Will the kilos lost in the fast come rushing back?

I got a good tip from a man who has already come to the fasting clinic for 20 years: “Ask three slices of bread from the clinic for your journey home. Eat one of them at the airport, another on the plane and the third in your destination. This way you can avoid salty and greasy food at the airports and on the plane”, the man advised.

The people departing from the fasting clinic get a packed lunch with them. I did exactly how the man in the fasting clinic had recommended. I asked three slices of bread to take away in my bag and ate them at the airports and on the plane. The hunger kept away and my body didn't get the awful amount of salt that I would have ingested from the cafeteria or airplane meals. The small slices of bread were made of spelt flour. The topping was low fat and low salt cheese, yet they were tasty. There was also fruit and spring water in the bag.

The fast is over now. It will be interesting to see whether I can go on with my diet where the use of salt and fat is reduced and the meals consist mainly of vegetables. I will continue writing my diaries. Will the joy of working out remain, shall the weight I achieved stay the same and will my physical condition keep on getting better in the everyday life circumstances?

So far so good. I’ve preached about the fantastic fasting clinic to all my friends. But I’m preaching for a good cause. If you really want to invest in yourself and in health, pay a visit to the clinic. You won’t regret it. A wonderful experience. Awesome! A link to the clinic website below.

BUCHINGER WILHELMI CLINIC

RETURN TO THE TABLE

In the morning weighing it turned out I had lost a few hundred grams more. I do more exercise than I eat, so the weight continues to drop.

This morning I have run as usual, been to aerobics and sauna. I went to buy souvenirs in the shopping centre and packed my bags for tomorrow’s return flight. I feel nostalgic. This is such a wonderful place.    

Had a rather embarrassing incident on my first solid lunch. I arrived there a bit early. I was in a hurry for my massage; therefore I came to the dining room about 10 minutes early. I sat down on my table. Three other women, whose name tags were on the same table, hadn’t arrived yet.    

I saw a cup of soup in front of me. It was a rather small portion. I put the linen napkin on my lap and started to spoon my mini soup habitually. My lunch moment lasted very little although I tried to slow down and enjoy. The soup was vinegarish and quite strange. Still it tasted ok. I even took a picture of my first real meal, although it didn’t seem to differ greatly from the fasting soups. It had more taste - especially more vinegar - than a normal fasting soup.  

I thanked the waiter for the lunch as I was leaving. The waiter could hardly keep himself from laughing, but somehow managed to recover the poker face and said: "You just ate your salad dressing”. The waiter was carrying a gorgeous plate of a really delicious looking salad.  

All blushed, I returned to my seat. I got a new cup of salad dressing and savored my salad with it. The main course was delicious vegetarian food and a lovely sauce.

My table company got a good laugh when they found out that I would have been satisfied with my salad dressing lunch. Here you don’t expect anything. The small scoop of dressing would have been enough for me as a meal.

Today I have been able to enjoy the handsomeness of a man. My final weighing and measures were taken by a very handsome young doctor. Normally a woman has massaged me, but my masseuse was not available, so this handsome younger man took care of my muscles this time.

I got fruit for snack and the dinner was a three-course culinary experience. They have very talented cooks here. The rest of the staff has been very friendly as well, and it is apparent that they all enjoy working here.

Now to the sauna and for a swim. The sun is shining nicely. I’ll try to get the last sun tans before returning to the gloomy Finland.

TENTH DAY OF FASTING

I woke up nostalgic. Today is the "break day" of the fast. I wouldn’t want to go back to eating normal solid food. Not just yet. I feel so energetic; neither the food nor other stimulants seem tempting at all. I feel as if I was in my paradise now and soon I will eat the forbidden apple and shall be exiled from here. Below quite a nice description of the fasting experience, made by Buchinger Wilhelmi:

Buchinger video

I told my nurse that finishing the fast feels nostalgic. I would so much like to continue fasting. I couldn’t even dream in the beginning that not eating would feel so great. Next time I will fast those three weeks. Now I know I can do it.

The nurse told that this shorter fast that ends today is to detox and to prevent illnesses. For ill and very fat people they recommend the three-week fast, but of course others can do it as well.
I will get the traditional apple tea with honey today. Mashed apples for lunch, a tea and an apple in the afternoon. For dinner there will be s a special veggie soup in the restaurant downstairs. After a sporty morning I found a cup of mashed apples waiting in my room. I was almost afraid of grabbing the spoon. I wasn’t hungry at all.  

