Fasting

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• QWhy doesn't fasting lead to weight loss?

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  A Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  When our ancestors couldn't find food and went for long periods of time without it, their bodies acted like a life preserver. Their bodies stored fat in anticipation of the inevitable periods of famine. The same system works today. When you try to "diet" by going for long periods of time without eating or by eating way too few calories, your brain senses the starvation and sends an SOS signal through your body to store fat because famine is on its way.
  
  That's why people who go on extreme fasts and extremely low-calorie diets don't lose the expected weight. They store fat as a natural protective mechanism. To lose weight, you have to keep your body from switching into starvation mode. The only way to do it: Eat often, in the form of frequent, healthy meals and snacks.
  
  Start every day knowing when and what you're going to eat. That way, you'll avert the 180-degree shift between starving and gorging that occurs when you skip meals. If you feed your body regularly, you'll avoid extreme periods of over- and under-eating that can lead to a gain in weight and inches.

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• QWhy does fasting make me store more fat?

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  A Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  When you starve yourself for more than 12 hours, your metabolic rate actually goes down by 40 percent. Your body senses a dietary disaster and quickly goes into storage mode, rather than burning mode. That's the primary reason why deprivation diets don't work. Your body panics about going into a famine, so it slows metabolism into emergency-storing mode, rather than a steady state of burning. Breakfast eaters are on average thinner than those who skip breakfast because they keep their metabolism genes turned on, which means calories are more likely to be burned off before they can turn into fat.

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• QHow can I make fasting easier for myself?

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  A Lisa Oz , Health Education, answered

  One thing that helps is to schedule your fast while your kitchen is under construction so that any temptation to cheat is thwarted by the mere absence of food. If major renovations are not an option, take a weekend at a spa where everyone else is fasting too (especially if you have never done it before). But, if you are going to white-knuckle it alone, here are some tips:

  1. Start small: Try all raw foods one day a month. When you have done that a couple of times, move on to a simple juice fast. Stay away from the sweet fruit juices, since they will give you sugar highs and crashes. Invest in a good juicer and make your own delicious combinations of fruit and vegetables. You can throw in a tiny piece of ginger too if you like it. As the single-day fast becomes easier, you can progress to three days a month and work your way up to a week a few times a year.
  2. Make the cleanse comprehensive: See if you can use this period to cut out the emotional junk as well as the physical. Avoid surfing the Internet and watching TV. Do not spend time with people who drain you, and find quiet time for reflection each day. Fasting brings up a lot of issues - especially when you are one of those people who use food to suppress them.
  3. Enlist the people around you as your support team: Let your family and friends know what you are embarking upon so that they do not inadvertently sabotage your efforts by inviting you to a wine tasting on day four.
• QHow does fasting affect the body?

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  Fasting can have a variety of effects on the body. These include:
  

  • modest but temporary weight loss: The pounds usually return once you go back to your normal diet
  • improved heart health, though this area of research needs more study
  • improvements in certain medical conditions, notably rheumatoid arthritis, though the benefits fade over time

  Fasting also can have some serious negative effects on the body, such as:
  

  • dizziness
  • headaches
  • fatigue
  • fruity-smelling breath
  • changes in heart rhythm

  Fasting for long periods can have serious health effects. Do not fast without a doctor's supervision.
  

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• QWhat is fasting?

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  A Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answered

  Fastin (phentermine hydrochloride) is a prescription-only appetite suppressant pill used for a few weeks as part of medically supervised weight loss plans. It works by “telling” your brain that your appetite has been sated. Fastin is the brand name for a phentermine hydrochloride pill from GlaxoSmithKline that has been discontinued in the United States. Other prescription-only forms of phentermine hydrochloride are currently available as generics or as Adipex-P. If you are attempting to lose weight, your doctor can no longer prescribe Fastin, but will be able to tell you if another form of phentermine hydrochloride is right for you.

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• QWhat are the causes for fasting?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  An individual's period of fasting may take place for several reasons. In some religions and spiritualities, fasting is done as a means to cleanse and purify oneself or is viewed as a sacrifice. Fasting can also be used to lose weight or detoxify your body. Other times, medical testing or surgery may be reason that a person fasts.

• QWhat are the symptoms of fasting?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  The chief symptom of fasting is hunger. Individuals fasting may feel hungry, slightly light-headed, or irritable. Additionally, individuals who are fasting may feel very sleepy and sluggish from the lack of energy and nutrients usually derived from food. After two to four days the feelings of hunger usually pass, but you may still feel tired and light-headed. Any weight loss fasting regimen should be closely monitored by a doctor, if undertaken at all.

• QShould I talk to my doctor about fasting?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  Before you begin any fasting regimen for weight loss, you should speak with your doctor. Fasting is not usually a recommended treatment for weight loss, since it can create problems like decreased sodium, potassium, and calcium levels as well as hypoglycemia. Additionally, if you have diabetes, fasting may be very detrimental to your blood sugars. The longer you fast, the more risk there is for permanent damage to your digestive system and organs. As with any appointment, be sure to speak with your doctor about the reasons, symptoms, complications and alternatives associated with fasting.

• QHow do I manage my fasting on a daily basis?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  Any kind of fasting regimen should be monitored by a doctor since serious complications can arise. With the approval of your doctor, you can manage fasting by making sure that you stay hydrated with water, tea, or broth. Watch for any symptoms of hypoglycemia like shaky hands or severe dizziness. Make sure that you also make time for many naps and times of rest during your fasting period, as much of your energy will be depleted.

• QHow common is fasting?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  Fasting is a very common spiritual practice for many different belief systems and religions. However, it is not a very common weight loss method. In fact, many doctors do not recommend fasting for weight loss, except in exceptional or extreme cases.