fast?

KimLovesDon
KimLovesDon Posts: 152 Member
in Food and Nutrition
What is your opinion on an occasional "fast " day. Say one day a month when a person takes no food or drink (except water and any necessary meds. )

Replies

  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    One day a month? Perfectly fine.

    There are some plans that involve 2 days a week!

    I honestly want to do a fast day one day... just to see if I can do it... lol.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    At best pointless; at worst harmful to your progress.
  • Leanalgreen
    Leanalgreen Posts: 36 Member
    At best pointless; at worst harmful to your progress.

    This isn't necessarily true. There are a tremendous amount of studies recently that promote fasting. Not just for fitness, but for overall health. There are programs called Intermittent Fasting that work extremely well. Some call for daily fasting of up to 18 hours and others call for a whole day or two.

    There is a diet called Lean Gains. It is focused on people trying to build muslce, but a search for it will show a ton of information on the topic of fasting.
  • Leanalgreen
    Leanalgreen Posts: 36 Member
    Here's the link to the lean gains website actually. As you can see by his picture and reading through the posts this guy knows what he's talking about.

    http://www.leangains.com/
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Fasting can be beneficial for reasons other than weight loss. Some people use it to give their digestive system a break--for example, if you have Crohn's disease or colitis. Fasting has also been a mainstay of many spiritual and religious practices. You should read up on it, though, to do it correctly. There are books on it.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Fasting can be beneficial for reasons other than weight loss. Some people use it to give their digestive system a break--for example, if you have Crohn's disease or colitis. Fasting has also been a mainstay of many spiritual and religious practices. You should read up on it, though, to do it correctly. There are books on it.

    Is there something I can do to stop my heart from beating for a while? I would like to give my cardiovascular system a break from working all the time.
  • fataalic
    fataalic Posts: 73 Member
    What is your opinion on an occasional "fast " day. Say one day a month when a person takes no food or drink (except water and any necessary meds. )

    Fasting for days (eating only once in the morning and once at night) is the best way to treat gastritis.
    I do that for religious reasons, but it is the only way that I can get rid of gastritis pain and after the fasting is over, I don't have any gastritis pain for several months, then it comes back again. It is chronic, though.
    So, I fast intermittently throughout the whole year.
    I guess giving your stomach some rest really helps any erosion and inflammation heal, because it is not constantly irritated by food.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    At best pointless; at worst harmful to your progress.

    This isn't necessarily true. There are a tremendous amount of studies recently that promote fasting. Not just for fitness, but for overall health. There are programs called Intermittent Fasting that work extremely well. Some call for daily fasting of up to 18 hours and others call for a whole day or two.

    There is a diet called Lean Gains. It is focused on people trying to build muslce, but a search for it will show a ton of information on the topic of fasting.

    The IF diets, as far I have seen have no advantage vs a "regular" diet with the same # of calories. Some people prefer the IF way because it allows them for larger meals later in the day. I get that. That's cool. I tried a very informal version of it while cutting. But it just comes down to meal timing, which is really just a matter of personal preference.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    Fasting can be beneficial for reasons other than weight loss. Some people use it to give their digestive system a break--for example, if you have Crohn's disease or colitis. Fasting has also been a mainstay of many spiritual and religious practices. You should read up on it, though, to do it correctly. There are books on it.
    Yes, because religion is the bulwark of reason and critical thinking...

    That said, there were religious practices like unclean animals for example that made sense in their time due to the knowledge at the time.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    At best pointless; at worst harmful to your progress.

    This isn't necessarily true. There are a tremendous amount of studies recently that promote fasting. Not just for fitness, but for overall health. There are programs called Intermittent Fasting that work extremely well. Some call for daily fasting of up to 18 hours and others call for a whole day or two.

    There is a diet called Lean Gains. It is focused on people trying to build muslce, but a search for it will show a ton of information on the topic of fasting.

