Breaking a fast without breaking a f... 
anymouse
15 y
5,833
I am starting to think that perhaps it isn't good to fast on the sabbath (for spiritual reasons). I've heard this doctrine before, but rejected it because when on a fast more than a week long, you naturally fast on the sabbath. I was concerned that it I ate on the sabbath, I would lose the benefits of a long fast. I can think of two benefits off the top of my head:
1)When you fast you are in an Atkin's diet like ketosis. If I were careful to break it with a small enough amount of food, say a couple of grams of challah (which is bread) and a sip of grape juice (say 1/8 of an ounce - maybe with enough water added that I feel like I am drinking a glass of juice) per meal, I think my carbs would be low enough that I would stay in ketosis, so on that count I think I could do it.
2)When you fast, after a few days your digestive system stops working, and allows your body to spend its energy on healing. If I eat, it may start working again, and then may not get back to the desired resting/healing phase for a few days. This is bad, but I have also heard a doctor say that if you take an insignificant amount of calories, they still consider you to be fasting. Unfortunately, doctors don't seem to know much about fasting, so I don't feel I can take his word for it. So, what I would like to know is if my plan is OK on this count, and if not, is there something that I could eat on the sabbath that would not appreciably slow down the healing process and so allow me to honor the celebratory spirit of the sabbath.
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- Re: Breaking a fast without breaking... chrisb1
15 y
5,663
This is a reply to # 1,522,441Hello anymouse,
didn't God work for 6 days and rest on the sabbath? and isn't a fast a rest? I don't really see the problem with having to break your fast on the Sabbath for "religious reasons".
BTW. You are not on an "Atkins Diet" when fasting, as your body is feeding from protein on Atkins, but while fasting you are basically living from fat stores. Ketosis means a stage in fat-metabolism which is stimulated primarily when the liver is low on glycogen or stored glucose.
Breaking the fast at 7 day intervals will only interrupt ketosis, restart digestion, and delay the healing and cleansing, which are the primary reasons in fasting for health.
Chrisb1.
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- Re: Breaking a fast without breaking... anymouse
15 y
5,779
This is a reply to # 1,522,475I believe your second paragraph is incorrect. The purpose of the Atkins diet is to get your body to be in ketosis. If you do not eat a large amount of protein, but instead eat more fat (which is encouraged on Atkins--perhaps more encouraged on more serious low carb diets) your body will not really be getting it's energy from protein. Ideally (though Atkins does allow you more flexibility), you should eat enough protein to maintain your muscle mass (or to build muscle if you are doing resistance training), and no more. The rest of your energy is supposed to come from the fat you eat and your body fat (plus a little from the few carbs you do eat). This idea is more emphasized in some other low carb diets.
BTW, I was not claiming that I was on the Atkins diet while on a fast. I was claiming that if I had an Atkins or stricter day on the non-fasting day, it would not interrupt ketosis. Since Atkins gets you into ketosis and keeps you there if strictly followed, someone who was already in ketosis should remain in ketosis when shifting to an Atkins-like diet.
I fear you are correct about the restarting digestion and delaying healing.
Never the less, I have repeatedly heard rabbis forbid fasting on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is the most important holiday of the year, for all that it happens 52 times a year. It is supposed the be a day of rejoicing, and not only are you not supposed to fast on the Sabbath, you are not supposed to intreat or supplicate God on the Sabbath -- ordinarily good things. Instead you are to give God thanksgiving and praise. I have heard this many times, but it has now begun to bother me that I have not been following this doctrine. I want to be sensitive to God's Spirit, and I have begun to think that perhaps He would not wish me to fast on the Sabbath, though because of your reasoning, I have done so in the past.
My purpose in posting my question was to find a way to honor God while minimizing the disruption to the healing process. Perhaps it is futile, and I will just have to resign myself to the delayed healing. I hope that someone will be able to help me in some way other that to ask me to not follow my conscience.
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- Re: Breaking a fast without breaking... chrisb1
15 y
5,648
This is a reply to # 1,522,557Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew, but he fasted for 40 consecutive days in the Wilderness: so did Moses and Elijah.
The question I would ask myself with regard to your question is: is it Biblical or taught by the Torah and/or the Tanakh to fast on the Sabbath, or is this something concocted from men and Rabbis generally?
The Atkins diet does bring the body into ketosis yes, as will any low carb' diet, but this is only "partial-ketosis" and not "full-ketosis".
Only water-fasting brings the body into full ketosis when full fat metabolism is reached.
Any feeding during a fast interrupts the digestive energy from its main task of healing and cleansing.
Chrisb1.
- Re: Breaking a fast without breaking... UserX
15 y
5,493
This is a reply to # 1,522,720Awesome answer, Chris. I don't understand why it bothers his/her conscience to fast or not to fast on the Sabbath. That's why I told her to ask God for direction. With sincere fasting and prayer I'm almost sure she would get an answer on it. It is way above me. Generally speaking, I think following your conscience is a good thing.
This sounds like he/she has been brainwashed by the teachings of man.
- Re: Breaking a fast without breaking... UserX
15 y
5,493
- Re: Breaking a fast without breaking... chrisb1
15 y
5,648
- Re: Breaking a fast without breaking... anymouse
15 y
5,779
- Re: Breaking a fast without breaking... UserX
15 y
5,497
This is a reply to # 1,522,441In regards to your fasting on the Sabbath question, this is definitely a question that you should be asking God. It is so much easier to hear God's voice when you are fasting. I'm sure if you pray and ask him sincerely He will tell you what He wants you to do. I have found prayer with fasting very powerful in my own life. When I am going through something and I need answered prayer I have found that if I fast and pray it is much easier to get an answer. This is really not a question that anyone on the forum can answer for you. Fasting without prayer is a waste. Oh yes, we may get some physical benefits, but why waste what else you could be benefiting from. Most of us have needs so why not take advantage of fasting with prayer for problems in life or as in your case direction as to what you should do. Also, as much as possible, keep the fast in secret that you may be rewarded openly by God.
- "Ketosis" OR "Challah" #76826
15 y
5,642
This is a reply to # 1,522,686Call me synical but I do not sense the argument for "Ketosis" here but "Challah". I would not under estimate the temptation of those Sabbath dinner dishes. Lol.
- "Ketosis" OR "Challah" #76826
15 y
5,642
- Re: Breaking a fast without breaking... mamaducky
15 y
6,044
R
This is a reply to # 1,522,441I have experimented with this idea of trying to stay in ketosis through intermittent fasting, mostly through low-carb vegetarian eating with the addition of some fish. It works fairly well when your body gets used to it and subsequent fasting periods seem to get easier, at least for me.
The only thing is is that since you are reintroducing food, you do get some hunger back, but it tends to not be that bad as long as you don't start eating a lot of high-carb starchy unrefined or sugary foods. A small bit of challah would be OK, just not a loaf! LOL
The fasting doctor at fastingconnection.com talks about how when you start another fast within 10 days of your last fast, that your body has an easier time getting back into ketosis, and I have found this to be the case, especially if a moderate amount of exercise is added.
I have done numerous fasts and 2 fasts of about 21 days. Currently with my work schedule, I am not able to do that and have found intermittent fasting to be great, although the benefits are obviously not as great as a long fast, you are still doing a lot of great work for your body, particularly if you stick to eating "clean" on your non-fasting days.
If anything, you can try out your plan of fasting for 6 days and eating for one and see how your body reacts. Although you might want to try it for a while before deciding. It took my body a while to get used to IF.
Hope this helps.
Mamaducky
- Re: Breaking a fast without breaking... chrisb1
15 y
5,663
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