Water Fasting

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by justmee

thanks for your concern

Im talking about after my fast though/ i want to eat healthily with the odd treat but ensure i never go over 1500 calories or my BMR cos whats the point of losing the weight only to put it all back on. i want to be happier. fitter. and a better body.


the cravings for a nutritional meal are starting as well as chocolate/curries lol

but i mustnt give in and spoil how far ive come. and its not forever. only 7-20 days,. then no more first fast done then hehehehehehe

Calories in does not equal fat gain. It just doesn't work like that. Keeping a low calorie diet will haw you eventually fail. And don't avoid fat or calories. Just make sure it's healthy food. And stay active. 1500 is if you sit on your butt all day, and a very arbitrary number, as every ones body is different and can't be figured out by a formula.

[justmee]

i have had about 400 calories today. feel like **** as im on a water fast. grrrrrrrr

[asdfjkl]

I just completed a 10 day water fast (it was my first) and let me tell you it wasn't easy. Sometimes I felt great and sometimes I felt down right terrible. I highly reccommend first timers that before you start your fast you read into both sides of the story so you don't go into it completely blind-sided when you don't feel amazing after the first few days (I read over and over that you will feel more energy, and stop expirencing hunger after day 3-5... not true in my case, it was exactly the opposite). I did expirence amazing mental and emotional healing effects from the fast which is why I did it in the first place so I am still very glad I did it. But physically I almost felt like I was going to die the last 4 days. My heart raced (literally raced I almost quit early even almost went to the hospital because I was really scared... it was not normal), I had horrible heart burn, no strength or energy, and I was HUNGRY, it took me hours to get to sleep due to these issues... I lost 17 lbs (I am 5'7" and started 130 and am now 113) I did no enemas or laxatives. I am currently coming off the water fast on juice with mostly greens,vegetables with a bit of fruit. I plan on soon adding whole greens, veggies, and fruits in the next couple days eventually building my was up to nuts and legumes. I am already vegan (2 years) and was vegetarian for 11 years before that. I have also eaten a mostly raw food diet for the past year. I thought this fast would be easier for me than someone who eats the Standard American Diet. I can't even imagine the detox symtoms of someone eating meat, dairy, and lots of fried, refined and proccessed foods. That's not meant to be insulting just honest, I'm very healthy and the last 4 days were absolutely horrible. That being said the first 5 days were actually pretty good, some days I even felt great... but that went away after day 5. I just want to be honest so people don't go into a water fast reading only the positive and expect it to be easy after a certain aount of time.
Good luck!

[russianrocket]

Meat and dairy does not some how equal the standard American diet. I feel barely any detox symptoms when I fast, and I eat red meat and dairy. So what's that say about your vegan diet? What exactly are you detoxing on your super clean vegan diet, that I'm not while eating meat and dairy?

[justmee]

i actually had about 2000 calories. see wheni start i dont stop. intending on doing another 5 day water fast. must lose weight and not be fat. its so hard !!!!!!!!!! but im proud i managed to last so long so not too harsh on self

[justmee]

Originally Posted by asdfjkl

I just completed a 10 day water fast (it was my first) and let me tell you it wasn't easy. Sometimes I felt great and sometimes I felt down right terrible. I highly reccommend first timers that before you start your fast you read into both sides of the story so you don't go into it completely blind-sided when you don't feel amazing after the first few days (I read over and over that you will feel more energy, and stop expirencing hunger after day 3-5... not true in my case, it was exactly the opposite). I did expirence amazing mental and emotional healing effects from the fast which is why I did it in the first place so I am still very glad I did it. But physically I almost felt like I was going to die the last 4 days. My heart raced (literally raced I almost quit early even almost went to the hospital because I was really scared... it was not normal), I had horrible heart burn, no strength or energy, and I was HUNGRY, it took me hours to get to sleep due to these issues... I lost 17 lbs (I am 5'7" and started 130 and am now 113) I did no enemas or laxatives. I am currently coming off the water fast on juice with mostly greens,vegetables with a bit of fruit. I plan on soon adding whole greens, veggies, and fruits in the next couple days eventually building my was up to nuts and legumes. I am already vegan (2 years) and was vegetarian for 11 years before that. I have also eaten a mostly raw food diet for the past year. I thought this fast would be easier for me than someone who eats the Standard American Diet. I can't even imagine the detox symtoms of someone eating meat, dairy, and lots of fried, refined and proccessed foods. That's not meant to be insulting just honest, I'm very healthy and the last 4 days were absolutely horrible. That being said the first 5 days were actually pretty good, some days I even felt great... but that went away after day 5. I just want to be honest so people don't go into a water fast reading only the positive and expect it to be easy after a certain aount of time.
Good luck!

