fasting well sorta
 

I started fasting 1 day a week a couple weeks ago, where I will drink only liquids. I think its helping to regenerate my metobolism. I was wondering what everyones thoughts were on this?

From everything I've been told/read--it's best not to go more than 7 hours without eating--because your body goes into "Oh My God--it's STARVATION!" mode and starts to slow your metabolism down in order to conserve energy. The professor in a Nutrition course I took last semester said that it included sleeping--and that as a result, it's really important to eat within a couple hours of waking--and that in order to get your metabolism to work at its peak--eating 5-6 small meals a day (about every 3 hours) works..

So...considering that, I don't think not eating for one day a week is doing anything helpful for your metabolism.

The big problem with fasting is that at a certain point if you are not taking in any new protein your body starts breaking down the protein in your body (ie your muscles) for use. Probably 1 day's fast wouldn't do it, but you might want to consider eating some egg beaters or something on that day. Personally, I'm not sure why you think it would fix your metabolism, though.

I think fasts are a terrible, terrible idea. How can starving jumpstart anything beneficial? A better idea would be focus on healthy foods - eschewing all processed, fake foods and really trying to eat as many whole foods as possible - lean proteins, 5+ servings of vegetables a day, healthy fat, fruit, whole grains. Cleanse your body by getting rid of all the fake foods.

While people seem to fast for a number of reasons (I never have), I don't know that it will help your metabolism.

Honestly,
You can fast for various reasons but regenerating your metabolism seems to be the opposite of what fasting would do. Fasting actually helps slow your body down including your metabolism. It may be that you are seeing weight loss because for that one day, you are cutting your calories drastically. You may have better results if you just cut your overall calories during the week.

I actually read this in "The Makers Diet book" it supposedly is beneficial to help eliminate toxins in the body.and regenerate the digestive tract.

You do that everyday by pooping and peeing - that is what your body DOES.

supposedly your body goes through a healing process when you fast

The sad thing is that you can't always believe everything you read. I would suggest you search for info about that particular book. The reviews aren't so great and the concerns are great.

Here is an interesting article... http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art35127.asp

I read an interesting book not long ago that recommended not fasting but certain food combos due to the fact of giving your digestive tract a bit of a "rest". Its an interesting concept and I've heard that in terms of fasting, but I never heard that there is a special healing process. Your body kind of shuts down when you fast so I'm not sure where that hypothesis comes from.

Edited to add -
I want to say I hope you aren't feeling as if you are being ganged up on but it seems like many fad diets try to use some form of fasting. As I said before, some people may fast for certain reasons but for overall health/weightloss, I personally don't see fasting at something beneficial.

You need to focus on good health and nutrition 7 days a week. Besides what everyone else has already said, how is fasting going to help you down the road in the long run? You need to find a sustainable plan. One that you can do longterm.

The best way to "heal" the body is by keeping it fueled with the best stuff that life has to offer. Lean proteins, fruits and vegetables and whole grains. All full of valuable, valuable nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fiber.


And yes, Debbs, Nelie makes a good point. We are not trying to gang up on you. At all. You did ask a legitamate question and everyone here is trying to answer you to the best of their knowledge. Fasting is long known for doing more harm then good. Why not take a look around 3FC, check out some of the General Diet Plans, WholeFoods section, Calorie Counters and the such and see if there is something there that may be of interest to you? A lot of this is a learning process and it does take time to get it all down pat. There's lots of good information here, why not do some reading and please feel free to ask any questions that may arise.

Good luck to you. :)

hmmm thats an interesting article. Whats really disturbing to me is that the diet is supposed to be biblically based. Im not really following the diet anymore (the 1st time I did I lost 40 lbs but since have gained it all back and then some) mainly because the supplements are outrageously priced.

I am however eating more healthy an did get tidbits of good advice form the book. Fasting however Im still undecided about. Maybe I'll do chicken broth, or slimfast drinks 1 day a week, so im still getting calories. thanks everyone for your opinions i really appreciate the input :)

Thanks Robin you are a true inspriration :hug:
I will check out the WholeFoods section that sounds like it might be a winner for me

Seems that all major religions advocate fasting, both the ancient ones and also various New Age Spirituality ways of thought. It greatly appeals to me, not so much for weight loss although I need that too, but for philosophical reasons. I agree with those who point out that metabolism slows during a fast. I am not afraid of that; what is so bad about a slow metabolism? My goal is not to see how much I can get away with eating. More like the opposite, how to reduce the seeming importance of it.

That's because fasting isn't sustainable - when you go off the fast, your body will go "oh YAY calories" and hold on to everything, because it will prepare for the next starvation period.

I agree with some of the other posters that a better plan might be to stick to a very whole diet - fruit, veg, grains, and nothing processed - if you want to cleanse your body. You need to nourish your body as much as you need to provide it with calories!