Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Preparing for Fasting
• Part 2 of 3: Fasting
• Part 3 of 3: Different Types of Fasting
• Tips
• Warnings

At any time, you can rejuvenate your body by temporarily giving up various types of solid foods and starving from a couple of days to several weeks. When fasting, you can eat certain types of food, or for a while, completely refuse to eat and drink juices or water. For hundreds of years, fasting has been used in various cultures to cleanse their bodies. Before you start fasting, you should make sure that you are healthy and carefully read about safe fasting methods.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Preparing for Fasting

1. 1 Make sure you are healthy enough to fast. Although the purpose of fasting is to detoxify the body, this does not mean that everyone can starve.If you have certain illnesses or poor health that prevents you from going without solid food for several days, fasting can harm you.
   • Don't starve if you have kidney disease. When you cleanse your body, the concentration of potassium and other trace elements in your blood will increase. This can be dangerous if your kidneys are not functioning properly.
   • If you have diabetes, it is best to refrain from fasting on juices. With this type of fasting, a large amount of sugars enter your body. This can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels, which can lead to fatigue, weight loss, blurry vision, increased hunger and thirst, and slower recovery from injuries and infections.
   • You should not fast on juices if you are undergoing chemotherapy. With juices, a large amount of antioxidants and few proteins enter the body.
2. 2 Consult your doctor. Before making significant changes to your diet, be sure to discuss it with your doctor to avoid potential dangers. The doctor will be able to determine if these changes are safe for your health.
   • If you are fasting for any specific purpose, you should do so under the supervision of a doctor or dietitian. A specialist will help you achieve your goals by monitoring your health and paying attention to possible complications.
3. 3 Decide how long you are going to starve. There is no way to immediately and effortlessly cleanse your body. Depending on your experience and your goals, fasting can last anywhere from one day to several months. When planning the duration of your fast, consider your health, the costs you need, and your ability to stick to your plan.
   • There are many different programs to cleanse the body, and each requires a different fasting time. Whichever program you choose, stick to the recommendations. Continuing to fast for longer than the recommended time will not do any good.
   • If you are going to try fasting for the first time, you should start with a short fast for one day or a couple of weekends. Later, as you gain experience, you can gradually increase the fasting time.
4. 4 Think about how much you are willing to spend. Cleansing your body by fasting can be quite expensive. You will need a juicer and fresh vegetables and fruits. Check to see if you have enough money to buy the right juicer and fresh vegetables and fruits throughout your fast.
5. 5 Stock up on everything you need. If you've chosen a water or juice fast, calculate how much fluid you need. When doing this, consider how often you will drink and how much liquid you will consume at one time. You should also prepare yourself to come out of fasting.
   • If you are detoxifying your body according to a specific program, you may need certain juices. Stock up on enough juices you need and don't add anything to them.
   • Stock up on the food you need to get out of fasting in advance. If you buy it after a few days or weeks of fasting, you can buy too many unsuitable foods. Stock up on plenty of easily digestible foods, including fresh vegetables and fruits, and thin soups.

Part 2 of 3: Fasting

1. 1 Stick to a schedule. If fasting involves drinking teas and other liquids at certain times of the day, follow a daily routine. In most cases, you will need cleansing juices as a substitute for regular meals. Compliance with the established routine will normalize the functioning of the digestive system and help you adhere to the planned program.
   • As a rule, instead of a standard meal, it is recommended to drink a glass of juice or water (depending on the type of fast), unless your program provides otherwise.Thus, one glass of the appropriate liquid should be drunk in the morning (instead of breakfast), one in the middle of the day (at lunchtime) and one in the evening (for dinner). You can also drink some fluids in between to prevent dehydration.
2. 2 Find ways to relax. Fasting is just one of the tools to help detoxify your body. Use a variety of relaxation techniques while fasting to relieve stress and rejuvenate your body. Meditation and yoga will help you clear your mind.
   • Meditate. Choose a quiet place and sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes, shutting off the outside world, and focus on something, forgetting about stress. You can concentrate on breathing, on sensations in the relaxed muscles of your body, or even on some distracted object, considering it separately from other objects. You can chant a mantra if it helps you clear your mind.
   • Practice yoga. Find yourself a quiet, spacious place where nothing and no one bothers you. Learn a few poses and stretching exercises and practice them. If you are bored of practicing alone, sign up for a yoga class. When starting yoga for the first time, take your time and start with simple exercises, gradually increasing their complexity and intensity.
   • Practice in moderation. Fasting doesn't get enough calories and nutrients into your body. If you really need physical activity, choose light exercise. To avoid overwhelming your body, try walking or swimming for a short time. Do not do strength training or long distance running.
3. 3 Get enough sleep. During fasting, the metabolism slows down, so you should conserve energy. Make sure you get enough and regular sleep. You should sleep 7-8 hours a day. Fasting itself is a shock to your body, so you shouldn't add sleep deprivation to it.
   • During the first few days, you can go to bed a little earlier than usual. This will help your body adjust to the reduced energy intake.
4. 4 Complete fasting. Fasting is a temporary measure, and sooner or later you will have to return to your normal diet. When fasting, you consumed fewer calories and nutrients such as protein. Reducing the number of calories reduces energy and slows down the metabolism. Lack of protein causes the body to start using muscle tissue for energy, and as a result you lose muscle mass, not fat.
5. 5 Gently return to your normal diet. After the end of the fast, you cannot immediately start eating in the same way as you did before. At first, you need to eat lean food for several days, gradually increasing your intake of proteins and complex carbohydrates. It may take 7-10 days to resume normal nutrition after fasting.
   • For the first one to two days, it is good to eat the same foods as during the fasting period. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, this time in solid form, as well as natural foods such as nuts and grains. It is also good to eat liquid foods such as soups, which will facilitate the transition to a normal diet.
   • Another way to facilitate the transition to a normal diet is to replace one of your meals with a glass of juice. This method also helps prevent overloading the digestive system after fasting and cleansing the body.