I took a comfortable position in the sun bed on my balcony, watched the views and savored the mashed organic apples with long and heartfelt spoonfuls. Oh gosh, how delicious it was. Such a pure and fresh taste. An exquisite experience. Quite quickly after this experience the food and flavors started to interest me again. I even thought of pizza. I haven’t thought of junk food during the whole fast, but now pizza slipped into my mind.

I ate an apple in the afternoon. Never in my lifetime have I relished eating an apple as much as now. It was very weird going back to eating normal solid food. I had tons of energy and enjoyed every sport session during the day.
In the evening I put on my better clothes, a little bit of mascara and walked to the restaurant downstairs. My table company had already arrived at the table. When I sat down, the waiter solemnly brought me a candle. This candle ceremony congratulates the clients who have completed the fast honorably. The soup was slightly thicker than a usual fasting soup. It tasted soft and creamy, although I doubt it actually contained cream.    

Here is a photo of my abdomen before I decided to go on my fasting journey, and the latter picture is taken this morning when I was going to sunbathe by the pool. Let the pictures speak for themselves.

Nevertheless, I must admit that in the black and white picture I just had eaten a huge meal, my jeans were too tight and I might have even bulged my belly on purpose. There is real fat though. The difference between these two pictures is quite big. It was a good decision to choose two weeks fast instead of two weeks party trip with the girls.  

I am very happy that I got the idea to invest in myself by coming here, although I doubted the whole program of the clinic. Here I have got a healthy boost and joy for the sport back in my life. It shall be interesting to see how it goes from here. Tomorrow I will get my first real meal at the clinic. How will it taste? Heavenly, I could imagine.  

NINTH DAY OF FASTING

Today is the last actual fasting day. I get the basic fasting meal, that is, 200 kcal of liquid nutrition and I practice sports like crazy. I had lost 200 grams. The traditional Buchinger fast lasts three weeks. In the first two days you get used to the fast and the last two days you adapt to eating solid food again in small amounts. I have seen dishes of the adapting period, and they look unbelievably good although they are healthy. Below some pictures of the dishes.

Photos from the Buchinger Wilhelmi Facebook page.

If I had known before enrolling that I would feel this great I would have done everything to extend the fasting period. I’ve noticed that some of the customers of the clinic have their spouses with them. Others have even brought their pet (dog). The dog people stay in the row house-type of accommodation. Visitors are welcome at the clinic and can even stay overnight, but after three nights in a row the visitor must either participate in the fast and pay for it or go to sleep somewhere else, so that the fasting people can fast in peace.  

Smoking is prohibited at the clinic. If you smoke during the fast you must do it outside the clinic gates.

On my morning run my companion told me about a woman who had been very slim already on her arrival at the clinic, but who got so deeply enchanted by the fast that she kept booking extra days at the clinic to not having to stop fasting. She fasted for over a month, after which the clinic staff had to intervene and pressure her to stop it. I understand this woman very well.

They organize fasting periods for young plumps here. This program is directed to teenagers and young adults who don’t have mental health problems, just overweight. You can also come here to lighten. In that case you are served 1500 ckal of food. Many come for that program and lose five kilos already with this diet. Anorectics recovering from their illness have come to the clinic to learn how to eat. A little bit of everything is offered here.    

In this state of fasting the feeling is great. My skin is bright and my eyes clear. Even my hair seems shinier. My body is clearly happy in this state where the digestive system can rest - for the first time in nearly 40 years.

I participated in the healthy food cooking class today. You can elaborate very good looking food with vegetables. We didn’t eat the food we were taught to cook. I didn’t feel like it either. I could easily go and eat in the downstairs restaurant that is meant for the ones starting or finishing their fast. Without any problem I could sit there sipping on my small cup of soup with a tea spoon and watch others eat solid food. It wouldn’t feel bad at all. My desires have disappeared.

I enjoyed a wonderful massage today. Got a temptation of taking some extra treatments, too. They offer a great variety of them here, but I was too stingy to take any. In the spa area there is a marvelous steam sauna that is usually empty just when I go there. I get to lie down there alone in peace up till an hour.  

