Water Fasting

rickmanchristiana

OK so I've been doing alot of online research about water fasting. I weigh 180 at 5'7" and my body fat percentage is in the over weight line. My healthy weight is about 130. I've obviously got alot of reserves to use. Research says that consuming nothing but water forces your body to use your fat reserves and purge toxins that have built up and repair damage done internally.
I'm going to start tomorrow 2/4. I have a horrible relationship with food, using it for comfort so I feel this detoxing will give me a chance to re evaluate that relationship. I don't have a set number of days but would like to go to 21.
I want to post my experience here.
I have no health issues and not on any medication.

livingleanlivingclean

No. How does this seem like a good idea to you? - you may want to lose weight/fat, but this is not the way to do it.

Enter you stats in to MFP and eat what it tells you.

rickmanchristiana

There are actual research centers just for fasting and doctors that specialize in fasting, that's where I've been. Reading alot about it. I wouldn't do anything that would hurt myself.

mom22dogs

Have you actually done research on reputable sites with peer-reviewed studies from actual medical experts? The research you have found is wrong. Water only doesn't force you to use only fat. It also will force you to use your muscle, bone and other tissues as well, damaging your body. What toxins do you think it will purge that your liver and kidneys don't already? And it will repair what damage done internally? What gets damaged by eating food?

You stand to do a lot of damage to yourself if you only drink water for 21 days. You'll be effectively starving yourself.

Equina

I did a 5 day water fast just as a test and an experiment. It was a very interesting experience. Yes I lost weight but I really did it just to see if I could. It let me know that if I could have the willpower to eat nothing for 5 days, saying no to extra food on a daily basis is theroetically simple. Again, good for self exploration but probably not the best method of weight loss.

rickmanchristiana

The weight loss aspect I know will only work and stick if I eat right and exercise after the fast is done. Ive read up on ketosis, and muscle sparing while fasting. Still doing more reading tonight and looking up more doctors studies and reviews. But so far what I've read is that as long as u don't do it too long, no damage will come of it except a bit of muscle loss.

TeaBea

So starving yourself will help you with "your horrible relationship" with food......how exactly?

Eating moderately......measuring, logging and being accountable...that's what helps you learn about your eating habits. Skip the fad diet nonsense. Just eat food you like and figure out where you need to make changes.

Your body is NOT using stored fat exclusively. Your body can't get everything from fat stores, you're losing lean muscle mass too.

livingleanlivingclean

rickmanchristiana wrote: »

The weight loss aspect I know will only work and stick if I eat right and exercise after the fast is done. Ive read up on ketosis, and muscle sparing while fasting. Still doing more reading tonight and looking up more doctors studies and reviews. But so far what I've read is that as long as u don't do it too long, no damage will come of it except a bit of muscle loss.

So why not just start by "eating right and exercising" from day 1?

Muscle is hard enough to gain, even harder (if not impossible) in a deficit, which you will be in whilst dieting. You should be doing everything you can to maintain it. This requires fuelling your body, and doing resistance training, not starving yourself.

CafeRacer808

All doctors are not created equal and the vast majority aren't research scientists. Have the studies you've read been peer-reviewed by the scientific community and have their results been independently verified?

lemmie177

rickmanchristiana wrote: »

...except a bit of muscle loss.

plus hair loss, poor nails and skin, lack of energy to perform daily functions, higher susceptibility to illness, and poor recovery from injury.

Alatariel75

Water fasting is a buzzword for starving. What a world we live in that someone would choose to starve for 21 days and say it's for their health.

Rocbola

rickmanchristiana wrote: »

There are actual research centers just for fasting and doctors that specialize in fasting, that's where I've been.

Are you planning on doing the fast at one of these centers? In the presence of those doctors? If so, have fun. But if not, you might consider a shorter fast.

Therealobi1

You are stalling as you are not ready to lose weight
Stop looking for silly distractions and use mfp as designed when your ready
Also read the success stories to find motivation
Good luck

Sira125

This would be an expremely poor choice. I sincerely hope you don't actually plan to do this. Should you choose to do it you should be under a doctor's care and monitoring. Risks of electrolyte imbalances and cardiac events would be greatly increased. (Sometimes) people can live three weeks without eating if they are well hydrated but that doesn't mean they should. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-can-a-person-sur/

L1zardQueen

I hope you don't get behind the wheel of a car!

sugaraddict4321

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