Fasting - Good or Bad and How To Do It?

[Thoreau]

So I am thinking about fasting, not for any religious or personal reason, just simply to loose weight. I plan on taking daily vitamins and eating one small meal a day (dinner) and drinking plenty of water and fruit juices. I plan on doing this for 1-2 weeks. Any advice or ideas?

[shorty_37]

I don't think its a good idea....why so drastic?

[John99]

I dont particularly understand the reasons behind fasting but what you are doing is not fasting anyway.

[Oli]

Exercise and eating properly will lose you more weight than not eating at all.

[sandy]

It's not a good idea. The acid in your stomach will chew up your esophagus and possibly put holes in your stomach lining. I know people do it all the time, but my gastro doc friends advise against it. You need something in your stomach to absorb the natural acid. When you're hungry and secrete even more acid, you're asking for trouble. And if you're pouring citric acid (juices) on top of this, look out. Many people I talked to who have gastro problems said they had fasted several times/year. Big mistake imo.

[shorty_37]

you are going to screw up your metobolism that way.....I agree with oli its really the only thing that works. All these fads(low carb) and extremely low calorie diets will make you loose weight quickly, but you also won't feel well and its not substainable and when you eat normal again it just comes all back.

[Thoreau]

Exercise and eating properly will lose you more weight than not eating at all.

Being in the military I already excerise 4 times a week, roughly 12-15 miles of running weekly on top of calestinics (sp?). But I can't get rid of this belly pudge.

[Thoreau]

Also, I eat healthy and drink VERY rarely.

[nietzschefan]

Look people Genetics is a BITCH. It's very hard to change some things. Not impossible mind you.

Other people can change things about their body very easily. and some just can't.

[sandy]

That chi guy is a trainer and could help you with some exercises. One of my problem areas are already tighter thanks to the stuff he told me about.

[Oli]

Being in the military I already excerise 4 times a week, roughly 12-15 miles of running weekly on top of calestinics (sp?). But I can't get rid of this belly pudge.

Callisthenics.

Then maybe you're "naturally" pudgy. Some people are.
I was "underweight" until I was 24, by the time I reached my "correct" weight I regarded myself as overweight (couldn't fit into 28" waist jeans any more) but I was told that I was healthier.

Swimming always did it for me - four to five hours per week, minimum.

[Thoreau]

Callisthenics.

Then maybe you're "naturally" pudgy. Some people are.
I was "underweight" until I was 24, by the time I reached my "correct" weight I regarded myself as overweight (couldn't fit into 28" waist jeans any more) but I was told that I was healthier.

Swimming always did it for me - four to five hours per week, minimum.

Tried swimming, swam for 2 hours every other day for 5 months. Didn't loose a pound. I've tried just about all I know, which is why I am concidering fasting. I know my belly fat is "natural" yet I do not feel comfortable with it. Im 22 y/o, 5'9" and 150lbs. During my last depoloyment I managed to get down to 130lbs which is where I want to be now. I before my deployment I was 145.

Yes genetics ARE a bitch.... THANKS MOM! lol

[shorty_37]

130 lbs? thats way tooooooo low why would you want to do that?

[Thoreau]

130 lbs? thats way tooooooo low why would you want to do that?

Because I had never felt my best than I was at that weight. Im a naturally skinny guy. My arms and legs are VERY skinny, yet my torso seems to make up for the rest of my body in fat. Just by looking at my limbs, you'd say I needed to eat, but when I take of my shirt you'd say and needed to loose weight. My body is very unperportioned.

[nietzschefan]

130lbs ??? WTF

You got issues...150lbs is a damn good "fightin" weight for 5'9".

[thecollage]

Exercise and eating properly will lose you more weight than not eating at all.

exactly, when you fast your body slows down its metabolism to conserve energy. your best bet is to burn more calories than you consume. eat smaller meals and exercise 5-6 days a week for about 1 hour. combine cardio with weights/resistance and your results will be much more desirable.

fasting for spiritual purposes does cause you to remain more focused and focus on your inner self.

[Thoreau]

Im gonna take some pics... should be up in about 5-10 minutes depending on the batteries lol

Well nevermind... out of AA batteries.

[Thoreau]

This is what I looked like at 130lbs... My muscle has since disappeared beneath a hefty layer of pudge.

[shorty_37]

This is what I looked like at 130lbs... My muscle has since disappeared beneath a hefty layer of pudge.

well its hard to say what you look like now.....

[dixonmassey]

eating one small meal a day (dinner) and drinking plenty of water and fruit juices. I plan on doing this for 1-2 weeks. Any advice or ideas?

Why not drinking plenty of water and Coca Cola? From weight losing stand point Coca Cola is better than fruit juices. One can get slimmer by fasting only in the concentration camps. Your body will tend to slow down metabolism to conserve the energy. Thus, fasting without plenty of physical exertion is really slow (and painful) way to lose weight. Besides 1-2 week is too short time to lose tangible amount of weight in the sane manner. As a person who've fasted (because of lack of funds ) in the past I tell you, you can lose weight by fasting but you will look terrible, color of skin, general appearance, physical strength, lack of energy.

There is an excellent BBC program on fasting, explaining in humorous way what is going on inside of your body when you fast. You can download mp3 file at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...ve/4215918.stm