I’ve worked hard at the gym. Now I am back with the joy of healthy life, and practicing sports feels pleasant. I am a mother of small children. It is true: pregnancies and breast feeding change your body quite dramatically. It is a bit depressing when people might comment that you are in pretty good shape for being a mother of small children. Rather a flat compliment.

At this stage, when even my youngest child can eat and do all the necessities on his own, I think it’s useless trying to explain myself or others that as a mother I have the excuse of being a sloppy gourmand who only does the exercise sub product of other daily routines. That is how I used to justify my sedentarism. Usually it is possible to organize at least an hour every day for exercise while your spouse, friends, relatives or nanny looks after the kids.  

From now on I intend to get moving and go for a walk or run at least every other day. I can’t and don’t want to stop eating delights, but moderation is important, also in this gourmandism. Below a picture of what I have achieved with the fast and exercise in such a short time. For me this condition is already a considerable accomplishment. Of course I can and must tonify more. It has been really hard to lose 5-8 kilos before. In this clinic my weight has dropped rapidly and my muscles are noticeably stronger. The base is now good for a healthier life and for improving the physical condition.    

EIGHT DAY OF FASTING

I woke up at 7 am and headed to the basic weighing. I had lost 400g. After that I went jogging on the beach, enjoying the daybreak. I have a habit of taking two bottles (50cl) of water for my run, so my arms get more exercise. After the run I reward myself with a liter of spring water. Wohoo!  

I stopped at the Puente Romano pier to enjoy my water. I got company: a bagpipe player who told me he came to the pier every morning to play his bagpipe just for fun. I sat at the end of the pier sipping spring water, appreciating the sunrise. The first thing that slipped into my mind was ”I’m in Heaven”. And that was the only thought there was. This is so hard to describe. You can only experience it. An amazing feeling.    

When I returned to the clinic I sat on my balcony to drink the morning tea and to plan the day. There will be interesting program in the evening: that cocktail event. I wonder what a cocktail party at a fasting clinic is like.

Now I have clearly attained a climax in my fast. In this state I would have the energy to do anything. My mind has rested; I want to socialize and I’ve got a really positive feeling going on all the time.

I did an excursion with my friend to Mijas today. I had the energy to walk many hours boosted solely by a carrot juice. I couldn’t make to the lunch, so I got a small (100 kcal) glass of fresh carrot juice before my excursion.    

Now I understand why over 70% of the people who fast here once come back again and again. I intend to come too.  I feel very well and have notably lost weight: about five kilos. My body is more toned up and now even the bikinis look good on me. I might even put ’before’ and ’after’ photos on some page of my diary. Shall I publish them on the internet depends entirely on whether there is any difference between those pictures. I believe there is.

 
I haven’t needed to wear make up for over a week. Now I find myself blow drying my hair and putting some make up on. I haven’t ingested anything today except for tea and a glass of carrot juice. It’s almost 7 pm. Tonight, after the cocktail party there will be the traditional evening soup. I am not hungry at all. Really strange.

I can see from my room how the staff is setting tables and glasses for the cocktail event that is about to begin. The jars seem to contain watermelon juice instead of the non-alcoholic mojitos that I was hoping to get in the event.

It was nice to dress up after a while. I arrived at the event a bit late on purpose. I didn’t want to be the first. There was already a big crowd of people. The clinic owners came to shake hands and asked my opinion on the fasting period. Jutta and Claus Rohrer seemed very friendly. Buchinger Wilhelmi is a family owned company. I couldn’t help but praise my experience to Jutta and Claus. All the initial difficulties have been forgotten and I am at the best stage of my fast. All that comes out of my mouth are flattering words concerning the clinic and the fast. Their timing for the cocktail event was perfect.

I had a glass of the watermelon drink. It tasted almost too sweet in my mouth, even though there was only liquid made of watermelon, berries, fruit and no added sugar.

I talked to many people who were fasting and exchanged some words with the manager, too. I heard that in one part of its big plot the clinic has an organic vegetable garden where the cooks pick up herbs and veggies for our meals. I asked whether the fasting clients go stealing vegetables there when hunger takes over them. I got an affirmative answer. Luckily I didn’t know about that secret kitchen garden in the beginning of the fast. I might have crept there in the wee hours to hunt some celery at the weakest moments of my fast.

