5 tips to fast for the first time practicing Mindfulness

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 regarding stress", 9 out of 10 Spanish citizens, between 18 and 65 years old, 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 terms of education etc... Everything is going faster every time, and the environment requires us to constantly accelerate despite the fact that the body has its own rhythm programmed.

What happens then? We have to learn to slow down as we go, something our environment won't let us do in many cases, or we can take a real break taking advantage of a few days of vacation to disconnect and refocus on ourselves themselves. Fasting helps a lot in this, and in combination with Mindfulness it can be very effective for us to rest.

“the machine” and being able to re-enter this fast-paced routine with another vision and better control over ourselves.

• Related article: "What is Mindfulness? The 7 answers to your questions"

How to do to complete the fast successfully?

As Damien Carbonnier and Jesús Domínguez, the authors of My Fast, comment, "a 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 see 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 begin to search for the energy necessary for its functioning, what we call its base metabolism. By not having access to the easy-to-use energy that we usually provide through our diet, the body will first use some reserves that it has in the muscles and in the liver, and then it will attack the energy reserves in the adipose tissue (fat).

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

2. Choosing a serious company to carry out your first fast

to fast It is important to trust the people who are going to accompany you in an experience for which, a priori, you can show a little apprehension or uncertainty. Ideally, it should be a company run by fasting professionals, which can offer these benefits:

• Check your state of health with doctors and give you the guidelines to follow depending on your personal case, so that you can fast with complete serenity.
• That he organize the retreats to fast in very natural environments and conducive to disconnection. Field, mountain, spas etc...
• That combines fasting with hiking activities supervised by professionals in these activities. Combining fasting and physical activity such as hiking optimizes the positive detox results for 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.
• That I can propose 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.

3. Take it as a vacation in which you are going to rest but you are also going to advance

Today we have many demands, both work and personal, and even on vacation there are times when moments of stress arise. On 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.

• You may be interested in: "Psychology and Nutrition: the importance of emotional eating"

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

Today's society is still well anchored in the idea that if we don't eat every day we won't have energy and we won't be able to survive for long. In fact, in our modern societies we tend to eat much more than what the body needs.

If it 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 better understand what reference is made when we talk about acting in full awareness (translation of Mindfulness in Castilian). 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 constantly improving stress levels.

5. enjoy every moment

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

If you are reflecting 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, perhaps it is time to take a break and give all the cells of your body a breather, have you thought about doing a fast?