To think a starvation diet isn't healthy?

[TillyMint81]

A friend of a friend was recently telling me that she had spent three days eating nothing at all and just drinking water. She was doing it to lose weight and said it was a great way of doing it.
I sort of 'hmmm'ed and came away thinking it sounded unhealthy both physically and mentally.
I once did the 24 hour sponsored fast as a teen and by the end of that I felt ropey and dizzy. I'm not sure I could manage three days and work too!

Frosty do some research into Keto / ketosis / ketogenic states

and does detox the body

The liver detoxes the body. If it isn't, you've got problems that a fast won't solve.

Fasting triggers autophagy so is likely to be beneficial.
Doesn't sound like she knows that though, so there's no guarantee she's doing it in a healthy way.

A biologist specializing in the human body and environment told me that very quick weight loss is a bad idea because it releases the stored up toxins eg from pesticides from the cells too fast and can make you quite ill, plus too many toxins released quickly into the body can have a bad long term effect. Slow weight loss gives the body time to handle it better.

People have fasted for religious reasons for centuries.

People have also beaten themselves with ropes/chains/sticks for religious reasons. It doesn't make it healthy.

I have friend who does this. He is already very slim though and fasts “for his gut health”. He had psoriasis and apparently read that fasting and a restrictive, elimination type diet can help. He always starts with a water fast. Not for three whole days though. I think he starts introducing food after a day and a half.

Tbh, I don’t know if it’s working for his psoriasis, but I think he quite enjoys it.

Has*

There was a diet programme on Channel 4, How to lose weight well. It looked at long term changes and quick weight loss diets.

Some quick weight loss diets can be good for you, but they have to follow a proper plan, so you still get a level of nutrition and the body/brain is supported.

Some people can't 'diet', so the 5/2 diets, or fasting works for them. It means that they can stick to the calories needed for weight loss.

I lost weight quickly at the start of Summer by dropping down to around 500 calories on some days and up to 1200 on others. It gave me a kick start and the confidence that I can lose it.

@catsandkids I have. And I’ve read very conflicting opinions from various different health professionals about it. fasting for a day if done properly may be beneficial for some people, but to have no food at all for 3 days plus and also no doubt be rushing around with work etc is just stupid

FlyingDandelionSeed, Doctors, who have carried out full research, say that it is healthy because of the changes it promotes in the body/brain.

The programme "how to look and feel younger" looked into fasting and low calorie eating, as did other programme, who use the most up to knowledge.

"How to stay young", was another one.

@birds but did they say having 0 calories for a few days in a row was good? Or just having restricted calories?

Frosty66612 , restricted calorie eating plans was what they looked at and they are fine, for quick weight loss and for your health.

Three day starvation wouldn't be recommended, but the studies show that people who fast, do better, health wise, as long as their nutrition is good. Religious people outside the Western World, who fast, usually have really good diets, with no processed/added stuff/refined sugar. That's the difference in some people just deciding to fast.

At one time, yo-yo dieting was considered bad because we didn't know enough about what just being obese does and causes. No the thoughts are that intermittent weight loss isn't a bad thing.

The fasting should be intermittent, though, as well. But some people can't do that.

It's not a message that we should send out to young Women/Girls, but an Adult has the right to make that choice, without comment.

Some posters say that they'd have to tell her why she's wrong, but they don't.

Surely she will just be starving though so over eat on day 4 and by the end of the week have put it all back on?
I was sort of thinking that once she starts back she will put in a couple of the lbs she lost?

It's not religious reasons.

*There is a difference between starving yourself and doing a clean fast - which has many health benefits .

Watch the documentary “the science of fasting “ .

I do about 1-2 a year and really enjoy it*
How long do you tend to do it for?

I think the ED posts have probably hit the nail on the head. I hadn't even clicked that it had probably made me uncomfortable because of that and it being something I went through for a decade. (and it still being something that rears up at times)

My colleague went on a very expensive liquid diet. Fair play to the woman, she did it for 18 months with incredible willpower, even doing it on Christmas Day etc. She lost loads of weight. Two years later? She's even bigger than she was to begin with.These starvation things really mess with your body.

water fasting for a few days can be really good for you.
Even if she overeats on day 4 she's unlikely to eat in excess of 8000 calories so will probably still see a deficit over the time.
there's some hugely interesting research around fasting.
Dietdoctor website has some great information with Dr Jason Fung.

Don't judge her, you're not a doctor and she hasn't complained of feeling unwell but has chosen to continue anyway.

Having an opinion isn't really judging people seem to say that when they are feeling defensive

It's a huge challenge to exercise if you're very unfit.

Yes it is. But it’s doable. IF the person wants to do it.

Don't judge her, you're not a doctor and she hasn't complained of feeling unwell but has chosen to continue anyway.

At no point did I say I was judging her or that I was a doctor. Or that she hasn't complained of feeling well. Lots of assumptions from you there.

the word 'detox' indicates a complete fool who flicked her hair through her education. Bet she also says the diet works every time , as do all the stupid. She will be gradually porking up as do all crash dieters.

ignore as a waste of good oxygen.

complete fasting, i.e. close to zero calories, for 3 days is quite extreme. I wouldn't attempt that without medical guidance.

intermittent fasting like 5:2 or 16:8(dinner cancelling) has shown health benefits as well as healthy weight loss.

I think different people react differently ... my DH used to do this for health reasons and felt very good after it - typically 2-3 days every few months....

I on the other hand feel ghastly if I do more than one - and even one day makes me feel very weak.

And when I was young it was very easy....