After yoga I went to the sauna. Between the ladies and gents sauna there is a common chill out room. I went there to lie down and drink sparkling water. A man of Indian origin sat next to me and with his words he made it clear from the beginning that he was no hard up. He started to tell how many hotels and hotel chains he owned. I was just amused by his bragging.
Undeniably, the people at the clinic are clearly wealthy. This isn’t a free clinic, anyway. At the pool area there is often a big group of mature German ladies with slim bodies and incredibly toned, big and beautiful young woman’s breasts. Silicon, of course. The ladies sunbathe topless and their faces are lifted extremely tight. They all look the same. Personally, I dont understand that. I intend to grow old with dignity.  

My lawyer friend told me that many top models visit the clinic. They come to fast before big underwear shootings. The lawyer was disappointed that this year he had come to the clinic at the "wrong" time, since there were no top models. He sweet talked that I was the most beautiful "patient" at the clinic at the moment. Nice words for a mother of small children.

Back with the Indian man. He told his life story which was quite ordinary. A burn-out, busy entrepreneur that started having overweight and different ails. Someone recommended the clinic and from then on the man has come to the clinic every year for an "inspection". I think that idea of an inspection is very good.  

He listed all the possible sports cars that he owns around the world, and slipped a wise thought in the middle: "I take all my cars for an inspection regularly; so why not take myself as well and clean up my machine by fasting at least once a year?".

The Indian man comes every year for a three week fast at the Buchinger. Before and during the fast he goes to the dentist, ENT specialist, generalist, ophthalmologist, physiotherapist and other doctors’ check-ups if necessary. They take his blood analysis which researches all the possible and impossible. It takes lots of money, but fortunately there is plenty of it, the Indian man continued with his bragging style.

It has been a marvelous day. I have already told my siblings and my mother that they all should come to this fasting clinic. We could do a holiday trip here together. I feel like a brand new car, if you want to employ this inspection/car terminology. Today I’ve still got planned some reading in my room with all sorts of waters before going to sleep.

SEVENTH DAY OF FASTING

Now I must reveal that last night I asked some soy yoghurt with honey in my room even if it wasn’t a "tough moment". I ordered the yoghurt without being hungry. I just wanted to "relish" a little and read a book. At this moment you really understand just how difficult it is to resist cravings. After my moment of feast I fell asleep and slept terrifically.

I slept eleven hours in a row. I probably would’ve slept even longer if I hadn’t forgotten to close the curtains last night. The sun started to shine on my face and woke me up. I believe that the yoghurt and the honey only did me good (that is what I want to believe). My blood pressure had risen closer to a normal level and the nurse said I looked very healthy today – well, that is how I did feel.

I didn’t make it to the morning run with the group. I think I might go to the mountains instead. But I want to make it to the gym class at ten. This, a bit more challenging class is instructed by a more or less 60-year old iron lady, whose body doesn’t have any extra fat and whose every muscle is perfectly trained.  

Today’s program includes jogging, gym, pilates, full body massage, art workshop, sauna and relaxation. I received a personal invitation today in my room. It is for a cocktail party tomorrow, where the owners of the clinic invite all the new fasters, probably just to drink non alcoholic mojitos and to chat. It shall be exciting to meet them.

After the lunch I went for a fantastic massage. Every muscle slipped of pain when the skillful masseuse fixed me. I have trained, it is true, and perhaps the stretching has been ignored a little... The package includes different treatments for about 200 euros / week. If you want to have extra treatments they will be charged separately. A beautiful massage every second day is enough for me. With this rhythm the treatments correspond to the gift voucher, so there won’t be any extra charges on the treatments.  

Many women of my age have come to the clinic after a tough divorce, to reorganize their thoughts. The clinic disposes of therapists for everything you can imagine from psychiatrist till Tibetan bowl playing therapist.

I went to the Tibetan bowl therapy yesterday. There were eight of us in the group, all women. We closed our eyes; the therapist played his bowls and put one to vibrate on everyone’s belly. I was told I take other people’s problems into my heart too much. The bowl therapist might have been right.

