experiencing loose stools when
635
00:23:43,350 --> 00:23:45,169
I would start to re-feed.
636
00:23:45,170 --> 00:23:48,089
When I would break my fast, right
637
00:23:48,090 --> 00:23:50,489
after that meal, I needed to have
638
00:23:50,490 --> 00:23:51,949
a bathroom nearby.
639
00:23:51,950 --> 00:23:54,629
Sorry, TMI folks, I should have given a
640
00:23:54,630 --> 00:23:56,969
warning ahead of time, but I think this
641
00:23:56,970 --> 00:24:00,329
is a really valuable thing for people to
642
00:24:00,330 --> 00:24:01,929
kind of accept.
643
00:24:01,930 --> 00:24:03,949
There are some troubleshooting things that we
644
00:24:03,950 --> 00:24:06,229
can do, but, again, when I look
645
00:24:06,230 --> 00:24:08,829
back, I wouldn't trade that for
646
00:24:08,830 --> 00:24:11,149
anything based on the progress I
647
00:24:11,150 --> 00:24:12,729
was able to make.
648
00:24:12,730 --> 00:24:15,429
For me, what I realized helped
649
00:24:15,430 --> 00:24:17,769
me is to break my fast a
650
00:24:17,770 --> 00:24:19,509
little more slowly.
651
00:24:19,510 --> 00:24:21,689
Again, this was a little more challenging for
652
00:24:21,690 --> 00:24:23,549
me in the beginning because it was like, "Oh,
653
00:24:23,550 --> 00:24:25,629
my god I get to eat again," and it was,
654
00:24:25,630 --> 00:24:27,309
"Quick, quick, eat, eat.
655
00:24:27,310 --> 00:24:29,869
What can I get in here?" And as
656
00:24:29,870 --> 00:24:32,169
I learned that that seemed to make
657
00:24:32,170 --> 00:24:34,569
my loose stools more of an issue,
658
00:24:34,570 --> 00:24:36,809
what I would do is try to break the fast a
659
00:24:36,810 --> 00:24:38,429
little more gradually.
660
00:24:38,430 --> 00:24:40,749
So, again, going back to when
661
00:24:40,750 --> 00:24:43,369
I was hosting the fasting retreats,
662
00:24:43,370 --> 00:24:46,309
we broke a four-day fast,
663
00:24:46,310 --> 00:24:48,859
first, with just bone broth.
664
00:24:48,860 --> 00:24:51,419
And you know, four days in, you think, "I
665
00:24:51,420 --> 00:24:54,059
could eat a whole side of a cow.
666
00:24:54,060 --> 00:24:55,879
What do you mean you're going to give me a
667
00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:58,159
cup of bone broth?" But it was
668
00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:01,039
that real gentle way of reintroducing
669
00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:03,679
to the body, getting those digestive
670
00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:05,179
juices flowing again.
671
00:25:05,180 --> 00:25:07,579
So we started with that, and then we
672
00:25:07,580 --> 00:25:09,979
had like a really simple little
673
00:25:09,980 --> 00:25:12,459
leafy green salad, and then
674
00:25:12,460 --> 00:25:14,079
eventually we had the meal.
675
00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:16,439
So it was kind of like a, maybe a
676
00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:19,079
40-minute process or more
677
00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:21,599
from a beginning of bone broth until we
678
00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,979
actually started the meal, just slowing it
679
00:25:23,980 --> 00:25:25,019
down a little bit.
680
00:25:25,020 --> 00:25:27,759
Now, after a four-day fast, I
681
00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:29,439
think we all still looked at each other
682
00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:31,239
across the table to see who was going to run
683
00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:33,739
to the bathroom first [laughter] but, for
684
00:25:33,740 --> 00:25:36,119
me, reintroducing food a little
685
00:25:36,120 --> 00:25:38,309
more gradually really helped.
686
00:25:38,310 --> 00:25:40,209
So, I don't need to belabor the point, but,
687
00:25:40,210 --> 00:25:42,489
yes, I also had that experience [laughter]
688
00:25:42,490 --> 00:25:43,669
when breaking fasts.
689
00:25:43,670 --> 00:25:45,969
I certainly had the loose-stool issue and I
690
00:25:45,970 --> 00:25:47,989
know clients talk about it a lot.
691
00:25:47,990 --> 00:25:50,429
I just tried to organize my day so
692
00:25:50,430 --> 00:25:52,709
that I was in a place where I could take
693
00:25:52,710 --> 00:25:54,969
care of business, if you will.
