24 hour fasting

Has anybody ever tried this? If so, opinions please?
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Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Has anybody ever tried this? If so, opinions please?

    For a colonoscopy. Not a whole a lot of fun. :# LOL
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    For what?
  • Annr
    Annr Posts: 2,765 Member
    That is a great way to get your body to hold onto every fat cell you own. In my opinion, by not eating, you put your body into a self preservation mode.
  • caffeinatedcami
    caffeinatedcami Posts: 168 Member
    I admit that I tried it once and I don't recommend it. I lost a tiny bit of water weight that I promptly regained when I started eating again. And I felt physically ill. I wanted to sleep all day. I understand the temptation but it's just not worth it. Plus it should be noted that so-called cleanses do not "detoxify" your body (your kidneys and liver do that on their own) and long-term they can actually slow your metabolism and cause other health problems.
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    Annr wrote: »
    That is a great way to get your body to hold onto every fat cell you own. In my opinion, by not eating, you put your body into a self preservation mode.

    This is untrue. The body doesn't hold onto fat when you don't eat.
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  • Annr
    Annr Posts: 2,765 Member
    @kkenseth ok then, if it doesn't hold onto fat, what does your body function on, when you deny it of nutrients?
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Has anybody ever tried this? If so, opinions please?

    For a colonoscopy. Not a whole a lot of fun. :# LOL

    *shudder* I have that coming up sometime (thanks, Dad!), awaiting a mystery call from Health Canada.

    I've never done a 24 fast and wouldn't except as a medical necessity.
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    edited August 2015
    Annr wrote: »
    @kkenseth ok then, if it doesn't hold onto fat, what does your body function on, when you deny it of nutrients?

    It burns through what glycogen stores you have, then starts burning through fat stores. It's not going to do that in 24 hours, but "starvation mode" as you're describing it is a myth.

    Edited for content: I replied too quickly and wrote incorrectly.
  • Annr
    Annr Posts: 2,765 Member
    @zyxst No they arent fun...but its the living in the bathroom the night before that isn't fun. The procedure was a piece of cake, I was knocked out. I would suggest keeping some sort of "barrier cream" nearby the night before as you are "cleaning out your system".
  • Pinnacle_IAO
    Pinnacle_IAO Posts: 608 Member
    kkenseth wrote: »
    Annr wrote: »
    @kkenseth ok then, if it doesn't hold onto fat, what does your body function on, when you deny it of nutrients?

    It burns through what glucose stores you have, then it starts in on your muscle. It's not going to do that in 24 hours, but "starvation mode" as you're describing it is a myth.
    I fast 4 days per week for 16 hours in an effort to maintain weight and lose body fat.
    It's been a slow process, but I maintained 180lbs and dropped body fat from 23% down to 15%.
    This was over 2.5 years, so it's not some miracle pill.

  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Annr wrote: »
    That is a great way to get your body to hold onto every fat cell you own. In my opinion, by not eating, you put your body into a self preservation mode.

    No, that's completely wrong. The human body evolved specifically to run well in fasted conditions. A 24 hour fast is nothing - you need to go past 72 hours for the first hints of Bad Things.
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    kkenseth wrote: »
    Annr wrote: »
    @kkenseth ok then, if it doesn't hold onto fat, what does your body function on, when you deny it of nutrients?

    It burns through what glucose stores you have, then it starts in on your muscle. It's not going to do that in 24 hours, but "starvation mode" as you're describing it is a myth.
    I fast 4 days per week for 16 hours in an effort to maintain weight and lose body fat.
    It's been a slow process, but I maintained 180lbs and dropped body fat from 23% down to 15%.
    This was over 2.5 years, so it's not some miracle pill.

    That's AWESOME. I don't think OP is as experienced as you are in body recomp though. I could be wrong.
  • Annr
    Annr Posts: 2,765 Member
    thanks for the clarification @kkenseth :-)
    @Pinnacle_IAO congrats on your journey thus far!
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Has anybody ever tried this? If so, opinions please?

    For a colonoscopy. Not a whole a lot of fun. :# LOL

    I feel you on that one. I live off nothing but sugar free jello and diet coke when I'm testing my basal insulin rates. It requires a minimum of eleven hours of fasting (five hours to clear any mealtime insulin plus six+ hours for the basal test), and it's difficult not to kill anyone during that time.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    abatonfan wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Has anybody ever tried this? If so, opinions please?

    For a colonoscopy. Not a whole a lot of fun. :# LOL

    I feel you on that one. I live off nothing but sugar free jello and diet coke when I'm testing my basal insulin rates. It requires a minimum of eleven hours of fasting (five hours to clear any mealtime insulin plus six+ hours for the basal test), and it's difficult not to kill anyone during that time.

    How often do you have do that? Because fasting really sucks!!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Just for religious reasons. I don't even totally fast any longer. I'd get woozy. The deal with most of the religions in the US is that being hungry is okay, hurting yourself isn't. If it's going to hurt you or make you sick in any way, you don't fast. So, I kinda fast now.