The art workshop teacher was lovely. I told immediately that I can’t paint and that I am not even interested in painting, but I could try it, just to challenge myself. The teacher laughed and said that art is done with feeling. Do just as you feel right, the teacher advised. I saw how a student had painted a silk scarf. I told that painting a silk scarf interests me. I guess they call it dying a silk scarf.

I dyed the scarf with my daughter’s favorite colors and put big hearts on it. I miss the children, family and friends. Luckily there are peaceful internet rooms at the clinic where you can call your loved ones by Skype. I have ’skyped’ every evening with my children, told each one of them a bedtime story, the child with a laptop in bed; they have been able to see mum on screen and listen to an entertaining bedtime story on real time.  

I already miss my husband, too. Although it has been a great thing to be able to take a break from the routine and concentrate on my own wellbeing, training and cleansing.  

I sent my husband a photo greeting from the clinic. As a note I wrote the following: "This mother figure is at good pace becoming an ok woman again, don’t you think?" ;)

A week has now passed fasting. I’ve lost nearly five kilos. I’ve done sports many hours every day, enjoyed my own time and the rest. A totally different person is looking back from the mirror now.
I now understand what people mean when they say that during the fast you feel so energetic and great that you don’t want to give it up. Fortunately there are still some days of fasting left before the re adapting to solid food -phase. Unbelievable that me, a terrible sybarite, am enjoying my fast and never want to stop it!  

SIXTH DAY OF FASTING

I woke up at 6:00 this morning totally rested and awake. It was dark outside. I was wondering the scarcity of my sleep out loud to the nurse while she was weighing me. 500grams had been lost. Nice.

I got to hear that that the sleeping problems are normal when fasting. During the fast a person only needs 4-5 hours of sleep, but the sleep is very deep and many people have lots of different dreams.

During the fast all our senses sharpen. Like my sense of smell. It is especially observable at the gym; the sweat smells really strong. Your own breath starts smelling during the fast, the nurse said. Horrible, when you don’t even notice it yourself.

It was terrific to learn Latin dances with a top Spanish teacher. We were more or less the same height. It was nice to dance, but a bit awkward to breathe face to face with the teacher knowing your breath may smell. Although, I think we were quite equal: my breath might have smelled like a garbage can, but his smelled slightly like cigarettes.

Today I met a woman who has fasted in the Buchinger annually during 20 years. With tears in her eyes she revealed that finding this clinic had saved her life.

Twenty years ago the woman was remarkably overweight and stressed. She was only 40 years old back then and suffered from bad joint pains and swelling. She was on continuous cortisone medication.

She came to the clinic for three weeks two decades ago. The joint pains disappeared and she hasn’t needed the medicines since. At the clinic she learned how to eat right. She saves money every year so she can come to fast at the Buchinger Wilhelmi.

According to her, the fast consists of three stages: in the first the body uses up its glucose reserves. When they are finished the body starts producing glucose from protein. In the second phase the body exploits fat to save proteins. The duration of this phase depends on how much fat there is to use. Once the body has used approximately 80 per cent of its fat reserves it no longer stores proteins. A person that is 1’70 meters tall and weighs 70 kilos has around 15 kilos of fat storage that can keep a healthy person alive for 40 days. I have no need to worry yet; it’s only the sixth day of fasting and there is still enough fat to burn.  

Everybody gets as a gift from the clinic a thick book in which they explain the Buchinger fast from A to Z and give recipes to take home. I will read the book shortly and will correct here if what the lady told about the fast does not match up with the book.

I have been sweating like a pig today, doing exercise almost the whole day among different sports. I even participated in aqua gym although I usually don’t do it. The pool is heated, so it was quite nice to do gym in there. The teachers are motivating and nice.

Today I have been super sociable. I’ve talked with many fellow fasters. Most of them have come here annually for over ten years. The big size fasters said they have lost 10-15 kg during a week of fasting. The weight has stayed in control if the diet has gotten lighter than before the fast.

It has been really nice to be without telephone, internet and TV. You can stroll around the big plot of the clinic in morning gown if you wish. You can just throw on your dressing gown and amble to enjoy the steam sauna. You can do diverse exercise and chill out. Tomorrow I will go to the art class, although I’m not artistic at all. I just want to try everything since all that is included in the treatment package and you don’t have to pay extra for it.

