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Do people think you are crazy for fasting?

I have found mostly good support from friends and family on my raw journey so far. HOwever, I am interested in doing a Master Cleanse, and I am debating whether I should tell others about it or if I should just avoid social eating situations and not really advertise that I’m doing it. I worry that people think I’m being obssessive or unhealthy, even though I have researched the benefits of it. I don’t really want to have to explain myself to people about why I’m doing it. What have you guys experienced with this, and do you have any reccomendations about how long I should go for my first time? I’m thinking 3 to 5 days. I don’t think I can start until my semester is over because I have way too much to do and I don’t need to be grumpy and detoxing when I need to be writing a paper. But I’m trying to plan ahead for early May. Thoughts for a first timer?

Comments

  • coconuttycoconutty Raw Newbie

    I’ve kinda gotten sick of telling people the same story over and over again, and having to explain why I do what I do and so on… It just gets old. I mean I’m pro raw and pro fasting, you know all that stuff, but I tend to just keep it to myself these days. It gets a bit tiring to constantly have to try and convince people that what you are doing is good for you, so I just don’t bother with it much. If someone asks me about my lifestyle I’m honest and my answers are straight to the point. But like I said it gets old hearing the same negative reactions so I don’t talk about it much. But if you’ve gotten good support so far then hopefully the news of the MC shouldn’t be too bad! My family just doesn’t get it so I didn’t dare bring up the MC to them! lol. Good luck!

  • Luna bluLuna blu Raw Newbie

    I would avoid social eating situations, only for the fact that it might make sticking to your fast difficult.

    As to what other people think, don’t worry about it. I am doing what I know is healthy, and it really doesn’t matter what other people think! Something that I have slowly been getting a handle on.

    Do your fast, try to keep as low key and mellow. You don’t need any stress while you are doing this! :)

  • carrie6292carrie6292 Raw Newbie

    Everyone except for my husband thinks i’m insane – especially my mother and mother-in-law! So,i just dont tell anyone anymore! I’m happy and i feel great so that’s all that really matter!

  • I also don’t tell people, because they won’t understand it. I also haven’t told my parents that I have gone raw, I just don’t eat cooked food, but make my raw creations and eat them. If I don’t tell them these are raw foods they don’t even complain about it. Being vegan for so long they are used to me eating weird things :)

  • shgadwashgadwa Raw Newbie

    YES!!! Though my family does love me, they feel that I am being crazy by fasting and eating raw foods. As the first few days, you are usually out of energy and I did not feel very good this morning because I fasted on lemonade yesterday. My dad (who really does care about me) thinks that I am killing myself, me being 17 years old, doing juice fasts, being skinny already. He told me that I need to explain what I am doing to a friend of ours who is a nutritionalist or he might turn me in to the D.O. or call the cops and say that I am killing myself. He says that because he love me, I know but I just wish that I was around people who encouraged me and gave me support. Maybe that is what gone raw is for??

  • Yes this site IS a great support for me. Thanks everyone!!!

  • Now I’m not trying to advertise for my religion but I’m a muslim and fasting is part of Islam, we have our yearly fast during the month of Ramadan (most people know about this) but fasting on a regular basis is Sunnah for every muslim who can (Sunnah means following the way/lifesyle of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh))

    !! Just a note fasting for us is no food or water from just before sunrise to sunset… You’re fasting may be different!!

    All that being said it’s quite normal for me or my husband to fast a day or two every week and we have alot of support for it. I’ve never done a MC but I’ve thought about doing it… problem is I really don’t know much about it and I don’t know how to do it. I could use the detox though.

    Well I’ve rambled on and still feel like I didn’t make a point yet so here it is.. Even if those around you don’t have alot of support for you doing a MC or raw foods you have TONS of supporters here and we’re always ready to lend an ear or some advice or encouragment! GOOD LUCK with school and you’re up-coming MC! K-Mom

  • deborahanndeborahann Raw Newbie

    Hi K-Mom, Many religions have some form of fasting and I think this is just one more reason we should be doing it. Unfortunately, many have also altered the old traditions to better suit this modern word. Populations that do practice fasting, even 1 day per mo, show better longevity. I started my juice feast as a lenten fast. The religious aspect gives you extra motivation, I think!

  • So very true deborahann.. and sadly enough those people who are against fasting are usually the people who’d benefit the most from it. I know personally that I feel great when I fast and I when I break it I get this sense of accomplishment that’s like a natural high. And it doesn’t hurt my not-so-slim self that I could go without food (ie calories) for a while and give the old digestive system a break for a bit…. he he he. Happy fastings!! K-Mom

  • kminty3kminty3 Raw Newbie

    I also avoid making big deal about my lifestyle choices because I don’t really want to get into a debate about it all the time or have people tell me I”m silly or crazy. I know they don’t understand, and wouldn’t unless they did a lot of reading. I wish everyone I knew would read the China Study and Skinny Bitch (sounds silly but some good convincing research). In some ways it makes me feel bad that I don’t really advocate vegan or raw.. but I’m just not there yet. I am vocal though about not using artificial sweetners and diet soda and bug all my friends about that.. so I guess that’s how I do my educational part. My fam knows about raw, they don’t get it but don’t get on me. Except my Grandma, she point blank tells me I”m nuts and not getting protein.

  • shgadwashgadwa Raw Newbie

    YEAH, the protein thing!!! I get that all the time.

  • All this sounds like good advice. I’m having such a good experience with this so far- into my second month now at about 80%. I havn’t lost any weight but sometimes I can’t help raving about how awesome this lifestyle is. I’m constantly bring raw foods for my coworkers to try and now they’re all interested in what I have for lunch every day- “Rachel, what did you bring raw today?”. I just think when I go on a fast I should probably be low key just because I don’t want to have to justify it to people. I think some of my vegan friends may understand, but others maybe not.

  • I personally have only gone on a juice fast once because of illness and received absolutely no support with accusations of being sick because I was fasting, and I was thin and cold (I’m slightly underweight and am naturally colder than the average person) because of my eating habits etc… I’ve always been thin and I always will be, my diet hasn’t changed my weight, only my skin. I think that it really depends on how well people accept your lifestyle choices, how healthy conscious people you know are, if you have expressed desire to lose weight to them, and if they are able to respect things that are different. How people react to you on a fast will be largely influenced by how they react to you. If you are a 5’11 conglomeration of arms and legs, they might not react to it so well as if you have healthy curves and toning.

    (PS: if people don’t want you fasting for weight loss, and you are doing a smoothie fast, include an avocado and google the calories in one. They should shut up)

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