Frugal strategy: fasting

**SnoopyCool** · 03-10-2008, 05:10 AM

Were you fasting for spiritual purposes? Health reasons?

**Scanner** · 03-10-2008, 05:53 AM

Health reasons. Just giving the body a rest from stress and bad food.

**Broken Arrow** · 03-10-2008, 06:59 AM

I don't know anything about fasting but....

Doesn't going long periods of time without food throw the metabolism into chaos?

From what I've read and heard, it would be healthier if we eat smaller portions of food throughout the day....

**FrugalFish** · 03-10-2008, 07:08 AM

Wow, that's a very long fast! I have recently seen the articles on fasting and that it may be good for the heart and other organs. They were talking about a 24 hour break.

I can't go longer than overnight without eating. I'm a small person with a very good metabolism so crash hard if I don't eat for a period of more than a few hours. A few months ago I had a minor surgical procedure scheduled for late in the afternoon and was unable to eat for about 20 hours. I was nonfunctional that entire day- couldn't even get off the couch! Don't you feel a lack of energy from such a long fast?

My DH may be going out of town for 4 days next week. That's also a great way to save money. When he's not here, meals are a much simpler affair.

**aida2003** · 03-10-2008, 07:15 AM

I agree with 'experts' who say people tend overeat after 'dieting'. I'm one of such people. My brain works like that: if I fasted, I'd view it as a punishment and consequently when I stopped fasting, I'd jump for all the goodies. I'm very weak when it comes to food. So, instead I snack quite a bit during the day. Mostly fruit, but once in a while I get sweet tooth craving and have something sweet. If I tried to resist sweets, I'd overeat them too

.

**Scanner** · 03-10-2008, 07:21 AM

It's kind of funny - the first 24 hours aren't a barrel of laughs but not exactly uncomfortable. I see most religions and people do the 24 hour variety and they are going through the hard part and missing the fun/easy part (about hour 36 ketosis kicks in and hunger disappears).

The rule is don't overexert yourself - read, maybe some light cleaning, take a stroll (preferrably not on the NJ Boardwalk with the aromas of funnel cake and gyros

)

Also, try not to watch Pizza Hut commercials like I did last night

. It really is educational on how much of our hunger cues are psychological and not physiological.

After that, it's pretty comfortable. And my energy and mental focus is improved.

I am breaking the fast in 2 hours - and I don't even really want to (the effect of ketosis). You have to be careful there - obviously you don't go out to McDonalds for an extra value meal to break the fast - I am making some homemade chicken soup.

Maybe tonight I'll have a scrambled egg (light on the butter) and a piece of low-carb toast.

A 3 day fast isn't that long really - some people do it for 21 days. I've heard of 40 days. I just don't have the time to lay around and not work for that long so 3 day fasts make a lot of sense to me.

You don't do this to lose weight.

Repeat: you don't to this to lose weight.

I am sure when I break the fast, my caloric consumption will be high the next 3 days although I will try to stay protein and fat based (leaning towards lean proteins the first 24 hours).

I may have netted a pound loss by the time I am done but weight loss is reserved for your daily diet, not a fast.

**Scanner** · 03-10-2008, 07:28 AM

Broken Arrow,

There are conflicting views on this - there is the laboratory science/medical science view on this and then there's an evolutionary biologist view on diet.

Yes, if you have diabetes, perhaps a fast would be a bad idea (Steve could speak to this), esp. without medical supervision. And medical science would tell us that spaced out small meals is the best way for Americans to consume food (grazing).

I tend to side with the evolutionary biologists on this one. Many of our bodies metabolisms haven't "advanced" where we can exist on an agricultural based diet and get "3 squares/day". Our ancestors didn't necessarily get 3 squares/day - they went periods of time without food, which consisted of meat, some veggies, nuts, berries.

The idea we are supposed to shove food down our gullets 3x/day is relatively new modern idea.

