Discussion When fasting, how do you explain to coworkers that you are not eating?

[Belonging to Abba]

In my company, people bring in food often, and so it is likely to be noticed if I am not eating. I have tried fasting recently and people almost found out. I broke a fast prematurely, and the next morning there was a pancake breakfast which I partook of. Later that day, one of my coworkers asked me conversationally if I ate any of the breakfast. If I had prolonged my fast and not ate the breakfast, he would have found out just by asking me.

There are often carry in meal events, or food ordered in from restaurants. There is also a coworker who often buys a meal at Wendy's that I think may have 5 items, and she usually gives me her chicken nuggets because it is too much for her.

I am kind of struggling with what to tell these people if I decide to go on a fast. If there is food offered and they ask me about it, or the lady wants to give me chicken nuggets, I could just say, “This is a day where I am cutting back”. However if my boss orders a special meal that is delivered to the workplace, if I can't eat it, I may explain that I am fasting in order to not be rude, especially if I have been on the fast for a few days, where my digestive system would be overloaded by a normal meal if I don't break the fast properly.

Jesus instructed people not to share with others that they are fasting. However I don't only want to fast for spiritual purposes, but I am interested in the weight loss benefits. I could just explain to coworkers that I skip meals sometimes to lose weight, so that I avoid exalting myself in their eyes spiritually, and it is possible that some days of my fast may not be all that spiritual in nature, but more for the weight loss. I am still interested in the spiritual benefits too, though.

Something that I am uncomfortable with is that in American culture, where there seems to be a lot of misinformation that everyone has to have three meals a day, if people know that I am fasting or skipping meals, they might think that I have an eating disorder, when that is not necessarily true. I look relatively thin, and wearing a loose T-shirt, people can't easily notice the excess belly fat that has accumulated.

If the lady has extra chicken nuggets to give me from her meal at Wendy's, and I am fasting, I could tell her that I can put the nuggets in the freezer and eat them at a later time. Usually if I am not available to eat them, she will put them in the fridge, and the nuggets last for two or three days. However I am thinking of doing a much longer fast possibly where I can still drink juice.

I also want to mention that I have found it easy to give into temptation to break the fast after just about 2 days. If I can get past three days, than it kind of locks myself out from most food because a fast three days or longer is not healthy to break by eating processed food, bread, or meats, but only by eating some fruit or vegetables.

I could also explain to my coworkers the health benefits of fasting, such as the body removing damaged cellular material during a fast. I could also explain that I am trying to follow the example in nature, where an animal may build up fat reserves for migration or hibernation, and then, when they are not eating, their body consumes the fat reserves.

 

[d taylor]

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It is really simple, just say i am not eating now i am fasting for how ever many hours.

I fast on Mondays, so today when we started back school for teachers. the teachers were served lunch, i did not go over there until later and just got a cup of water. Then i left and went back to my room.

 

[Richard T]

If you want to be stealth, just say you have adopted a lifestyle that includes fasting at times. Lots of intermittent fast diets are out there. If they press you, I think for some you open and share your Christianity. For the Wendy's why not just thank her for the nuggets and put them in your fridge at home and eat them later? Because participation can be big at a workplace. Perhaps you can buy them something to snack on sometime? God bless your fasting though. I can say for certain it brings about powerful results.

 

[Solo81]

How long is your fast?

 

[Belonging to Abba]

I haven't made it that long yet without giving in to eating again, but I was thinking of going for several days but drinking some juice during it.

 

[ARBITER01]

In my company, people bring in food often, and so it is likely to be noticed if I am not eating. I have tried fasting recently and people almost found out. I broke a fast prematurely, and the next morning there was a pancake breakfast which I partook of. Later that day, one of my coworkers asked me conversationally if I ate any of the breakfast. If I had prolonged my fast and not ate the breakfast, he would have found out just by asking me.

There are often carry in meal events, or food ordered in from restaurants. There is also a coworker who often buys a meal at Wendy's that I think may have 5 items, and she usually gives me her chicken nuggets because it is too much for her.

