Fasting has left me more attentive to the food – and “food” – that I am putting in my body and what sort of immediate and long-term effects it may have. Take last night, for instance.  Since it was Sarah’s final night of Christmas break before heading back to college, she requested we all watch a movie together.  So we settled in together on the basement couch and I decided – being shut out from all normal movie snacks by the ongoing sugar fast – to make myself a decaf coffee and sweeten it with some sugar-free “mocha” syrup that…

After breaking my fast at a Mexican restaurant last night – (not recommended!) – my weight bounced back up two pounds this morning: 192 yesterday to 194 today. I was actually surprised it wasn’t more.  On the bright side, my push-up numbers started to make a comeback, though not all the way yet.  I wanted to eat everything today. As I anticipated, committing to joining Melissa in her sugar fast had to save me a thousand extra calories today – especially since there are still Christmas sweets around on the kitchen counter and I have a drawer full of chocolates…

I have made it to the end of my weeklong fast. Today there was a lot of temptation to quit early.  In a sense, I did quit a little early. I had intended to wait until tomorrow morning to eat, but technically, my week ended this evening. So, considering that Melissa had driven separately to the funeral home about 90 minutes behind me, it seemed silly to have her drive the hour back home before eating dinner, so we had an impromptu date night. It was already 7:00 pm.  We stopped together at a local Mexican restaurant. That might have…

I think today was the easiest day yet – hardly any hunger pains and plenty of energy still. I think starting on electrolytes yesterday made a big difference. My pushup count was down even more, but I was able to go on a two mile walk this morning without getting tired. Mentally clarity is still high. That’s good considering all that I have had on my plate this week. Some important things might have slipped through the cracks otherwise. What is most surprising is that I didn’t even feel like napping today. Most days, after lunch, I can hardly keep…

I definitely felt more sluggish today – not sleepy, but physically spent. I was still able to do my morning push-ups, but by the third set, I could barely get 31 where I usually hit 50 or more. Melissa and I went for a mile-and-a-half walk in the evening with no problem though.  This morning’s weigh-in was 194.2. (Starting weight was 205.2, though I had been hitting 206 and 207 some mornings prior to starting the fast.) The improvement in my thinking is unmistakable. My body is sluggish, but my brain is not. I felt like I got a lot accomplished…

Day Four maintained the mental clarity, and I didn’t feel terribly sleepy by midday even though I had been awake at 3:30 am for about 90 minutes before falling back to sleep. The boredom is getting to me a bit. There is nothing that can slow down time more than deciding to go without eating. It’s like waiting for Christmas when you’re a kid.  But I am over the hump. Day four is drawing to a close and that means I am on the downside now. I have no doubt I can do another three days. I did have a…

(Sunday, Jan 4, 2026. I forgot my laptop at church this morning so I am writing this on paper so that I can keep my daily writing habit going. I will transfer it to the blog tomorrow when I get it back.) As I write here about my fasting experience, I realize that it could come across like I’m boasting about something which Jesus told us to do “in secret”.  That’s not my intention. My purpose for writing about this here is, first, for myself – to record and process the experience – and, second, for others – to encourage…

I am one of those oddballs who love setting resolutions in January. And I also tend to be among the few who actually keep them. I suppose knowing something about the mechanics of habit formation gives me a leg up, but I also just love experimentation and giving myself some extra challenges. It sharpens self-discipline muscles. And our culture undervalues self-discipline at the moment.  Last year I resolved to do push-ups daily – at least 100 every morning. It became a part of my routine, and I kept it going throughout the year even though it got interrupted by my…

Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.” Of all Jesus’ commandments, this has to be the easiest for modern American Christians to obey. Nobody’s praying to be seen. It’s hard to find someone willing to pray in public! Why are we so bashful about public prayer? Is it because we don’t have enough experience in praying to feel confident in front of others that we are “doing it right”? I’ve only known…

“The Amateur does not know what to do. The Master knows what not to do.” That little thought from James Clear seems appropriate for the new year, which brings at least one major shift for me. This feels a little embarrassing to announce here – after investing the past five years in this process and writing about it often on this blog recently – but I have decided to discontinue my doctorate studies, at least as an official degree program.  If you have been marking the time, I have been dragging my feet on writing my formal dissertation for over…