Thinking about fasting...

lannheue23
lannheue23 Posts: 24 Member
edited September 30 in Food and Nutrition
I have a friend who is fasting for a month to detox his body. He is eating nothing but fruits and veggies. Is this possible and healthy to do??

Replies

  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
    I'd say a month is a darn long time to deprive your body of nutrients, and on that diet, (way of eating) you're not getting much protein at all..
  • muitobem
    muitobem Posts: 436 Member
    I don't know if a month is good....2 weeks tops...but that also depends on you and your system....
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    I'd think about it until a better thought came along... like modifying my food choices and exercising. See how he feels about it afterwards. If it's something you'd like to do, don't let anyone here stop you.
  • tmarie2715
    tmarie2715 Posts: 1,111 Member
    I agree with jenn, a month is wayyyy too long for a fast. There are posts and people around here who do fast, but I don't think it is anywhere near a month. I think it is called Paleo diet, or something. Search it!
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    Why not? People fast completely for Ramadan. You would have to eat a LOT of fruits & veggies to remain full without a lot of protein but I don't know if I could do a full month - maybe a week. if you're thinking of doing it, make sure you have a lot of variety or it won't last and you won't have enough nutrients to keep you healthy and energetic. Make sure you have carby vegetables and fruits as well as those with lots of fiber and protein. Use garlic & onion to add a little more protein and some digestive power. :happy:
  • Angelabec
    Angelabec Posts: 505 Member
    A month seems extreme. An occasional purge of a day or two I've heard of. I have no specific knowledge, so I might be wrong, but I would say a month is too much.
  • carajo
    carajo Posts: 532 Member
    DONT do it!! It will mess with your metabolism!! Its really not worth it...slow and steady wins the race!!! If you are eating clean, your body will detox itself and you will have nothing to worry about! I eat WAY more now then when i started mfp,and weigh ALOT less!! I always trying some sort or "trick" or "diet"...now i eat clean and exercise and wow the weight comes off!!! Google clean eating for lots of ideas and recipes, you can do this the healthy way!! GOOD LUCK:)
  • Laicey
    Laicey Posts: 3
    my boyfriend and i juuuust watched a movie on netflix about fasting literally about 3 hours ago! it was amazing. the guys had doctors keeping a very close eye on them and they never had any complications. i believe they did it for 60 or 90 days and lost soo much weight and ranted about how great they felt. the movie was called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. you should check it out. maybe it would give you some good insight on it. hope it helps & good luck =)
  • CoCoMa
    CoCoMa Posts: 904 Member
    It really depends on the type of fast. What do you have in mind? Will there be any spiritual aspects to your fast? I assume that you'll be giving your body all of the nutrients it needs, right?
  • MayhemModels
    MayhemModels Posts: 367 Member
    Google (Interval Fasting) there are more healthier ways to do this and still have the same results ;)
  • evesacks
    evesacks Posts: 94 Member
    I think that's a sure fire way to lose lean tissue ie muscle, the body needs protein while dieting, very silly idea IMO, see here:

    http://www.fitwatch.com/weight-loss/3500-calories-to-lose-a-pound-is-this-formula-all-wrong-237.html
  • evesacks
    evesacks Posts: 94 Member
    I think that's a sure fire way to lose lean tissue ie muscle, the body needs protein while dieting, very silly idea IMO, see here:

    http://www.fitwatch.com/weight-loss/3500-calories-to-lose-a-pound-is-this-formula-all-wrong-237.html
  • Ricia22
    Ricia22 Posts: 7 Member
    After having my son I wanted to do a detox and a friend refered me to the soup diet- a 7 day cleaner that apparently hospitals reccomended for those having certain sergeries. I have done this twice since. The first time my energy exploded on the third day and I lost 8 pounds. The second time was close to the same witha 6 pound weight loss. I did not gain this weight back after finishing but like any detox it takes a lot of will power and focus. Let me know if you're interested. I think I still have a copy.
  • McKnightAM
    McKnightAM Posts: 125 Member
    Psht, the only time I fast is from a religious point of view. lol Definitly not for weight loss. My Pastor Fasts for the first 21 days of each year. Nothing but water.
  • atomdraco
    atomdraco Posts: 1,083 Member
    DONT do it!! It will mess with your metabolism!! Its really not worth it...slow and steady wins the race!!! If you are eating clean, your body will detox itself and you will have nothing to worry about! I eat WAY more now then when i started mfp,and weigh ALOT less!! I always trying some sort or "trick" or "diet"...now i eat clean and exercise and wow the weight comes off!!! Google clean eating for lots of ideas and recipes, you can do this the healthy way!! GOOD LUCK:)

    ^THIS^
  • Morningperson1991
    Morningperson1991 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi!
    Im actually fasting for Ramadan, and i think it's a good idea to add MORE Fruits and vegetables but also eat "clean" protein like milk and oatmeal.. It keeps your body and digestive system flowing well :) I've lost about 4 pounds since Ramadan Started by just avoiding the fried foods and increasing my water and fruit/vegetable intake :)

