pradeepan jeeva 3/30/14 pradeepan jeeva 3/30/14

I've Gone 30 Days without Food and Tomorrow I Eat! [Soylent Blogrimage 30/30]

A couple years ago, I completed an extended fast (eating no food and only drinking water), and ended it abruptly. Unfortunately, I ate spicy food and woke up in the night with full itchy hives all over my body. Apparently my body did not have the enzymes to handle this food and responded in the only way it knew how.

Everybody eating Curry without me for the last time!

I'm afraid this is going to happen again. This this fear isn't completely stopping me from having a glorious meal to end the Soylent Blogrimage.

I love extreme contrast.

Meals always taste better when you haven't eaten in a long time. Think about camping. Don't those meals always taste the best? It's because you don't have access to regular luxuries. When my wife comes home from a long trip, it's extremely exciting to see her. Longing and contrast heighten the emotions of a moment.

I don't want to ease into eating. The law of contrast will lose it's power if I break the Soylent journey with broth or tomato soup.

With all these thoughts, I'm not sure what I'm eating tomorrow.

These last 30 days have been difficult, but I've learned a lot about my body, discipline and what nutritionally dense food offers. Hopefully, something like Soylent can be used to end world hunger.

On this substance, my mind felt clear, energy levels sustainably high, body felt light, and I'm finding myself hesitant to eat regular food. I will eat regular food, but plan on including Soylent in my breakfast. This way I can feel confident about getting the nutrients I need.

Thanks for following my journey. Mission accomplished!

Tomorrow I will post about what I broke this journey with!

FEELINGS:

Not as excited as I should be
Hesitant about Eating
Looking forward to a great meal!
Scared about getting sick

pradeepan jeeva 3/29/14 pradeepan jeeva 3/29/14

Down 10 pounds, feeling good and don't want to stop [Soylent Blogrimage 29/30]

Tomorrow is my last full day of the Soylent Blogrimage. As excited as I am to eat delicious items, I am not looking forward to losing how I feel now. Currently, my mind is clear, body is light, and energy consistently solid through out the day. When I eat normal food, I crash, often feel sluggish and my mind isn't as sharp.

Eating nutritionally dense meals are the way to go. Our culture is addicted to food. We often live to eat instead of eating to live. Now, I feel weaned off of food and I'm hesitant to start something I know is bad for me and makes me feel bad. Everyday on this journey I'm confident I'm getting all the nutrients I need--nothing less and nothing extra.

Not only will I probably eat things not the best for my health, I'll have use brain energy to make eating possible. I'll have to choose what I eat. Prepare what I eat. Pay for what I eat. Those are all big time and resource consuming tasks requiring a lot of energy and thought. For the last 29 days I haven't thought about those things at all.

Yes, it's been a lot of disciplined will power to get through these past days. The thing is, my will power was focused. I knew exactly what my choices were. This process has been black and white. It was either Eat Soylent or not Soylent. Now, in order to eat healthy with regularly accessed food, I'll have to research labels, histories and nutritional value to eat with the same confidence I've had.

Still not sure what I'll on Monday. Kind of weirded out that I'm hesitant to eat.

FEELINGS:

Headache
Little appetite
Looking forward to eating, but also not looking forward to eating
Not sure how I will break this Soylent Journey
Almost down 11 pounds

pradeepan jeeva 3/29/14 pradeepan jeeva 3/29/14

Didn't want to Eat [Soylent Blogrimage 28/30]

I find myself preferring not to eat than consume Soylent. Sometimes I just eat all of it in one sitting.

I find myself preferring not to eat than consume Soylent. Sometimes I just eat all of it in one sitting.

My body fat percentage is down. So far, I've lost 10 pounds of fat.

The end of this journey is near. I don't want to gain the fat back, but I look forward to great meals.

Today I ran the creative tech (sound, lights, etc) for a Men's conference. I'm speaking at it in the morning. This event is filled with great man food. I took home 8 tinfoil things of food home even though I can't eat them. My prayer is that they will still be good a couple days from now.

FEELINGS:

- Like that I lost 10 pounds

- Rather not eat than eat Soylent

- Clear mind

- Regular energy

pradeepan jeeva 3/28/14 pradeepan jeeva 3/28/14

Denied food prepared for me [Soylent Blogrimage 27/30]

A family prepared a dinner for me and I refused to eat because of this journey. They knew ahead of time this would happen, but I still felt bad. Whenever I choose to a challenge, especially ones relating to food, it seems like there is always an abundance of amazing food opportunities. This makes it easy to compromise. Staying the course and true to the challenge is rewarding, and I mist fight to keep this prize before me. Sacrifice doesn't seem like sacrifice after an achievement, simply a fond memory of the process. I feel bad but I'm not sorry for moving forward.

FEELINGS:

- Very Hungry

- Medium Energy

- Socially awkward

pradeepan jeeva 3/26/14 pradeepan jeeva 3/26/14

I will not Avoid Pizza [Soylent Blogrimage 26/30]

I could avoid pizza for the rest of my life, but I don't wish for that life. In fact, I don't wish that life upon any of us.

Eating nutritionally dense food is great. Soylent takes the guess work out of nutrition. Buying the right, healthy, and affordable foods is very difficult. With Soylent, I know I'm healthy, getting the nutrition I need and saving money. I just read this article about all the bad ingredients in Pizza restaurants like Pizza. What am I supposed to do with that? I could avoid pizza for the rest of my life, but I don't wish for that life. In fact, I don't wish that life upon any of us.

In the future, I think I'll replace my breakfasts and sometimes lunch with Soylent. Then, I'll splurge financially and nutritionally on a nice dinner. I've been looking for good easy healthy breakfast options. This could be my ticket.

FEELINGS:

Antsy to be done (counting down the days)
High Energy
Hungry for real food, but completely used to this diet

pradeepan jeeva 3/25/14 pradeepan jeeva 3/25/14

I like Difficult Challenges [Soylent Blogrimage 25/30]

People are consistently shocked I am not eating real food. Today, I'd often say "I haven't eaten in 25 days," and most people never considered this possible.

People are consistently shocked I am not eating real food. Today, I'd often say "I haven't eaten in 25 days," and most people never considered this possible.

I know several people who have done 40 day water fasts and I've done several extended only water fasts as well. Christians are funny people. It's the only circle I know where it's not shocking people go without food. Before I became a Christian, I was told it was impossible to go 40 days without food. Now, I see it all the time.

Eating Soylent is definitely easier than not eating. In fact, many times I struggle eating all of the daily portions. It's a lot of food. I'm glad I'm part of a community that can go long periods of time without food. I like that I like challenges. Food is something we need, but sometimes we can do without it. The hunger for food dictates so many of our life decisions. Every once in a while, through not eating, it's nice to tell our bodies who really is in charge.

FEELINGS:

Wanting to Sleep Longer
Wanting to Eat Less
Energy high during the day