The fast starts feeling quite bearable already. You somehow get used to this. Below the food and drinks I ingest during a normal day here at the fasting clinic. I couldn’t eat like this at home. There are too many temptations and stress factors, so I would find myself exploring the fridge by evening –at the latest.

THIS MUCH I EAT HERE PER DAY

7:00 – 9:00 am. I drink a liter of water and take the vitamins

 10:00 am. Hot water, a couple of tea bags, a slice of lemon and a drop of honey  

A liter of water (approximately)

1:00 pm. Lunch 100 kcal of vegetable soup without salt and a fruit drink 

A liter of water (approximately) and the vitamins 

5:00 pm Hot water, a couple of tea bags, a slice of lemon and a drop of honey  

8:00 pm. Dinner 100 kcal of vegetable soup

Water and in case of emergency a bowl of soy yoghurt at 10:00 pm

FIFTH DAY OF FASING

I didn’t wake up until 8:15 am. I missed the morning run group that goes to the beach because I overslept. Went to the nurse. My blood pressure was as low as usual. I had lost half a kilo since the last weighing.

The nurse told that if I get really hungry they will give me some light food. I suddenly felt persistent and said that I would do the fast just as Dr. Otto Buchinger has planned it.

My morning tea was already waiting for me in my room. There was also some natural yoghurt on the tray. I thought that they had put it for me because I am weak and cannot follow the fast. I flushed the yoghurt down the toilet, but immediately after that it occurred to me: what if it actually was a part of a normal fast? Well, I didn’t feel like eating that yoghurt anyway. I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday, but the hunger is gone and I feel much better than yesterday. The evenings are the hardest. The rest of the time goes by without even thinking about food.

I will receive a lovely visit today: Finnish Katariina, who got me interested in this clinic in the first place.  She is a nurse in Buchinger Wilhelmi clinic. She is on maternity leave now, but will return to the clinic when the little princess is big enough for day care. Many clients are missing Katariina already.

My German lawyer friend told me about a charming Finnish nurse who had taken care of him during his last fast. He was very happy to hear that Katariina had not abandoned the clinic but is coming back. The lawyer visits the clinic every year.  

I feel amazingly great. I’m bursting with energy. Now I just have to grab the clinic activity list and choose pleasant activities for this afternoon. My morning program changed for oversleeping! It is wonderful though to be able to sleep well again. I went for a good walk on my own in the mountain scenery.

I joined the others to go shopping in Marbella. A bus took us there from the clinic. Even if I passed by numerous lovely restaurants and cafes, I didn’t desire their food. Crazy! Perhaps I am little by little getting into that euphoric feeling that everyone here seem to hype. I felt so light and fantastic I had to celebrate it buying a pair of new shoes.    

With these high heels it will be fabulous to walk in Finland when I return there lighter, rested and entirely cleansed.

On the way back to the clinic a rather chubby German lady sat next to me on the bus. She whispered in my ear that she had secretly eaten some parmesan cheese during the shopping excursion and was not planning on telling it to the nurses. She still had a big piece if it in her handbag. She intended to ’destroy’ it in her room later that night. Now that is desperate, may I say. Why cheat the fasting clinic staff and ruin your fast? Suddenly the small soy yoghurt I had eaten at night didn’t seem that sinful at all compared to this secret devouring of cheese.

After the massage and Tai Chi I quickly visited the library room. You can borrow books freely from there. Most of the books have been left in the library by clients.

There were not many Finnish books. I left there some I had already read. There will be something to read in Finnish for the next Finn that comes. I read a while in my room and went to sleep feeling good.

FOURTH DAY OF FASTING

I woke up in the morning completely forceless and I felt dizzy when getting out of bed.  I was deeply disappointed. I had fought against my hunger all night with the thought that the fast would start working in three days and that the hunger would disappear. It was third actual fasting day now and I was hungry and feeble. I began to doubt the efficiency of the whole fast and its health effects.
I took a sip of sparkling water, put the slippers and dressing gown on and sauntered towards the nurse’s room. Routine check: the weight and the blood pressure. The latter had dropped, but my weight had gone up. Only 200 grams though, but still, up?! I am suffering without food but I had gained weight. Being only some grams it is not drastic, but on the level of thought, extremely depressing. I was complaining my bad feeling to the nurse. The nurse listened to my whining patiently and cheered me up until I felt a bit better.

