Is fasting (going without food) healthy for you?

Question

I have heard it's good for you spiritually. People in the Bible did it, even Jesus did it. So it must be good for you right? Well,
I want to kickstart a diet. I am so overwhelmed by the amount of weight that I need to lose...sometimes I think I'm so disgusted with myself that I should just not eat! Anyway...I am willing to try it. What are your thoughts about this?

Answer 1

Fasting can be good for some people's spiritual health. It makes them feel that they are in imitatio Christe (in imitation of Christ). the depravation allows them to concentrate on prayer and focus inward on their spiritual well being.

However, it is not a diet. Fasting is an especially bad idea if you are overweight. Fasting will cause your overloaded digestive system to think that it is starving. This will slow down the rate at which your body burns calories (slow your metabolic rate). Then when you start eating again your body will store even more of the calories as fat rather than using them up because it will not adapt fast enough to the increased intake.

The only sure way to lose weight is to reduce your intake of calories and exercise for twenty minutes at least every single day. By exercise I don't necessarily mean go to the gym. If you are overwieght you might not be capable of that yet. Instead do some gardening, take your neighbours dog for a walk, dance around your house or take a walk on your lunch break at work. Then build up slowly to vigorous exercise like sport or the gym.

When you are the right weight for your height it will do you no harm to fast occassionally.

Answer 2

Depends upon for how long, and what type of fast.

Its not healthy to stay on a fast for a very long period of time, but occasional fasting can be of great benefit to the body. One of the biggest problems that people have today is the accumulation of toxins in the body- especially the colon- processed food are full of preservatives, dyes and other chemicals that aren't at all healthy. Fasting helps flush them out of the system. Sometimes people end up fasting without really intending to- when they are hospitalized and can only have fluids while on antibiotics, etc.

Fasting can help the kidneys- there's an apple juice only fast designed specifically for that, which runs about 7 days.

But don't start fasting (or start any radical diets) without checking with your doctor first, to ensure that you don't have any other health problems. And obviously it's not for pregnant women...

No doubt you'd lose some weight, but it's not a good approach to that- what you really want is to change your regular eating habits so that you can keep the weight off. Things like avoiding sugary sweets, drinking more water, eating more fruits and vegetables, not eating late at night, eating smaller but more frequent meals and controlling your intake of saturated fat would be more helpful. Even the Atkins diet (no carbs, high protein) works much better for fast weight loss- although it's not a healthy long-term diet.

Fasting is usually done either as a spiritual exercise or to address a specific health problem- not shortcut to weight loss.

Answer 3

Compare, please, what you have head of it (and where resp. by whom) and what you are aiming at (weightloss). So an even-if-it-works spirutal fasting event (and yes, many cultures have incorporated this tool) will not provide what you are looking for.

Mostly we do forget that if a saint some centuries ago, nations like the Native Americans, people in Tibet or elsewhere do fast it is always accompanied by teachings, introductions, supervisors and so on. This is not just a week of starving, what most people achieve when they fast.

Problematic is, that your body after a couple of days will provide enough strees hormones that you feel okay plus the protein from your muscles (not necessarily the fat will go first) which will be metabolized is broken down to some metabolites which will give you a high feeling (i.e. acetone!). So you will have no real sign from your body that you might harm yourself.

It is not so bad to go some days without food, of course not. If you ever had a flu you probaly rejected food anyway. But you need to drink a lot (water, juices with water, tea etc.). But your liver and kidneys will not be convinced that they might like the extra job. Your body will take ist nutrition from its muscles, organs and last but not least fat. After returning to a normal nutrition scheme, your metabolism cannot follow as fast as your brain. You switched it to "starving" and it went into survival mode (grabbing each calorie it can get), afterwards... it is still grabbing, when you started eating normally again - that translates to... if your are in bad luck: weight gain.

So don't do it. To get kick-started with a diet, for crying out loud, start with one of those diet drinks for one week, providing essential amino acids and protein, plus make sure once a day you feel satiated with your food (so there will be no "emergency"-trigger in your system). Best is to get a decent diet plan from your physician and... meditate on patience. But you will in the end meet your goal.

Answer 4

Fasting against ALL and ANY kind of food I don't think is healthy. In the Christain Orthodox church, the oldest Christain church on the planet, when we do fast it is from any animal products and by-products. Ex: Meat, cheese, milk and anything else that comes from animals. Overall I guess I consider myself a healthy person, would love to lose some weight though. I fasted earlier in the ear, only stuck with peanuts, fruits, vegetable and beans. I never felt healthier in my life. During my fasting period I lost about 10 pounds because I wasn't eating the "crap" I was eating. After the fasting period, I naturally was eating healther and less of that same "crap" I mentioned earlier, I've been making wiser choices when I go out to eat. In other words, I've been slowly losing my weight. Basically, you are what you eat. Your body is made up of whatever you put it in.

Please don't confuse "fasting" with "not eating anything at all." It should be assocaited with "not putting anything bad into your body." The first couple of days I tried it was really tough, but WOW how I can describe how healthy I felt.

Answer 5

well your question is consisting of two parts, is it physically healthy and is it spritually healthy

spiritually healthy - yes fasting can be good as it "renews" the body, as well as allows you to demonstrate faith and trust in God ad well as show obedience to Him. There are many types of fasts, some being just giving up one thing, such as chocolate for a week, as a sacrifice to God. There is also an absolute fast which is not eating anything to show obedience to His word. Now this is a one day thing, as it is not healthy to do an extended period of time.

Physically healthy - it depends on the duration and type. For example, and absolute fast normally means no food and no liquids except water and juice for a 24 hour period. Most of the weight you drop during this fast is water weight and will be regained within a week after the fast. You should not absolute fast for more than 24 hours, as well as abstaining from physical exercise which will burn up calories in your body.

If you are looking to fast you should try just giving up one thing at a time. Start with something unhealthy that you enjoy, and say that you won't eat it for a week, and instead whenever you have a craving direct that craving towards a more healthy alternative.

Answer 6

There are several types of bibical fasting. There is the fasting that you are talking about, no food. There is fasting as in removing all foods but friots and veggies, and there is fasting by removing all the toxins such as coffee, processed food, sweets..
These are all good things if God calls you to fast, but fasting to 'kickstart' a diet is not good. Try talking with your doctor or a nutricianist.

Answer 7

You need to gradually go into a fast just like you need to gradually come out of one. That is why you do it under a doctor's supervision.
Fasting cleans out your system .....if you do a real fast and water only.
When coming off the fast you drink fruit juices...the kind with NO sugar. Fasting is to get the impurities out of you. Do your research, see a doctor.

Answer 8

fasting is not good...

Quick Weight Loss Formula

Obesity is a major health problem that is spreading its tentacles worldwide. Sedentary lifestyle, high intake of processed and junk foods, combined with stress are the primary causes of obesity. To combat this problem, many weight .............

http://www.obesity-cure-tips.com/category/Quick-Weight-Loss-Formula.html

Answer 9

It is definitely not healthy to go without food because it can cause massive weight loss, and you will get terminally sick. You eat to live, not live to eat.

Answer 10

I did this for two years. I developed Anemia and an eating disorder. I'm still strugling.

I suggest you don't.