Fasting?

meramirez2012
meramirez2012 Posts: 40 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've seen a few people post about adding 1-2 days of fasting to their diet each week. Doesn't this put the body into starvation mode? What exactly do you eat/drink on these fasting days? Does it really help?
«1

Replies

  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    I've seen a few people post about adding 1-2 days of fasting to their diet each week. Doesn't this put the body into starvation mode? What exactly do you eat/drink on these fasting days? Does it really help?
    Starvation Mode that your speaking of does NOT exist. MFP'ers throw that term around to scare you into eating more or eating what they think you should be eating. I fast all the time, I eat low cals and have done so since I started this in January 2012 and I have YET to have anything close to this made up term. And look what I've lost, my body has NOT held onto the fat, my hair is not falling out, my nails were bad to begin with so that isn't an issue. Starvation Mode I call BS.
  • Runhard13
    Runhard13 Posts: 138 Member
    its medical fact that starving your body slows down your metabolism not some gimmick trick...and while it might work without hazard for some people it isnt reccomended..healthy diet and exercise should be the only way to go
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
    Only an extended habit of it would cause a metabolic slowdown. One or two days a week isn't really much, especially when you consider weekly averages. It would have to be weeks or months of a strong calorie deficit before you start to see problems.

    Now, I don't condone fasts for the same reasons - I don't see the benefit in them, but to each his own.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    I've seen a few people post about adding 1-2 days of fasting to their diet each week. Doesn't this put the body into starvation mode? What exactly do you eat/drink on these fasting days? Does it really help?

    If it's the 5:2 diet I'm pretty sure the 2 days of fasting are eating at around 500 calories then 5 days at a higher goal number. It should still equal out to the weekly calorie goal if I understand the process right. No clue if it actually helps though.

    Keep in mind too that there are spiritual reasons for fasting as well.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I've seen a few people post about adding 1-2 days of fasting to their diet each week. Doesn't this put the body into starvation mode? What exactly do you eat/drink on these fasting days? Does it really help?

    No, it does not. Starvation mode is eating absolutely nothing for 72 hours and then your body starts to turn on itself for energy..

    I did IF/lean gains for 8 months with 18 hour daily fasts and did not go into starvation mode...

    #ihatestarvationmode
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    its medical fact that starving your body slows down your metabolism not some gimmick trick...and while it might work without hazard for some people it isnt reccomended..healthy diet and exercise should be the only way to go

    sorry but an 18 hour fast followed by a six hour eating window where you consume your daily calorie intake/macros for the day is not "starving your body"....
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    its medical fact that starving your body slows down your metabolism not some gimmick trick...and while it might work without hazard for some people it isnt reccomended..healthy diet and exercise should be the only way to go
    I'm not saying eat low, that's NOT what I'm saying, I'm saying Starvation Mode does NOT exist in the fashion that MFP'ers like to say it does. And if it slows down your metab it's only by a small margin and NOT enough to cause people to run into traffic screaming like banshie because you've destroyed your body. I eat very healthy, more so than some of you that eat 2000 calories or better a day.
  • meramirez2012
    meramirez2012 Posts: 40 Member
    its medical fact that starving your body slows down your metabolism not some gimmick trick...and while it might work without hazard for some people it isnt reccomended..healthy diet and exercise should be the only way to go

    sorry but an 18 hour fast followed by a six hour eating window where you consume your daily calorie intake/macros for the day is not "starving your body"....

    I'm curious about the 18 hour fast/6 hour eating. When do you eat, and what is the benefit?
  • stephstar15
    stephstar15 Posts: 125
    There is good books out there that address fasting and the pros and cons to it. I personally do not fast, I believe that what ails you can be remedied with healthy, nutrient dense foods. But if you want to try fasting, here is a book review on a book hat address FACTS on the subject:

    http://www.westonaprice.org/thumbs-up-reviews/ten-days-to-optimal-health?qh=YTo0OntpOjA7czo3OiJmYXN0aW5nIjtpOjE7czo0OiJmYXN0IjtpOjI7czo1OiJmYXN0cyI7aTozO3M6NjoiZmFzdGVkIjt9

    Edit:
    OOPS, wrong book I linked you to...and I can not find the one I meant...but this book is a good one. Give me a bit and I will try to find the book I was thinking of...can not remember the name.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    its medical fact that starving your body slows down your metabolism not some gimmick trick...and while it might work without hazard for some people it isnt reccomended..healthy diet and exercise should be the only way to go

    sorry but an 18 hour fast followed by a six hour eating window where you consume your daily calorie intake/macros for the day is not "starving your body"....

    I'm curious about the 18 hour fast/6 hour eating. When do you eat, and what is the benefit?

