Week Two of Your Fast

Entering week two of your fast can present a different level of challenge. Although you probably experienced a decrease in cravings after day three, you may now be experiencing a resurgence of those same cravings.

Right around this time, a metabolic shift takes place in your body. If you are consuming significantly less calo-ries than you were before, your body naturally shifts to its own resources to find sufficient fuel. These hunger pangs you are feelings right now are basically your body asking, “Hey, what’s up? Are you going to give me some more calories, or should I move on to the next available source?” That next source means reserves stored mostly in your fat cells and somewhat in your muscles.

During the second week it is so important to remind yourself why you are doing this. This is when we truly realize how weak we really are, how much we need God’s strength and grace, and not only physically to keep us from eating. We need His grace to be more compassionate, slow to anger, less judgmental, more pliable, more forgiving, and more generous.

Over the next couple of days, if you stick to your fast, here’s what will happen to your body:

1. Your metabolism will slow down. In other words, it will shift to a mode of operation where it re-quires less energy—or calories to function.

2. A cycle of internal consumption will begin to use your energy stores in the form of fat—and some muscle.
To minimize muscle breakdown, drink two glasses of whey protein a day.

3. Because toxins that we consume and don’t eliminate are stored mostly in fat, you will also hit a new level of detox as your body starts using up your fat reserves.

Hang in there! The best is yet to come.