When people hear the word “fasting,” they often imagine extreme willpower and strict rules—no food, no joy, just survival.
But in my case, it was more like a gentle reset.
I’ve done several kinds of “petit fasting” over the years—not completely cutting out all food, but rather removing specific ingredients or making mindful choices for a limited time.
🌾 Types of Fasting I’ve Tried
Here are a few of the more relaxed styles of fasting I’ve experimented with:
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Quitting wheat for four weeks
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Cutting out sugar
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Weekend-only meals of miso soup and brown rice (no meat, no wheat, no sugar)
They may not sound like true “fasting,” but I like to think of them as light internal cleanses—a way to give my body a break without feeling deprived.
😷 The Moment I Quit Wheat—and Why
I first gave up wheat around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I had a lingering cold (possibly even COVID, who knows?) and felt absolutely drained.
That’s when a friend who practices macrobiotic living gave me this advice:
“When your lungs are weak, cut out wheat and sugar.”
Even though I felt awful, I gave it a try. I was desperate for anything that might help.
Organic Brown Rice – Easy to cook, naturally delicious
✨ What Changed After 4 Weeks
Surprisingly, I started to feel lighter.
My body felt cleaner, my digestion improved, and my overall energy slowly returned.
Even my sleep quality got better—something I didn’t expect.
It wasn’t dramatic, but it was enough to make me realize just how much my usual eating habits were affecting me.
🥐 But Let’s Be Honest—Wheat Is Delicious
That said, let’s not kid ourselves—all the tastiest things are made with wheat, right?
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Bread
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Ramen
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Cookies and cakes
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Tonkatsu (can’t forget that crispy breaded coating!)
Going totally wheat-free long-term? That’s a tough sell.
🔄 What I Do Now: My “Petit Wheat Rule”
These days, I don’t strictly avoid wheat, but I do try to not eat wheat-based meals back to back.
Some small examples:
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If I have toast for breakfast, I’ll go for rice or veggies at lunch
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If I indulge in pasta for dinner, I’ll skip wheat the next day
It’s not about perfection—it’s about balance and listening to how my body responds.
🌱 Final Thoughts: When You Take Something Away, You Learn What Matters
Even a small change—like giving up one food group for a short time—can help you tune into your body’s needs.
When we step back from “automatic eating” and bring more awareness into our meals, our bodies thank us with more energy, better sleep, and a sense of clarity.
You don’t need to fast forever.
You don’t need to be perfect.
But you can try a gentle reset and see what it reveals.
