Fasting

**Jorec** · Posted On: 8/18/2006 12:18am

Originally Posted by Poop Loops

Papa once (well, a few times) told me that fasting for like 3 days in a row cleans your system. He's done it a few times himself. Gone to work and everything else as normal, just no food or water. He claims a doctor told him about it.

Fasting is outdated, though. The Quickening is where it's at.

So your an immortal too?

**Poop Loops** · Posted On: 8/18/2006 12:51am

Too? There can be only one!

**War Wizard** · Posted On: 8/18/2006 11:35am

I did the Ramadan thing one time for a religious studies class. For the first 4 days I felt like total crap, but after that I just snapped out of the funk and I was a-okay.

**Cowardly Lurker** · Posted On: 8/18/2006 12:07pm

There's a lot of evidence that detox fasting can actually be really good for you. I'm not sure how it would affect your training regimen. I don't compete and train strictly for health benefits, but I do a 7 day fast about once a year, and take a couple weeks off when I do.

By fast, I'm referring to no solids. I do drink lots and lots of liquids with simple sugars so that my metabolism doesn't go into starvation mode. Personally, I stick with water, lemon juice and a little bit of honey for 7 days, then ease back into solids by eating fruit on day 8, fruit with yoghurt and whole grains on day 9 and then small portions of protien and such after that until I am back on my normal diet. The lemon juice is supposed to help cleanse the GI tract, including the kidneys and liver. I'm not terribly scientific about it.

I've read about more scientific "detox fasts", like this 7 day juice fast on About.com: http://altmedicine.about.com/od/deto...yjuicefast.htm

I can tell you that the first day is not bad, day 2 and 3 are when you can physically feel the toxins that are buried in your body being purged (your skin gets funky and the first time I did it I smelled like I'd eaten too much garlic), but my opinion is that it's not unhealthy if done prudently. Of course, this presumes that you have no other issues, such as diabetes.

**A.D.D** · Posted On: 8/18/2006 1:52pm

I hate this computer. Anyway.

What are the toxins?

Ok. So toxins build up in your body. I assume cells. Ok. So then you have toxins in your body and fasting gets rid of them. Assuming more quickly or efficiently than when not fasting because if there was such a build up I would probably be dead by now since I have never fasted.

So why is there a build up of toxins and why is your body getting rid of them more efficiently/quickly when you are fasting? Does it just have more time on its hands since it isn't digesting so the body needs something to do and starts doing that?

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 8/18/2006 1:55pm

The 'toxins' thing with fasting is bullshit. We have kidneys and a liver for a reason.

**A.D.D** · Posted On: 8/18/2006 2:08pm

Hopefully people will still answer my questions because we will get some really amusing answers.

**Rhamma** · Posted On: 8/18/2006 2:09pm

I "hit a wall" weight loss wise this summer. I trained everyday at lunch and about 4 nights per week and ran / walked 5 miles every afternoon since May.

I dropped about 15lbs and then I was stuck. It didn't seem to matter how much I worked out the weight would not come off.

I'm 45, and I had quit tobacco, and my metabolism had just slowed down.

So, I tried something drastic. For the last two weeks (well two weeks on as of tomorrow) I have eaten nothing but a single chicken breast at night and a VERY small bowl of cereal in the morning (like 1/2 a cup).

I have lost 12lbs as of today.

When I start to introduce some lunch back into my routine it will be a very small amount.

I have still been working out everyday and run / walking and I don't feel bad at all.

I only drink water, and I would say my calorie intake is about 800 per day.

**Cowardly Lurker** · Posted On: 8/18/2006 3:05pm

Originally Posted by A.D.D

I hate this computer. Anyway.

What are the toxins?

Ok. So toxins build up in your body. I assume cells. Ok. So then you have toxins in your body and fasting gets rid of them. Assuming more quickly or efficiently than when not fasting because if there was such a build up I would probably be dead by now since I have never fasted.

So why is there a build up of toxins and why is your body getting rid of them more efficiently/quickly when you are fasting? Does it just have more time on its hands since it isn't digesting so the body needs something to do and starts doing that?

Well, I think the idea is that your kidneys and liver are filters. Someone else said that's what we have them for, and I'm not arguing that. A detox diet or a detox fast are supposed to give your body a chance to purge the liver and the kidneys, as well as the upper GI tract... clean them out. I suck at analogies, so I'm sure this one will get eaten alive, but the way I look at it is that the kidney and liver are like any other kind of filter... like on a vacuum cleaner. The HEPA filter on the old Hoover works great for a long time, but it eventually stops working right if you don't clean it. And yeah, it's because your liver and kidneys are given a chance to work without anything new coming in.

To be clear, I'm not suggesting that everyone needs to fast, or that it's a good idea for most people. If you drink enough water, eat well and all that, you'll probably not have any problems. Most people don't drink enough water and don't eat well. I know many people who drink coffee in the daytime and beer at night, and that's about it. Thus the reason Merck (or whoever) makes enough money schilling Nexium and the other assorted Chronic Reflux and Esophagitis drugs to advertise on TV.

I hope I didn't give you guys the idea that I'm any kind of expert on this stuff. I just wanted to point out that there ARE people who fast for health reasons, and to point you to at least one website where there's plenty of information on it from people far more qualified than I am to speak on the subject. You guys can come to your own conclusions.

**Poop Loops** · Posted On: 8/18/2006 3:38pm

Originally Posted by Rhamma

I "hit a wall" weight loss wise this summer. I trained everyday at lunch and about 4 nights per week and ran / walked 5 miles every afternoon since May.

I dropped about 15lbs and then I was stuck. It didn't seem to matter how much I worked out the weight would not come off.

I'm 45, and I had quit tobacco, and my metabolism had just slowed down.

So, I tried something drastic. For the last two weeks (well two weeks on as of tomorrow) I have eaten nothing but a single chicken breast at night and a VERY small bowl of cereal in the morning (like 1/2 a cup).

I have lost 12lbs as of today.

When I start to introduce some lunch back into my routine it will be a very small amount.

I have still been working out everyday and run / walking and I don't feel bad at all.

I only drink water, and I would say my calorie intake is about 800 per day.

The question is, is it fat that's whithering away, or your muscles?