    The IF diets, as far I have seen have no advantage vs a "regular" diet with the same # of calories. Some people prefer the IF way because it allows them for larger meals later in the day. I get that. That's cool. I tried a very informal version of it while cutting. But it just comes down to meal timing, which is really just a matter of personal preference.

    There's the problem, it all depends on how the individual responds to the fast. If I fast and then eat...

    I
    can't
    stop.
  • KimLovesDon
    KimLovesDon Posts: 152 Member
    I'm thinking I may do it, mainly just to see if I can. Maybe tomorrow. I just wondered if it was such a good thing /idea.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    I'm thinking I may do it, mainly just to see if I can. Maybe tomorrow. I just wondered if it was such a good thing /idea.

    oh well, better luck next time
  • Microfiber
    Microfiber Posts: 956 Member
    I'm thinking I may do it, mainly just to see if I can. Maybe tomorrow. I just wondered if it was such a good thing /idea.

    Try it then at least you can say you tried it :smile:
  • AussieTrainer
    AussieTrainer Posts: 171
    Fasting can be beneficial for reasons other than weight loss. Some people use it to give their digestive system a break--for example, if you have Crohn's disease or colitis. Fasting has also been a mainstay of many spiritual and religious practices. You should read up on it, though, to do it correctly. There are books on it.

    Is there something I can do to stop my heart from beating for a while? I would like to give my cardiovascular system a break from working all the time.

    I would love to look into this; any tips? Need to detox my arteries fast
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    Fasting can be beneficial for reasons other than weight loss. Some people use it to give their digestive system a break--for example, if you have Crohn's disease or colitis. Fasting has also been a mainstay of many spiritual and religious practices. You should read up on it, though, to do it correctly. There are books on it.
    Yes, because religion is the bulwark of reason and critical thinking...

    That said, there were religious practices like unclean animals for example that made sense in their time due to the knowledge at the time.

    If you are talking about Judaism, the Talmud actually says that the dietary rules are an example of rules that have no logical reason behind them, but that we do anyway because G-d said so. Yes, there is actually a "because G-d said so" category of religious law. :)

    In that vein of conversation, as someone who does religious fasts several times a year, I would probably advise against it for diet reasons for the simple fact that, after I fast, I crave carbohydrates. This is apparently not unusual; the body has been scared into worrying when it will get to eat again, and goes for the foods it can get a lot of calories from without feeling sated rather than, say, veggies.
  • EdwarddeVere
    EdwarddeVere Posts: 178
    I fast everyday when I sleep and between meals.
  • squirrelythegreat
    squirrelythegreat Posts: 158 Member
    Personally I enjoy fasting now that I've tried it out a couple weeks. I work overnights so I end up being up all night friday and saturday nights. Much easier to wake up at 9pm, eat once, then not eat again until I get up saturday night while I hang out and relax. I drink coffee, tea, and water while I fast. I like it more for the exercise in willpower than any health benefits it might have. I feel great the next day regardless.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    What is your opinion on an occasional "fast " day. Say one day a month when a person takes no food or drink (except water and any necessary meds. )

    Pointless for most people. Starving the body puts it into a state of stress, slows the digestive system down so waste food festers in the gut, risks dehydration.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    Yes!
    A water fast is good for you, and it is best to understand fasting, because there are so many misconceptions/misunderstanding behind it, ie, it is only for religious reasons, you will starve, and more...
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    What is your opinion on an occasional "fast " day. Say one day a month when a person takes no food or drink (except water and any necessary meds. )

    Pointless for most people. Starving the body puts it into a state of stress, slows the digestive system down so waste food festers in the gut, risks dehydration.
    Nope!
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    I'm thinking I may do it, mainly just to see if I can. Maybe tomorrow. I just wondered if it was such a good thing /idea.
    Whatever type of fast you choose, a fast should be a healthy break from food, for the right kind of reasons. It should be done with knowledge. A good book on fasting is by Herbert Shelton, a medical doctor who conducted scores of clinical fasts.
    Also, the way you break a fast is important, for example, you would not overeat following a fast.

    *edit to add the book name, "Fasting Can Save Your Life"

Categories