This is an excellent post and deserves to receive a R&N. While I believe in fasting and its ability to help people in many ways, it is not a replacement for a healthy diet. I especially appreciate your honesty and candor about the emotional aspect of weight gain/over eating/ and permanent weight loss. Until we can at least acknowledge the emotional baggage behind our eating habits we will not be able to permanently resolve our weight issues. I'm so glad you have found a plan that is helping you. Are you still interested in fasting for health maintenance or detoxing purposes?

Hi chocpblover! I too can relate to your journey, I started gaining weight around 25 and am now 31, I haven't been on the diet kick but I did alot of emotional beating myself up for being lazy or tired or not into my health and this was a journey in itself, I overcame but I did this through prayer, I know some don't believe but I do because allowed me and assisted me with forgiving myself...I binged out for an entire year ballooned to 290, I ate everything I wanted, fast food, restaurant food, cake, soda..you name it I ate but as the year passed the emotional issues smoothed itself out, people that claimed to be friends passed away and my journey of healing began.

See the key to me getting past emotional eating was facing the fear of being FAT! I literally allowed the fears to be with me, I prayed, I ate and I didn't let that small voice that says your not good enough, your too fat get in my way. I started dressing nicer, accentuating my curves, doing my hair in a way to fit my face, God started working in my behalf...I stopped drinking empty calories such as alcohol but I never kicked the habit of soda completely, I still drank soda occassionaly, I got on the scale and weighed in at 270, yes men paid attention to me but I stopped indulging in that aspect also...meaning no sex, no dates, nothing.

I started to feel empowered, I didn't have a man around making me feel less than I was or lets say I wasn't indulging in toxic relationships, I felt free! free from all the pressure that being in this world brings, I felt free to be me...I actually experienced this stranger who walked up to me and said you are going to be mightily blessed this year, I see the light of Jesus on you and I will never forget that moment, It was a sign that I was on the right path, I put my complete trust in a higher power and guess what...she was right, I won free rent for 2 years in my apartments, I was able to buy things I hadn't been able to buy and give to people when once I wasn't able to.

Fasting is my way of saying thankyou to God and to my body for putting up with all the toxic BS I was dishing out.

Sorry this is so long but I wanted to share with you a little piece of my life and I feel great, I fasted 10 days with water and I feel absolutely great...wether you do this for health, spiritual or weight issues. I just wanted you to know you will be fine.

Khrisi

Hi

I totally agree with you that being overweight & overeating is a symptom of emotional problems. Actually its a lot like people with drug problems and alcohol problems.

I too have had past issues with my parents & siblings. I noticed when I was away from my family I would lose weight fairly easily.

However, when holidays came I would head straight for the potatoe salad and desserts to comfort and soothe raw nerves.
"And" I always seemed to want to eat junk food around my family.

I can't change my past or my family but I can change myself, how I think and how I behave. I have decided to "forgive" my family for not meeting my needs that has caused me a lot of emotional pain and anxiety.

Forgiveness is not a feeling (you won't feel anything) it is an action...something you decide to do in your mind.

However, that doesn't mean everything will be hunky dory between us from here on in...we won't be fully reconciled. It just means I will be released from that past situation.

But they will most likely choose to live & behave the same way they always have...and I will keep forgiving them...but the thing is "I" have been released from that past situation and I am letting the problem go and it is no longer mine. I choose to live and enjoy life now without overeating to drown the pain.

However, fasting is very good for releasing toxins (that can make us physically sick) built up in our bodies...and I still think it is an excellent way for one to cleanse ones physical body.
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Hi

I totally agree with you that being overweight & overeating is a symptom of emotional problems. Actually its a lot like people with drug problems and alcohol problems.

I to have had past issues with my parents & siblings. I noticed when I was away from my family I would lose weight fairly easily.

However, when holidays came I would head straight for the potatoe salad and desserts to comfort and soothe raw nerves.
"And" I always seemed to want to eat junk food around my family.

I can't change my past or my family but I can change myself, how I think and how I behave. I have decided to "forgive" my family for not meeting my needs that has caused me a lot of emotional pain and anxiety.

Forgiveness is not a feeling (you won't feel anything) it is an action...something you decide to do in your mind.

