This last Yom Kippur, someone mentioned to me that some people take the idea of fasting and apply it to dieting during the year by doing a 3-day fasting.
Uh, that sounds pretty severe and maybe even a little dangerous.
But it got me thinking that on Yom Kippur we fast for a day and then eat a meal, so why not do that daily for dieting.
Just subsist on one main meal a day--basically limiting intake of food to a few hours in the evening.
This made sense to me as a moderate way that I could stay focused and disciplined without any food for about 20 hours at a time, but still give myself something to look forward to with a proper, natural dinner--almost like a natural give and take that I believe I could live with (at least for a good while).
I thought let me give this a try!
And I did.
First without drinking or eating.
Then I rethought this after a few days and getting parched, and said just drink zero-calorie drinks, but no food or caloric intake during the day until the meal at the end of the day.
And I've been doing this now since Yom Kippur 2 weeks ago.
I have actually lost almost 10 pounds in that time and feel great.
It hasn't been hard--except for one day when the synagogue had a mega Bar Mitzvah kiddish/luncheon and I sat there and didn't have a thing!
But otherwise, I go to work and all my activities, including working out--sometimes twice a day--and without any food.
It seems to be working.
While previously, I stayed completely off any carbs, and still gained weight--now, I allow myself to eat everything (kosher) at dinner and am losing!
I wonder if I am on to something with this new "Yom Kippur Diet."
I pray to Hashem that I've discovered something good and healthy here and am committed to seeing it through.
(Source Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
