A day without eating.  For many people this sounds like torture.  For others, myself included, look forward to days like these.  No I am not anorexic, nor do I like torturing myself.

There are tons of benefits to fasting.  When you fast, your ketone levels rise leading to greater mental clarity.  You are also giving your digestive system a much needed break so it can repair itself.  Cell autophagy, the breakdown of old cells, increases as well.

These are not the benefits of going a calendar day with no food that I want to talk about tho.  There are plenty of articles out there on those benefits, check out the work or Dr. Jason Fung for more info on those topics.

Going a day without eating gives you power over food.  At times where you normally eat, you will feel “hungry”.  However if you can wait that out, 30-60 minutes, then those hunger cues disappear.  That means that the feeling you thought was your body crying out for fuel, was nothing more than a false alarm.

Many people’s struggles with food are more psychological than physiological.  If you can prove to yourself that you are more powerful than your cravings by going a full day without eating, then the next time you crave a cookie should be much easier to overcome.

Fasting for over 24 hours is much easier if you are fat adapted first.  Fasting is also much easier on busier days.  I, like many others, eat when I am bored.  So staying busy is an important tool for a successful fast.  You’ll also have much more free time to get things done.

So go out there and don’t eat for a day.  You won’t lose muscle or ruin your metabolism.  Instead you’ll gain power over food and take control of your cravings.