I got my morning tea in my room. The honey I put in the tea gave me some energy. Today would be my first colon hydrotherapy. Great.

 I waited horrified the nurses arrival with the tube in my room. Fortuitously the nurse did the job professionally. The experience wasn’t so distressing, although it wasn’t especially pleasant either. I had to retain the water inside of me for two minutes, after which I could run to the toilet.    

The colon hydrotherapy made me feel slightly better. I went to Zumba and yoga. Today I was too tired to go for a run on the beach.

By lunch I was really hungry. We discussed among the fasters about different waters at the clinic. Thanks to the fast my sense of taste has notably sharpened. There are big differences between waters. I like a sparkling water called Mondariz the most.

I did a round at the gym and sunbathed. I felt kind of apathetic and depressed the whole day. It seemed that everyone else at the clinic was energetic and enjoyed the fast. I found it very hard to believe the people who claimed that ending the fast would be difficult for me. By the end of the fast you supposedly feel so great that returning to normal food feels painful. That you don’t want to give up the fast. Yep.

After a lean soup dinner there was a choir performing in the great hall.  It sounded nice. I couldn’t be bothered to socialize. I went for a quick sauna session and after that, at 10 pm I went up to my room to read a book and to wait whether I could catch sleep before I got too hungry. I couldn’t. The hunger was terrible. At 2 am I called the nurse and said that I couldn’t handle any more of this insomnia and hunger.  

 I got a small bowl of natural soy yoghurt in my room. Oh, how happy I was! Christmas had arrived in my room. I slowly savored the yoghurt. After the moment of pleasure I felt somewhat guilty and weak; that I was giving up too easily. This gloominess lasted for a moment until I felt so tired I fell asleep, with the stomach full enough.  

THIRD DAY OF FASING

I woke up fresh after only five hours’ sleep. I went to sleep hungry but for some reason I rose satisfied. I guess the food was so present in my dreams it fulfilled my psychological hunger.

After habitually putting on my dressing gown and slippers I walked to the waiting hall to see the nurse. There were ten German grandfathers in the queue before me, waiting the nurses’ measurements. As a routine, they take your blood pressure and weigh you every morning. Moreover there is discussing about sensations and following the progress of the fast and the patient’s condition.

Two kilos had gone, yoo-hoo! The fast has started off well. It must be mostly liquid that has burned but the figure brought a good feeling anyway.

Filled with energy, I left for the Puente Romano beach with the familiar bus ride. I told the travel hostess I would come back by taxi or foot. I wanted to take a long walk.

I walked back to the clinic. The sun was burning hot. I drank the morning tea in my room and went to the pool to sunbathe and read my book. I hadn’t eaten anything yet the whole day. Only drunk about three liters of water and the tea.

One of the clients asked me whether I knew Riikka that had been as a gym instructor at the clinic. I responded negatively. This elderly gentleman smiled and said: "you’re as beautiful as Riikka". After a while another man came to me and asked what on earth I was doing at the clinic, since I already had a perfect body. I thanked, feeling slightly awkward and he answered: "It’s all MY pleasure", and asked me to move closer to the gym window so that he would have a nice view while pedaling the bike. My oh my, I thought. Either the sun had melted the customers’ heads at the clinic, or this detox is starting to show results and I am glowing new vitality.  

Before lunch I was a bit hungry to be honest. I fetched a cup of beautiful vegetable soup and for dessert some berry juice that had a half strawberry, a blueberry and a raspberry on top of it. They gave me an inch of chives on top of the soup and I chose oregano out of all the herbs. The food tasted heavenly for someone so hungry. The liquid food at the clinic is surprisingly tasty.

To maintain the liver working also during the fast, they brought me a hot water bottle on my belly for 20 minutes. I rested in my room in the heat of the bottle and read a book. I had to eat vitamin tablets twice a day in order to get all the necessary vitamins and minerals during the fast as well.

The clinic gym has good equipment and personal trainer services available. The sauna is warm from the morning till the evening. The life at the clinic is really relaxing. You might go to the gym and classes several times per day.

While I was in the gym my room had been tided up so it was in an impeccable shape. The cleaners came to my room several times in a day but only when I wasn’t in my room. There were always different waters in glass bottles available in the room and in other parts of the clinic to drink freely. A very efficient and good service. The dressing gown and the slippers had been changed too. The afternoon tea was waiting in my room. Kind of carefree the life here.