694
00:25:54,970 --> 00:25:57,349
I just accepted it as part of the
695
00:25:57,350 --> 00:25:59,769
price that I was paying, and,
696
00:25:59,770 --> 00:26:01,829
eventually, it did resolve for me.
697
00:26:01,830 --> 00:26:04,109
I did not have that experience three
698
00:26:04,110 --> 00:26:05,569
fasts a week for six months.
699
00:26:05,570 --> 00:26:08,089
Probably a few months in, I was able to
700
00:26:08,090 --> 00:26:10,869
break normally and not have any issues.
701
00:26:10,870 --> 00:26:12,789
And I know some people run into-- like some
702
00:26:12,790 --> 00:26:14,789
of the foods that they break with (like eggs
703
00:26:14,790 --> 00:26:17,449
and fatty meats) can be problematic,
704
00:26:17,450 --> 00:26:19,709
and I found that not to be true after
705
00:26:19,710 --> 00:26:21,929
a while either. But in the beginning, you
706
00:26:21,930 --> 00:26:24,029
know, I tried to follow all those rules.
707
00:26:24,030 --> 00:26:26,249
I know some people use chia seeds.
708
00:26:26,250 --> 00:26:28,569
The texture [laughs] kind of weirds
709
00:26:28,570 --> 00:26:31,029
me out, so I don't do it but I've had lots of
710
00:26:31,030 --> 00:26:32,809
clients swear by it, so that is certainly
711
00:26:32,810 --> 00:26:34,249
something to try.
712
00:26:34,250 --> 00:26:36,209
One more thing that we didn't talk about,
713
00:26:36,210 --> 00:26:38,269
that I think is an important one that I
714
00:26:38,270 --> 00:26:40,829
definitely experienced, is the disruption
715
00:26:40,830 --> 00:26:43,189
in sleep that can come when you
716
00:26:43,190 --> 00:26:45,629
first start overnight fasting.
717
00:26:45,630 --> 00:26:48,569
So we have these kind of-- these hormones,
718
00:26:48,570 --> 00:26:50,689
this like noradrenaline that can pump up a
719
00:26:50,690 --> 00:26:53,029
little bit when we're fasting because our
720
00:26:53,030 --> 00:26:55,189
body is like, "Hey, we haven't eaten.
721
00:26:55,190 --> 00:26:57,569
We should probably go hunt, or look for food,
722
00:26:57,570 --> 00:26:59,729
or do something to deal with this situation.
723
00:26:59,730 --> 00:27:00,969
What's going on?" Right?
724
00:27:00,970 --> 00:27:02,749
And so you feel that [laughs], sometimes at
725
00:27:02,750 --> 00:27:05,079
two in the morning! Like, "Hey, maybe
726
00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:07,319
I should go do laundry or clean my house or
727
00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:08,899
write a book, I don't know," right?
728
00:27:08,900 --> 00:27:11,239
So that high-energy state can
729
00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:13,659
come at you at night when you're trying to
730
00:27:13,660 --> 00:27:15,639
sleep, which is not great because, of course,
731
00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:17,959
we know sleep is a really necessary
732
00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:20,239
component for health and to keep our cortisol
733
00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:22,619
levels down. And interference
734
00:27:22,620 --> 00:27:25,039
in sleep can certainly lead to hunger,
735
00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,419
so that can be very frustrating.
736
00:27:27,420 --> 00:27:29,899
That is another side effect that did
737
00:27:29,900 --> 00:27:32,349
go away after the first
738
00:27:32,350 --> 00:27:33,629
few weeks, for me.
739
00:27:33,630 --> 00:27:34,889
That didn't perpetuate.
740
00:27:34,890 --> 00:27:37,289
As my body got used to fasting, got more
741
00:27:37,290 --> 00:27:39,789
fat adapted, I was able to
742
00:27:39,790 --> 00:27:41,309
rest comfortably.
743
00:27:41,310 --> 00:27:43,329
But I know when people first start out, that
744
00:27:43,330 --> 00:27:45,309
can be very disruptive.
745
00:27:45,310 --> 00:27:48,289
And so sometimes we have to reorganize
746
00:27:48,290 --> 00:27:49,429
our lives, right?
747
00:27:49,430 --> 00:27:52,149
So maybe plan those overnight fasts
748
00:27:52,150 --> 00:27:54,509
for days before we don't have as
749
00:27:54,510 --> 00:27:57,029
many big obligations on the next day.
