Water fasting

[GasX]

If you took all of the proponents and added up all of their years of post-graduate science education, you would be able to count it one one hand.

 

[vi edit]

Sounds like a truely awesome way to jack up your electrolytes.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: lozina
Anyone ever undergo a water fast or know someone who has? What was their experience?

Basically, you starve yourself only drinking water every day, absolutely no foods whatsoever.

Proponents say your body will begin to consume it's fat reserves which also harbor toxins you've accumulated through your life and allow them to be eliminated which may end up curing many diseases.

Critics say it's a stupid idea which will end up getting yourself killed.

So I was just wondering if anyone here has some actual first hand account of someone who tried this and how did it end up for them?

That is one of the dumbest claims I've ever heard...

 

[Auggie]

It's not complete bullshit - lots of toxic chemicals are lipid-soluable and get stored into adipose fatty-tissue along with the fat. The liver is an amazing organ, but there are some things (heavy metals, some organic-associated compounds, etc) that the liver cannot break down and the kidney cannot selectively pass through to the bladder for evacuation.

It's definitely not the case that (so far as I know) there's been any solid work to show that these fat-soluable toxins do a lot of damage, though, so the execution of this drastic fat-storage-emptying-by-fasting will produce any kind of real result is... iffy.

But it's not completely unfounded in principle.

This does beg the question of why not just lose the weight a more healthy, happy way than sudden and violent withholding of nutrients.

A steady decline of calorie consumption (calorie restricted diet, not a total fast) has DEFINITELY been shown to prolong life, both in mammals and non-mammalian vertebrates, and almost certainly would have the same effects in a human body... but this is due to a decrease in metabolic flux and insulin based cell-signaling, resulting in less DNA damage from reactive oxygen species formed during catabolic break down of energy-rich molecules as well as less cell stress from insulin response, not anything to do with "detoxing your fat."

 

[rbV5]

A good colon cleansing followed by some serious water fasting :thumbsup: what? other way around?

Make yourself a coral calcium sammich for the after party, and might want to get this in by 2012 😉

 

[OCGuy]

I always run a big calorie deficiancy whenever I need to lose 5-10 pounds. Works like a Charm.

I generally burn 2-3 pounds a day not eating.

 

[NuroMancer]

Originally posted by: darkxshade
Two things:

1. It'll ruin your metabolism = you'll regain the weight that you've lost and then some once you start eating again.

2. Yes you'll burn fat... and you'll also burn musle. Makes point #1 a double whammy since you'll be replenishing fat when you eat, it won't replenish your musle unless you exercise.

In the end, you'll end up in worse shape.

Exactly, from what I understand one of the first things your body goes after is newly developed muscle, way before it goes after fat reserves.

When you exit your "fast" you body will be in starvation mode and will try to create as much fat as possible.

I think you should really consider another option.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: Auggie it's not completely unfounded in principle.

Plausible to someone with no understanding of biochemistry is hardly a rational basis for trying something stupid.

 

[SagaLore]

Yes I have.

If you can't endure more than a few days, then there is no point.

Fast from 5 to 10 days. No need to go over 10 days, otherwise you really are "starving" yourself and its not healthy.

No, you don't go into your fat reserves. You need to exercise to do that, but lots of exercise while not eating is NOT healthy. What is DOES do is let your digestive system and liver rest, while your body flushes what toxins you do have stored up in your lymphatic system. When the liver gets to rest, it can regenerate.

You're not going to cure any diseases doing this. You *might* help prevent a few, but only because you've reduced your overall toxicity. This will just help your general health.

edit:
Oh, and yea, what other people are pointing out is true - the toxin release I'm talking about is completely water-soluble. You must exercise to burn the fat which contains fat-soluble toxins.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: JDub02
My church just went through a fast. The pastor did 4 days of just water then 3 days of fruits & veggies ... for 3 weeks. He seems OK. I didn't participate.

A year ago I had some friends at my church participate in one of these spiritual fasts... but it was sad. They "fasted" during the day, but then ate like pigs in the evening. I was just 😕 about the whole thing.

 

[oznerol]

Any time I see the word "toxins" I immediately zone out.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
Yes I have.

If you can't endure more than a few days, then there is no point.

Fast from 5 to 10 days. No need to go over 10 days, otherwise you really are "starving" yourself and its not healthy.

No, you don't go into your fat reserves. You need to exercise to do that, but lots of exercise while not eating is NOT healthy. What is DOES do is let your digestive system and liver rest, while your body flushes what toxins you do have stored up in your lymphatic system. When the liver gets to rest, it can regenerate.

You're not going to cure any diseases doing this. You *might* help prevent a few, but only because you've reduced your overall toxicity. This will just help your general health.

Oh my effing god. Wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow. You're almost certainly joking, but there may be people out there who would fall for this.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I don't see the point in making yourself go through that. If you want to lose weight just eat less and be more active so you can burn fat, don't stop eating altogether.

My mom goes on these weird diets and will basically fast, I just don't get why woman get so obsessed with dieting. Life is short, enjoy it, eat your burger, and STFU. 😛

 

[Crono]

1. Don't suddenly fast for a long period of time. Work your way up.
2. Fasting is good for weight loss, for self discipline, and for religious purposes. Don't do it for "detoxification".
3. You'll lose muscle. This shouldn't be an issue if you are considering fasting.

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: JDub02
My church just went through a fast. The pastor did 4 days of just water then 3 days of fruits & veggies ... for 3 weeks. He seems OK. I didn't participate.

A year ago I had some friends at my church participate in one of these spiritual fasts... but it was sad. They "fasted" during the day, but then ate like pigs in the evening. I was just 😕 about the whole thing.

Eating like that afterward defeats one of the main purposes of fasting: exercising self-control.