Fasting every day: why not?

This topic contains 5 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by naffy 9 years, 3 months ago.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

Jnette

5:19 am
3 Apr 15
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I have been fasting for the past month or so, trying to not exceed 500 calories a day, every day.
I am 71 and weighed about 100 kgs for the last several years, I am determined to lose the excess weight as i find the depression and self loathing too much to cope with any longer. I also have a leaky heart valve and a slightly enlarged aorta. I am on statins and cholesterol medication.
I was going to join Weight Watchers, but realised that if I could keep the calorie intake down by cutting out many things I could achieve the same outcome. I had problems with gastritis and thought that eliminating yeasty foods, such as breads and yoghurt and cereal, this might help. I used to have breakfast of muesli with fruit and yoghurt, which took up about 300 calories. So now I just have a large fresh juice instead and snack on fruit instead of biscuits. I don’t take sugar, or drink milk, and only a little cheese. I have red meat maybe once a week, and fish or chicken every day.
So I just have juice in the morning, salad for lunch and a light meal in the evening, and fruit as snacks.
I have lost a stone in the last month this way, and want to continue, but would like to know what problems it might create, if any? If a fast is good for two days, why not every day, if I can keep it up?
I am loathe to be less rigid in case I can’t get back onto this track again, and am afraid to start eating ‘normally ‘ on non fasting days.

Applepie

5:55 am
3 Apr 15
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Well done on your weight loss! You might find this article interesting, originally posted on here by simcoeluv

http://charleycropley.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/FASTING-ART-Harpers.pdf

a fascinating read. Enjoy, and let us know how you get on.

Good Luck!

Jnette

11:15 pm
30 Jun 15
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Well, after trying to do this in reverse, ie diet for five and eat normally for two, have found this is not working as I’d hoped. After losing about one and a half stone, am now stuck at 15.00 and finding it really difficult to make those scales show 14.13.
I think my metabolism has accepted fasting as the norm. But I have found that on the two days off, I am desperately craving chocolate and ice cream. I have not eaten sugar, milk, bread, rice or pasta for months and don’t miss those foods, but chocolate ….must have. Why? Is it the sugar?
I feel I am losing my newly gained control over food and am afraid I am going to fail and go back to old bad habits.
I need some help with this!

MaryAnn

12:16 am
1 Jul 15
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This diet doesn’t sound safe or sustainable. It’s no wonder you’re having cravings.

Every other day fasting has been shown to be safe, at least in the short term. I’ve tried that, but I find that it gets old after a while. Plenty of people manage to lose a lot of weight doing just two or three fast days a week. It takes longer, but maybe that makes it safer?

Why don’t you try fasting less? And, if you main craving is chocolate, maybe buy some really super nice chocolate and treat yourself to a small amount on non-fast days.

Congrats on your loss so far and good luck!

galexinda

1:11 pm
1 Jul 15
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I think you should follow 5:2 for a month and you will lose weight and feel much healthier, less tired and be helping your various medical conditions. Far better to lose weight slowly and eat a varied healthy diet over a period of time than try to lose it too quickly.

Are you recording the amount of calories you eat, as it is so easy to overestimate the portion size and underestimate the amount of calories?

naffy

9:59 am
31 Jul 15
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I would be careful with fasting so frequently, you are unlikely to be able to get the energy as well as nutrients that your body requires, forcing your body into ketosis. This is why you have lost weight, but can reduce your blood pH and play havoc with your organs. It is definitely worth discussing this with your doctor, as weight loss is not always the best indicator of improved health.