750
00:27:57,030 --> 00:27:58,829
It's hard to fast over the weekend, but
751
00:27:58,830 --> 00:28:01,139
sometimes, when we're first starting out,
752
00:28:01,140 --> 00:28:03,299
that might be a good time.
753
00:28:03,300 --> 00:28:05,619
And I wanted to circle back on what
754
00:28:05,620 --> 00:28:07,679
you were saying before about whether it's
755
00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:08,959
worth it, right?
756
00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:10,559
You know, we're talking about all of these
757
00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,079
things that are a little uncomfortable, but
758
00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:15,419
the trade is that what we're getting--
759
00:28:15,420 --> 00:28:17,379
that, you know, we're paying these prices, we
760
00:28:17,380 --> 00:28:19,079
are paying the price of discomfort for all
761
00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,899
these side effects, for the discomfort of
762
00:28:21,900 --> 00:28:23,559
being at our favorite restaurant and not
763
00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:25,559
ordering our favorite thing, being around
764
00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:27,839
people and they're all eating what they want
765
00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:29,419
and we're making different choices.
766
00:28:29,420 --> 00:28:32,239
All of those things are uncomfortable.
767
00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:34,739
You know, I'm not discounting that at all.
768
00:28:34,740 --> 00:28:35,759
It's a choice we're make.
769
00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:38,399
And so, if we want these
770
00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,219
big goals, these big health goals,
771
00:28:41,220 --> 00:28:43,359
these weight goals, these clothing goals, how
772
00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:44,899
we feel about ourselves, how we see
773
00:28:44,900 --> 00:28:47,539
ourselves, there's a cost to it.
774
00:28:47,540 --> 00:28:49,819
And so I know some of my clients are
775
00:28:49,820 --> 00:28:52,179
worried about loose skin and some other
776
00:28:52,180 --> 00:28:54,179
things that happen as a result of weight
777
00:28:54,180 --> 00:28:56,569
loss. And it's like, "Girl, would you
778
00:28:56,570 --> 00:28:59,029
really trade losing 80
779
00:28:59,030 --> 00:29:01,509
pounds so that you didn't have to have
780
00:29:01,510 --> 00:29:03,949
loose skin?" Like, I really think that people
781
00:29:03,950 --> 00:29:06,489
sometimes need to take a step back and
782
00:29:06,490 --> 00:29:08,869
say, "Hey, is a little bit of hunger, a few
783
00:29:08,870 --> 00:29:11,989
sleepless nights, some diarrhea,
784
00:29:11,990 --> 00:29:14,409
is that worth your goals?" I think so.
785
00:29:14,410 --> 00:29:16,329
I'll pay that every time.
786
00:29:16,330 --> 00:29:18,169
I was gonna say it's almost, now, looking
787
00:29:18,170 --> 00:29:20,489
back, it's easier to see it, but I
788
00:29:20,490 --> 00:29:21,649
wouldn't trade it.
789
00:29:21,650 --> 00:29:24,169
I would pay that again, gladly.
790
00:29:24,170 --> 00:29:26,449
And I, at some level, now, when I
791
00:29:26,450 --> 00:29:28,749
look back on it, think I'm grateful that they
792
00:29:28,750 --> 00:29:31,169
weren't harder consequences that I had
793
00:29:31,170 --> 00:29:33,709
to do. And I think back
794
00:29:33,710 --> 00:29:36,369
to the discomfort and
795
00:29:36,370 --> 00:29:38,669
the consequences if I
796
00:29:38,670 --> 00:29:41,269
hadn't done it, you know,
797
00:29:41,270 --> 00:29:43,599
being uncomfortable in my skin.
798
00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:45,959
Even at that meal with people, now,
799
00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,519
I did it without eating and had to
800
00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:51,079
experience that discomfort, but, before,
801
00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:53,379
I experienced the discomfort of, are they
802
00:29:53,380 --> 00:29:54,499
all watching me?
803
00:29:54,500 --> 00:29:56,779
Are they all thinking, "No wonder she
804
00:29:56,780 --> 00:29:57,779
can't lose weight.
805
00:29:57,780 --> 00:30:00,059
Look at how she's eating." Like, all of
806
00:30:00,060 --> 00:30:01,339
this stuff.
807
00:30:01,340 --> 00:30:04,039
There wasn't comfort in so many
808
00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:06,499
aspects of where I
809
00:30:06,500 --> 00:30:08,879
was before I learned this
810
00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:10,139
process.