There is merit in both sides of this discussion but I don't see the need to "medicalize" everything all of the time. If you are relatively healthy and have no metabolic disorders like diabetes, just take a few pre-cautions as I have outlined and just fast. Don't overindulge in water either - that could mess up your metabolism (hyponatremia - although very rare).

Also, if your blood pressure runs high, be careful. . .with the meds you take and in combo. with fasting, it will come down the point you may faint getting off the toilet.

Again, just take it easy, don't go to the gym and pound out 14 sets, and it's fine/safe.

**PrincessPerky** · 03-10-2008, 08:59 AM

somehow I cannot imagine not doing all the things I do in a day...just so I could skip food... I like food

not that I like the chores, but if I skip em today or three days so I can fast, I have thrice the work when I come back....

That and kids locked in four walls because mommy has no energy is not a pretty sight!

**Aleta** · 03-10-2008, 09:11 AM

I used to fast one day a week. I would choose a day that I knew wouldn't be taxing physically. When you fast, you are giving your organs a day off to regroup if you will. After you go off the fast, you are supposed to slowly add food back into your diet; otherwise you are defeating your purpose.

I always found that I was more mentally aware when I was fasting. If you are diabetic, you should always consult your doctor first before attempting a fast. The rules are different and yet fasting can even help a diabetic if it it done properly.

Some people do this for spiritual reasons as well as for physical reasons. I found that it helped to surpress my appetite and I always felt great when I did this.

**Scanner** · 03-10-2008, 09:50 AM

Yeah, I just broke my fast 5 minutes ago with a slice of watermelon and some grapes.

The grapes tasted like candy, OMG. . .I am not exagerating - they tasted like M & M's in my mouth.

I'm going to have some chicken soup (minus the noodles) in an hour. . .but I ahve to tell you, the hunger is not back yet.

**Aleta** · 03-10-2008, 10:17 AM

Soups and broths are definitely good to start on after a fast. You are right about food tasting differently after a fast. We all probably eat so often that it masks our taste buds. Fruit is especially good after a fast. I just always took it easy because of the sugar rush that it can give you.

**Scanner** · 03-10-2008, 11:40 AM

Aleta,

Chicken broth with a little celery and onion in it (homemade chicken stock) was good too - needed some salt but not much.

I made Atkins chicken salad with the chicken, artichokes, and olives but won't eat it til tommorrow probably (I did sneak 2 forkfulls).

After work tonight, I'll probably stick with my egg and toast, idea, maybe poached egg.

I like the focus fasting gives you on your diet afterwards. Oh, I also snuck a bit more grapes but I should probably stop that. . .as per your statement on sugar rush/glycemic index.

PS: this worked really well - breaking the fast at 1:45 p.m. . .like you said, it gives me time to ease back into eating for a half-day, instead of waking up and going to town. It's also an easy time to start the fast.

I'd like to do it more often. . .but I'll admit I don't know when.

You wanna know something crazy? I"d love to go on a Cruise Fast - 3 or 4 days in the Caribbean.

But from what I hear about cruises. . .that's a bit of an oxymoron. I should probably get half-price.

**Aleta** · 03-10-2008, 11:54 AM

LIke you, I found breaking the fast around the afternoon time is easier. If I end the fast in the morning, I tend to eat too much. Your recipes sounds great. I'll have to try the Atkins Chicken salad. I'm sure that recipe is in his book which I have.

Sorry, I don't think that I could do a Cruise fast. Might think about one after I get off the cruise though.

Thanks for the tips.

**Scanner** · 03-10-2008, 02:41 PM

Atkins Chicken Salad is in his cookbook "ATkins for Life" or something (it's yellow).

I'll give you the short version

Chicken
Sour Cream
Mayo
Olives
Artichoke hearts, drained.

Mix together.

I did my lab test this morning and got some prelim. test results back:

Chol. is high, but triglycerides are down. (to be expected - body is liberating fat).

My creatine ran on the high side - 1.2 but my kidneys were probably working overtime.

Frugal strategy: fasting