However, that doesn't mean everything will be hunky dory between us from here on in...we won't be fully reconciled. It just means I will be released from that past situation.

But they will most likely choose to live & behave the same way they always have...and I will keep forgiving them...but the thing is "I" have been released from that past situation and I am letting the problem go and it is no longer mine. I choose to live and enjoy life now without overeating to drown the pain.

However, fasting is very good for releasing toxins (that can make us physically sick) built up in our bodies...and I still think it is an excellent way for one to cleanse ones physical body.

What's with the preaching? That's not the blatant truth, that's one person's experience. Everyone is different, there's too many factors that come into play in everyone's life.

I got into juice fasting. I did a few long and short fasts and I started feeling much better about myself...that led to me becoming even moreso disgusted with Americans and how much artificial crap they put into their bodies without even realizing it. I used to think "Cheetos...what the flip?! Who the hell had that 'great' idea?"
This in turn led to me eating mostly raw, natural and organic foods...which then led to me losing a lot of weight...whcih THEN led to negative calorie type diets and anorexia.
Since then, I've gone from 170 to 135. BUT I moved away from home to come to college. I'm re-united with my sister and my life is a living hell, I'm not happy anymore and I'm eating junk food, I don't have the desire to juice fast or eat healthy and sometimes, I'll go to McDonalds when I'm not even hungry just to scarf down some food and vomit it back up. Now...the bulemia thing is just a every now and then thing these days cuz its something i know i shouldnt be doing.
im obsessed with my weight now and its disgusting me. i was happier at 170.

they say fasting isnt for people with eating disorders, teenagers, or people with mental disorders or drug users. Apparently they're right.

actually my problem is a more personal thing. it was a bad idea for me to come here in the first place knowing fully well that im never happy around my sister and at home, my mom finally moved out so it was just my father and myself. it was great because he's the only person in this world i love as much as that so it was easy for me to eat the way i wanted. if youre around people that stress you out or cause drama in your life...cances are your success rates could be low. i hate my life.
thank you.

I have only done one fast, and I must admit, while improving my health was a big concern (and I did) loosing weight was my PRIMARY concern. I did 27 days and the wieght loss was slow...only 17 pounds. But since the fast (last June) I have lost another 9 pounds. The trick is to not return to your old eating habits, but to create new ones...which is much easier to do after you fast and clean out your body...old cravings seem to just die off if you let them. I ate 80% raw...lots of vegies and fruit, tofu, and some raw fish. I did have my eggs and toast on the weekends, but only one slice, not two. Instead of one loaf of (sprouted) bread a week, I now eat two or three slices a week...etc. I also used miso, tahinni...

I was aneroxic in my 20s too, and I was concerned about tapping into that part of me again. I did really ejoy not eating....but no, I enjoy eating too, and that did not happen.

By the way, I am 58, and losing weight is not easy at that age. I have my girlie figure back and I love it....I have a whole new lease on life.

Oh yes, this was a master cleanse fast...not water. Lemonade and maple syrup ROCKS!

©†ƒ……•™¼‡_Original_Message_¾€š½ž¢«»¬ï°©

I have only done one fast, and I must admit, while improving my health was a big concern (and I did) loosing weight was my PRIMARY concern. I did 27 days and the wieght loss was slow...only 17 pounds. But since the fast (last June) I have lost another 9 pounds. The trick is to not return to your old eating habits, but to create new ones...which is much easier to do after you fast and clean out your body...old cravings seem to just die off if you let them. I ate 80% raw...lots of vegies and fruit, tofu, and some raw fish. I did have my eggs and toast on the weekends, but only one slice, not two. Instead of one loaf of (sprouted) bread a week, I now eat two or three slices a week...etc. I also used miso, tahinni...

Fasting is not for losing weight, it is for giving your digestive system a rest and cleansing. Yes you will lose weight because you are taking in less calories but as you noted you will gain it all back once you begin doing what you were doing that made you overweight in the first place. Eating Sugar free anything is not the answer also because replacing that Sugar is something even more damaging - artificial sweeteners. You may lose weight but you are poisioning yourself......not a good trade off. You should check out Dr. Schulze 's web site and learn how to really take care of your body, the rest will fall into place including your weight. What good is being thin if you jeopardise you health?

Doctor Schulze's Web Site