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Fasting Megathread

Yes, but ... I've mentioned before that I've gone on fasts where I started having bad diarrhea and after 5 days it was continuing, so I stopped the fast. You can't tolerate the unpleasantness for as long as it would take to detox. Better to start eating healthy and get your body in better shape before you try fasting again.
 
Oh yes I absolutely agree. I really think anyone should be on a raw foods diet, all organic *or mostly raw, you know, whatever you can do* before fasting. For at least a few months before. Once I discovered raw, I felt like kicking myself for all the fasts and cleanses I did pre-raw. They were like... 10% helpful vs how helpful they could have been. It is useless to do all the work cleansing and healing to go back on a diet or lifestyle (ciggs, drinking, etc) that isn't good for you.

I try and go in cycles of fasting/cleansing/breaking down and building back up with proper nutrition and exercise. At this point I'm going for 2-3 cleansing cycles a year (winter, late spring/early summer and fall). But the good thing about raw foods is it is a detoxifying AND building diet. :)
 
notDeja, how did your fast end up going? You're not still fasting, are you? :P

Today begins day number one of fasting. Had breakfast because I've got a lot of walking/standing to do from 9-1 and I don't want to risk getting dizzy or fainting--Though fainting in a hospital would be pretty convenient, lol.

Plan on fasting today 'til Sunday, at least. Last time I did almost two solid days--Wanna go at least three solid days this time. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen, but here's hopin'. :)
 
It went well! No I'm not still fasting. Back on my normal diet. I did four days and it was good. It would have been better had I spent more time meditating and less online. Next time I will make the experience a little more sacred. You learn something each time you do it, it's really cool. :)

Also my digestion has improved since before the fast, quite a bit.
 
Glad to hear your fast went well! And glad to hear your digestion has improved since before the fast--that's always a plus. :)

I abandoned the fast for this week. Gonna try again next Thurs. Ahaha, the food in the fridge was too tempting after talking about it with someone else (who was also fasting). Next fast, I won't make tons of delicious food a few days prior. :P
 
Yeah, its definitely best to have your fridge empty. Or rather, full of stuff to make juice. :) For me I wasn't really tempted by stuff in the fridge. Oddly I didn't crave any of my normal foods that I love. I only craved the bad stuff from years ago. I'm interested to see if this happens again on my next fast. I want to make my body forget I ever ingested that stuff.
 
addictivepersona said:
Oh, I know it varies on a personal basis. I was just asking for what you, abracadabra girl (or anyone else reading this), thought. :)

I think teas are fine for a fast, as long as they're non-caffeinated and not drank (drunk?) for the calories (though I don't think there are calories in tea).
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I think this depends on your body type. When I was a lot skinnier than I am now, I could hardly go a few hours without eating. I also became extremely anxious when I took caffeine while hungry. I tried to fast then but became extremely imbalanced and anxious. I could only fast for one day at a time, and I felt hardly any benefits.

In my current state, I can take 3 cups of coffee on an empty stomach and only get hungry. I have much more "meat" on my bones now, and have naturally shifted to a different set of food preferences.

Generally, in ayurveda and also in our local mode of healing, it is believed that "vata" people-- those who have anxiety, coldness, dryness, and a lot of "wind" in the body are not recommended for intense fasting. Incidentally, the "vata" element is also aggravated by caffeine. (These profiles may be confusing for a lot of people, here is a basic intro. It will take a little reorientation for those steeped in Western orientation, but it is fun to see the patterns).

You can imagine how taking caffeinated drinks on a fast will spell failure for some people, and will be okay for others. Just think of how the different people you know react differently to both caffeine and being hungry.

In fact, fasting beyond two days is only recommended for certain body types, or for people with certain medical conditions.

Getting off a fast is as important as the fast itself. You need to be sure not to binge, but also to eat things that will help the process along, not negate your whole experience. In my experience, I feel best when I eat only very simple boiled vegetables, or some juices. You should also only eat when you are hungry.

Remember, a fast need not be drastic. It is sometimes as simple as skipping dinner and going to bed at 9PM! You will find that you feel great and light, and wake up without heaviness in the morning!
 
^ Excellent post, Dtergent. Made some really good points.