id love to lose 17 lbs i guess ten days it is i know if i did 20 id gget to my ideal weight. ah yes i was dying to begin with lol i could barely walk up the stairs or stand or switch on the tv lol but i didnt last my intended 7 days but hopefully will do this time food though grrr. yeh id thought id be easier for a vegan too. how old are you is it your first fast? im pretty young its my first water fasts all the way

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by justmee

i actually had about 2000 calories. see wheni start i dont stop. intending on doing another 5 day water fast. must lose weight and not be fat. its so hard !!!!!!!!!! but im proud i managed to last so long so not too harsh on self

You should be a harsh on yourself and not proud. Fasting isnt an exercise in willpower. It's a lack of it. Coming off a fast with 2000 calories, has essentially put you back worse then BEFORE your fast. STOP! this isn't like going to the gym, and then stopping. It's not a simple mistake. You are screwing up your body.

[justmee]

i suppose you're right in a way as i've decided in my head that i am going to change my lifestyle for good after this last fast. i wont have any processed foods well limited like biscuits bread etc only brown bread. and for breakfast il have a good rounded breakfast like eggs, beans, wholemeal bread or nuts and for lunch a tuna sandwhich and for dinner chicken n vegetables. im going to limit myself massively cos im sick of the junk food biscuits cakes ive indulged in for 4 years. but for some reason i can never staret a fast :S it's just like the cupboards are calling me for some reason. yet i so WANT to do it. well im resuming my fast today. day 1. they do make me miserable gotta admit. food does wonders for my mood. and i have a big grin. but ideally i wanna be the weight thats the real me. whichj isnt this size. oh yeah im also giving up carbs except rice (not plain).

[AbelAbbot]

I drank too much carrot juice after the first juice fast. I slept about 4-6 hours when i was in juice fast and didn’t feel deprived of sleep. I also experienced a heightened sense of mental clarity during the fasting period. Thanks for sharing.

[Barcs]

Nobody should be fasting for the sole purpose of losing weight. If so you are doing it for the wrong reasons, and will most likely gain it all back. If you want to lose weight, a fast can help kick start a diet, BUT you have to make that lifestyle change if you really want to do it. You can't just fast, then eat a lot, then fast and eat a lot. This will destroy your metabolism and can lead to worse problems than being overweight.

[Sez]

Hi there,

Was wondering can you smoke cigarettes or drink soda/mineral water
On a juice fast?

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by Sez

Hi there,

Was wondering can you smoke cigarettes or drink soda/mineral water
On a juice fast?

Hi Sez,

While cigarettes and soda would certainly not be ideal during a juice fast, the short answer is yes and hopefully the fast will help you to lose interest in these two unhealthful habits in a way that normal eating would not, providing the extra firepower to help make quitting fairly easy (assuming this is your desire).

If you asked the same question about a water-only fast i would say no and that it would be quite a bit more detrimental. I would recommend weaning off the cigs and sodas during a juice fast before entering into water-only.

Back to juicing, ideally you would have just fresh-juiced raw juices, healthy teas and actually some fresh-juiced cooked vegetable juices would be beneficial if you wanted to include them, especially with juices that you do not enjoy raw (like maybe collards/onions/garlic/chili peppers). Chlorella and Spirulina would also be of great benefit and it would be good to continue taking your supplements.

All the best .

[dream]

Originally Posted by Amadeus

Have many of you experienced water fasting? Of course water fasting is drinking only water and no other substance. No food. I recently went on a 3 week water fast. I lost about 40 pounds (I was heavy to begin with). A couple of weeks before that I went on a juice fast (using a juicer and drinking 100% fruit juices). I'd even drink chicken broth.

There are many benefits to fasting. It is a natural human function to fast dating back thousands of years. We are meant to fast when we are sick. This is why we don't have an appetite when we are feeling under the weather. Everyday we use such a great amount of our energy just for digestion, and if you eat a great deal of meat products digestion is even more taxing on your body. One reason we feel good in the mornings is because we haven’t eaten anything in several hours.

