5 tips for fasting for the first time practicing Mindfulness

Ideas so that the first time you fast you can benefit from the effects of this practice.

What if Mindfulness contributed part of the complete success of a good fast? According to the VII Cinfsalud study "Perception and habits of the Spanish population around stress", 9 out of 10 Spanish citizens, aged between 18 and 65 years, have suffered from anxiety. And half of Europeans perceive stress as something common in their work environment.

We are living in a time of transition in many areas of our lives: technological transition, climate transition, work climate transition, transition in education, etc... Everything is going faster and faster, and the environment requires us to speed up constantly despite the fact that the body has its programmed rhythm.

What happens then? We have to learn to slow down as we move forward, something that our environment does not allow us to do in many cases, or we can take a real pause, taking advantage of a few days of vacation to disconnect and refocus on ourselves. Fasting helps a lot in this, and in combination with Mindfulness we can be very effective to rest The fasting helps a lot in this, and in combination with Mindfulness can be very effective for us to rest "the machine" and be able to re-enter this accelerated routine with another vision and a better control over ourselves.

How to complete the fast successfully?

As Damien Carbonnier and Jesús Domínguez, the authors of My Fasting, say, "one day of fasting is equivalent to a month of well-being". So, what can we do to fast for the first time in the best possible way? Let's look at it.

To optimize the success of your first fast, follow these tips:

1. Be clear that you are fasting not only for the purpose of losing excess weight.

It is clear that during a fast our body will start looking for the energy necessary for its functioning, what we call its base metabolism. Not having access to the easy-to-use energy that we usually provide through our food, the body will first use some reserves it has in the muscles and liver, and then attack the energy reserves in the adipose tissue (fat)..

This last process will transform the fats into molecules that are easy for the body to use. Therefore, one of the results of fasting is some weight loss, but the overall benefits on your well-being will be much greater. the overall benefits on your well-being will be much greater..

2. Choosing a serious company to perform your first fasting

To perform fasting it is important to have confidence with the people who are going to accompany you. in an experience for which, a priori, you may show some apprehension or uncertainty. Ideally, it should be a company run by fasting professionals who can offer these services:

• It should check your state of health with doctors and give you the guidelines to follow according to your personal case, so that you can carry out a fast in complete serenity.
• To organize fasting retreats in very natural environments and conducive to disconnection. Countryside, mountains, spas, etc ...
• Combine fasting with hiking activities supervised by professionals in these activities. Combining fasting and physical activity such as hiking optimizes the positive results of detoxification of your body and mind. You have time to think, reflect, rest. You discover facets of your body that you were unaware of, such as being able to climb a hill after several days without eating.
• I can offer you extra relaxation activities.. Fasting is a time for you to refocus all your attention on the needs of your body and mind, learn to listen to your body, and free your mind from the stress of your day-to-day life.

3. Take it as a vacation in which you will rest but you will also move forward.

Nowadays we have a lot of demands, both work and personal, and even on vacation there are times when we have moments of stress. In a fasting retreat, you get away from technology, you focus on you, you interact with people like you. It is a privileged moment that is increasingly important to take advantage of to optimize your state of health.

4. Be clear that you will have a before and after your first fast.

Today's society remains firmly anchored in the idea that if we do not eat every day we will not have energy and will not be able to survive for long. In fact, in our modern societies we tend to eat much more than the body needs, in our modern societies we tend to eat much more than our bodies need..

If this is your first fast, you are going to experience something new that will surely surprise you. If you have not yet experienced Mindfulness either, this experience will help you to better understand what is meant when we talk about acting in full awareness (translation of Mindfulness in English). Understanding and practicing Mindfulness is a process, it is not a model or a method that we apply and that will give results immediately. It is a form of meditation that aims to reduce your stress levels, constantly improving.

5. Enjoy every moment

In a fast it is important to observe what is happening outside of you and inside of you.. Make the most of the moments of rest, of living with the group, of walking in nature, of the relaxation activities that may be available such as yoga, meditation, reiki, massages (relaxing or draining) etc. .... This is how mindfulness is discovered.

If you are in a moment of reflection on your life, if you notice that your body lacks energy, your lifestyle does not correspond to the official definition of what we call well-being, and that you have a very stressful life, maybe it's time to give you a break and give a break to all the cells of your body, have you thought about fasting?