However, just a tip: Instead of boiling your vegetables, you should steam them. Unless you're drinking the cooking water, you're losing some nutrients! Sure, some nutrients are still lost through steaming, but not nearly as much as boiling.

Fasting day one begins tomorrow for me. I plan on going at least 'til Sunday morning, maybe through Sunday.
 
^11,000 posts Deja! Nice! You should delete your account at 11,111 or 12,345 and make a new account so it remains that way forever!

As for fasting news Lent is coming up for all of you Christians (or not) considering a time to start a fast. Holy moley I just looked it up and Ash Wednesday is not until March 9th 8o very late. So I guess this post is a little premature...unless I am having a devilishly good idea. Let me go type for a while and see.
 
^ Do any Christians actually fast during Lent? I've heard of them giving up "all" meat on Fridays (but allowing themselves fish that day 8)), but I've never heard of Christians fasting during Lent.
 
I'm sure some do. There's a common passage read in church about how to fast I remember from when I was younger. You should keep it between yourself and God as pride is a sin. Rub oil on your skin and pinch your cheeks so no one else can tell. Some other stuff like that. In general though you are right. People just eat pancakes on pancake Tuesday and avoid meat on Fridays. Also they might limit themselves to only 5 cigarettes a day or something except on Sundays 8).

But I've got an idea for a nice group fast if people are up for it. I'll make a new thread and link to it from here in bit once I write it up.

edit:
Okay check it out http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?p=9300884
A 12 day group fast to usher in spring starting on the first day of lent and ending at the equinox.
 
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Things have become a little bit askew over the years. I'm guessing (my opinion only) that many years ago, there may have been a fast like the one Amapola is offering to us as a group fast. The great American society does things differently than what is done in other countries. Maybe it would be helpful to hear from people in other countries to see if this same type of behavior ("avoiding" meat on Friday except for fish, the 5 cigarette a day trial, etc) is done elsewhere.

Edit: Since this is the fasting thread and I originally opened it to say this short piece of information, I guess I'll say it now before I get distracted again: I'm starting a fast tonight in which I hope to last at least three days. I'll update and things like that so I know I'm still alive haha.
 
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Amapola, I'm up for the group fast, as I stated in the other thread. :)

Simply_Live, hopefully you made it through your day! <3

The first 24 hours of my fast hasn't been bad, mostly because on Thursdays I don't have much downtime to think about food (clinicals 8-2 basically, so I can't exactly eat then). Then I had to go deal with my car, and that took from about 2 to 4... Then I went and took care of some other things, and am just now starting to relax and have my stomach revolt--I'm not hungry but my stomach has started making upset noises within the past five, ten minutes. Especially after reading the most recent posts in the The last thing you ate or drank v.2!
 
First 24 hours:

It's been an up and down day. I feel fine physically, but my mood has been shifting from a lethargic, calm personality to my normal personality (calm, but optimistic). I felt very weak earlier as I had to do some lifting at work (cashier) and I was very thirsty. Thankfully, no headache though! I'm excited to see what tomorrow brings.

Edit: I'm aliiiiiiiiive!
 
Ive only fasted once and just for three days for starters. Though even that had profound effects. As my body weened off of energy from calories and fat, I began to feel more in touch with different kinds of energy, prana or universal life force more specifically. I also noticed a huge increase in my creative capacities in my writing and in playing guitar. And for some reason I became a hell of a lot more flexible. I was able to meditate in full lotus position for a half hour, something I could only maintain for a minute or so just days earlier. Cant wait to find out what a week would do to me.
 
ganja god said:
Ive only fasted once and just for three days for starters. Though even that had profound effects. As my body weened off of energy from calories and fat, I began to feel more in touch with different kinds of energy, prana or universal life force more specifically. I also noticed a huge increase in my creative capacities in my writing and in playing guitar. And for some reason I became a hell of a lot more flexible. I was able to meditate in full lotus position for a half hour, something I could only maintain for a minute or so just days earlier. Cant wait to find out what a week would do to me.
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If you were doing that great after three days a week would probably do you amazingly right. :) For me the first couple days are usually pretty miserable. It seems to turn around a bit right after day 3. BUt I hear with longer fasts it turns around completely and you have a lot of energy. So amazing.

Every time I fast I feel like my body "resets" to a younger me. Like cleaning out a closet.
 
