Fasting question

[cptnmike]

I'd like to experiment with a ten day water fast. I have had some serious stomach ailments and have been told by a few natural health doctors that a fast would be a great way to heal and rejuvenate my system. The trouble is I'm already very thin. I only weigh 130 lbs and am afraid of more weight loss during a fast. Any thoughts???

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by cptnmike

I'd like to experiment with a ten day water fast. I have had some serious stomach ailments and have been told by a few natural health doctors that a fast would be a great way to heal and rejuvenate my system. The trouble is I'm already very thin. I only weigh 130 lbs and am afraid of more weight loss during a fast. Any thoughts???

Hey captain mike,

In my opinion given your weight you would likely lose about 3-4 pounds not including the temporary water and intestinal content losses which really don't matter since they will be right back on your body within a week or two of breaking your fast. These temporary losses would likely be between 4-10 additional pounds.

So aside from the temporary losses you'd get down to 126 or 127 with a very strong likelihood of a healed or nearly healed stomach and the ability to then gain healthy weight (aka muscle) afterwards.

[ginkgo]

Most of the weight that you will lose will be water weight during the 10 days. If you are 4 feet tall, you are very overweight. Weight without height means nothing. People who are very thin should not do fasts over 3 weeks (about 21 days). Mahatma Gandhi was thin. Here is a site about fasting with quotes from 23,000 medical doctors.

Actually only 23 MDs. The general rule is that if you have digestive problems, then you need to give the digestive system a rest. That is what a fast does-- gives it a vacation.

[cptnmike]

Thank you for your responses. At 5"10 and 130 lbs I would definitely consider myself underweight. The problem for me is psychological. I see my self getting thinner as I fast and it alarms me. I understand that the fast gives me the best chance to repair my body but the short term weight loss makes me feel as though I am making myself sicker. I think I look sickly and my clothes hang off my body. But, I plan to persevere with my fast and have faith in my body to heal itself and give me a brand new life. I believe it is my only option at this stage.

[spacecadetglow]

What are your eating habits like?

[ginkgo]

Originally Posted by cptnmike

Thank you for your responses. At 5"10 and 130 lbs I would definitely consider myself underweight. The problem for me is psychological.

You can see a psychologist about it if it is that bad. Otherwise many underweight people become heavier than they were before the fast. One guy was underweight and he ate more and that made him LOSE weight. So he did a fast and then he gained more weight than before the fast.

Also I remember when below a BMI of 19 was underweight. But now one of the 27 NIHs says that 18.5 is normal. Your BMI is 18.7 so you are not underweight so stop bragging. Many are built very differently like some people are built like string beans. What is your waist size? The ideal waist size is half of your height. So for you it would be around 35". Insurance companies charge less to underweight people since they live longer than normal weight people.

Calculate Your BMI - Standard BMI Calculator

You are not sick physically. Psychologically means that you could be sick in the head. Maybe you have reverse anorexia nervosa.

[chrisrushton]

i don't believe for a second that half your height is your ideal waist size.

i'm 6' with a 32'' waist and wouldn't want any more. if i had a 36" waist something would be very very wrong.

[cptnmike]

I am a vegetarian. I eat alot of salads and pasta dishes and loads of fresh fruits. Despite this I have been unable to gain weight due to chronic stomach problems.

35 waist size?? You could fit two of me into a pair of 35's. I used to be a 32 but now am taking a 30 which seem to fit. If I can gain some weight back after the fast maybe I will fit into my 32 jeans again.

[Just Passing Through]

I've noticed almost everyone talking about fasts talks about wanting to lose or gain weight. I prefer to look at it in terms of healing, and the body will hold on to or remove whatever it needs to in the process. In this day and age of concerns of vanity and maintaining convenience and routines, fasting seems to be a relic of the past, which does not cater to any of these concerns. I'm not really a big fan of weight manipulation myself. I never encourage it, but I won't try to stop someone either.

[cptnmike]

I agree and am trying to maintain the same mentality during my fast. I am focusing on healing and rebuilding my body and having faith that the fast will change my life. I am just about to begin day 3 of my fast and so far I am feeling great!

Unrelated question: Does anyone know if fasting will help with dental cavities? I have some small areas of decay in one or two of my teeth that I have not treated yet at a dentist. I am wondering if the body would address this during a fast, possibly burn off the decay??