I didn’t sleep well.  I kept waking up.  It seemed like people were coming and going so early in the morning.  But I didn’t have the intense weird sleep either.  I still woke up feeling good despite the lack of sleep.

I watched a couple of educational films today.  One was on fasting.  The other was on salt, sugar and oil and why eating them in large amounts is bad.  I tried doing my breathing exercises, but they made me dizzy.  I had a skype call with one of my classmates.  We  have been meeting once a week and it’s very grounding to talk with her.  There was restorative yoga in the afternoon.  Restorative yoga for someone on a fast meant doing mostly stretching while lying on the mat.  Next time, she recommended I try chair yoga.

I went out the labyrinth, but based on how difficult it was to walk last time, I just took my shoes off and stood in the sand until the sun chased me back to shady areas.  The weather here has been delightful – not too hot in the shade and a nice warm breeze.  I’m so use to breezes being very cold and uncomfortable.  I’ve left my windows open the whole time.  How do I work it out to live here in the spring and fall and in Colorado in the summer and winter?  Part of what I’m hoping becomes clear while I’m here is what the heck am I doing next.  Am I moving to Europe, buying a house in Colorado, staying an engineer or becoming an artist or an awakening coach?  Decisions can be so tough sometimes.

I had intermittent nausea and headaches today, but less than yesterday.  The hunger is almost gone.  I think I only had 2 or 3 hunger “attacks” today.  But remember, I can’t count to 3, so who knows.  My lips are chapped, my feet are dried and crackly, but I can’t put on lotion.  The doctor recommended coconut oil or olive oil, but there’s no way for me to go out and get that.  I lost 1 pound my first day here and 2 pounds yesterday.  This is going in a silly direction.  But, I was told that weight loss tapers off too – that was mostly water weight.  I had a “bath” today.  Basically a wash cloth bath, but it was still delightful.  I wonder how it will go without deodorant.  I also was able to brush my teeth without toothpaste, just water.  But, since I’m not able to do anything that would make me sweat and I’m not eating, I feel quite clean.

Tomorrow I should go into keytosis which is where the body stops looking for carbohydrates as fuel and starts burning fat as fuel.  This is why most people feel better on day 4.  When I talked to the doctor about the tingly muscles last night where they felt like stuff was coming out of them, he said that was probably the fat in the muscles starting to metabolize.   On day 3 or 4 people get energy back, the headaches and stomach problems go away.  They feel like they could conquer the world.  I’m pretty sure conquering the world is not allowed while fasting though.  I’ll have to conquer the world another time.

(c) All Rights Reserved Kimberly Fiore

A few things I noticed since I changed my diet the past couple of weeks.  I could only eat fruit and veggies, some grains and beans – nothing that came from an animal, no caffeine, no sugar, no bread.  I noticed that my eczema came back, my sniffy nose allergies were worse, and I was getting very cold in the evenings.  I remember going to bed freezing, pulling the covers up over my head and still freezing.  Then I’d warm up later.  I feel like I’ve been dreaming way more and that they were far more vivid and intense.  Perhaps these are all signs of detox?

The first day of fasting went well.  I felt ok in the morning although, I didn’t sleep as long as I would have wanted to.  I went to walk the labyrinth instead of breakfast.  I got all the way in and half way  back out and then I felt kind of light headed – not like I would pass out or lose my balance, but I took it as a sign that I had done enough exercise for a while.

They have activities through the day.  I attended a meditation/mindfulness one which was nice.  The other one was called Energy 101 – it was too basic for me, but it was still a nice thing to talk about for an hour.  There was a movie, but I came down for it an no one was there so I went back to my room.  There was live music during dinner (not everyone here is fasting).  I missed it due to a nap. The other wellness guests here are nice and I’ve spent some time talking with them.  There’s 3 others than me right now.  There are lodge guests too that are just vacationing in Sedona – I see them coming and going, but that’s it.

I’m hungry, but not uncomfortable.  Do you know how you feel sometimes when you waited too long to go to lunch and you are very hungry, but you know you can do this one other thing and then go?  It feels kind of like that.  I did notice looking at the time, realizing it was 11:45 and thinking “oh, I have to go eat”.  I got hungrier just from that small trigger.  Drinking water helps a little.

I felt quite peaceful most of the day, very excited that I’m doing this and often joyful.  I noticed something interesting when I felt joyful – I could feel it mostly in my face, behind the cheek bones, eyes, sinuses and temples as if there was electricity there.  It feels like nerves firing – maybe part of the polyvagal system?

The doctor’s intake exam was more thorough than a regular doctor’s exam.  I feel like I’m in good hands.  The doctors or nurses come find you twice a day and check on you.  In the morning I have to take my temperature, blood pressure, pulse and weight so they can track how you are doing.  I also have to track bowel movements (they will stop at some point), water intake and in general, how I’m feeling.

I took a nap in the afternoon.  I’ll call it adventure napping.  It was terrifying.  I closed my eyes and felt my whole body go numb.  I tried to move and couldn’t.  It felt like I was going into a deep dark hole that I would never be able to wake from.  I kept telling myself not to go to sleep, don’t close your eyes, don’t go into the dark, but I couldn’t move, couldn’t open my eyelids.  I did start dreaming at some point and they were very detailed and intense and I was quite aware I was dreaming.  I did wake up.  The deep dark hole didn’t swallow me forever.  My body was numb and I felt heavy for a least an hour after.  It was intense and weird.  I assume my body is detoxing further, including thoughts and deep dark holes.  The journey has started.

(c) All Rights Reserved Kimberly Fiore

A lot  more driving today.  It should have been 6 hours, but somehow it took 7.  There were a lot of trains.  For many hours, that was the only interesting thing.  Of course, Flagstaff and Oak Creek Canyon were the highlight of the drive.

The retreat center is beautiful and I felt welcomed right away.  My room is very nice, which is good, because I think I will spend a lot of time in it.  I spoke with one of the doctors also and I start the fast tomorrow.  I ate dinner at the retreat center – last meal for awhile.  They brought me a giant jug of water for my room.  I also took the last shower and brushed my teeth for the last time.  There is no bathing (except a wet wash cloth) and no toothpaste while fasting.  This shall be interesting.  I’m feeling pretty good and I’m very happy with my choice to come here.

(c) All Rights Reserved Kimberly Fiore