This week I have been fasting. I do this twice a year using the Master Cleanse for 10 days.
DETOXING: It's really just homeostasis
Advocates of fasting hail it as a way to "detoxify". From a biological point of view our bodies detox whether we are fasting or not. We have organs and organelles designed for that task. We can even train our bodies to increase detoxing chemicals in response to harmful substances e.g. producing more proteins in the blood that break down alcohol and smooth ER in liver cells in the body of a frequent alcohol consumer.
So what's the point of fasting then if ours bodies detox anyway? I think it's the use of the word "detox" that is misleading. When proponents say "detoxing" I think they really mean "homeostasis". By reducing your consumption of food and limiting them to a healthy, easily digestible mono item, and eliminating other vices (drinking, smoking, etc ...), fasting gives your digestive and detox organs a break - kidneys, skin, liver, etc ... Your body will continue functioning as it always has prior to the fast only now that it is receiving harmless minimal external substances more energy can be put toward clearing whatever is left over from before the fast and setting your body at a healthier homeostatic point than before.
So your colon is full of crap? Well now your body can finally clear it instead of adding to it. So your kidneys are busy filtering out all the potassium you are ingesting from your daily super sized diet coke and sodium from your high salt diet? Well now your kidneys can filter out the rest of that and then have break for the next ten days. Let's not forget all the people who will be happy not to have to smell your powerful BO none the longer from the bad diet you had before the fast coming out through your skin.
Essentially a fast is organ R&R and a trip to the spa. The "detox" you get from it is a result of your body achieving some sort of homeostasis after dealing with all the crap your ate before the fast.
That's how I figured it anyway. WebMD provides the conventional point of view on fasting.
WEIGHT LOSS and POST FAST WEIGHT GAIN: Homeostasis yet again
So this is inevitable. You lose water weight and then you start to loss fat. Muscle can go as well depending on how long you take your fast. Muscle loss can be a good or bad thing depending on your out look.
I think for those who are fasting for weight loss the hardest and most important part is after you break the fast. You metabolism has slowed down, especially if your fast is more than ten days as it takes about two weeks of calorie restriction to slow the metabolism into "starvation state". If you are not careful you will pack on the pounds.
The thing is, fasting resets your metabolic homeostatic point for a few days. Food is efficiently used because the digestive system should 1) not be impeded by other foods and 2) thoroughly be replenished in digestive enzymes and HCL in the belly assuming the fast was not too intensive. Starvation state hormones trigger your body to efficiently use what food you are now receiving to keep you alive. Fortunately or unfortunately this means your body can get by on a little bit of calories. Normal amounts will make you start to gain weight as your body stores.
How does one combat this?
I searched around and found little info in this regard. That which I did find suggested metabolism boosting activities such as high intensity workouts. When reading the book for the Master Cleanse, my fast of choice, it suggested that all fasts should have a recovery period equal to the length of the fast. So for instance my ten days of lemon fasting should be met with ten days of slowly increasing my caloric intake back to normal levels.
1) Ten days of fasting averaging about 500 cals/day
2) Two days of fast breaking with OJ on day 1 and brothy stews on day 2
3) Vegetables and fruits only for the next five days increasing caloric intake by 100 each day
5) Add nuts and seeds and continue adding 100 cals per day for the next five days
6) Return to normal eating patterns or hopefully adopt healthier ones
If you find you are packing on the pounds after a fast, take it slow and eat lightly. When your fast ends, it's not really over, so to speak. Keep that in mind the next time you fast - "I wont be eating normal for twenty days if I do this ten day fast."
Another tactic is a gradual fast. Gradually reduce your foods and caloric intake until you get to your ideal fasting state and then gradually return.
For example Here is a two day interval two week long plan based on a similar plan found in the Master Cleanse book:
Day 1-2 Raw foods
Day 3-4 Soups and vege stews (cooked and blended)
Day 5-6 Veg and fruit juices
Day 7-8 Lemon Aid and Cayenne
Day 9-10 Veg and fruit juices
Day 11-12 Soups and veg Stews (cooked and blended)
Day 13-14 Raw Foods
You will get the benefits of fasting, some weight loss, and avoid the metabolic reset.
As an aside, following the logic here, if you are trying to gain weight, try fasting. The metabolic reset should allow you to quickly gain weight for a short period of time before you get back to normal levels. So basically you have to lose some before you can gain some.
