water fast

d0llhouse

i'm just finishing up my 5th day of a water fast and so far so good. the third day was the most difficult in terms of hunger/cravings, but this fast is really helping me break my emotional dependence on food.

as for health, fasting does not make your body shut down

jeffpettis

i meant only water and nothing else.....basically i was off all artificial sweeteners and caffeine for like 3 months and now am hooked again....only coffee, haven't had a soda in months.....i just figured it would be good to detox this way.....

Just my opinion, but coffee is not really that bad for you. As long as your not drinking a couple of pots a day.

Caffiene is second as the most addictive drug in the world. I think that says it all...

It's also been shown that coffee in moderation can have positive effects. If someone thinks they can't have it in moderation, that's one thing, but to say that everyone has to cut it out is ridiculous.

My point exactly! And since when has coffee been labeled a "drug"? My God people, if we have lost all of our willpower for moderation, then you might as well call all food a "drug", because obviously we all became addicted to it at some point, and now feel the need to lose weight. Like I said before, coffee is not bad for you as long as your not drinking 2 pots a day. Or maybe I'll ask my wife who is a nurse how many caffeine OD's she sees come in the ER everyday.!!! LOL!!!

AngieM76

I cant imagine doing this. For me personally, I would be dizzy, weak, have no energy, and would probably be sick. If I go 4 or 5 hours without food and just drink my water, I get a headache and dont feel good.

rileysowner

I just went 18 hour with nothing but water, was energetic, clear headed and had a great workout. I would have went 24 but my wife came home with a bunch of fresh strawberries and I decided to have my meal earlier.

Avalonis

This is the last thing I am going to post on this topic... if people choose to make bad decisions that are not backed by scientific evidence, there really isnt anything I can say that will change your mind. There is plenty of SCIENTIFICALLY BACKED DATA out there that debunks things like detox programs. Seriously people, you need to do your research!

With that being said, if you want to hurt your body and use ineffective time wasters, it IS your body. Go for it.

Here's one:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428170407.htm

ScienceDaily (Apr. 29, 2008) — Infomercials and Web sites urge us to eliminate the buildup of toxins that supposedly results from imprudent habits or exposure to hazardous substances. But the human body defends itself very well against most environmental insults and occasional indulgences, reports the May issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

The newsletter reviews some of the most widely promoted detox procedures, including the following:
Intestinal cleansing: Kits typically include a high-fiber supplement, a “support” supplement containing herbs or enzymes, a laxative to be used daily, and enemas. The aim is to eradicate parasites and expel fecal matter that allegedly adheres to the intestinal walls.

Foot detox: One method employs a special type of adhesive pad worn on the bottoms of the feet during sleep. Another approach is to immerse the feet for 30 minutes in an “ionic foot bath,” containing salt water and two electrodes that supply a low-voltage electric charge. Both methods claim to stimulate the outflow of toxins through the feet. However, there is no scientific evidence that ionic changes in the environment can stimulate a discharge of toxins through the feet—or any other part of the body.

Detox diets: A seemingly infinite array of diets is available for detoxifying the whole body. However, studies have shown that fasting and extremely low calorie intake—common elements of detox diets—cause a slowdown of metabolism and an increase in weight after the dieter returns to normal eating.

The bottom line: If you’re healthy, concentrate on giving your body what it needs to maintain its self-cleaning system—a healthful diet, adequate fluids, exercise, sleep, and all recommended medical check-ups, instead of relying on so-called detox procedures, says the Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

And here's an even better link from WEBMD. Like it says... if you are healthy, it probably won't hurt you (for short periods) but it will be detrimental to weight loss.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/fasting

rileysowner

Since you are so big on science, have you really researched short term fasts (16-24 hours)? I ask because if a person is healthy, there is nothing unhealthy about it. The best work bringing this together in my opinion is Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon, and the stuff at leangains.com Both cite numerous studies that show the value of short term fasts. Here is a very helpful article to start with. http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

If you don't want to fast or have a negative reaction to it, fine, don't do it. But, stop pretending in and of itself it is unhealthy, it is not and the research proves it. Our bodies are not meant to be in a fed state all the time, but they usually are.