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[eBook] Free - Why You Should Fast: A Comprehensive Guide to The Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Benefits of Fasting @ Amazon AU

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Credits to HUKD

A nice book to start your Monday!

Do you want to know how fasting can help you live your best life without feeling hungry? Then keep reading…
You see the word ‘fasting’ and think…why would I want to starve myself?

There are quite a lot of reasons, and I wouldn’t quite say that you are starving yourself.

Fasting offers many more benefits than just losing weight. It can cure multiple diseases, boost physical performance, and even help you live longer.

Enjoy!

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  • +66

    Fasting should be something all ozBargainers do, it's cheaper

    • +15

      That's what I do, I skip breakfast to save some money. My first meal is around 11am - 12noon and I eat dinner around 6-7pm. So that's a good 16-17hr fast.

      • Did you notice and improvements or side effects? In terms of energy levels, concentration, irritability etc

        • +1

          Improvements - little or no weight gain. I eat alot during mealtimes and often fellow work colleagues ask me "where does it all go?" and also they call me bottomless pit.

          Side effects - not too sure, I've been doing this since 2015. Now that you mentioned, I do get tired quite often but I think that is due to aging

        • +1

          I do 40:8 where I fast for a whole day, then eat every other day in an 8 hour window, when I'm cutting weight. I feel my concentration and also my willpower and ability to resist temptation go up as I know I'm going to eat well in that 8 hour window (and I do).

          But you won't know yourself until you give it a go.

        • +2

          I've been intermittent fasting for about 7 years now. Once a season I'll do a 4 day fast, I sill do weight training whilst not eating and find that once you pass into ketosis you become super strong and laser like focus. I did a PB chin up (135kg) at the end of my last 4 day fast.

      • May I ask if you're physically active? e.g. any form of exercise at least 2 to 3 times a week.
        I have a feeling that fasting may be a challenge with a more active lifestyle.

        • +6

          I do the same fasting and train on an empty stomach each morning. I cant train now with food in my stomach.

          • @Alejandro: Have there ever been any occasions where you wake up feeling starved and want to just eat everything?
            (This has happened to me, usually after a big training session. However I was not in a fasted state)

            • @JJlikes2eat: Usually hunger comes after strenuous excercise/work when fasting.

        • +1

          I go to gym 3-4 times a week, mainly weight training

          Also in the morning I drink 2-3 shots of coffee

          I started going to gym regularly from 2017, it took me a good 6yrs to gain 12kg. Went from 63kg to a now current 75kg

          I'm thinking of doing more cardio and trimming it down to 73kg

        • I run 20km a week(2x 10km). OMAD for 6 days, binge for 1. Its noticeable on the run days, HR is higher than if I were to eat more.

          • @philmarcracken: Yea I agree @philmarcracken, cardio is harder when fasting but when in ketosis weight lifting ability increases.

      • Breakfast is literally the meal you eat to break the fast. :)

        • That's where the name comes from yes. I'll usually persist on a coffee with a bit of cream till lunch. I'll save breakfasts for the weekend (one of the days) and have a massive continental/English breakfast style with everything, that will last me till dinner.

          • @Skinnerr: Are you aware that the cream will actually "break" the fast? (no puns, no silly stuff, I'm serious).

            • @yannduran: Yes I'm aware, but per my understanding it doesn't take that long to get back into ketosis for say a teaspoon of cream (just can't stomach black coffee), maybe a few hours if it's a day + long fast. And I'll only do it if I need that caffeine boost on a long day. Otherwise I'll have plain green/herbal teas or sometimes zero sugar cordialor just water on fast days.

              • +1

                @Skinnerr: You never know how much experience a poster has, or what level of knowledge they have, so I thought I'd just mention it. Also helps people who are new to fasting too.

                I wasn't trying top be a smarta$$ or a know-it-all, I was just trying to be helpful. Again, so easy to misinterpret someone's tone with written stuff. :-)

                • @yannduran: All good mate, all valid points. It also helps to explain/clarify for anyone reading who isn't experienced.

      • +1

        I believe this is called Intermittent fasting:
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermittent_fasting

      • +7

        For skipping breakfast?

      • +13

        Free meals in hospital. No better place to be

    • +4

      Real ozbargainers eat all their meals at work and fast between 5pm and 9am.

      • +2

        Thats what I did before I met someone.

    • +8

      Let's make that the main theme for the ozbargain meetups this year!

  • +20

    I get so much more physical, mental, and spiritual well-being from not starving myself, but each to their own…

    • +24

      Personally, I fast every evening, breaking it the next morning (sometimes with bacon and eggs!). I've found this works really well.

    • +1

      If you've never experienced autophagy, then you can't be certain.

      • Autophagy is the main reason to be fasting, whether it be intermittent or longer, not weight loss etc. Those things are just added bonuses.

  • +12

    Rule no.1: Don’t trust anything or anyone that says “live your best life”.

    • +5

      No. Rule 1 of life: Trust No One. Full stop.

      • +8

        Sad life

      • +8

        I don't trust you….

