Ah, Wonderful Anorexia
I love it when this happens, because it always means that my body has shifted into fat-burning mode and I’m about to lose some serious poundage. Now, before you get your knickers in a twist, I am not referring to the medical condition known as anorexia nervosa. That’s a horse of a different colour.
Anorexia, without the “nervosa” bit, simply means loss of appetite. When I lose my appetite spontaneously (and not as the result of seeing or reading something patently revolting), it means my body’s not asking me for additional fuel. Which means I am free to top off the tank with whatever, rather than having to fill it up with high-octane.
I don’t want to eat anything much right now, so I’ve shifted into the veggies and dip cycle. Sometimes I just crave sour cream ranch dip and raw veggies. And with that, I drink lemon juice, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, and water. It’s the best natural purge on the planet. Lunch might be celery, jicama, grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, and broccoli with about a cup of ranch dip. And a couple of slices of pepper jack cheese, and a half-cup of pomegranate juice.
For days like this, I carry a drink around with me: the juice of four lemons diluted with enough water to make a pint, and two packets of Splenda. I have water, too, of course — ice cold and sitting in the office fridge. And pomegranate juice.
I don’t know what causes this loss of appetite — fluctuating hormones is my guess. But I am always glad when it happens, because shortly after my appetite returns, I find myself weighing a good five or ten pounds less. And it doesn’t seem to come back.