Ramadan: Day 10 - Tired and Hungry, But Thirsty is the Worst
A third of the way through, and decided to post an update for those curious.
It's been good. Turned out I had the wrong calendar for sunrise/sunset (zip code typo maybe?), so it was only the first day I was up in the 3:30 am range - now I am staying in bed until 4:10 am! Woo hoo? Lol! Since the days are getting shorter, fast is getting shorter, too: today is from 4:51 am to 8:57 pm.
I have lost maybe one pound. I am noticing (same as the last three years) my "automatic moves" toward some of my bad eating habits: grabbing "junk" when I am bored, a fondness for chips, and the extra calories in my unnecessary but oh so beloved caffeinated frappe drinks. Fortunately, I had the wisdom to detox my caffeine addiction the week before, so the misery of that wasn't added to the challenge of "first week of fasting."
I am having to actually plan and pay attention to what I am eating (I go through phases of this during non-Ramadan times, too) to make sure I am eating a balanced diet during my limited eating time - protein, fruits and vegetables make me happiest, while breads give me a "full" feeling that is temporary/makes me hungrier sooner. This all seems pretty obviously explained when I type it, but knowing it logically is different than experiencing it, if you get what I mean.
The first couple of days my brain just felt "fuzzy" - maybe the sleep deprivation had a lot to do with it, but my thinking just didn't feel clear. I found myself thinking of homeless people - hungry and rousted out of sleep - and have been thinking of how challenging it must be to "problem solve out of the situation" under these circumstances. My memory, usually quite good, seemed impacted - I was "forgetting" things. I have lived with long term sleep deprivation (mom to premature twins -lol!), but this felt "different" - maybe hormones and adrenaline make it "easier"?
By afternoon my energy feels "low"; the first few days I also felt nearly faint, and weak. I know I am in no danger of actual starvation (thanks to my extra personal padding!), but the change in my sugar levels while my body adjusts/adjusted to the new schedule is/has been miserable at times. Again, I think of the proverbial "grumpy" homeless person....
I am striving to "be nice" especially because my good habit is "not snapping" which can be quite challenging because I seem to be getting less tolerant of STUPID while having more incidences of it myself!
Thirsty is the worst. Dry lips. Dry throat. Not wanting to talk (!). The taste of clean, cool water when fast ends is bliss.
One of the oddest things is that, as soon as the sun sets, I am suddenly NOT STARVED. I have noticed this in previous years, also. I wonder if this is some ancient survival instinct so hungry humans don't wander around in the dangerous night looking for food.
I eat anyway, of course. I just end up eating not as much as I thought I was going to while I fantasized about food all day. 
Today will be a challenge, as I am going to be working on an hour long videotape lecture for a project that is very important to me. I was trying to get it done before Ramadan started, because not taking even a sip of water while doing such a long lecture has me wincing in anticipatory dread, but life didn't work out that way, and I need to get this done. I hope I don't screw it up. Sigh.
I am somewhat proud of myself, but in a "wow, I am actually doing this!" way. I feel inspired to try to keep the good habits (especially breakfast!) and add a few more when it finishes (back to regular exercise!). I feel like I am getting the point: I have much to be grateful for.
And I am resolving to carry a case of bottled water for sharing with the homeless men I see on the way to work for the next couple of weeks at least.
Original Thread at Beginning of Ramadan: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002973625
= new reply since forum marked as read
Does it help at all to over-drink water when you can?
(Feel badly for introducing the 'wa*er' word)
Good luck with the challenge of today 
and thanks for sharing the concepts of Ramadan with us.
Seems to me to be such an intellectual, humane idea... and I am very appreciative of your sharing..
