Fasting, health and enjoyment: is that really a contradiction in terms?
Let the summer day end with a scoop of delicious vanilla ice cream or a relaxed glass of red wine in the evening sun. What feels like perfect enjoyment for the moment is often associated with a guilty conscience later.Is fasting good for health?Here we explain why it doesn’t have to be and how you can easily combine your healthy lifestyle with carefree enjoyment.
Enjoyment is seen rather negatively these days … wrongly
When it comes to enjoyment, everyone knows the inner conflict: “Actually, I shouldn’t, but…” Most of the time, it’s something that is either unhealthy or perceived as a waste of time. So if you are serious about a healthy and successful lifestyle, you have to do without such things. Only when you are successful would you be happy and thus enjoy yourself. At least that is the popular assumption.
In fact, more and more studies show that it works the other way around: Those who can enjoy are usually happier and healthier. Those who are happier and healthier are also more productive and have better chances of being successful.
The personal definition of enjoyment is crucial
In fact, our personal definition of enjoyment determines how healthy we live, how happy we are and how easy it is for us to maintain a healthy lifestyle. For healthy enjoyment, it is important to listen more to the body’s signals again. And at the same time to understand that sensual enjoyment is important for both mental and physical health. Because only those who can enjoy the lifestyle they strive for can sustain it and be successful in it. So that this really works, you should take these five tips to heart:
1. Use pleasure as a form of self-efficacy
If you understand enjoyment as a form of self-efficacy, it can specifically help you to find relaxation in order to recharge your batteries. Because enjoyment means a conscious stimulation of the senses, which arouses pleasure and relaxation in us and tears us out of the worries of everyday life for a moment. Relaxation in turn supports the immune system by lowering the cortisol level and increases stress resilience. Nevertheless, it must be ensured that the enjoyment also serves health and does not slide into leisure stress or unhealthy habits.
2. Understand real enjoyment as a benefit for the body
Enjoyment is often equated with delicious but unfortunately unhealthy food that goes against the desire for a healthy lifestyle. But that need not be. Because it often only takes a little openness, patience and creativity to find personal delights that are actually healthy.
Anyone who embarks on this search will make two wonderful discoveries. For one, how many healthy delicacies have been overlooked so far. Here, for example, the Mediterranean diet can serve as an inspiration. On the other hand, you will find out how good it feels to enjoy without remorse. Especially when your body thanks you by feeling pleasantly satiated and energetic at the same time, despite the feast. And don’t have to fear looking at the scales either.
3. Plan conscious enjoyment as a rule violation
If you want to treat yourself to a piece of chocolate cake or other “nutritional sins” every now and then, you can and should continue to do so. But for those who find it difficult not to let enjoyment become an unhealthy habit and still not want to do without it, it is best to plan the “rule violation” right away. For example, by indulging in this pleasure once every one to two weeks as a reward for self-discipline. This way, doing without on the other days is all the easier and you stay in control. But for the reward strategy to really work, you should definitely consider two things: The reward must …
4. Enjoy moments of silence in a targeted manner
Enjoyment does not always mean that external stimulation has to take place. Enjoyment can also be a moment of stillness in which one simply enjoys being in harmony with oneself and one’s body. If you specifically incorporate these moments of mindfulness into your everyday life, you will quickly notice that you will not only feel more relaxed afterwards, but also more focused, more alert and more productive.
It can be a rewarding experience to find out which forms of stimulus reduction are most enjoyable for yourself. But above all, how easy it can be to incorporate this into your own everyday life. Be it walking, yoga, meditation or just a cozy coffee in the quiet morning sun.
5. Understand the alternation between renunciation and enjoyment as two sides of the same coin
As individual as enjoyment can be, one thing is the same for everyone: less is often more. This is especially true for luxury foods. Because those who constantly enjoy something get used to it. And habits dull the senses. On the other hand, the longer you go without it, the more conscious it is. The anticipation is also an important part of the enjoyment. And that, too, is only possible through a prior waiver.
The alternation between renunciation and enjoyment is part of human evolution
Interestingly, the alternation between enjoyment and renunciation – but also relaxation and stress – is evolutionarily anchored in the biology of our body. Even in the Stone Age there was always a change between phases in which food was scarce and early humans were exposed to the stress of obtaining food. And phases when there was plenty of food.
The human body has also adapted itself to this change with two different metabolisms. The glucose metabolism, which is activated with normal food intake and creates fat reserves in the body when there is excess energy. And a fat metabolism (ketosis), which breaks down fat reserves if there is a prolonged lack of food and thus makes the body and the brain more efficient. Thus, despite a lack of energy, humans were still able to gather food. What used to be a survival strategy for the body is now called therapeutic fasting.
Fasting increases the ability to enjoy on two levels
Fasting is the (almost) complete renouncement of food for a certain period of time. During this phase, there is a reduction in stimuli. Especially since the body is relieved of the energy-intensive digestion. At the same time, new energies are released through ketosis and self-healing powers (autophagy) are stimulated.
With therapeutic fasting for several days, this time can be used specifically to calm down and to let go of everyday stress. Going for a walk, yoga or meditation further intensify this effect. At the same time you are doing something good for your health. Both can be understood as enjoyment in terms of wellness.
Even after fasting, there is an increase in the ability to enjoy. Not only that therapeutic fasting sensitizes the taste buds. Not eating for a long time also ensures that you can enjoy a simple tomato soup like a delicacy after breaking the fast. In addition, afterwards it is much easier for many to discover pleasure in those things that are also good for their health.
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