    Fasting to lose weight is not the healthiest or most sensible way to go about it.
  • fyoung1111
    fyoung1111 Posts: 109 Member
    I do a 24 hour fast two or three times per month—usually after a day or two or three of 3,000 calorie days. It is really not so difficult. I think I would find it more difficult to try to get by on 1000 calories than none at all.

    Kkenseth is right. Starvation mode takes two to three days to kick in and only results in a 20-30% drop in your metabolic rate. The vast majority of us have plenty of fat stores to feed the machine during a one day fast. Those that don't, aren't fasting.
  • Prayerwarrior7
    Prayerwarrior7 Posts: 27 Member
    Has anybody ever tried this? If so, opinions please?

    Did it for spiritual purposes - not just for weight loss ;) Longest I've been without food and water is 3 days - for spiritual purposes. Was weak, couldn't pray much and kept on thinking about food :)

  • Pinnacle_IAO
    Pinnacle_IAO Posts: 608 Member
    edited August 2015
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Has anybody ever tried this? If so, opinions please?

    For a colonoscopy. Not a whole a lot of fun. :# LOL

    THE STEEL STALLION!
    :o
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    abatonfan wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Has anybody ever tried this? If so, opinions please?

    For a colonoscopy. Not a whole a lot of fun. :# LOL

    I feel you on that one. I live off nothing but sugar free jello and diet coke when I'm testing my basal insulin rates. It requires a minimum of eleven hours of fasting (five hours to clear any mealtime insulin plus six+ hours for the basal test), and it's difficult not to kill anyone during that time.

    How often do you have do that? Because fasting really sucks!!

    Technically, I should be doing it any time I think my basal insulin rates on my pump need to be adjusted (which can be on a weekly basis depending on hormones, weight loss, and any extra activity), but the test stinks too much for me to do it no more than once every six months. I still haven't been able to fully solidify all 24 hours of my basal rates through testing -most of the time, I would fail the test (typically by experiencing more than a 60mg/dL change in my BG over the six hours), adjust my rates accordingly, and not test again because of how much of a PITA fasting is.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    abatonfan wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    abatonfan wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Has anybody ever tried this? If so, opinions please?

    For a colonoscopy. Not a whole a lot of fun. :# LOL

    I feel you on that one. I live off nothing but sugar free jello and diet coke when I'm testing my basal insulin rates. It requires a minimum of eleven hours of fasting (five hours to clear any mealtime insulin plus six+ hours for the basal test), and it's difficult not to kill anyone during that time.

    How often do you have do that? Because fasting really sucks!!

    Technically, I should be doing it any time I think my basal insulin rates on my pump need to be adjusted (which can be on a weekly basis depending on hormones, weight loss, and any extra activity), but the test stinks too much for me to do it no more than once every six months. I still haven't been able to fully solidify all 24 hours of my basal rates through testing -most of the time, I would fail the test (typically by experiencing more than a 60mg/dL change in my BG over the six hours), adjust my rates accordingly, and not test again because of how much of a PITA fasting is.

    Man, that is tough. Sorry to hear that.
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    I have done it once a month for most of my adult life, not for weight loss reasons but for religious purposes. I found it to have zero affect on weight loss. When coupled with prayer it is spiritually powerful.
  • NotGnarly
    NotGnarly Posts: 137 Member
    I've done about 3-24hr fast but mine were for spiritual reasons. Lots of prayer for strength and a closer connection with YHWH. As far as weight loss it works in the short term. When I break fast I can't eat as much because I get full sooner. Usually I drop about 2 pounds. I also dabbled in fast such as the 12/12 and 14/10. I really didn't like those after a while because I felt hungry. Once I went back to eating normal my weight loss plateaued and the only way to lose more was to do another 24hr fast.

    In the end I feel like my metabolism slowed down because the scale wasn't moving on a normal calorie amount. So I did a refeed for 10 days and then reduced by 500 cals and now I'm able to lose weight eating 2100 cals a day.

    A spiritual fast every now and then is good but I honestly couldn't imagine doing a 24hr fast just because. Good luck with whatever you decide.
  • Bshmerlie
    Bshmerlie Posts: 1,026 Member
    I've done reduced calorie day of 800 calories after I had a day of 3000 calories. I also did something similar before and after a cruise I went on. But I've never gone completely without food...that's crazy. :) And honestly there's no reason to put yourself through that.
  • LumberJacck
    LumberJacck Posts: 559 Member
    I've done numerous 23.5 hour fasts over the years, where I eat only once a day. Sometimes up to 4-5 days in a row. It's a great way to limit what you eat simply and easily.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Fasting is of those things you do because you have to, not because you think it's fun, unless you're mad or stupid, or both.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    kkenseth wrote: »
    Annr wrote: »
    @kkenseth ok then, if it doesn't hold onto fat, what does your body function on, when you deny it of nutrients?

    It burns through what glycogen stores you have, then starts burning through fat stores.

    Nope - that's not how it works either. You absolutely don't have to be completely glycogen depleted to use fat for fuel.
  • arb037
    arb037 Posts: 203 Member
    Look up intermittent fasting and the benefits as it applies to 24 hr fasts as well.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I've done it for religious reasons...and then I stopped being religious.