I am kind of struggling with what to tell these people if I decide to go on a fast. If there is food offered and they ask me about it, or the lady wants to give me chicken nuggets, I could just say, “This is a day where I am cutting back”. However if my boss orders a special meal that is delivered to the workplace, if I can't eat it, I may explain that I am fasting in order to not be rude, especially if I have been on the fast for a few days, where my digestive system would be overloaded by a normal meal if I don't break the fast properly.

Jesus instructed people not to share with others that they are fasting. However I don't only want to fast for spiritual purposes, but I am interested in the weight loss benefits. I could just explain to coworkers that I skip meals sometimes to lose weight, so that I avoid exalting myself in their eyes spiritually, and it is possible that some days of my fast may not be all that spiritual in nature, but more for the weight loss. I am still interested in the spiritual benefits too, though.

Something that I am uncomfortable with is that in American culture, where there seems to be a lot of misinformation that everyone has to have three meals a day, if people know that I am fasting or skipping meals, they might think that I have an eating disorder, when that is not necessarily true. I look relatively thin, and wearing a loose T-shirt, people can't easily notice the excess belly fat that has accumulated.

If the lady has extra chicken nuggets to give me from her meal at Wendy's, and I am fasting, I could tell her that I can put the nuggets in the freezer and eat them at a later time. Usually if I am not available to eat them, she will put them in the fridge, and the nuggets last for two or three days. However I am thinking of doing a much longer fast possibly where I can still drink juice.

I also want to mention that I have found it easy to give into temptation to break the fast after just about 2 days. If I can get past three days, than it kind of locks myself out from most food because a fast three days or longer is not healthy to break by eating processed food, bread, or meats, but only by eating some fruit or vegetables.

I could also explain to my coworkers the health benefits of fasting, such as the body removing damaged cellular material during a fast. I could also explain that I am trying to follow the example in nature, where an animal may build up fat reserves for migration or hibernation, and then, when they are not eating, their body consumes the fat reserves.

The issue is not how much we can hide our fasting, but whether we are proudly claiming it to the world that we are, and doing things to make people think we are more holy and pious in our Christian life then anyone else.

If you are not doing those things, then it is ok to make mention of it here and there to people without drawing too much attention to yourself.

 

[Solo81]

I haven't made it that long yet without giving in to eating again, but I was thinking of going for several days but drinking some juice during it.

That's dangerous. 7 consecutive days without food is not what God wants for fasting. Your body needs food and sustenance.
Maybe try fasting one day a week to begin with?

 

[Belonging to Abba]

For the Wendy's why not just thank her for the nuggets and put them in your fridge at home and eat them later? Because participation can be big at a workplace. Perhaps you can buy them something to snack on sometime?

If I decide to bring the chicken nuggets that the lady gives me home, it is somewhat of a hassle. First I have to put the nuggets in the fridge at work and set a reminder on my phone to remove them at the end of the work day. If I put them in my car after work, I may want to set another reminder on my phone to take them out of my car and put them in my fridge at home. I might be able to see that they are in my car though, so maybe one reminder would be okay to deal with.

I could tell her that this is a day when I am cutting back and ask her if she could give the nuggets to someone else and tell her that I could take them home and eat them later if she doesn't find anyone else to take them.

 

[Belonging to Abba]

That's dangerous. 7 consecutive days without food is not what God wants for fasting. Your body needs food and sustenance.
Maybe try fasting one day a week to begin with?

The fasting guidelines from the International House of Prayer say "A fruit or vegetable juice fast allows you to enter into fasting but still gives enough energy to function. Many people have done a 40-day juice fast." So from this I am assuming that it is okay to do an extended fast drinking juice and water only. From Fasting Guidelines and Information - About IHOPKC

 

[ARBITER01]

The fasting guidelines from the International House of Prayer say "A fruit or vegetable juice fast allows you to enter into fasting but still gives enough energy to function. Many people have done a 40-day juice fast." So from this I am assuming that it is okay to do an extended fast drinking juice and water only. From Fasting Guidelines and Information - About IHOPKC

Your body gets weak with extended fasts, you will need protein shakes to keep up your strength. I did 2 1/2 weeks of an extended fast and I had to have a couple protein shakes a day just to keep up my energy and strength. I actually messed up and forgot a day and passed out.

