Thoughts On Fasting?

DesOdhi
DesOdhi Posts: 84 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just wondering everyone’s thoughts on weekly fasting. For example, eating properly and normally for 6 days a week. Then, on the 7th, just drinking water to rest your digestive system. A lot of people in my health class were talking about it. No one seems to know if it’s good for your body or not. I would prefer genuine and honest opinions, as well as FACTUAL answers. However, genuine and honest does not mean rude or disrespectful. Thanks in advance.
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Replies

  • DesOdhi
    DesOdhi Posts: 84 Member
    Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »
    If you want to do this, I don't see why not. But your digestive system does not need a rest, that is hokum.
    Ok, thank you. Not really looking to do it. Just being inquisitive at the moment.

  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    I knew someone who put their dogs on this type of fast. He said he did it for their longevity. UGH
  • RAinWA
    RAinWA Posts: 1,980 Member

    If fasting one day a week works for someone to control their calories I don't think there's anything dangerous about it. I don't know of any benefit to resting your digestive system, I don't think that's really a thing.

  • malcolmrmcintyre
    malcolmrmcintyre Posts: 2 Member
    I developed significant gastritis on a two day a week fast regimen. Cured by same calories split evenly across the week
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    There are a few scientific studies on the benefits of fasting, although there aren't a whole lot. Most seem to agree that longer fasts are the ones that have the most potential for benefits like autophagy.

    Here's an interesting article: https://news.usc.edu/63669/fasting-triggers-stem-cell-regeneration-of-damaged-old-immune-system/
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »
    I knew someone who put their dogs on this type of fast. He said he did it for their longevity. UGH

    Poor dogs :disappointed:
  • whosshe
    whosshe Posts: 597 Member
    Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »
    I knew someone who put their dogs on this type of fast. He said he did it for their longevity. UGH

    That is so sad! Poor dogs waiting for supper for it to never come :disappointed:
  • BruceHedtke
    BruceHedtke Posts: 358 Member
    As long as you can control yourself on the days you are not fasting, then it can work very well in terms of building a calorie deficit. Just don't give your digestive system too much time off or it'll become lazy and sleep all day :o
  • DesOdhi
    DesOdhi Posts: 84 Member
    Rogstar wrote: »
    My mother has a 36-40 hour fast every Friday and has done it for years. Not for digestive rest, but she uses it for personal religious reasons. She feels it helps get herself into a good mood and that it helps her focus her praying. Last time I tried it on purpose all I could think about was how my stomach wouldn't shut up. My prayers now include thanks that I am able to eat what I need to function at my job every day!

    I don't believe it has any benefit or detriment to the digestive system itself, but I haven't read into any specific studies. In terms of weight loss, I assume it would work similarly to 5:2 or another intermittent fasting protocol. It's merely a way to reduce overall calorie intake.

    Yes, I agree. I’ve only really ever heard of people using it for religious reasons. I just wondered if anyone had any actual health benefits of doing it. Thank you for your response.
  • DesOdhi
    DesOdhi Posts: 84 Member
    fitoverfortymom wrote: »
    I can go about 4 hours without eating during my awake hours. It sure doesn't seem very "fast" to me.
    Haha, EXACTLY! I don’t see how people do it.

  • DesOdhi
    DesOdhi Posts: 84 Member
    Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »
    I knew someone who put their dogs on this type of fast. He said he did it for their longevity. UGH
    That’s ridiculous. I hope someone informed them that dogs eat when they’re hungry in the wild. They don’t “fast for longevity.”
  • DesOdhi
    DesOdhi Posts: 84 Member
    BruceHedtke wrote: »
    As long as you can control yourself on the days you are not fasting, then it can work very well in terms of building a calorie deficit. Just don't give your digestive system too much time off or it'll become lazy and sleep all day :o
    So, what I’ve pretty much gathered today, there’s no actual internal benefits to fasting. It’s either a religious or weight loss based. Thank you! I was really wondering.