        • +6

          I don't trust myself. Especially when it comes to the cookie jar.

      • +6

        And especially politicians.

        • +2

          But they said it's safe and effective!

      • +4

        Trust, but verify.

      • +3

        My rule is don't trust any man over 30 with a ponytail.

      • -5

        "Trust No1" - trust me bro ;)
        No Trust, No Love & "Love (Trust) is all we need" :)
        Individualistic NonTrusting society leads to Wars/NATO & Exploitation.

      • The truth is elswhere…(spooky X-Files music).

  • Quickly Fast.

  • +1

    It took over 20 seconds for my brain to parse the title of this book. Probably because I thought the thumbnail showed a picture of a scooter on the cover.

    • +1

      Sounds like your brain isn't working properly, too much fasting.

      • Mine gets sluggish if I eat breakfast.

    • +13

      What are you cooking mate?

  • +2

    I've been mulling over the idea that Foodies are just carb junkies?

  • +7

    This or uber eats deal

  • +4

    Sonic would approve.

    • +1

      Came here to post this

  • Nice one! Thanks.
    Will read when on holidays :P

  • +1

    I don't think I can get behind a book that talks about spirituality in relation to fasting, but I do think fasting and calorie/carb/protein counting is something that a lot of people would benefit from trying at least once

    I've always been a "just try to eat well, diets are crash diets/fads/etc." guy, but trying Fast 800 was worthwhile for me. Whether it's sustainable or not is beside the point, I just think that trying it for a couple of months helps give you better insight about nutrition

    • +1

      I don't think I can get behind a book that talks about spirituality in relation to fasting,

      How come?

      • +3

        Not my thing. I don't have any issue with other people being spiritual of course, but spirituality doesn't click with me

      • +2

        Spirituality has no place in a fasting book. It's often combined with topics it has no relevance to. And most the time comes with a 'to be successful at unrelated topic X you must accept god. You cannot get past step 4 of 10 without god''

        I also don't mind what people choose for themselves just don't push it at others especially in unrelated cases like this.

        • +2

          I totally agree that spirituality is combined with many irrelevant topics, but fasting has been a spiritual practice for millennia. Even now, the vast majority of people who practice fasting do it for religious/spiritual reasons.

          I personally fast for completely secular reasons, but i cant doubt that it's deeply tied to spiritual practice for many people.

        • +3

          Just FYI, "spirituality" has nothing to do with "god", that's "religion".

      • +2

        Medical advice and woo woo nonsense shouldn’t mix.

        Would you trust your doctor if he used a ouija board to determine your prescription?

  • +1

    See you all next Ramadan

  • +5

    Extremely fitting that the author is from Belfast.

  • +3

    I lost over 10kg with regular fasting. It was in space of months. I found it also shrank my stomach and helped me to get used to eating smaller meals. I found it great. Going to start it again just for health reasons.

    • +2

      RIP buffet deals

  • +5

    I did regular fasting and lost 10kg. I'm no longer pre diabetic. And have better back condition

    • What meal do you generally skip or do you vary it?

      • +2

        Breakfast. I had only lunch and dinner. I had apple cider vinegar first thing with water in morning. It kills your hunger cravings and is great to regulate your blood sugar

      • +3

        It's things that most doctors don't tell you. Instead of medicine, you can fast and let your body fix itself. Besides there's a lot of sugar and hidden chemicals in most foods these days unfortunately. You have to be very careful. While some diseases are genetic, most come from what we eat or what we are exposed to

        • +2

          While some diseases are genetic, most come from what we eat or what we are exposed to

          I'm finding this to be the case as well. This is probably why carnivore stops so many health problems from flaring up. It seems like a lot of auto immune conditions can be managed by finding the food triggers and avoiding them (cp/pasting someone else's way of eating doesn't work though, since everyone responds differently).

  • +9

    I would urge anyone who either wants to lose a few kilos or worried about certain health issues to look into fasting. I have a strong family history for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Even though I'm a slimmer build and do lots of exercise, a few years ago after regular blood tests I saw my blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides creeping up (along with undesirable levels of LDL and HDL).

    Fasting has been a game changer for me. I started with 16 hours per day and regularly do 1 meal per day now (an eating window of about 1 hour per day). I also do lower carb eating. I never get the "2pm slump" these days and I can fast for 22 hours, go to the gym and bang out a hard session. I've also done 80 - 100km on my bike loads of times fasted. One your body adapts it's no issue.

    My blood results these days are alot better.

    My skin / scalp is also a lot better, which is probably assisted with eating less sugar / carbs in combination with fasting these days.

    • +1

      Good man. I also saw the benefits. I'll go towards no car and lower eating window

    • " I saw my blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides creeping up (along with undesirable levels of LDL and HDL)."

      what do these mean and what happens if they go higher than optimal levels?

      • +3

        Google them for a more in depth explanation but higher blood sugars can lead to type 2 diabetes, higher cholesterol / triglycerides can lead to cardiovascular disease - ultimately heart attacks / strokes. HDL is the "good cholesterol" LDL is what's generally considered as "bad" cholesterol. Everything should be within tolerance in your blood, many should be below specific limits / some above specific limits, some should be within certain limits.