The first time I water fasted I pigged out after completion. I ate meat, dairy, and other things I shouldn't. I did eat considerably less, to most people's standards, because my stomach shrank. However, this was not a great idea. I started to feel bad after a week so I went to a vegan diet. After a few days everything was back to normal. What you should do after a fast is to drink vegetable and fruit juices for a couple of days. Then you should move to soup, solid vegetables, then to other solid foods. This will be less taxing on your system.

I will say I had a lot more success with the juice fast. I didn't gain back much of the weight I lost and I was able to keep it off. You will lose a lot more weight from a water fast, but you will gain a quarter to half the weight back within a couple of weeks. Basically, most of this is water weight you are gaining back. But keep in mind that you are not doing it to lose weight; you are doing it to give your digestive system a rest and to rid your body of stored toxins. A juice fast will also serve to flush your body of toxins and give your digestive system a rest. It just takes longer than the water fast.

I am currently on a fast of a liquid diet and broth is a good supplement. Currently I have been on the fast for 16 days now and intend to go for 30 days. I have never been on a water fast. The idea seems to me that it is for more spiritual reasons and cleansing happens only secondary. I have fasted a few times before. I just wanted to had two things I thought important to mention.

If your fast is only food at sun down, people usually only drink water throughout the day. Even if they do it for three or more days. But if you are going to have an extended fast like three weeks of no food, one should not just drink water as you need vitamins and minerals and don't want to damage your body, fasting is suppose to be positive. Two weeks or more without food, this is just from experience, one should drink fruit juices broths, teas, even milk for your bones. If you intend to go three weeks or longer I vitamins every other day or everyday should be allowed, I say this as some people are very strict and consider vitamins breaking the fast. In that case, vitamins are sold in liquid form. So anything liquid.

The second thing is once you break a fast, the OP is correct, you do not want to eat solid food right away but be gradual. It has happened that people have died after pigging out after fasting. The body organs start to shut down and the person died. That is why when you are in a hospital certain procedures that require for no eating gives you a liquid diet on the first day, which reminds me they include jello and sherbert or icees which is a treat for long time liquid fasters.

Everyone's conscious is different, so take what you feel is best for you.

[ilovejdmtoy]

This is really interesting to me....I will try this

[justmee]

surely if fasting was that great thered be more widespread media on it. hmmm just reading a worrying article about bad diets leading to disease including starvation hmm.

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by justmee

surely if fasting was that great thered be more widespread media on it...

I believe you're being facetious which is good and if the media revenues from pharmaceutical advertising were not so irresistible, your statement would probably be true . The media would then be free to report the most beneficial practices without bias. Take away the overwhelming corporate influences and the media would emerge as an altogether different entity, reporting news that would be so shockingly different as to be jaw dropping.

Our medical system as it exists (in the US and many other countries) is virtually a pharmaceutical monopoly and since fasting (and various other beneficial practices or treatments) can not be patented and greatly profited upon, they are excluded from the model... and as competition they are hushed and falsely discredited. The powers that be are wanting to make us believe that such practices as fasting are unhelpful or even detrimental and that other practices such as becoming pharmaceutical dependent for the rest of our lives are a perfectly delightful way to go such as with statins.

The media as a puppet and great ally to the sensationally wealthy and powerful pharmaceutical machine has become pharma's voice and a crucial reason why fasting with all its merits remains so far removed from the mainstream. They are doing a wonderful job of keeping their master happy and as a result both Pharma and the media enjoy greater revenues, indeed existing in a cooperation that has resulted in a proverbial win-win. The only losers here are the people who are not being given accurate information about what is best for their health. But this is completely unimportant in the big picture because what really matters, far and away more than anything else, is that the good folks at Big Pharma continue to get richer .

[justmee]

Originally Posted by MightySunTzu

I believe you're being facetious which is good and if the media revenues from pharmaceutical advertising were not so irresistible, your statement would probably be true . The media would then be free to report the most beneficial practices without bias. Take away the overwhelming corporate influences and the media would emerge as an altogether different entity, reporting news that would be so shockingly different as to be jaw dropping.

Our medical system as it exists (in the US and many other countries) is virtually a pharmaceutical monopoly and since fasting (and various other beneficial practices or treatments) can not be patented and greatly profited upon, they are excluded from the model... and as competition they are hushed and falsely discredited. The powers that be are wanting to make us believe that such practices as fasting are unhelpful or even detrimental and that other practices such as becoming pharmaceutical dependent for the rest of our lives are a perfectly delightful way to go such as with statins.