  • Ryansworld84
    Ryansworld84 Posts: 83 Member
    My thoughts are that it is not magical and there is nothing more to it than skipping a meal. If it helps you control your calories in a given day then its ok but fasting itself is not some magic that will do anything beyond, skipping a meal. I use it as a tool to maintain a calorie deficit because I dont eat breakfast and eat a bigger lunch/dinner. Works for my lifestyle.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I think fasting one day a week is no big deal, depending on the person may be beneficial or may not (more to do with the mental effects). But NOT beneficial based on resting the digestive system, which doesn't need to rest.

    I fast occasionally for religious reasons and find it helpful. I don't like the idea of full day fasts for weight control, for me, but some use them regularly for that purpose and like them. That's about whether it creates an overall deficit for the week.
  • DesOdhi
    DesOdhi Posts: 84 Member
    MonaRaeHill wrote: »
    Sorry to be the one to rock the boat, but there IS benefit to fasting. Even IF will help to reset your metabolism to a leaner, meaner, more efficient machine. Have you seen the long-term Rhesus Monkey Research on minimal calorie deficiets? I know we're not monkeys, but it's worth pondering...........
    https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14063
    Thank you. I’ll keep an open mind and check it out.

  • DesOdhi
    DesOdhi Posts: 84 Member
    lois1231 wrote: »
    i was listening to one guy and he said fasting is one way to use glycogen so the body starts using fat. He is a weight trainer on you tube. His name is gravity training zone. He intermittently fasts.
    Thank you, if I get some free time today, I’ll be sure to watch a video or two.

  • DesOdhi
    DesOdhi Posts: 84 Member
    catherineg3 wrote: »
    @toxikon good article
    @kimny72 It is well documented that after a day of heavy weightlifting or a hard workout, you DO need to give those muscles a break of at least one day to rebuild and recover before stressing them heavily again.

    The main benefit of fasting is that when your body has used all the easy glycogen stores if there is no new food intake, the body starts looking internally for things it can burn for the energy it needs. Prolonged fasting (4-5 days) allows the body an opportunity to kill off damaged and mutated cells, and also creates a large drop in white blood cells, which are regenerated upon re-feeding. Some people will do an extended fast of 3 to 5 days twice each year.

    Most people find several days of no food too hard, so another option is "fasting mimicking diet", which Dr. Valter Longo created to allow cancer patients to have the benefits of a 5 day fast while consuming small regulated diet, around 500 calories per day. He has found that fasting may mitigate some of the harmful effects of chemotherapy and in his mice studies, fasting and chemo working together gave 100% cancer-free mice.

    One other thing you will hear about is intermittent fasting. This could be not eating every other day, or only picking one or two days out of the week (5/2) to fast. Many of the intermittent fasting diets also allow this small amount of calorie intake even on fasting days.

    I have just started time-restricted eating, with 16 hours of no food and only eating for 8 hour window each day. This should help me lose weight and control blood glucose. See Dr. Satchin Panda reference below and there's another 2-part interview with him on bulletproof radio. https://blog.bulletproof.com/satchin-panda-part-2/

    I've been listening to Dr. Rhonda Patrick and she has a lot of interest in the medical benefits of fasting on healthspan and lifespan. https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes
    For extended fasting, watch the Dr. Valter Longo & Dr. Guido Kroemer episodes & for time-restricted eating watch both of the Dr. Satchin Panda episodes.
    I appreciate your well thought out and articulate response. I’ll be sure to reference some of your links for my own research.

  • DesOdhi
    DesOdhi Posts: 84 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I think fasting one day a week is no big deal, depending on the person may be beneficial or may not (more to do with the mental effects). But NOT beneficial based on resting the digestive system, which doesn't need to rest.

    I fast occasionally for religious reasons and find it helpful. I don't like the idea of full day fasts for weight control, for me, but some use them regularly for that purpose and like them. That's about whether it creates an overall deficit for the week.
    Yea, I pretty much feel the same way. I’ve only really ever fasted for religious purposes, but not a complete fast (no food). More like, no meats or sweets for 40 days. I have no experience with the health reasons for doing it.

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