We’re finally into month 5 of our monthly fasting and I feel like I’ve learned something new every month. To be quite honest, vegan month was a massive failure/learning experience. I shared on instagram when we started my fears going into the month. I was concerned my diet wouldn’t maintain balance and that it just generally wouldn’t be good overall. And to be fair, a bit of both happened during April.
But I feel like I’ve learned so much in the 4 months we’ve been fasting. So in addition to chatting about April’s fast, I want to share that too today. Let’s chat about all things monthly fasting.
The Why Is Key
No matter what decision or healthy habit you’re trying to create, the why is always going to be important. When we first chose to do vegan month, it was one of many monthly fasting ideas. But the strong need to do it over simply just trying it for a month wasn’t enough to guarantee success.
I realized pretty early on I didn’t have an emotional connection or a why for April’s fast. And while I did make the effort, meal planning, grocery shopping and the like, I ended up not sticking with it to the end. The idea of it was far more appealing than the actual execution.
Both February & March’s monthly fasting choices were directly tied to my health. I could see the changes and how my body positively responded to fasting. It made it much easier to continue with it and to even implement the habits still today. If you’re why isn’t strong enough, you’re far less likely to succeed.
MY HEALTH IS MY FIRST PRIORITY
I feel like I’ve said this a million times lately but I’ve been working & tweaking my diet lately with my health in mind. Having the energy to do what I want to do, being able to see progress from the work I’m putting in and healing my hormones are my top priorities. So when it starts to feel like my choices aren’t aligning with those, I’m less inclined to see the monthly fasting pick through.
So while I didn’t stick with our fast, I’m grateful I was able to see my health as my top priority. I’m all for trying new things and finding which diet your body thrives off of. I just also think that it’s important to know when you need to put your health over the trends. April’s fast was a good reminder for me.
I’VE LEARNED TO LISTEN TO MY BODY
Amongst the many things I learned last month, I really feel like I’ve gotten better at listening to my body. I’ve been diligent about taking notes, paying attention to my energy levels and recognizing when things aren’t working like I want. One of those things being that I decided to stop intermittent fasting.
Our bodies are constantly communicating with us but it isn’t always easy to learn to listen. If you’re constantly feeling tired, breaking out or perpetually feeling bloated, your body is trying to tell you something. And my body was clearly communicating to me that I wasn’t making the best choices for it. Choosing to eat animal protein when I felt like I needed it or less soy for the sake of my skin was one of the many small decisions I’ve made over the last month. But even acknowledging those little things have really helped me feel more attuned to my body.
I HAVE NO REGRETS ABOUT LEAVING THE VEGAN LIFE
There was a point and time where I felt guilty for not being vegan anymore. I was never really fully vegan to begin with so there’s also that. I’d say I was and I still am more plant based. My body does best when my meals are balanced and my blood sugar levels are stable. And while I’m sure there are ways to make it work, I found myself struggling with April’s fast.
My diet these days consists of a lot of fruits and veggies with a bit of nuts, seeds, healthy fats and animal protein. I’ve found the balance I need to keep my digestion happy, clear up my skin and to be able to live the life I want. Does that mean I won’t pick the vegan option on the menu or ever consider going fully plant based again? Not at all. I’m always open to those possibilities. But right now with where I’m at in my health journey, I have no regrets about choosing to no longer be fully plant based and it feels good to have that peace.
What about you? Has monthly fasting taught you anything? Is there a particular fast you’re considering doing? I’d love to hear from you! Be sure to leave a comment below and let me know. And share this post with someone you think might need this too! Until next time. Xoxo, Savvy
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