The media as a puppet and great ally to the sensationally wealthy and powerful pharmaceutical machine has become pharma's voice and a crucial reason why fasting with all its merits remains so far removed from the mainstream. They are doing a wonderful job of keeping their master happy and as a result both Pharma and the media enjoy greater revenues, indeed existing in a cooperation that has resulted in a proverbial win-win. The only losers here are the people who are not being given accurate information about what is best for their health. But this is completely unimportant in the big picture because what really matters, far and away more than anything else, is that the good folks at Big Pharma continue to get richer .

makes sense:
and ironic since i have fami in pharma cooporation. but without money=no media persuasion ec. grr.

[furndog]

I could see doing this for your religion but it steers down every wrong alley of being healthy in any way. The lack of carbs, protiens, fats, or any nutrients whatsoever would leace you so de-energized you would not be able to even think straight through your daily routines.

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by furndog

I could see doing this for your religion but it steers down every wrong alley of being healthy in any way. The lack of carbs, protiens, fats, or any nutrients whatsoever would leace you so de-energized you would not be able to even think straight through your daily routines.

At a glance this would seem reasonable, but it's rather enlightening to learn what is actually taking place inside our bodies when we fast. This short article provides a lot of good information: The Health Benefits of Water Fasting by Stephen Harrod Buhner

[lycan]

Originally Posted by MightySunTzu

At a glance this would seem reasonable, but it's rather enlightening to learn what is actually taking place inside our bodies when we fast. This short article provides a lot of good information: The Health Benefits of Water Fasting by Stephen Harrod Buhner

Fasting may be good, but that article is so full of holes that reading it is painful. For example, as far as I know, there is no way to replenish glycogen reserves through ketosis. You cannot make sugar from fat.

[ajykim]

Last year I did an 8 day water fast. I felt really good on previous juice-fasts or master-cleanses, but this was very difficult. The first few days, I had horrible heart burn and nausea. My stomach felt like it was ripping out. The rest of it, I was constantly nauseous and cold. It just felt horrible. Then on the 6th or 7th day ( I forgot), I got a colonic and felt a lot better. I was already pretty thin so I didn't lose that much weight. But I honestly am not sure if it improved my health or not. After the fast, for about a month, I could not digest most food very well, (and my diet is very limited already and I only eat fruit and seafood pretty much). Especially the fruit was giving me horrible symptoms. But after those couple months passed, I felt like my health improved a lot. I felt so strong and much healthier. So I don't know if that is due to the fasting and my body may have just needed some adjusting. But yes, it was very difficult to do. It was winter time, but where I lived, it doesn't get that cold in the winter. But I was the only one who was freezing. Which I gues that's normal during fasting.

I really would like to do another water fasting, because I have not done any cleanses or any type of juice fasts for a long time, and my health is slowly going down again and now it's come to a point where I really really need it. I just feel so clogged up.

[justmee]

Originally Posted by furndog

I could see doing this for your religion but it steers down every wrong alley of being healthy in any way. The lack of carbs, protiens, fats, or any nutrients whatsoever would leace you so de-energized you would not be able to even think straight through your daily routines.

yes it is hard. this is the main reason i prolong the start date of my fast. as its a second one ive ever done i know what to expect and always say il start on x date but never do. it's cos im worried about energy levels and that il drop down dead obviously im overreacting but i just dont want to risk it in my mind even though my heart wants to fast. but the thing is im not active much so lack of food only affects mood in terms of boredom. but i have a bad reliance on food where if i was allowed to binge i would and eat so much i would be obese if not controlled. hence i have an issue.

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by lycan

Fasting may be good, but that article is so full of holes that reading it is painful. For example, as far as I know, there is no way to replenish glycogen reserves through ketosis. You cannot make sugar from fat.

Lycan you actually make a good point. The way this is worded, the author makes it sound like the glycogen stores which become largely depleted in the first couple days of a fast leading into ketosis are then fully replenishished once we are in ketosis, but this is not true nor is it what he intended to imply, only that glycogen (in the liver) is very partially replenished as a holding place for the glucose that the body continues to require and procure throughout the fast.

Your comment that "the body can not make sugar from fat", however, is not true since the body is, as accurately pointed out by the author, able to convert the glycerol from fat to glucose (and then to glycogen in the liver as a holding place). It will also convert amino acid sources to glucose on a limited, as needed basis. This information is not obscure and can be found in any biochemistry book or even in wiki (see ketosis, gluconeogenisis).

This article is actually an abbreviated version of Stephen Buhner's book on fasting (The Fasting Path) which of course goes into greater depth and is replete with a thorough listing of his sources.