I also noticed, and ive heard it confirmed by other people who have fasted, that after the fast I become more focused in life and had a clearer vision of what I should really be doing with my time. Fasting also showed me how much of the food i eat is unnecessary and just over eating cause I had the munchies and how it had just become a crutch. So I started wondering what other crutches I was using and not totally aware of. Then I set about eradicating the crutches and thinking about why it was that I had been using them.
 
MynameisnotDeja said:
It's ridiculous, isn't it? Especially when you can show them examples of people who've fasted 30, 60, 90+ days or even more and come out of looking great, strong and healthy. But no... all those people are liars right? lol
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Why are you so much more concerned with anecdotal (and EXTREMELY SUBJECTIVE) accounts than actual science behind fasting and how food affects the body?

People just can't seem to break the mentality they've been taught that we need food all the time. It scares them seeing us do things like this because they themselves probably feel deep down inside they wouldn't have the strength to do it themselves. So they attack it, over and over no matter how much you try and show them the light. Examples of that are right in this thread. You asked for no debate and certain souls still can't seem to contain their attacks on this lifestyle... it's kind of funny.
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When I read posts like this I'm reminded of two things--first, being 'evangelized' to by some religious fanatic. Phrases like "see the light" and "they wouldn't have the strength to do it themselves" are the exact same arguments that religious fanatics use against the people they're trying to convert people. Second--the types of statements I've heard constantly counseling those with an eating disorder such as "can't seem to contain their attacks on this lifestyle..." as if anorexia is a valid lifestyle choice we should all treat with reverence. (I'm not trying to say that everyone who fasts is anorexic, just that calling either behavior a valid "lifestyle" is equally preposterous.)

"they attack it, over and over no matter how much you try and show them the light" - really? Show me some science that supports that fasting is superior to, oh I don't know, EATING A HEALTHY DIET over the same period of time?
 
^^^
I don't believe that the primary health benefits of fasting are directly related to physical changes occurring during the fast. Furthermore any of these 'direct physical benefits' as you said Dokomo could be achieved through a healthy diet over a similar (not same) period of time. Detoxification is a term often associated with fasting. As your body is forced to burn fat, toxins are released and need to be expelled from the body making you feel sick in a 'healing process'. Eating a healthy diet and losing weight will also result in these fats being broken down and the toxins being released, just in a controlled and much less dangerous manner.

So then what are the health benefits of fasting? For me the benefits are an uplifting spiritual experience combined with a perceived physical cleansing experience. After a fast am I in better shape physically than before it? No of course not. I've lost some gains in my physical training and once the fast is broken need a few extra hours of sleep at night to get back on track. However my mental clarity and general feeling of rebirth is remarkable. My mood is improved, I find myself appreciating life, and I am in touch with my body and what I put into it.

Show me some science that supports that fasting is superior to, oh I don't know, EATING A HEALTHY DIET over the same period of time?
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Dokomo you are completely right. There is no way a healthy body is going to be physically better off starving itself for any extended period of time, and an overweight body is going to get a lot more benefits out of switching to a permanent healthy diet. What if a fast changes an overweight person's mental perception or even addiction to food by just going though life without it for a while though?

It's ridiculous, isn't it? Especially when you can show them examples of people who've fasted 30, 60, 90+ days or even more and come out of looking great, strong and healthy. But no... all those people are liars right? lol
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MynameisnotDeja I don't know if I've ever seen that before. Anytime I've seen anyone fast over 2 weeks they start looking pretty sallow in the face. Still if their spirit is stronger because of it then good for them.

I also have never found that people attack this as a lifestyle if they understand the reasons behind why I am doing it. Dokomo's posts are merely alleging that it is not a "healthy" thing for you to do to your body, and from his point of view I agree. I do think though that his point of view is a little narrow and that if you look beyond the immediate health risks and detrimental effects, it can be very healthy.

I personally always like to hold a view on fasting that I read somewhere or other in mind. The gist of it is that when any animal in the world is sick or injured, they stop eating because they are no longer hungry. If I feel sick from the stress that life brings, never mind the beer, half chewed steak, and unsaturated fatty acids, I don't really feel hungry for a few days either.

edit:
I'd like to clarify that for this post when i say fasting I am referring to water fasting. Some of these points don't apply to juice fasting which would in this case better be considered a low calorie diet.
 
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