 

The days run at the clinic in such a pleasant atmosphere you don’t even remember you are fasting. You have day in and day out gym classes, courses, excursions, painting, yoga, spa area and the lovely sun. The people are nice and sociable; there’s always someone to talk to if you want. It is also totally ok to spend time with your own thoughts and have lunch and dinner in your room.

The evenings are lamentably heavy for me. I always wait for them with horror. Doing nothing and a slight hunger are a terrible combination. I was dreaming even of a piece of celery! In real life I hated the taste of celery more than anything.  

I am really, truly desperate. There is a kettle and tea bags in my room. I found a few 2 gram bags of stevia-sweetener among the tea bags. I am very aware that stevia is a calorie-free sweetener but I was hoping to trick my taste nerves by powdering the contents of the stevia bags on my tongue. Didn’t help. I chewed the stevia crystals and laughed at myself. I had hit the bottom. I brushed my teeth and - finally - fell asleep at some point.

SECOND DAY OF FASTING

I woke up in the morning already at 6:30. For once I could sleep, but I wasn’t sleepy. I read a book. It was still dark outside. I still had a little ache on my temple. A little before eight o’ clock I paid a visit to the nurse. They took my blood pressure and weighed me. My initial weight had dropped over a kilo although I had eaten proper food the day before. I didn’t have the energy to fight against my headache anymore. The nurse handed me a caffeine tablet that took away the pain surprisingly fast.  

After the weighing I rapidly changed my training clothes on and ran into the bus that was waiting in the clinic yard. It was still a bit chilly and quite dark as well. The bus got ready to transport the fasting early birds for a morning walk on Marbella beach. The bus was almost full. Nobody seems to sleep until late in this clinic.

picture: from the web

The beach looked really beautiful. A bit after nine a glowing sun started to rise from the horizon. I hadn’t bothered to bring the camera with me but here’s a picture of the dawn taken by someone on the Golden Mile beach. I hadn’t eaten any breakfast, yet I didn’t feel hungry.

For the jog on the way back I got about fifty year old German lawyer. He was on the Buchinger fast for the fifth time. When I asked him about his motivation to come to fast time and time again I received an interesting answer. He said he loved wines and drinks a bottle of red wine per day. In Buchinger he believes he can reduce the toxins in his liver, lose five kilos, relax and prove himself every time he fasts that he can manage two weeks without alcohol. So the alcohol use is under control this way...  

After the morning run I got a jar of salt water that works as a laxative, with a glass of blackcurrant juice to flush the salty taste out of my mouth. Let the fast begin.

I flushed the jar of salty water down the throat. A rather terrible potion. The berry juice tasted like heaven after the salty water. I was lying on my bed and read a book for about an hour. I was told that the intestine would start functioning quickly and that it would be better to stay in the room the whole day.

After the salty water I had a lemon with the morning tea. I also received a drop of liquid honey. No activating in the intestine was to be noticed.

Yesterday was a bit cloudy but now at last the sun was shining. I took a risk: put my white bikini on and headed to the pool to sunbathe and read a book. The lawyer joined me. At about 1 pm my stomach started feeling unsettled, and I was feeling quite uncomfortable lying there. I politely told my sunbathing buddy that I had to retire to rest in my room.

Honestly I had to run to the toilet where I made it just on time. Should I ever again drink that salt solution I will stay near the toilet all day.  

They brought me lunch into the room. I had some watery, green soup. It tasted quite delicious in spite of being so thin; or maybe I was just awfully hungry. I could have scoffed many bowls of that broth, but I only got one.

The soup came directly out from the other end; yes, the laxatives were truly working. I stayed in my room the rest of the day. I had to concentrate on thinking that this was good for me. The laxatives cleanse my body from all the old metabolic waste.

At 8 o’ clock in the evening I was brought parsley soup and tasteless tea. At 9 I thought of going to sleep while I still had some soup in my stomach. I was afraid that I might get hungry at night. I couldn’t catch sleep. I rolled around in my bed for many hours fantasizing about delicacies and normal healthy food. I dreamt of a small slice of rye bread. Only at 2 am I fell asleep, hungry.

They say that the first three days of the fast are the worst. I have to keep strong.