There was an article in Men's Health magazine about the benefits of fasting, and using it to help with weight loss, and to help get eating habits under control. It was interesting article; it was just one guys experiences with it. But I thought fasting was really bad for you. Don't worry, I'm not going to attempt a 30-day fast now, or anything like that. I'm just wondering how they could that kind of an article in their magazine. I thought it was a pretty good magazine. Maybe I'm wrong. Any thoughts?

they put that kind of article in the magazine because it sells magazines...

just because it's got health in the title, doesn't really mean it's focus is on actual health -the health of their bottom line more than anything else...

Often - when people speak of fasting for a religious reason - they in fact are referring to such things as abstaining from eating meat. People of other religious persuasions can assume when people speak of fasting - that they are referring to not eating at all.

What sort of fasting were they talking about? There is actually a lot of research by respectable people lauding the benefits of certain fasting techniques like intermittent fasting. Like mal said, magazines have to sell copies and they have to get articles done every month so material gets scarce after awhile. Think if WLF had a magazine. It would have the same 3 articles every month. That would be pretty effective for weight loss but people would stop buying pretty quick.

a lot of the fasts in magazines are juice type fasts (think Hollyweird Diet) or the Lemonade (master cleanse) diet...

I'm really unclear how a diet of total deprivation gets eating under control - my personality it would never work for.. I like good food too much...

They were talking about a 36 hour fast. This one guy did it from Sat. night to Mon. morning every week. He said it helped him enjoy his food more during the week.

i don't think fasting is automatically a bad thing. if you are doing it solely to lose weight that you expect to keep off, then yeah it's misguided. But there are other reasons to fast and I'm not referring to religion.

Sometimes it's just good to have a clean slate, so to speak

I think fasting is one of those things thats very personal in wether there will be any benefits to it.

Before you ever do anything thats questionable, ask yourself the following

Is there anything sensible that gives the same results I am hoping to achieve?
Is the reason I am doing this because it promises faster results in an easier manner?

Fasting won't hurt you if done in moderation (I think when its not done in moderation its called Anorexia).

Our bodies can handle being deprived of fuel for a bit.

Why people would do that over just eating things like fresh/frozen fruits & veggies and lean protein I don't know.

I read all about fasting when I was starting to decide I had to take getting unfat seriously. I read all these good things about it, but everything seemed to mimic the others with only anecdotal evidence.

I think there are probably good reasons to fast - I've heard many times that food does taste better (which makes sense if you withhold sex for a while it feels better). If giving up "junk" foods is tough for you, maybe a total food abstinence would help. I don't know, BUT if a fast helps you personally then it works in some way.

Also, if you were eating lots of junk then you probably would feel better afterwards, I can't imagine you wouldn't (unless you went back to eating junk.)

Fasting for 3 days won't hurt you (probably) but there might be better options.

I've always wondered...

Do people who fast poop less?

Than people who eat? Yes, obviously. You can't poop air.

Because thats already called farting.

LOL, Jeff.

As for fasting, I don't recommend it for anyone who has any sort of hangup with food. It could end up being a setup for a binge. IMO, it's better to eat super healthy than to deprive your body of nourishment.

Protein sparing modified fast FTMFW!

Bingo!

I don't have a problem with fasting as a concept. I grew up Catholic and have fasted myself for religious reasons. I've also done liquid only fasts (clear fluids, broth, water, etc.) at times when I felt my eating was getting out of control and I needed a mental "reset".

But I don't think that fasting for the specific purpose of losing weight is a good thing. Anything that talks about being a "detox" or that you'll lose 10 lbs in 10 days from drinking lemon juice and hot pepper in water or anything like that .. it's crap. And when you're struggling with your weight anyway, that kind of deprivation mindset and really make you play mental games with yourself.

Most type fasts are juice or non-meat type fasts, i would steer away from not eating at all!!!