I am starting a fast...any stories or tips?

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  • Alpina483
    Alpina483 Posts: 246 Member
    This just keeps getting better. Now water means muscle.
  • Fvaisey
    Fvaisey Posts: 5,506 Member
    If you fast, the first thing you're going to lose is water which means muscle. Fat will begin to burn later on, but hold on, because if you do too much fasting, your body will change to starvation mode which will basically slow down your metabolism. This won't happen overnight but neither will you lose fat in that time. The worst thing about going into starvation, apart from the fact that it's unhealthy, is that when you stop fasting your body will not believe you're back into normal state and it will keep all the fat it can in order to survive (remember, your body doesn't care about your looks, it cares about your survival) and that's when you fall into the rebound effect but with another problem, you've already lost most of your muscle.

    I try to be nice but I can't help but wondering where you get your information. Do you have any personal experience with this or are you just parroting? Fasting has been around for centuries. This information on fasting from the WebMD website:
    Studies of fasting in both rodents and humans appear to indicate a connection between calorie restriction and longevity. In one study of overweight men and women, a calorie-restricted diet improved markers of aging, such as insulin level and body temperature.

    Fasting might also improve longevity by delaying the onset of age-related diseases including Alzheimer's, heart disease, and diabetes. One study showed that skipping meals once a month, as members of the Mormon religious group do, reduces the risk of clogged arteries (the build-up of plaque that can lead to heart attacks and strokes). However, it is not clear from this research whether fasting alone or the Mormons' generally healthier lifestyle (they also abstain from coffee, alcohol, and smoking) is responsible for the improved heart health.

    Researchers do not yet know whether the effects of fasting translate into an actual increase in lifespan, because they have not followed people for long enough periods of time. However the concept of intermittent fasting, such as skipping a meal purposefully on an intermittent basis, is gaining attention. It appears to be a relatively safe way to reduce caloric intake that is easier for some people to do. The data however is not there yet nor is this an accepted practice.

    Basically they say they can't prove help or harm. I'd give that a lot more credence than all of the guessing and personal feelings most of you are posting. From my personal experience, I found it beneficial for me.
  • Practicality
    Practicality Posts: 4
    I have done (relatively short) fasting for religious and specific health reasons. That said, it's pretty much useless for losing weight. I mean, you can lose weight that way, but you will almost certainly gain it back since your body will be suffering from every form of malnutrition you can imagine.

    Lacking vitamins... lacking minerals... lacking proteins... etc. You are much better off eating a diet high in vitamins (IE, all kinds of vegetables) and simply cutting back the total calories. It's a lot easier than it sounds. If you simply eat less for a few days it will quickly become your new "normal" and you won't notice it that much.
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
    Though I am of the same mind as most of the responses here (btw was SUPER PUMPED to see that 40 day water fast diary posted again after the 40 day WF thread from yesterday got deleted), I am gonna take a different approach.

    OP: Go ahead and do your fast or your cayenne detox or whatevs. Make sure you listen to your body, though, and start eating real food again when it tells you to. Don't give yourself gout. Gout is bad m'kay?? Now, when you are done with your fast/cleanse/detox/whatever, weigh yourself. I'm sure that won't be a problem. Now I don't care what you do for the next few weeks, but two to three weeks after you finish weigh yourself again. If you have maintained that weight loss without continuing to starve yourself you may come back and call us all dirty dirty liars. If the scale has gone up or plateaued however, use this as a learning experience and if you ever get the idea to try something extreme again remind yourself that it didn't work before so it isn't gonna work the next time.
  • Rays_Wife
    Rays_Wife Posts: 1,173 Member
    I guess she is going to just ignore everyone's good advice and keep winding up that yo-yo. Cool no skin off my back...
  • mrsmarit
    mrsmarit Posts: 229 Member
    I guess she is going to just ignore everyone's good advice and keep winding up that yo-yo. Cool no skin off my back...


    Oh she did.. and started another thread about the cayenne pepper diet


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1054780-cayenne-pepper-diet-any-stories
  • rockinabs3479
    rockinabs3479 Posts: 6
    I totally want to do this NOW
  • rockinabs3479
    rockinabs3479 Posts: 6
    I will do this with you! mesage me k
  • rachseby
    rachseby Posts: 285 Member
    My experience with fasting to kick off a weight loss program was not good. I would restrict and feel good about it, scale going down, etc.....then i would crack and have a little treat, then end up bingeing then saying "eff it" and i'm off to the races again of eating whatever and not exercising

    later, rinse, repeat over and over again for yearsssssssssssss

    now i'm looking at it as a lifestyle change. not doing anything radical, just lowering calorie intake and exercising. this is 6 months of doing this (size 16 to size 10, and i'm 48 and going through menopause)

    1z1cxtz.jpg

    no drastics necessary. don't deprive yourself, you don't need the headaches (literally)
    You look great! What are you doing exercise/calorie wise?

    Thanks!

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