The most difficult part of fasting is dealing with all of the negativity from people
Conditioning. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You must eat six small meals a day. If you skip a meal, your body will go into starvation mode, etc. If fasting is the right choice, then they’ve been doing it wrong their whole life, and they can’t deal with that.
My comment from this exact same question a month ago:
A few things.
Combine all this together and you see why Rule 1 of fasting is Don’t Talk About Fasting.
It’s not because it’s a secret club and you’re the only one allowed in. It’s because unless you’re talking to someone who fasts, the conversation is more or less always the same.
My sister had an eating disorder and she’s convinced that fasting is disordered.
I keep reminding her that me being obese is also unhealthy and that it gives me the greatest sense of freedom and least amount of anxiety when I do 20/4 or OMAD, since I don’t have to micromanage calories or deprive myself of foods I enjoy.
I get that fasting isn’t the right tool for her because it’s triggering to her, but for me it’s the right choice.
She’s still suspicious but oh well 🤷🏻♀️
They are in the denial. Fasting gives you all these amazing health benefits plus you lose weight. If they have to accept that’s true, they will have to go through this ‘hardship’ themselves, which they are not ready to do. So they are angry that you are proving them wrong.
I tell these people that ‘You do you. I am not responsible for other people’s ignorance’. End of story.
Work with a guy I’ll call Z that is obese - although he holds it rather well I guess. Weird work relationship with him I won’t go into. But he knows I do OMAD. He makes little jokes about it with his team from time to time as they go out to lunch. Condescending. I tried to educate him when I started but he wasn’t interested in the least and I gave up quickly. But he always looked like a heart attack waiting to happen.
Mid 50s or so. When I was about his age and overweight (not as much as him but approaching), I started OMAD. I’m 62 now having lost 50 lbs with Omad and maintained for over four years. I really enjoy my heathy lifestyle. Feel like I pulled myself back from the precipice sometimes.
He suddenly became ill 2-3 weeks ago. Learned he had been diagnosed with diabetes. I don’t know how it typically presents but he had some type of attack or something. He’s really sick and on heavy meds which are making him feel even worse - really struggling. He came back to the office for first time late last week. Must have lost 30 lbs. His color was awful. Looked like death warmed over. Ashen. Sullen look in his eyes.
Although I don’t care for this guy, I take no particular joy in him being I’ll. But he is one that looks down his nose at me - thinks I’m crazy - for my heathy fasting lifestyle. I look at his health outcome vs mine and am happy for choices I’ve made.
I’m sure he doesn’t even realize if he’d listened to me a year ago when we met and taken it to heart - he’d be in a much better place now. He’s just thinking it’s bad luck.
Remember Z anytime you’re thinking about whether your fasting lifestyle is worthwhile!
It’s spiritual… Let me elaborate.
Fasting is a sacred act that people of God did in the Bible to deny themselves and get closer to God. You may not be a believer, but you are participating in an act that is typically reserved for those who are seeking Holiness, to get closer to God.
When people get angry in most cases they don’t realize they are doing it, it’s just a guttural reaction that sinful humans make to something that God loves, not much different than telling someone ‘Jesus loves you’.
Think about it, the opposite of fasting is gluttony, lust, greed, etc… all the things demons love and want humans to participate in, fasting is the denial of these sins and it makes demons mad. Humans aren’t actually getting mad, it’s the demons that control them.
Always remember it’s more for you than them, also try fend off the negative emotions and educate those who are willing to learn. It’s been years and at first I’d get upset at the comments but my colleagues all know I eat once a day now and have seen the benefits