    You should read Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilion(I think that's how you spell his last name) awesome book and tells you everything you need to know
  • _AllieCat_
    _AllieCat_ Posts: 515 Member
    I sometimes practice Intermittent Fasting where I fast for 15 or so hours then eat my normal calorie allotment. I am not starving myself, just eating within a small window. I don't think it helps with weight loss. I practice it because for me it helps control my hunger on the days I eat my normal 6 small snacks a day. I notice my blood sugar/mood is more stable when I practice IF a few days a week.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    you should check out intermittent fasting, the 16-8 style. basically you fast for 16 hours, and then you have 8 hours to eat all your calories. basically you skip breakfast. so if you finish dinner at 8pm, you eat at noon.

    look into it, and ease yourself into it. i remember something that women, because of different hormones, benefit better from a 14-10 style of eating.
  • nope31
    nope31 Posts: 174
    Lots of ppl do it for religious purposes and they didn't die, or starve to death.
  • littlelfmage
    littlelfmage Posts: 22
    To be honest, it's really unhealthy to fast to control weight. Unless you are fasting for religious purposes, it's not a good idea.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    its medical fact that starving your body slows down your metabolism not some gimmick trick...and while it might work without hazard for some people it isnt reccomended..healthy diet and exercise should be the only way to go

    sorry but an 18 hour fast followed by a six hour eating window where you consume your daily calorie intake/macros for the day is not "starving your body"....

    I'm curious about the 18 hour fast/6 hour eating. When do you eat, and what is the benefit?

    go to www.leangains.com ..all the studies and info is posted there..

    Basic concept is that you fast for 18 hours and you then have a six hour eating window (usually post workout) where you consume your daily calories and macros for the day.
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    its medical fact that starving your body slows down your metabolism not some gimmick trick...and while it might work without hazard for some people it isnt reccomended..healthy diet and exercise should be the only way to go

    sorry but an 18 hour fast followed by a six hour eating window where you consume your daily calorie intake/macros for the day is not "starving your body"....

    I'm curious about the 18 hour fast/6 hour eating. When do you eat, and what is the benefit?

    http://www.leangains.com/

    is a good 18/6 website to start.
  • alanlmarshall
    alanlmarshall Posts: 587 Member
    You are getting a lot of conflicting information here. The bottom line is fasting will not impact metabolism for at least 48 hours. There is some evidence that short term intermittent fasting can modestly improve some aspects of fat loss. The primary benefit is psychological. If it works for you, it can be a way to control hunger. If it does not, no harm done.

    It is important to consume enough calories, with an appropriate and healthy deficit, on average over time. Fasting to achieve extremely low calories is no more or less dangerous or sustainable than any other long term extreme diet.
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    Ndj beat me to it.
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    To be honest, it's really unhealthy to fast to control weight. Unless you are fasting for religious purposes, it's not a good idea.

    What are you basing this "honest" idea on?
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    To be honest, it's really unhealthy to fast to control weight. Unless you are fasting for religious purposes, it's not a good idea.

    LOLwut, you're misinformed. Go play WoW...
  • exWHYzee1337
    exWHYzee1337 Posts: 96
    its medical fact that starving your body slows down your metabolism not some gimmick trick...and while it might work without hazard for some people it isnt reccomended..healthy diet and exercise should be the only way to go

    sorry but an 18 hour fast followed by a six hour eating window where you consume your daily calorie intake/macros for the day is not "starving your body"....

    I'm curious about the 18 hour fast/6 hour eating. When do you eat, and what is the benefit?

    You should read Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilion(I think that's how you spell his last name) awesome book and tells you everything you need to know

    good article here on intermittent fasting. http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/understanding-intermittent-fasting

    I lost 55 lbs and maintained muscle. Different methods and diets are easier and more convenient for different people. This one worked for me :)
  • AlohaKeAkua
    AlohaKeAkua Posts: 92
    I've seen a few people post about adding 1-2 days of fasting to their diet each week. Doesn't this put the body into starvation mode? What exactly do you eat/drink on these fasting days? Does it really help?
    Starvation Mode that your speaking of does NOT exist. MFP'ers throw that term around to scare you into eating more or eating what they think you should be eating. I fast all the time, I eat low cals and have done so since I started this in January 2012 and I have YET to have anything close to this made up term. And look what I've lost, my body has NOT held onto the fat, my hair is not falling out, my nails were bad to begin with so that isn't an issue. Starvation Mode I call BS.


    Forget what you said (even though I agree)! All I see is the fact that you lost 200 lbs!!! You're my hero!!!
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    To be honest, it's really unhealthy to fast to control weight. Unless you are fasting for religious purposes, it's not a good idea.

