Close Topic Options

Fasting As A Diet

Fasting As A Diet

Most people do not see Fasting As A Diet, but it is… the food you 'eat' is fresh air. I think society has entrenched people's brains with the idea that they must be eating all the time. It has become so bad that you eat the moment you get up, then you eat a snack, then you eat lunch and so forth until you go to sleep. If you count the amount of time that is taken buying food, preparing it and then eating it in any given day and you will quickly see that most of our day seems to be concerned with what we will eat.

Fasting cuts all of that out. You will actually find you have more energy and able to think better. The initial period may involve headaches, especially if you are really toxicated with years of junk food. However, after the initially period you can fast for quite awhile with much success. One of the major benefits is health because your body is finally given a chance to restore itself rather than worrying about processing food.

Diet As Fasting

I think it must have some sort of limit. Overeating as well as fasting continually is not good for our bodies, how skipping lunch and dinner can be considered healthy at all? You need good and proper nutrition not only for the benefit of your whole body but also for brain function. Fasting constantly cannot, in any way, lead to a healthy lifestyle.

Fasting As A Diet Health & Special Psychology

Fasting as a diet is not meant to be a long term process, however it should not be uncommon process either. In other words... fasting often in my opinion is excellent for health. If you are healthy you may be able to do it for quite a long time with great benefit. I have read and spoken to many who are accustomed with fasting and one thing is for sure --> these people are never sick! I think most people think they have to be eating all the time in order to be healthy, but not so. It is like giving a car more gas than it can hold with the hope that will somehow operate better - it does not work like that.

Diet As Fasting

I understand JB but food is VITAL for survival. You need to eat if you want to keep living. I do not doubt fasting has excellent benefits but again, I do not think skipping meals is healthy either. I believe that small amount of healthy food can be eaten without the need of going the whole day without food, that affects not only the body but the mind also. I am NOT speaking about eating ALL the time but yes eating at least two meals for the day!

Diet As Fasting

I am not sure what you are getting at? Fasting is fasting - it does not involve food. The element of food has a purpose and the element of fasting likewise has a purpose. This is nothing new.

This is merely as an example and NOT for Religious Discussion: During the month of Ramadan millions of Muslims for many days go the whole day without eating, most of them will tell you of the great benefits derived from that - those who do it properly and not binge when the night comes. Then when Ramadan is over they return to regular eating hopefully healthier and with better attitude or control over physical demands.

In this light, not Religious, but simple self-control and healing is the angle I am coming from. For years you have told yourself that you must have 'x' meals per day and so your body and mind has grown to believe that. Jethro Kloss, a great believer in fasting, showed many times where men would go on a water fast and work all day building railroads (immensely stressful work) and still have a lot of strength when the night came. He also showed where fasting enabled those with cancer to help the body to get rid of it. Yes, you must eat, but let us be clear... it is eat to live and not live to eat. Eating to live is really not much you do not need to have a steady stream of meals to live - that is a myth made by food marketers who want you to buy, buy, buy.

Fasting As A Diet

I do not know much about scientific effects of fasting. I do however have many experiences of going without food for an extended period of time, having undergone much military training where lack of food has been a part of it. I can only speak for my self and my experiences. Every time I do this I usually "hit the wall" after 24 - 48 hrs. That's when all the carbos are used up and my body start using fat for energy. What happens is that your body starts to understand that it will not get much food and therefore turns down metabolism in order to save energy.

After such a fasting period, when you go back to normal eating it is common to gain some weight. Often more than you had before because your metabolism is running on a low level. However, eating many small meals everyday turns up metabolism again.

So, I guess there are pros and cons to this concept as well as other diets. Logic tells me that your body will benefit from being given a break once in a while. But I am a little sceptical as to how good it is in order to lose weight, for instance.

IMO

EJ

Fasting As Diet

I have fasted for those time periods without water so I know the feeling, however I would not advocate that kind of fast unless it was just done to test self control or some spiritual quest. What did the military have you do that for? Was it for survival if caught behind enemy lines?

In the fast I am focusing on I think the person would have to already be in control. This is not a fast for someone who is trying to lose weight - this is one of health and focus or should I say passed the stage of 'diet'. Fasting does VERY little for someone with an eating disorder because their body maybe malnourished already (large size does not mean healthy or too much nourishment - that is a myth) and fasting only accentuates the body's dire need for nourishment.

Fasting As Diet Psychology Special & Health

So, basically you mean fasting as a means of periodical cleansing of the "system"?

When I was an NCO cadet we had to undergo an exercise where we were given water only during 4 days. Ending up with little or no food is fairly realistic even if you're not behind enemy lines. Logistics can be delayed or disrupted in any way. Anyway, the purpose, I think, was to have us weakened and experience how it is to lead others when being totally exhausted. Thus illustrating how important drill is under such conditions. I have not yet undergone a real survival course. Those courses are primarely prioritized for pilots and flight crews.

EJ