Fasting, Weight loss, and Well-Being; Your Guide To The Proven Methods

Fasting has been around for centuries. There are also various reasons why people fast. Fasting benefits you by means of detoxing your body. It also gives you a sense of well-being as it helps you spiritually. No matter what the reason you have for fasting, there are various methods you can choose from. You may want to try them all to see what fits you best. If you choose to do that, however, please allow an allotted time between fasts. Your body needs to recover and adjust before you shock it with putting it through another fast.

Water fasting is the oldest form of liquid fasting. This is often the fast that is the hardest for beginners, especially in the first few days of the water fast. It won't just be challenging physically, but mentally as well. For a successful water fast you need to prepare properly beforehand. The more toxic you are, the more pain and discomfort you will feel as your body goes through detox.

A true water fast follows the guidelines of a zero calorie intake. Water only should be ingested with nothing added to it. After the first few days of discomfort and pain, the body adjusts to the fasting state. The pain will dissipate over time. The body enters a state called ketosis after 2-3 days. This means that the body will begin to fuel itself by burning fat cells. Usually ketosis will be induced after 72 hours for men and 48 hours for women. The length of time a person can operate in ketosis really depends upon the individual.

Juice fasting is another great way to fast, which improves health and vitality. The fresh organic juices will help your body to heal, rebuilt and detoxify your system. Juice fasting is more gentle than water fasting. It gives your body high quality nutrients that it uses to rebuild and repair. Since you are ingesting these vitamins, enzymes, and minerals via juicing, they can be taken in by the blood stream more easily, without burdening your digestive system. This process also helps you build a taste for fresh produce. You will also feel a distinct difference in your well-being in general. You will have a higher and more prominent level of vitality.

When you juice fast you can use vegetables and fruits. Try to keep vegetables and fruits separate, though, when you make the juices. If you have the capability, make sure the fruits and vegetables you use are organic. I know organic can be more expensive. So if you are unable to use organic, using raw fruits and vegetables will still be giving you a health boost. When you dilute the fruits and vegetables it is best to use water. Remember to drink water while on a juice fast.

The Master Cleanse is a method of detoxing that is rather new. While it is new, it has several thousand followers that are devoted to it. The drink itself is mostly water that has lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper added to it. Due to the sugar in the maple syrup, your body will not enter a full state of ketosis the way you would on a water fast.

While The Master Cleanse seems relatively new but it was created back in 1941 by Stanley Burroughs and was documented in his book The Master Cleanser. The standard Master Cleanse is suppose to last ten days. People have been known, however, to use it for various lengths in time. The guidelines are to fast as long as it feels appropriate for you.

Personally, I am not a fan of The Master Cleanse method. I prefer water or juice fasting. I think that The Master Cleanse would have too much of an impact on your blood sugar levels, but it is totally up to your preference. As stated before, it is whatever that works for you.

Intermittent fasting is simply a way of eating where you have a window of non-fasting and the rest of the time you are fasting. The time variations are up to you, depending upon what you find that works best. There are health benefits to intermittent fasting as well. Also you may find that you do not necessarily need the amount of food you use to in order to sustain yourself in your daily activities.

A lot of people will tell you that eating six small meals a day will boost your metabolism and help you lose weight. That is not true in the least. Think about this. When your body is in a fed state it releases insulin to help balance out your blood sugar. Insulin also promotes fat storage. That doesn't sound like something that will burn fat!

Think about our ancestors. They did not eat constantly, nor did they have the same amount of food/calories on consecutive days. Their intake was based upon what was accessible or attainable that day. Our bodies were not meant to have the same calories every single day. Evolution takes thousands upon thousands of years. Our bodies have not yet adapted to the constant intake of calories. It is only in the last 50 to 100 years that we have had such. This is the main reason why eating less can lead to a healthier life, and a longer one at that.

Whatever you decide to try is totally up to your discretion. Whatever you decide to do, do it safely. Always remember that water is crucial in whatever you are doing!