[Aliciababe19]

Binge eating is something I am currently working on. However I am wondering if your body has consumed alot of calories to start storing up fat would it be okay to fast for two weeks? I know some people say that it is bad but I am in desperate need of a good detox. Track and field is starting up at my school on Feb 20 and I would really like to start up with exercise again however I feel it's to late because of how badly I've been eating. I figure fasting for two weeks breaking the fast on the third week with juices and then by the fourth week be good for healthy solid food options may be a good idea to Renew my body. Would doing this help me to have more energy and feel better on the inside? Or will I just get weaker and more sluggish?

[yoyoma]

This doesn't sound like a healthy plan to me. Your brain requires glucose to function. When we eat, glucose is preferentially obtained through carbs then through a process called gluconeogenesis by breaking down protein. On VLC diets, fatty acids are converted to ketone bodies that can provide energy to the brain, but even bodies adapted to a VLC diet can only get about half the energy required from ketones. While fasting for a day or two, a normally healthy person's body does a good job of maintaining serum (blood) glucose levels (which is how the glucose reaches your brain) by releasing glycogen stored from the liver. After that it resorts to breaking down its own protein (muscle) and at that point it is called starvation.

So, if you were to fast for two weeks, after the first few days you would be breaking down muscle (not-so-fun-fact: people who die from starvation often die from diaphragm failure due to autophagy of that muscle). So, I do not think this is healthy and is unlikely to help you meet your goal of feeling more energetic.

Here's a good resource that talks about blood glucose levels and fasting/starvation (though I think it should cover "rabbit starvation" more thoroughly with a reference to the need for fats): http://www.medbio.info/horn/time%203-4/homeostasis1.htm The relevant section is "Glucose Production in Starvation."

[Weekend Boater]

Very interesting and informative post yoyomo, thanks! I enjoy your posts fellow New Englander Have a great weekend everyone.

Alicia, I also had the same understanding of the body going into starvation mode after approximately 48 hrs. I went on a fruit fast once a long time ago (even a juice fast with spinach and kale for some protein). It wasn't enough and I lost a lot of muscle mass, not to mention a good portion of it comes right back once your body latches onto the fluids when you resume eating. There are many plans on here, maybe you can find one that suits your tastes and lifestyle and works best for you and your own individual needs. Breaking habits can be hard, that's for sure. Devising a meal plan and being sure to have the ingredients on hand really helps tremendously. I wish you success on your journey, have a great weekend.

[yoyoma]

Thank you so much, WB! I've been interested in all stuff relevant to weight management for a very long long time. There's always more to learn about, not to mention that some of it keeps changing, lol. Your supportive contributions to 3fc are always uplifting and I'm happy to see a fellow NE'er. =) Hope your weekend has been great too!

[Weekend Boater]

Hi yoyomo That is wonderful and thank you as well! Very happy to see a fellow NE'er as well! Hope you had a wonderful weekend too! : ) Sure is nice to see that sun shining today, have a great day.

[red19]

As a distance runner who participated in track and field as well and also has binging episodes I just want to give you a little bit of info on my own experiences. Yes, a binge always leaves one feeling so disgusted with oneself and ready to jump into extreme restriction to make up for it, but personally this pattern just leaves me exhausted; mentally and physically. A detox for 1-3 days however may make you feel better, I know it helps me start anew, but fasting often leads back to another binge and a cycle continues to perpetuate. Maybe just create a template for the next couple of weeks to "meal-plan" and keep track of calories and macros, that way you have something to stick to and will know if you start to lead astray. This is personally a plan I am initiating for myself today, so take it or leave it, I just wanted to lend some support! Good luck with your season, and I hope you are able to find something that works for you!