The Fasting Diet

xxx29
xxx29 Posts: 60 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
Well, I don't actually know if there IS a "fasting diet", but wanted to get some comments on this regimen.

MS has confined my sister to a wheelchair, and robbed her of much of her mobility and independence. She needs assistance in daily activities.

Not being able to exercise, her weight had crept up to a dangerous level...not only for her, but for her husband, her caretaker. So, when he went into the hospital with torn rotator cups and blood clots in his lungs, she simply stopped eating one day a week.

She lost 50 pounds.

Her husband was so impressed, that he stopped eating one day a week. His progress was so good, that his co-workers asked what he was doing, and several of them have started fasting as well.

My thoughts: If she maintains her water intake at least 8 glasses a day, she protects her kidneys and other organs. And fasting one day is not enough time for metabolism to slow drastically (so-called starvation mode).

Oh, one caveat: Assuming no issues with diabetes or other health issues that would preclude fasting for a day.

So, what say you, fellow MFP'ers. Dangerous, or a smart way out of a less than ideal circumstance?

Replies

  • vickychristie
    vickychristie Posts: 32 Member
    hi, that got to be really hard though, not eating for a whole day??. Are they following anything special on the other six days or just eating same as before?. There is a plan called the intermittent starvation diet I think you eat normally for two days then starve on third.
  • vodkaswigger
    vodkaswigger Posts: 467
    I would be interested in hearing peoples views on this also. 50ibs is great loss for a 1 day fast each week, im sorry to hear about your families troubles xx
  • bjscmg
    bjscmg Posts: 77
    I am no expert but have seen a few things about it. I heard that it is done to clean toxins and certain religions do it. Some people do it to get through a plateau. It will take more than one day to go into starvation mode. Good Luck!
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
    I am no expert but have seen a few things about it. I heard that it is done to clean toxins and certain religions do it. Some people do it to get through a plateau. It will take more than one day to go into starvation mode. Good Luck!

    You really don't need to fast to clean toxins out of your body though.

    If it works for her that's fine, but I'll pass.
  • incuboy
    incuboy Posts: 8
    www.leangains.com You're welcome :P
  • xxx29
    xxx29 Posts: 60 Member
    hi, that got to be really hard though, not eating for a whole day??. Are they following anything special on the other six days or just eating same as before?. There is a plan called the intermittent starvation diet I think you eat normally for two days then starve on third.

    She didn't say that they were doing anything different, but I live several states away, so I don't know. I think she is now fasting two days a week, and I don't know how long it took her to lose the 50. But she did say it was easier than trying to follow a diet 7 days a week! (She probably didn't know about MFP :smile: )
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
    hi, that got to be really hard though, not eating for a whole day??. Are they following anything special on the other six days or just eating same as before?. There is a plan called the intermittent starvation diet I think you eat normally for two days then starve on third.

    She didn't say that they were doing anything different, but I live several states away, so I don't know. I think she is now fasting two days a week, and I don't know how long it took her to lose the 50. But she did say it was easier than trying to follow a diet 7 days a week! (She probably didn't know about MFP :smile: )

    I wrote about the starvation mode earlier. I am doing a form of IT (intermittent fasting). Have gotten great results so far.
  • bjscmg
    bjscmg Posts: 77
    I am no expert but have seen a few things about it. I heard that it is done to clean toxins and certain religions do it. Some people do it to get through a plateau. It will take more than one day to go into starvation mode. Good Luck!

    You really don't need to fast to clean toxins out of your body though.

    If it works for her that's fine, but I'll pass.

    Well I would never fast for any reason, I love food to much. This was based on http://www.webmd.com/diet/fasting and a few other sites. I was simply offering reason for fasting.
  • unsuspectingfish
    unsuspectingfish Posts: 1,176 Member
    www.leangains.com You're welcome :P

    That's a really interesting site. Thanks!
  • Leomeister
    Leomeister Posts: 4
    This is not a new concept though I'm glad you've discovered it. Do google searches on "Intermittent Fasting" and you'll come up on a treasure chest of information.

    Fasting is normal by evolution's standards. Eating "three square meals a day" is practically constantly stuffing our faces when compared to how humans have evolved and have been eating throughout our history.
  • xxx29
    xxx29 Posts: 60 Member
    What is necessary for someone in my sister's position, and what is the ideal way for the rest of us to become healthy may not be the same. Consider gastric bypass...certainly not the ideal way to lose weight, but perhaps the benefits outweigh the risks for some (pun intended).

    I see on other threads people who eat horrendously, have yoyo'd their weight all their life, now passing themselves off as experts and recommending this way to lose weight. Could it possibly be that for some, the idea of permanently changing unhealthy habits has not yet become a sacrifice that they are willing to make?

    For those of us who are going (I didn't say, "planning") to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the next 50 years, perhaps we earn it...the old fashioned way.
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    there isno such thing as starvation mode.

    more than likely they are eating too much to begin with..why starve yourself on certain days when you can just watch what you eat. makes no sense
  • CraigIW
    CraigIW Posts: 176
    I don't see any issues with fasting one day a week. Lots of different societies and races do similar things. As long as she doesn't overdo it on the day she breaks fast, and does drink during her fast day, then she should be fine.
  • crazy4him4552
    crazy4him4552 Posts: 46
    I think this is smart, and when coupled with prayer, amazing things happen . I often fast, but for spiritual reasons, and the outcome of the fast is beyond amazing. It brings me closer to the Lord, and it is very healthy for me.
    There is no problem at all in denying ourselves. Jesus calls us to do this.

    What your sister is doing seems to be doing well so far. I would keep doing it.

    Prayers going out to them both.

    Thanks for the post, my friend.
    Crazy4Him4552
  • xxx29
    xxx29 Posts: 60 Member
    there isno such thing as starvation mode.

    more than likely they are eating too much to begin with..why starve yourself on certain days when you can just watch what you eat. makes no sense

    Easy for you to say. I don't know how I would handle not being able to get up and be physically active. How would any of us do?

    The point isn't how she got to the situation she is in; the point is...she found a way to get her weight down that works for her.
  • get_fit2009
    get_fit2009 Posts: 827 Member
    I had to fast for a day for blood tests. The earliest they could test me was 3:30 in the afternoon. NO WAY could I go a whole day fasting on a weekly basis. My head was killing me. Plus, I'd wind up friendless. I was VERY grumpy. :angry:
  • Leomeister
    Leomeister Posts: 4
    I started Intermittent Fasting (IF) in April and did a lot of online reading and research on it before I really committed. The science behind it is actually convincing. I started off small -- skipping a meal here or there. Then I made the jump one day and fasted from after dinner one day until dinner the next day. It was considered a 24-hr fast though I was eating during the day each of those two days. It wasn't bad.

    There's more to it than just fasting. There's way more to it than just calories in and calories out.

    Fasting does not equal starvation. Starvation = body eating away at protein. Fasting = body eating away at glucose and fatty tissues. It would take days to weeks of not eating enough to reach starvation mode.

    There are many stories of people doing IF online. There's a lot of research supporting the benefits. There's a lot of how-to's for IF. Normal people, obese people, unhealthy people, healthy people -- you name it, many types of people are doing it.

    I recommend researching it for yourself. It is interesting stuff.
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