    So very untrue. Fasting burns fat at a faster rate than just dieting. It's not about controling weight it's about the healthy benifits of fasting. This is your opinion and one not researched on your part
  • abeare
    abeare Posts: 504 Member
    To be honest, it's really unhealthy to fast to control weight. Unless you are fasting for religious purposes, it's not a good idea.
    I`m curious why you think fasting for weight control is bad but doing the same exact thing in the name of religion is ok? I think your view on this is that of a social one and not a health one.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    I've seen a few people post about adding 1-2 days of fasting to their diet each week. Doesn't this put the body into starvation mode? What exactly do you eat/drink on these fasting days? Does it really help?
    Starvation Mode that your speaking of does NOT exist. MFP'ers throw that term around to scare you into eating more or eating what they think you should be eating. I fast all the time, I eat low cals and have done so since I started this in January 2012 and I have YET to have anything close to this made up term. And look what I've lost, my body has NOT held onto the fat, my hair is not falling out, my nails were bad to begin with so that isn't an issue. Starvation Mode I call BS.


    Forget what you said (even though I agree)! All I see is the fact that you lost 200 lbs!!! You're my hero!!!

    Thanks :) Hard work and determination and good friends
  • PhoenixEve
    PhoenixEve Posts: 131 Member
    The documentary "Eat, Fast and Live Longer" with Michael Mosley is very informative on this topic, and was very eye opening for me.

    Fasting (when done right) can improve your health and longevity. It helps your body repair old cells instead of creating new cells. Repair of old cells improves health and reduces cancer risk. Michael Mosley's lab reports in the documentary were enough to convince me of this.

    I've been eating within a 8-10 hr window every day and i feel great! I still eat all my calories, just within a shorter time frame so that i have 14-16 hours of repair mode for my body each day. I'm sleeping better and have better energy levels. Dropping fat and gaining strength. Occasionally i will do a 24 hr cleanse/juice fast (like once or twice a month) when i know i'm not going to be doing any strenuous physical activity that day... but i only fast that long on a rest day. Or sometimes a 20 hr fast and a 4 hr eating window so i can enjoy a REALLY big high cal meal for a special occasion or event and still stick to my cal goals for that day. It's totally working for me. :) No starvation mode here. I'm actually eating more daily calories than i was previously and i'm losing weight!
  • Keiras_Mom
    Keiras_Mom Posts: 844 Member
    I've done several methods of IF, but lost the bulk of my weight with alternate day fasting. No metabolic slowdown or starvation mode here, and I've been doing it for a year and a half.
  • farazrizvi16
    farazrizvi16 Posts: 1 Member
    Being Muslim, I do fast each year from sunrise to sunset for one month (month of Ramadan). This is for religious purposes, I can eat from sunset to sunrise but honestly after hungry whole day you cannot eat much and small amount of food even can make you feel full. I never weight loss due to fasting but yes ts give me more control on my eating habits.
  • PrimalPixie
    PrimalPixie Posts: 69 Member
    I've seen a few people post about adding 1-2 days of fasting to their diet each week. Doesn't this put the body into starvation mode? What exactly do you eat/drink on these fasting days? Does it really help?
    Starvation Mode that your speaking of does NOT exist. MFP'ers throw that term around to scare you into eating more or eating what they think you should be eating. I fast all the time, I eat low cals and have done so since I started this in January 2012 and I have YET to have anything close to this made up term. And look what I've lost, my body has NOT held onto the fat, my hair is not falling out, my nails were bad to begin with so that isn't an issue. Starvation Mode I call BS.
    ^^ This. Also, congrats on your amazing loss! You rock!
  • momzeeee
    momzeeee Posts: 475 Member
    its medical fact that starving your body slows down your metabolism not some gimmick trick...and while it might work without hazard for some people it isnt reccomended..healthy diet and exercise should be the only way to go

    sorry but an 18 hour fast followed by a six hour eating window where you consume your daily calorie intake/macros for the day is not "starving your body"....

    I'm curious about the 18 hour fast/6 hour eating. When do you eat, and what is the benefit?

    I did alternate day intermittent fasting for weight loss and now do 8:16 IF for maintenance. I break my fast at 11am with my largest meal of the day. I then eat a slightly smaller meal at around 6pm and I don't eat snacks. Doing this format has allowed me to maintain effortlessly. When I spot check calories I'm naturally eating 1,800-2,200 calories.

    As for what I eat, I stick with a fairly primal leaning menu, but I I'm not super strict about it. I eat what I enjoy and don't deprive or restrict myself. An example-what I ate yesterday:
    Broke my fast at 11am with 8 ounces of top sirloin petite steak, pan cooked in butter with mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. For my second meal at 6pm I had pork tenderloin, cooked in olive oil, with a very large salad, which had a hard boiled egg, bacon pieces, cheese, and regular ranch dressing. I finished up wih a sour cream donut and one square of dark chocolate :)
    Calorie wise it came in around 1,800 calories. I did not eat anything else and only drink water.

    IF works great for me :)

Categories