How I turned from the chubby girl skipping PE class and hiding from the dodge ball into a nutrition-conscious woman that looks and feels great…
There was a time that I tried every diet or weight loss supplement out there. There was a time that I even did Tae-Bo and aerobics for a while. Most of the time I was just the girl guys loved for eating huge burgers and drinking beer after beer.
Most of the time I was the girl who laid on the beach while others played volleyball. I used to not care about eating properly and I honestly hated any form of exercise (except swimming and walking, let’s be honest here, I wasn’t a complete slug after all). It’s true, however, that my perfect high school straight A diploma was ruined by a C in physical education. Years passed and I start feeling uncomfortable with my body and especially my belly fat. I wasn’t eating right and I wasn’t exercising, and it showed.
Then one day, about three years ago, everything changed, with the help of a very good friend. She called me and told me she was going to fast for 40 days before Christmas. And she challenged me to join her. Look, I am not a religious person but I love a challenge (and needed to lose a few pounds)!
The Christmas That Changed Everything
For those of you who are unfamiliar with fasting let me sum it up for you – every year 40 days before Christmas and Easter believers commit to fast which includes (among other things) refraining from eating any animal products.
In short – you become completely vegan for 40 days! I didn’t feel good about my body and I wanted to lose weight but I hated exercising and diets. So we did it. And then I did it again for Easter. I still go vegan for 40 days twice a year and it has changed my life forever.
The first time I had the most mind-blowing results. Because of the reduced animal product consumption I had decreased the fat coming into my body and I lost the belly fat I had had since I was 10 years old! I lost most of the weight that was bothering me and I felt clean on the inside – every cell and blood vessel in my body was cleaned up. I could go on forever explaining the health benefits of being vegan and the deep wisdom of fasting but I won’t do that. Because I am neither a vegan, nor a religious person. I am just a gal that goes vegan for 40 days, twice a year, feels and looks great because of that and has completely changed the way she sees food.
Why This Worked For Me
I only had to give up my favorite cheeses and cream sauce pastas for 40 days. Every time I missed something I would have loved to eat I put it on my ‘after fasting list’. The idea that I could indulge in everything I liked in just a few weeks kept me going. The truth is that after it was over, I just didn’t have the cravings that I thought I would have. And after every next time they are less and less noticeable.
I am one of those people who can’t say no to seconds when something is delicious. And I didn’t change that about myself while fasting. I took seconds and I ate delicious desserts. I kept eating fries all the way! In fact, it was the only vegan thing many local restaurants offered so I had no choice, you see. As I had to discover and cook completely new meals I needed more focus and creativity in the kitchen which created anti-stress moments for me. I am sure that this contributed to my improved health as well.
Conclusion
I am not gonna lie to you – this isn’t easy. I had to deal with my meat-loving husband. I had to say no to birthday cakes and restrain from my favorite Greek yogurt and latte in the mornings. I also had to stop eating fast, restaurant, packaged and microwave food because they all include trace amount of milk proteins.
It takes creativity and strong will to go for the full 40 days but the effect on my body and self-confidence are amazing. I am healthier. I feel completely free of toxins. I have a stronger connection
with nature. I understand my body better and learned to listen to it. And it’s paying me back with heath, vividness, strength and looking just amazing. If you have struggled with diets and weight loss plans for ages and you are not a person who thinks spending an hour at the gym is the definition of fun, I recommend you to try the 40 day fasting challenge as well.
The rules are simple – nothing that came from an animal for 40 days.
The results – a healthier, more beautiful, stronger and happier you, changed forever.
