After doing research about religious fasts, Post stringer Kent Clements attempted a fast of his own.
Day 1, 10:06 a.m. This morning begins my very own fast. One might wonder why I am doing this, and the answer is fairly simple ' I'm curious. I will be going completely without food and drinking only water for over 36 hours. I have spoken to Dr. Darlene Berryman, an OU professor of Food, Nutrition and Hospitality, about the physical effects of fasting, and I believe I am ready.
Day 1, 5:12 p.m. I am done with class and am sitting down for my first bout of hungry homework. I'm beginning to feel the effects of the fast, my stomach has been making noise in class all day, I feel less energetic and judging by how today's test went my mind is working a tad slower. Also, Berryman told me my breath might begin to smell like acetone. Thankfully, it doesn't yet.
Day 1, 9:21 p.m. It's been a long day. In doing research for my story, I found a recurring theme of fasting being linked to being charitable, and am pleased to report that today I swiped my dining hall meal for a friend, and gave away two choice pieces of leftover Hungry Howie's to an ungrateful friend who tempted me with them before he left.
Day 2, 12: 17 a.m. I am going to bed. I'm tired and hungry. This is one rare instance when I do NOT want to dream of cheeseburgers.
Day 2, 9:18 a.m. I felt pretty crummy last night, but, either by coincidence or because I was fatigued from not eating, I slept like a log. I can tell that I am slightly dehydrated from sleeping, so I am treating myself to a tasty breakfast of water. It's been close to 36 hours and there is still no sign of my breath smelling like acetone, but all the other effects that Berryman mentioned have certainly arrived. I am notably fatigued, and mentally I feel more loopy than usual. I'm breaking the fast after my 11:00 class G? where to eat?
Day 2, 12:23 p.m. I am sitting in Wendy's, a vast array of crumpled sandwich wrappers are littered across my table. The fast is over. I've never been more grateful for those tiny, greasy stacks of glory in my entire life. The hunger haze is quickly lifting.
The fast has been pretty challenging. I don't think I could have made it up Morton Hill one more time today, but I can safely say my curiosity has been satisfied.
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Kent Clements
