Reasons versus excuses

Quasi-inspirational internet quotes will tell you that you cannot improve without suffering, for you are both the stone and the sculptor. Meh.

Today is a fasting day. Originally, I decided to do this with the goal of quickly driving myself into nutritional ketosis, generally recognized as happening at blood ketone levels of between 1 and 2 mmol/L (regular folks usually sit below 0.5). I've been staying well hydrated, but I felt more off than expected, so I decided to test my ketones around 5 PM. I was at 6.5 mmol/L. That's past nutritional ketosis, past moderate ketosis, past post-exercise ketosis, and well into the upper range of fasting ketosis. It's actually approaching ketoacidosis, which can be dangerous if blood glucose is high. So I naturally checked my glucose; 65 mg/dl, rather below normal and bordering on hypoglycemic levels. No wonder I was feeling off.

Vague thoughts rolled around in my head for a bit as I chatted on the phone with someone about other things and had a glass of cold lemon water. Then I poured myself a small bowl of almonds and had a couple almost to my mouth when I stopped myself. What was I doing? This is a fasting day. Of course I can expect to be into fasting ketosis. My blood sugar is low, yes, but that's a good indication I'm at no serious risk for ketoacidosis. There's no particular good reason to stop my fast already. Yes, I'm in ketosis, but this is also about will power. How very little will power must I have if I can't even fast for a single day? No, the almonds went back in the back, every one of them, and the bag is sitting out on the counter. Sure, I'm a bit hungry. But I'm not going to use my blood sugar as an excuse to eat. I'll suffer no significant negative health effects whatsoever from waiting until the morning. If I would, that would be a reason to eat. But I don't have any reasons; just excuses.