Fasting for Compulsive overeaters--Bad Idea

Granted, I can't speak for everyone here, but the fact that this is the fasting for weightloss section is indicative of a problem. Diets don't work 99% of the time, and fasting for weightloss is only a more severe version of a diet. When I fasted (3 separate occasions), I deluded myself "I want to cleanse my organs, etc. clear the slate to start anew," etc. etc. when actually, it was symptomatic of an eating disorder. Binge/purge, the self reproach, guilt, etc. I always gained the weight back, cuz even though I felt good about myself while I fasted and right after, a deeper part of me felt very deprived, the part that was my reason for overeating in the first place. I gained more weight back than I initially lost, every time. I went further and further down the hole, and I started getting suicidal. Of course there are some fasting for weight loss success stories. just like with every new diet, there are tons of success stories. But please recognize that americans are constantly dieting and constantly getting fatter and fatter. I believe that binge eating, or other consciously unhealthy dietary habits are generally symptomatic of emotional pain that needs to be directly addressed if a person's gonna heal. check out geneen roth's excellent books or read margaret cho's blog or seek another kind of help, please! fasting is NOT a cure for eating disorders... Or go ahead and try it--everyone's on their own path, and if I didn't almost kill myself fasting, I might not have reached this point. Tweet