Fasting
- Thread starter Hyuri
- Start date
i've actually been trying to work my way up to one day a week for about two months now. i'm doing it slowly, so i don't feel like i want to gnaw my arm off. i am at 22 hours, and will probably choose Wednesdays as fast days.
i got the idea in my head that it would be good for the environment. bonus: i fit into some jeans i hadn't worn in about a year.
i got the idea in my head that it would be good for the environment. bonus: i fit into some jeans i hadn't worn in about a year.
I did this at one time in my life and really got a lot out of it. So much so that over time, my list of "needs" in life grew progressively shorter, and that can be quite liberating.
There are lots of creative ways engage in this sort of thing...whatever is most meaningful. The idea is not to "give up" per se as much as it is to "make room." It can be both an interior and exterior way to get rid of the clutter, find a bit more clarity, and enjoy existence in a more connected way.
There can definitely be health benefits, but I have found the other to be even more meaningful and far reaching.
There are lots of creative ways engage in this sort of thing...whatever is most meaningful. The idea is not to "give up" per se as much as it is to "make room." It can be both an interior and exterior way to get rid of the clutter, find a bit more clarity, and enjoy existence in a more connected way.
There can definitely be health benefits, but I have found the other to be even more meaningful and far reaching.
You remind me of my father. He's an INTJ, so maybe it an aspirational Se thing? (Note that he is also almost 72 years old.)
I remember 3 times when he randomly decided to do 40 day fasts, saying it was both for religious and health reasons. One of these times he consumed nothing but water and went jogging every other day. (I was quite young when this happened so I don't remember all that clearly, but I believe he lost over 100lbs with this one.) The other two times he did not eat anything but still drank juices and the occasional meal replacement shakes. There was also a period where he was eating but only things very high in antioxidants. More recently he has gotten in the habit of fasting on one or two random days a week. For the rest of the week, he tends to eat tuna (with extra olive oil) and peanuts for breakfast, skip lunch, and have dinner with the rest of us.
I don't think that this is particularly healthy, especially for someone with a thyroid condition like his.
Fasting and caloric restriction have been shown to increase life expectancy in many species. It is believed that the reason for this may be that it causes a reduction in the metabolism which in turn greatly reduces the production of free radicals and somewhat slows aging. (Evidence that moderately overweight people actually live longer may further support the metabolism hypothesis.) If your purpose is living longer for the sake of living longer then a low metabolism is a good thing, but if you'd rather lose wight long term, have extra energy, and enjoy life then higher is better.
I remember 3 times when he randomly decided to do 40 day fasts, saying it was both for religious and health reasons. One of these times he consumed nothing but water and went jogging every other day. (I was quite young when this happened so I don't remember all that clearly, but I believe he lost over 100lbs with this one.) The other two times he did not eat anything but still drank juices and the occasional meal replacement shakes. There was also a period where he was eating but only things very high in antioxidants. More recently he has gotten in the habit of fasting on one or two random days a week. For the rest of the week, he tends to eat tuna (with extra olive oil) and peanuts for breakfast, skip lunch, and have dinner with the rest of us.
I don't think that this is particularly healthy, especially for someone with a thyroid condition like his.
Fasting and caloric restriction have been shown to increase life expectancy in many species. It is believed that the reason for this may be that it causes a reduction in the metabolism which in turn greatly reduces the production of free radicals and somewhat slows aging. (Evidence that moderately overweight people actually live longer may further support the metabolism hypothesis.) If your purpose is living longer for the sake of living longer then a low metabolism is a good thing, but if you'd rather lose wight long term, have extra energy, and enjoy life then higher is better.
Some people select certain types of fasting to cleanse the body of toxins and such.
Same.
I can't handle it at this point.
I'm curious about this as well. I take it you mean 'other'?
I just have a problem seeing where this would be beneficial on such a frequent basis. I have heard that fasting one to two times a year is healthy to cleanse the body of toxins, but once each week seems a little excessive to me. The only thing I can see it being useful for is weight loss, but even then you'd put it back on unless you restricted your calories, but then why bother fasting?
Well - there's the purely physical health benefits of fasting (you lose weight). But like randomsomeone said, it's also good because fasting helps you create room for other things by shedding other things.
So instead of spending so much time thinking about food/preparing for a meal/cleaning up from a meal, I've got more time for (fill in the blank).
It also really makes me thing about what I need out of life and what I just want out of life. I find that when I'm fasting, I'm less selfish.
All of these would be part of the health bonus.
So instead of spending so much time thinking about food/preparing for a meal/cleaning up from a meal, I've got more time for (fill in the blank).
It also really makes me thing about what I need out of life and what I just want out of life. I find that when I'm fasting, I'm less selfish.
All of these would be part of the health bonus.
- Aug 28, 2008
- 4,628
- 1,956
- 857
- MBTI
- ENTP
i thought you'd posted this in the wrong forum, i was about to move it to the mature section, then i reread the thread title
mnom:
Please tell me i'm not the only one who miss read this title
mnom:Please tell me i'm not the only one who miss read this title
i thought you'd posted this in the wrong forum, i was about to move it to the mature section, then i reread the thread title
Please tell me i'm not the only one who miss read this title
What did you think it said?
Once a week for just one day isn't going to kill anyone. You only miss breakfast and lunch one day.
Yes, taken to extremes, fasting can be very bad for your health but that's not my plan.