811
00:30:10,140 --> 00:30:12,559
And so, definitely, you know, you're going to
812
00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:15,039
choose your hard, choose the thing.
813
00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:16,959
Where are you going to invest doing those
814
00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:19,479
things that are challenging for you?
815
00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:21,919
100 pounds heavier or 100 pounds
816
00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:24,559
lighter? And the steps it took to get there.
817
00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,099
So I definitely love your focus on
818
00:30:27,100 --> 00:30:29,699
really reflecting on it's worth it,
819
00:30:29,700 --> 00:30:32,319
to allow yourself to experience
820
00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:34,219
the discomfort.
821
00:30:34,220 --> 00:30:36,679
None of what we're telling anyone to
822
00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:39,189
move into is threatening
823
00:30:39,190 --> 00:30:41,509
or intolerable.
824
00:30:41,510 --> 00:30:43,749
It's not like we're inviting you to a
825
00:30:43,750 --> 00:30:45,809
prisoner of war camp or something.
826
00:30:45,810 --> 00:30:49,189
It is really manageable things,
827
00:30:49,190 --> 00:30:51,489
but our brains think we should
828
00:30:51,490 --> 00:30:54,309
be able to avoid all discomfort
829
00:30:54,310 --> 00:30:56,609
and it works pretty hard to try
830
00:30:56,610 --> 00:30:57,899
to achieve that.
831
00:30:57,900 --> 00:30:59,219
I don't even know what to say. That's a
832
00:30:59,220 --> 00:31:00,220
perfect Terri!
833
00:31:01,420 --> 00:31:03,839
That whole thing just like touched my heart
834
00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:06,199
and soul because that's so true.
835
00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:08,579
You know, we can accept the discomfort of
836
00:31:08,580 --> 00:31:10,899
change or the discomfort of staying the
837
00:31:10,900 --> 00:31:13,339
same. Either way,
838
00:31:13,340 --> 00:31:15,679
right, life is a journey and there
839
00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,099
are always choices that we're making,
840
00:31:18,100 --> 00:31:20,459
and some benefit us and some don't in
841
00:31:20,460 --> 00:31:22,819
the long run. And I always like to think of
842
00:31:22,820 --> 00:31:24,279
my future self.
843
00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:26,599
Is she looking back on what I am
844
00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,539
doing right now and feeling proud or
845
00:31:29,540 --> 00:31:31,459
feeling bad about herself and wishing she had
846
00:31:31,460 --> 00:31:32,979
made other choices?
847
00:31:32,980 --> 00:31:34,799
I don't think there's anything more I could
848
00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:37,189
add to that, Heather. That is, again, a
849
00:31:37,190 --> 00:31:38,649
priceless mic drop.
850
00:31:38,650 --> 00:31:41,009
Every now and then I have to make sure that
851
00:31:41,010 --> 00:31:43,429
we haven't lost our internet connection
852
00:31:43,430 --> 00:31:45,249
between us when you say these things.
853
00:31:45,250 --> 00:31:47,489
I'm like, "Oh, my gosh.
854
00:31:47,490 --> 00:31:49,929
I don't know what to say and she's
855
00:31:49,930 --> 00:31:50,629
not moving!"
856
00:31:50,630 --> 00:31:52,889
So I hope that
857
00:31:52,890 --> 00:31:54,889
this has been helpful for everyone to get to
858
00:31:54,890 --> 00:31:57,269
hear our own experiences in kind
859
00:31:57,270 --> 00:31:59,829
of navigating the challenges of fasting,
860
00:31:59,830 --> 00:32:02,269
and, obviously, you can hear
861
00:32:02,270 --> 00:32:04,299
in this final part that we just shared
862
00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:07,739
the total commitment that we both have
863
00:32:07,740 --> 00:32:09,119
that it was worth it.
864
00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,839
It was worth every one of those uncomfortable
865
00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:13,079
moments.
866
00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:15,379
So thank you, Heather, for diving
867
00:32:15,380 --> 00:32:17,739
into these things with me and I look
868
00:32:17,740 --> 00:32:19,879
forward to our next time that we record
869
00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:20,589
again.
870
00:32:20,590 --> 00:32:22,949
Thanks, Terri. Make good choices, everybody.
871
00:32:22,950 --> 00:32:24,089
Take good care, everyone.
872
00:32:24,090 --> 00:32:26,089
We'll be back with another episode next week.