hi chrisb1, and thank you for the advice. you are exactly right. i have a lot of underlying issues with food, depression, etc. i have dealt with eating disorders my entire life. going from one extreme to the other. not eating anything and eating everything. ive been in counseling many times, and although is has been somewhat successful, there are still underlying issues there i always deal with. fasting has always been my way of starting new. almost like shedding a new skin, starting over with life. its always made me more positive and has always helped jump start a healthier life style when i am trying to accomplish it. over the past 2 years ive dealt with a lot of emotional trauma. my brother died suddenly, ive had numerous family problems, financial troubles, etc. ive had more anxiety over the past couple years than ive had since i was in high school. starting this fast isnt just about trying to lose the weight, its about gaining back the control in my life that i feel like ive lost. thank you for the link. i will definitely check it out.