Help With Healthy Fasting

Fasting. What is it? In layman's terms, it is skipping a meal or two. According to Dictionary.com, it is "to abstain from food" and "to eat very little or abstain from certain foods, especially as a religious discipline." The most common reason people fast is because of religious or spiritual purposes. There are also those who fast as part of their diet.

When I was introduced to fasting, all I learned about it was the religious aspects. I still fast for religious purposes, but I know now that there are health aspects as well. I found out because I gained weight. So if you fast or you're considering fasting, there are some things you have to know.

1. Most important: CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR. Okay, I didn't check with my doctor. Then again, I'm 20 years old and my only health downfall is asthma. If you have health downfalls that make you uneasy about fasting, check with your doctor. If you regularly take medicine, check with your doctor. Even if you have the tiniest doubt about fasting because of your health, check with your doctor. Ask if you're body can handle it. Ask for recommendations on how long to fast. Just make sure you would still be alive and breathing afterwords.

2. Know what you're getting into. Fast with a purpose and a timeline. Have a reason to fast. That reason should keep you motivated. Set starting and ending dates. Set times or number of meals. Maybe you'll only fast from 9am to 3pm, or maybe you'll fast dinner. I suggest that you don't fast breakfast if you have a full day ahead because you need the energy.

3. Watch what you eat before the fast. Don't stuff yourself right before thinking that the food will keep you sustained, or because you want a last blow-out before depriving yourself of food. In the first place, it's not healthy to eat more than you need. Secondly, when you're hungry again, your body will crave the food. Before the fast, start limiting what you eat to prep yourself. This tells your body that the amount of food you intake is becoming less and less. If you don't prep, when you fast, your body will panic thinking that it's going to starve to death.