    Hope this Helps! :D
  • ItsMeLori
    ItsMeLori Posts: 346
    my boyfriend and i juuuust watched a movie on netflix about fasting literally about 3 hours ago! it was amazing. the guys had doctors keeping a very close eye on them and they never had any complications. i believe they did it for 60 or 90 days and lost soo much weight and ranted about how great they felt. the movie was called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. you should check it out. maybe it would give you some good insight on it. hope it helps & good luck =)

    I have this but I haven't watched it yet. I heard it is a good documentary.
  • bklyngirl71
    bklyngirl71 Posts: 381 Member
    i dont think its healthy
  • Angelabec
    Angelabec Posts: 505 Member
    Why not? People fast completely for Ramadan. You would have to eat a LOT of fruits & veggies to remain full without a lot of protein but I don't know if I could do a full month - maybe a week. if you're thinking of doing it, make sure you have a lot of variety or it won't last and you won't have enough nutrients to keep you healthy and energetic. Make sure you have carby vegetables and fruits as well as those with lots of fiber and protein. Use garlic & onion to add a little more protein and some digestive power. :happy:

    Err, just to be clear, people who observe Ramadan fast during daylight hours only. It's a religious observation, not a diet/health plan.
  • missionmanshane
    missionmanshane Posts: 21 Member
    Fasting for the purpose of weight loss is not a good idea, but fasting has a variety of wonderful purposes outside of wieght loss.

    Personal discipline: saying "no" to meat and bread for a month, while you eat fruits and veggies is a POWERFUL self-control developer. The suggested fast is actually a high nutrient fast, not a low nutrient fast. Maybe low on protien, but not vitamins. Fruits and veggies are where the majority on someone's vitamins come from (if they eat those foods!)

    Spiritual growth: when you give up food altogether (not water) for a period of time, you find out what really matters in your life. The focus is amazing. It is possible to fast for up to 21-40 days without food as long as you stay hydrated. Your body will tell you when to eat again. After that, it is starvation.

    Cleansing: while there are many ways to "cleanse," drinking certain beverages while fasting can increase the rate of colon cleansing and liver detoxification.

    I would not recommend fasting to lose weight, however. It will wreck your metabolism! It may start the "down" of a yo-yo cycle.

    Fast carefully if you chose, but not as an easy way to lose weight.
  • AI1108
    AI1108 Posts: 488 Member
    I am fasting right now for Ramadan. People have been fasting forever, and I think a detox every once in a while is a great idea. With that being said, you have to be VERY careful of what your fast consists of. I'd also recommend asking a dietician if you're not at a very healthy weight before putting your own parameters on your body.

    Ramadan fasting is 30 days, no eating or drinking from sunrise (about 4:30 am) to sunset (about 8:30 pm). But once 8:30 hits, I make sure my macronutrients and water are all in check. I have a friend that doesn't follow the religious aspect but has been fasting with me for the nutritional benefits. It's common for a lot of people to not eat in the morning and then binge in the evening with tons of fried foods, which I've been keeping away from this year. I wake up every morning for "breakfast" and eat "dinner" every evening, with tons of lean protein, fruits, veggies, etc. The fast has just felt easier this way on both my mind and body.

    I don't think a month straight of only fruits & veggies is a great idea. It's a surefire way of losing muscle and hating your body the entire month. You'd be depriving your body of tons of nutrients, creating an imbalance that could very well cause uncontrollable cravings. You should not be using a fast as a way of crash dieting because if you lose the weight that quick.. you will gain it all back just as quick.

    There are some healthy fasts/detox programs out there, you just have to do your research to not fall into some highly marketed program that will leave you worse off. And/or see a health professional if its feasible.

    Good luck!
  • groovyfirechick
    groovyfirechick Posts: 188
    I'd recommend talking to your doctor before you decided to do this. Or even a nutritionist. They'd be able to advise you best.
  • SweGuy
    SweGuy Posts: 78
    What Muslims do for Ramadan, is not eating during the time when the sun is up and they eat after sundown.
  • klbfrisbee
    klbfrisbee Posts: 8
    I ate nothing but fruit and nuts for 3 years, i know a guy who did it as long as I knew him and he may still be doing it 20 years later. bananas have so many good things in them it's almost a perfect food. try it , you'll feel great. The reason i stopped eating like that was because i moved to a small island where a diverse selection of fruit was unobtainable, coconuts and pineapple were a plenty, but honeydew ,cantaloupe,plums, peaches, cherries,grapes...... no way. the mangoes were great but only when they came into season for about a month.
  • lannheue23
    lannheue23 Posts: 24 Member
    Ok thanks everyone!! It's not for a religious thing or anything...I was just thinking of a good way to start off a new healthy life and making stopping sweets and bad foods cold turkey. That's all. I will put a lot of thought into what everyone said.
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