fasting question (not intermittent)

madis0nliz

hey all! i know that juices, cleanses, detoxes, etc are all BS - the only way to lose weight is by burning more calories than i eat for sustainable, healthy weight loss. i also know long-term fasting isn't the best. however, i feel like starting off weight loss with a couple day fast (like 4 days) helps me to "reset" my taste buds and get me in the mindset for being better (obviously i'd break the fast with reasonable amounts of good foods, not a binge).

so my question is - if i'm just doing a 4-day fast (i've done plenty of fasts over the past couple of years before, so i'm experienced with fasting too), would that be bad? or if i stay conscious of my body & how i'm feeling, make sure to ease back into eating healthy afterwards, and use a fast to reset my mindset for weight loss, would that be a bad thing?

slbbw

Fasting is not inherently unhealthy, but what exactly are you resetting but doing so? 4 days also seems a bit long if the goal is just to get your head in the game. weightloss does not need to be a battle of willpower, so "prepping" for that battle may not be a sustainable approach. For me I know sugar can put me into hunger cycles, so I often will start with a sugar fast for a certain period of time. Perhaps something like that that will reset your tastebuds as you say and give you that short term goal that is accomplishable, but also more sustainable would be better for long term success.

apullum

Your taste buds are not a computer. They don't need a reset. I would strongly encourage you to consider other ways to get into the mindset you want, not an extended fast.

kimny72

For many people, long periods of fasting can lead to periods of bingeing or uncontrollable cravings. Whether that would be a problem for you is something only you can know.

I can't imagine how depriving your body of nutrition and fuel for 4 days would help. If you want to train your taste buds, why not just start eating the foods you want to enjoy? Also keep in mind that you can still eat the foods you love, you just have to choose carefully the ones you can moderate to fit in your calorie goal.

If your question is if it would be bad for your health, that's a question for your doctor. My personal view is that it can be bad for health and I would only do something that extreme if I felt it necessary for religious reasons.

Whatever you decide, I'd strongly suggest changing the mindset that suffering and deprivation are a necessary part of losing weight. They're not!

Diatonic12

There's no such thing as a food reset. It doesn't matter if you eliminate many food groups for 30 days or 60 days or 90 days, it doesn't reset anything. Fasting won't fix a poor relationship with food and it certainly won't reset it. Fasting is being used as a way to overcompensate for years or decades of poor eating decisions and fasting is not sustainable at all. You need to edge your way down slowly. I don't recommend fasting for anyone. Follow all of the constructs of MFP to the letter and track all of your data points. You'll have a much better chance of actually getting there and staying there. Fasting for days at a time won't help anyone get anywhere.

NovusDies

Modifying your food habits and acquired tastes takes a lot of time... I have read that it takes a minimum of 6 weeks and it requires eating the food you wish to eat and cutting down on the food you don't. I have no idea how that 6 weeks is determined.

Even then the changes may be mild. If you go a long time without drinking a full calorie soda you may eventually find it is too sweet for you.

This is a bad idea. You should rethink it.

cmriverside

I've read enough about fasting to believe that many people use fasting for the mood/mind altering effect.

It does create an euphoric response.

It's not a good idea at all unless you're under medical supervision. It can become its own little obsessive compulsion. It can become another addiction or control issue to people who are prone to that kind of thing. Be careful.

summyd2745

I don't think you need to fast that long to get a benefit. 24-36 hours should be plenty. Also, your taste buds adjust from eating the same food over and over. Plain steamed broccoli, for example, might taste boring the first time, but if you eat it over and over eventually you will taste the actual food and it might just be delicious! It takes time. I recommend looking into whole foods plant based SOS free eating for some ideas.

pence429

I totally get what your saying; it's a mental thing for me too. Fasting for a few days helps me reset my brain. After a fast, I feel like a glutton when I return to my maintenance routine.

Azdak

madis0nliz wrote: »

hey all! i know that juices, cleanses, detoxes, etc are all BS - the only way to lose weight is by burning more calories than i eat for sustainable, healthy weight loss. i also know long-term fasting isn't the best. however, i feel like starting off weight loss with a couple day fast (like 4 days) helps me to "reset" my taste buds and get me in the mindset for being better (obviously i'd break the fast with reasonable amounts of good foods, not a binge).

so my question is - if i'm just doing a 4-day fast (i've done plenty of fasts over the past couple of years before, so i'm experienced with fasting too), would that be bad? or if i stay conscious of my body & how i'm feeling, make sure to ease back into eating healthy afterwards, and use a fast to reset my mindset for weight loss, would that be a bad thing?

As this sounds like a short-term, motivational thing, I don’t think it’s a big deal. It certainly won’t hurt your body long term. It’s not inherently beneficial, either, so I would put in down as “neutral”. It’s nothing I would suggest to someone, but people do worse things.

sugaraddict4321

Dear Posters,

I wanted to offer a brief explanation for the locking of this thread.

The forum guidelines include this item:

6. Promotion of Unsafe Weight-Loss Techniques or Eating Disorders
I WILL:
• I will allow members to share experiences without judgment. Those seeking support in their recovery from eating disorders are welcome at MyFitnessPal. A growing list of support resources can be found on our Eating Disorder Resources page.
• I will understand that people have a complicated relationship with food.

I WON’T:
• I won’t use any aspect of our service to promote anorexia, bulimia or any unsafe dieting practices.
• I won’t promote very low-calorie diets.
• I won’t diagnose other members.

If you would like to review the forum guidelines, please visit the following link:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/welcome/guidelines

At our discretion, this locked thread may be deleted entirely in the near future.

When discussing fasting, please remember that each individual has his or her own health issues, may be taking medications, etc. Making blanket statements about long-term fasts being great for everyone is not always helpful and may be dangerous.

With respect,
Sugar
MyFitnessPal Moderator