 

[Belonging to Abba]

Your body gets weak with extended fasts, you will need protein shakes to keep up your strength. I did 2 1/2 weeks of an extended fast and I had to have a couple protein shakes a day just to keep up my energy and strength. I actually messed up and forgot a day and passed out.

You mean I can't just maintain enough strength during an extended fast by drinking fruit or vegetable juice? The reason I would include juice is when I tried to do a fast for just three days drinking water only, I felt very faint on the evening of the second day. So I have found that drinking juice might give me enough strength. Why are protein shakes necessary if during a fast, the body will switch to using the fat on your body as its fuel source instead of food?

 

[ARBITER01]

You mean I can't just maintain enough strength during an extended fast by drinking fruit or vegetable juice? The reason I would include juice is when I tried to do a fast for just three days drinking water only, I felt very faint on the evening of the second day. So I have found that drinking juice might give me enough strength. Why are protein shakes necessary if during a fast, the body will switch to using the fat on your body as its fuel source instead of food?

Well you can try juice if you think it will work. I wanted to limit all the sugar intake, and the protein shakes I used did have a bit of sugar but not so much.

 

[Solo81]

The fasting guidelines from the International House of Prayer say "A fruit or vegetable juice fast allows you to enter into fasting but still gives enough energy to function. Many people have done a 40-day juice fast." So from this I am assuming that it is okay to do an extended fast drinking juice and water only. From Fasting Guidelines and Information - About IHOPKC

That's not good advice. Fasting once a week, every week, will be far more beneficial than a 40 day fast.

 

[Richard T]

The fasting guidelines from the International House of Prayer say "A fruit or vegetable juice fast allows you to enter into fasting but still gives enough energy to function. Many people have done a 40-day juice fast." So from this I am assuming that it is okay to do an extended fast drinking juice and water only. From Fasting Guidelines and Information - About IHOPKC

I always liked Hagin's small book "a Commonsense Guide to fasting" Kenneth E. Hagin - A Common Sense Guide to Fasting.pdf
I attended a church where the pastor and a few others fast 21 or 40 days each year. It works for them and praise God they can do it. Hagin teaches for longer fasts one has to be led specifically. I think too that some have a much harder time physically than others depending on their blood sugar etc. As long as one makes an effort I think that God will fill in the blanks. The most success I have seen in fasting is for other's salvations. I have seen 3 days change some lives where just prayer alone did not make a difference.

 

[Belonging to Abba]

Well you can try juice if you think it will work. I wanted to limit all the sugar intake, and the protein shakes I used did have a bit of sugar but not so much.

What kind/brand of protein shake did you buy so maybe I could try it?

 

[ARBITER01]

What kind/brand of protein shake did you buy so maybe I could try it?

Just the standard ones at Krogers and other places. They are labeled Premium Protein. About 30 grams a serving.

I wanted to limit my sugar intake and break any insulin resistance when I fasted that long, and it worked. GOD certainly helped me with it. I went from 224 to 188 in that timeframe. I'm wanting GOD to initiate another one like that.

I did eat on the weekends but during the week I only had my supplements and the protein drinks.

 

[Belonging to Abba]

How long can these protein shakes be stored for? I have the tendency to start a fast a day or two and give up quickly, so if I have the shakes on hand I would be curious how long I can store them for? Thanks for your help.

 

[ARBITER01]

How long can these protein shakes be stored for? I have the tendency to start a fast a day or two and give up quickly, so if I have the shakes on hand I would be curious how long I can store them for? Thanks for your help.

I think they have some sort of expiration date on the shakes, you'd have to look for it.

Just a caution though, solid food fasting is a more extreme method for the body, but it does have it's benefits. Just be careful. Know when to say enough is enough. People have ended up in a hospital when they did it wrong, just so you know.

 

[Belonging to Abba]

People have ended up in a hospital when they did it wrong, just so you know.

Could you explain what specifically they did wrong so I can avoid it?

 

[ARBITER01]

Could you explain what specifically they did wrong so I can avoid it?

I think they had tried to do a complete fast, no solid food or water, and it sort of backfired on them. Jesus did just a solid food fast before His temptations, so really there is no reason to do a complete one.

It was just a bit of caution I wanted to express. You are only doing a solid food fast going off what you said, but it is wise to be very cautious during it. Know your body and it's limitations.