Part 3 of 3: Different Types of Fasting

1. 1 Fasting on the water. This one of the simplest types of fasting, in which you consume nothing but water, allows you to quickly lose weight. Drink one to two liters of water daily instead of meals. You can add a slice of lemon to the water.
   • This fast should be short-lived, usually no more than 72 hours.Between periods of this type of fasting, you need to take long enough breaks (at least 3 weeks) to restore your strength.
   • During a water fast, you should limit your physical activity and get more rest. If you have such an opportunity, try to protect your health by going through water fasting in a sanatorium or clinic under the supervision of doctors.
   • Under medical supervision, water fasting is a safe and effective way to normalize blood pressure. It is best to use such fasting as an initial stage, preceding further diet and lifestyle changes, since fasting on water itself is not recommended for longer than a few days.
2. 2 Intermittent fasting. This type of fasting does not imply a complete rejection of food, but rather long breaks between meals. This scheme is very flexible, allowing you to systematically skip meals. Intermittent fasting is popular with the Paleo diet.
   • A 16/8 pattern is a good place to start, which limits the amount of time you eat. Allocate an 8-hour window per day, for example from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm, during which you can eat. Thus, for the remaining 16 hours, you will starve.
   • Some fasting programs do not require you to abstain from food throughout the day, only limiting the amount of food. For example, on a 5: 2 diet, replace a full meal twice a week with something light - a glass of yogurt or fruit. At the same time, it is necessary to consume the same number of calories on the remaining days of the week, so that the total number of calories decreases.
   • This type of fasting involves following a healthy diet. Eat nutrient-dense foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as foods high in protein. Avoid processed foods and foods high in salt and sugar.
   • This diet is not suitable for those who like to snack frequently. In addition, it is not suitable for people with diabetes mellitus, as prolonged abstinence from food can severely lower blood sugar levels.
3. 3 Juice fasting for beginners. If you've never juice cleansed your body, be careful not to go straight to a prolonged fast. Try a short beginner program. This way, you will determine if this type of fasting is right for you, and you can prepare for a more serious cleansing of the body.
   • For the initial fast, you need a variety of vegetables and fruits. Choose vegetables and fruits that are high in water. These are carrots, apples, celery, beets, ginger, oranges, lemons, and green leafy vegetables. For a wider variety of nutrients, choose different colors of vegetables and fruits. Mix different vegetables in your preferred combinations. If you don't like any vegetables, you don't need to eat them.
   • Drink slowly. After making the juice, do not drink it in one gulp. Drink the juice slowly, in small sips. After putting some juice in your mouth, hold it there, mix it with saliva and taste it properly, and only then swallow it.
   • Fast for one to three days. If this is your first experience, it will be difficult for you to last longer. Fast on the weekend, from Friday to Sunday. These days you will be able to manage your time by leisurely preparing and consuming fresh juices.
4. 4 Diet Master Cleanse. This popular cleansing diet is designed to help you lose weight quickly. It consists in the use of a special liquid mixture, or "lemonade", which allows you to lose weight. Before starting a diet, be sure to consult your doctor.
   • Start by gradually entering your diet. A few days before fasting, you should prepare yourself to cleanse the body physically and psychologically.Change your diet by switching first to natural vegetables and fruits, and then to juices.
   • Make lemonade. Add to 1-2 cups of water 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice squeezed from half a lemon, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1/10 teaspoon of red pepper. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice out of each half. Add lemon juice and the rest of the ingredients to a glass of water, stir and drink immediately until they settle to the bottom.
   • Fast for ten days. Most people who practice the Master Cleanse diet do not recommend sticking to it for less than ten days. Some continue to fast for 14 or even 30 days. However, the first time it is better to limit yourself to ten days. After trying the diet several times, you will find out how it affects your body and determine the optimal duration of fasting.
   • After about ten days, you should come out of fasting. Start with orange juice, broths, and soups. Eat natural foods and avoid processed foods and dairy products.

Tips

• While the health benefits of fasting are still hotly debated, proper fasting is a good start for further dietary and lifestyle changes. The experience of self-control gained from relatively short periods of fasting can help you develop the self-discipline that helps you gain control over your own life.
• During fasting, your strength will change over time, depending on the duration of the diet and your experience. Many beginners experience a burst of energy on the second day of fasting, receiving energy by unloading the digestive system.
• Fasting can come with many side effects, especially if you're new to it. The most common effects include headache, fatigue, slow thinking, changeable or gloomy moods, abdominal pain, and acute bouts of hunger.

Warnings

• Fasting is not good for losing weight. Although you will lose a few pounds during fasting, after fasting you will quickly gain them again. And when you consider that fasting slows down your metabolism, you are more likely to gain even more weight. Use fasting weight loss not for short-term weight loss, but as a start to a healthier lifestyle.