        Diabetes can be a horrible disease and one which affect many parts of the body and overall quality of life and most people find out when it's too late and they are insulin resistant.

        • +2

          Thanks, yes diabetes is bad. My old man is a diabetic and its one thing I want to avoid.

          I don't have any of these symptons atm so thats a good thing

          -feeling tired
          -feeling hungry
          -having cuts that heal slowly

          I do drink alot of water not because I'm thirsty, but because I just want to stay hydrated and healthy. I drink around 3L of water each day

          • +2

            @Homr: All good, with a family history (like I do) I'd recommend you get blood tests once a year to keep an eye on your blood numbers.

    • I've also done 80 - 100km on my bike loads of times fasted.

      May I ask if/how you fuelled during the ride? e.g. snacks, gels, energy bars, maybe carbs in water bottles etc.

      And thanks for sharing. It's really nice to hear some real world experience.

      • +3

        Literally nothing but water (with some electrolytes to replace those that I lost during the ride). I was doing a lot of low carb / keto (low carb but higher in good fats) in the past and once my body got used to using fat as a fuel source it was fine instead of using carbs.

        You really have to ease into it though you certainly can’t start out straight away doing hard training before your body adapts to not primarily using carbs as its main fuel source.

        But yea, many many 80-100km rides after fasting for minimum of 12 hours, no breakfast etc. and just having water electrolytes on the ride. Granted, my power in the bike wasn’t as explosive but meh, I only ride for enjoyment, I’m not in the Tour de France.

        Even these days, going a whole day without food a gym session is no problem. Good stable energy with no slumps.

    • You've made one of the most common mistakes. "If it works for me, it will work for you." That's not how the world works.The human body is complex, and different bodies have different issues and limitations.

      Also a terrible idea to fast if you actually have type 2 diabetes and your blood sugar is badly controlled.

      • +1

        Which is why I said for people to "look into fasting" if looking to lose kilos or worried about certain health effects. Take action, and get blood tests to see how your body reacts. Like I did.

        Also a terrible idea to fast if you actually have type 2 diabetes and your blood sugar is badly controlled - the idea is people never get to this stage ideally. And from many people I know with diabetes the advice they get from their doctor is lackluster at best, maybe given a few leaflets and told "take it easy on the sugary drinks".

        • Type 2 is progressive. Very few will remain in perfect control their whole life. And overconsumption of sugar isn't the only factor. Chances of avoiding diabetes your whole life if both parents have it are actually not great.

  • If you want to know about fasting, check out the longevity experts such as Valter Longo.

    • I've been taking 1 gram of pure NMN powder sublingually each morning for about 5 weeks and have noticed a significant improvement in having more energy, being more alert and it feels like I slept on a cloud when I wake up. I highly recommend it. I'm thinking of adding Resveratrol to the mix. Good interview here with David Sinclair who also takes 1 gram a day:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk_GcwkfJGs

      • Any source of NMN you could share?

        • +1

          I got it at AgeMate . Cheapest way to buy is use the $10 off and set up recurring subscription every 6 months. Leave it in your cart then they'll email you another discount
          https://agemate.com/products/nmn-powder-bulk

      • The recommended dose only stipulates doses for ages 40-60 and 60+. Is it not appropriate for anyone under the age of 40 to take this supplement?

        • +1

          I just goggled and found this..

          How Much Should I Take? Taking the human and animal studies of efficacy and safety into consideration and calculating optimal NMN doses, the recommended dose that adults between 30 and 60 years old take is 500 mg per day.

          It is typically recommended to start with 250 mg of NMN if you are younger than 35 years old. This dose can be doubled to 500 mg daily after 1–2 weeks. If you are 35 or older, it is recommended to start with 500 mg daily and increase to 1000 mg after 1–2 weeks

          I've edited the link above to the NMN powder, before I had Resveratrol which is something I'll also be adding to my daily supplements. All those studies saying red wine and blueberries etc are good for you is because of their Resveratrol content

  • -6

    Or "how to induce an eating disorder in one easy step" - Personal trainers really should leave dietary advice to dieticians..

  • Has anyone experimented with IF and found a good ratio to lose weight? I only eat between 12-8pm but lately have also been skipping lunch and have an early dinner about 3-4pm with a snack later

    • +2

      Everyone responds differently, but you need to DYOR.
      People who've been doing OMAD and had DEXA scans have been found to lose lean muscle mass.
      Make sure you get enough protein while you're in a caloric deficit.

  • -1

    I fast between breakfast, lunch, dinner. Sometimes I fast intermittently with some chips or chocolate

    • I don't think it's a good idea to recommend > 3 day water fasts to people who are only reading about it on ozbargain. And dry fasting is a renal failure speedrun method.

  • +1

    Very I'm impressed with the health conscious comments here.

  • Loads of Ozbargainers need this, from the looks of things

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