Fasting?

[Kungfu boy]

I have a few questions on fasting.

1. Who here does it and why? (religion, fitness goal etc.)

2. Is it just no solid food? Do you just stick with liquids like water, gatorade etc.?

3. Do you train on these days at all? Either at the school or on your own?

4. For those who do it for training/health reasons, what results have you seen from this?

Thanks for the info guys, I am thinking of doing a 24 hr. fast to try it out but I was just wondering the specifcs of it.

Thanks Again

Brian

[Cyborg]

I do it occasionally, usually religious but sometimes health related matters prod me into it. I find it helps with how often I get sick, when I fast regularly I get sick alot less often. I've fasted from everything except water and fasted just from solids. On a longer fast juice will keep you hungry, just drinking water will make the hunger go away late in the second day. (for me) I usually don't train much (some on the first day) as there's not alot of energy to spare.

[stubbs]

i did a 24 hour fast once, no solid food, just water. i did it because my diet was getting out of hand. i was just eating so much, so often, and it was all bad bad bad food.

i didn't really feel hungery. once i finished i felt great and i started getting cravings for the right kind of foods. it put me right back on track and i think i might do another one soon.
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BMW M47 (http://www.bmw-tech.org/wiki/BMW_M47)

[SaMantis]

1. My family did 24-hour fasts when I was a kid ... never liked it much but they didn't hurt. Religious reasons.

2. Different fasts for different reasons. A "pure" fast, you eat no solid/liquid nutrients whatsoever, just drink water (and don't fill up on that, either). Then there are juice fasts, clear-liquid fasts (broth), fruit-only fasts, you name it. The main goal is clearing out heavy/toxic/"bad" foods (i.e. junk food). In religious fasts the goal is purification, with the above in mind, to facilitate spiritual strengthening.

3. No training. Keep your overall activity level fairly low (no housecleaning, sex, shopping, etc.) although you don't have to stop living entirely. When you end your fast, start with something clear and healthy (juice, porridge, broth, honey) and build from there.

4. I don't do it much ... after big holidays I'll do a 24-hour water-only fast, it's real easy when you've been eating meats, candy, heavy carbs for several days. I feel much "lighter" and more awake afterward.

My mom & her boyfriend do occasional 3-day juice fasts. Both have arthritis and say this actually helps them; also can kick-start a weight reduction program. I don't believe much in fasts that last longer than 3 days (for many reasons).

[monkey mind]

I've done 2-3 day fasts a few times - only water. I do this partly for health reasons (to give the digestive system a break & let it work on any crap that's accumulated in there) & partly because I think a little hunger & deprivation is good for me to experience every now & then. I tend to take it easy when I fast, no real physical training but I continue my internal work. One thing I recommend is not spending much time at home if possible - having food around just makes it more tempting to break the fast. Usually I feel pretty cranky & a little spacy around the end of day 2. Oh, and for some reason I get really bad breath. But that all passes & really it's not that hard.

[Kungfu boy]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm going to do a 24hr fast starting 8pm tonight to end tomorrow. I'll tell ya how I do.

[stubbs]

i preferred to do mine in the morning, that way when it finishes i've got a whole day to get back on track instead of finishing at 8pm, eating a bit and going to bed. i did mine from breakfast to breakfast (if that makes sense)

hows it going so far?

stubbs
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Pratt & miller (http://www.chevy-wiki.com/wiki/Pratt_&_Miller)

[Kungfu boy]

I changed it from 6am today- 6a.m. tomorrow, so far so good.

[dezhen2001]

which is a month - 29 days :)

Basically we fast from sunrise to sunset - no water or anything. After that we break fast. Everything else is normal - you are still expected to work and do your normal things. Also for couples, sex is also not allowed during daylight :( lol After the sun goes down you can eat and be merry until sunrise. But everything is meant to be simple and in moderation.

Depending on the year, it can be a real long time or a short one. The Islamic calendar is Lunar not Solar, so sometimes its in summer, sometimes winter. For me being in UK i was fasting around 7.30am to 4.30 pm generally as it was winter, but my missus in Australia was fasting around 5am to 8pm :eek:

it was my first Ramadan this year just past, and it was very intereting - as i like to eat. I found it balanced my body more and developed my focus and intention :)

good luck with your fast!

dawood

[maccajim]

Have a look at this book it is pretty cool read on fasting, diet strectching and pretty much everything to keep u healthy, it recommends fasting regularly.

"The Tao of health sex and longevity" by Daniel Reid
It is mostly concerned about preventive medicine stopping things going wrong with the correct diet and excersise.

It has really turned me of milk, pasturised stuff is practically useless, i used to mix all my shakes protein powders with it now use soy or just water although it dosen't taste as good.

[northernJump]

that book is ok but the author seems a little bit too enthusiastic about colonic irrigation for my liking.

[maccajim]

Did u see his DIY Colonic irrigation setup like it wouldn't freak out any of your friends if u had them over for a BBQ. I think he might be pretty lonely??