On the fast track

I’m sure it’s the combination of disconnection from various news channels and being over here on my own that leads me to pay more attention to spiritual disciplines that I know I should devote more time to. Having avoided slavery to New Year’s resolutions by not making any I am aware that being spiritually focused is the starting point for being effective in what we do. Working out here without the right heart is about as fruitful as me trying to run a four minute mile or climb Mount Everest.

It’s interesting that the dieting community have recently taken hold of the benefits of fasting. Just before I came out to Kenya I listened with interest as a respected food scientist extolled the virtues of fasting as a healthy lifestyle choice. A quick Google search turned up advice on fasting diets from the UK Health Service and an interesting article in the Guardian newspaper written by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall who “has lost eight pounds since New Year, by fasting for two days out of seven, and has found the whole thing “rather exhilarating”. In the article he goes on to say:

“But now I find myself beguiled, for the first time ever, really, by a new diet. The Fast Diet, by Michael Mosely and Mimi Spencer, makes a compelling promise that with regular fasting (they propose two days out of every seven) you will quickly lose weight, while on non-fast days you can continue to eat (and, importantly, drink) whatever you like.”

I guess the crossover between religious practices and secular fads has always been productive. Perhaps we are witnessing a new coming together of weapons to fight the Western scourge of obesity. I find it amusing that a long established habit, common to all the major world religions, should emerge as a panacea for modern lifestyle issues in the secular press.

Today I read a short book called “The Rewards of Fasting”. It’s written by a Christian author called Mike Bickle. In the introduction he writes “Fasting is part of the Christian lifestyle. It is Christianity 101 ………. I call believers to fast at least one day a week. It is better to fast two days a week”. He goes on to present a strong case for the benefits of fasting as a sacrifice rather than for weight loss. Whichever end you approach it from it would seem that fasting is coming up on the radar. It’s not as hard as it might seem and you never know – you might discover it’s good for your body and your soul as it leads you to think more deeply about the root cause of your motivation to stop eating on a regular basis.