[Merita King]

I am currently on day 5 of my water fast. I plan to do at least the 10 days and if I still feel fine then I will continue. I am not hungry but do get the odd tummy grumble a couple of times a day. I find that my cravings are purely mental and not driven by hunger; it's habitual conditioning that makes us crave food. I haven't noticed any heightened mental clarity and no emotional changes either but I have lost 10 lbs so far. I'm 5 foot 2 inches and began at 12 stone 3 lbs so I do have a good amount of body fat to lose. I did have headaches during the first 3 days. I've noticed people saying that you will still have bowel movements during the fast but I haven't had any. I'm not too worried about it because when I come off the fast I'll spend the first couple of days on fruit and veg juices diluted with water. Then I'll do another couple of days on fruit and lightly steamed veggies before introducing other foods. The fruit and veg should kick start my bowels again. I have purchased an enema kit which hopefully won't take long to be delivered and I'll start doing them daily to aid the elimination of build up.

I'm feeling okay generally. Yes I do have slightly less energy but I'm finding that when I sit about and do nothing, I feel weak and light headed but when I make the effort to get up and do something, I feel fine and almost like normal. I do go out to work and do a fairly physical job but I'm taking it a bit more gently at work and letting my body tell me how much effort to put in. Another weird symptom is that the food I'm daydreaming about is not the stuff I used to eat. I used to eat all the wrong stuff, carb crap like biscuits, cakes and chocolate etc but I'm not craving these at all. I'm craving savoury things like roast meat and fresh bread warm from the oven, even porridge which I actually hate. I watched a food programme on the tv and the guy cooked something with mussels and scallops which I detest, but I found myself thinking I'd like to try them.

All in all feeling okay here and still resolute to continue.

[Irawrmckenzi]

Hi my names ash I'm 16 and obese of course, I'm only 5'2 and I weigh 215 pounds! Holy crud I let myself go. I plan on doing a 40 day water fast for weightloss, skin healing, digestive issues and migrant headaches. I've done a 2 day dry fast, a 4 day water fast,and a couple one day wAter fasts. My issue is I binge eat all the time when I was younger I was never fat but as soon as I turned 12 I started gaining alot of weight and over the years I'm now 215 this is my highest weight all of my weight is in my stomach and boobs if I had a sweatshirt on I don't even look fat. But idontknow why all my fats there. I'm not making excuses Iknow I have to fix this . I have a few questions about people who lost alot of weight water fasting .

1. Saggy skin? Do u get alot of saggy skin I'm afraid of that.

2. Boobs- I'm a 32 DD and my boobs are not as firm as others my age they hang more my question is when I lose the weight will my boobs get firmer and more perky? Or will they just get small and sagg and I'll wind up having to get boob surgery? Ew I hate thinking about that.

[MightySunTzu]

Originally Posted by Irawrmckenzi

1. Saggy skin? Do u get alot of saggy skin I'm afraid of that.

Hi Ash,

If you ended up with saggy skin at all, it would not be specifically from fasting, but from losing a lot of weight by any means after having gained it. In truth, fasting will minimize this development as compared to any other weight loss method because the body will be doing what it can to deal with this issue as it is repairing other cells, tissues and organs at an accelerated pace. Skin emerges from a fast firm and supple and far healthier than before the fast.

Originally Posted by Irawrmckenzi

2. Boobs- I'm a 32 DD and my boobs are not as firm as others my age they hang more my question is when I lose the weight will my boobs get firmer and more perky? Or will they just get small and sag and I'll wind up having to get boob surgery? Ew I hate thinking about that.

I guarantee if you end up losing 60 pounds through fasting, you will be delighted with the way your boobs and everything else look(s) at 155 as compared to 215 and you won't be thinking you need surgery. In every way you will be thrilled with your progress and there will be no regrets.

40 days is a monster so you might consider more like (about) 25 or 30 days and perhaps another 25 or 30 days two or three months later after an extremely nutritious period of re-feeding. To keep from gaining all the fat back and probably more... and probably quickly... you will need to... and i say this without holding anything back... rip your old eating habits out from the roots and replace them with new ones, otherwise the entire venture will have been a big waste of time and effort.

Eliminating empty calories (especially refined sugar, refined grains and veg oils) and replacing them with nutritionally dense foods including lots of vegetables... along with regular exercise (preferably intense)... would provide a nearly certain way of keeping yourself on track.

You have done a full 48 hour dry fast? That's pretty impressive, what was that like for you?