IS FASTING DETRIMENTAL TO HEALTH

Is Fasting or skipping meals methodologically once a week or once in two weeks detrimental to health.

Cause during our training we put our digestive system through a lot of stress, with high quantity of food.

So will fasting be harmful on the body or is it ok to give rest ? Will it help in losing fat from body ?

Please suggest.

Vik470

PLEASE, PLEASE don't skip meals. Unless this is due to a religious holiday (exception). To skip a meal, is the equal to giving away muscle tissue. It is very basic, if you don't put calories into the body (protein, carbs, fat). Then the body will eat away at the most precious tissue. Muscle.
So, is it detrimental to health, no, you will not die. However, you will not lose fat, but the fat will replace the muscle lost during this process.

Keep gaining muscle=keep eating. Best of Luck!!

Fasting kicks in your "retain fat" mechanisms and slows your metabolism.

Think about it from a biological standpoint. If an animal is starving what happens? The body retains whatever nutrients you get when you finally do eat. And fat is a great storage medium that provides ready body fuel. Your metabolism will slow because your body believes you are in nutrient deprivation, it's a mechanism to combat you dying from starvation.

You may know you are fasting and that food is readily available. But your body reacts to a sub optimal amount of nutrients by slowing its processes down and conserving what you do take in. This can lead to lower immune functions, bodily repair (much needed while lifting), thought processes and overall function.

I am with Joe on this one, although not the best for retaining muscle it can be a powerful tool to get hunger and cravings under control.

I am coaching one client who fasts pretty much daily for 19 hours then eats two or three meals in her five hour window although not the best for performance her cravings have gone away and she manages her hunger better.

I have been on that blog before. Like anything else in fitness nothing is absolute and there are negatives and positives to everything we read and try. :)

I am still all for frequent fueling to keeping blood sugar level and energy up.

You know this is why i love this site.

You get see the arguments of both sides.

Thank you very much Sean, Allan, Joe and Gizmonel for your advise.

Till the time i get a trainer like you guys who can teach me to monitor my diet and fasting, i guess i'll stay away from fasting and focus on gaining mass.

The big problem which i am facing is, mass is coming, but definition is getting lost somewhere.

For eg: I do abs workout of 2 exercises 4 sets of 12 each everyday after my regular body part.

But still i feel that layer of fat on my stomach is not going away. That literally kills all the work I did on my Chest. Cause if I suck it in, then it looks tolerable but otherwise its like i havn't worked out in ages.

This is what is bothering me and led me to consider fasting as an option.

Can you please suggest me some way of losing out on fat or to get a more defined figure, I swear i don't cheat on my training, I do all the sets and reps (as much as i can) :).

Please help.

Body fat loss, specifically in the abdominal area, is a result of the proper diet and sensible cardio work. Proper diet means NOT skipping meals, but eating the right foods in the right quantities at the proper times of day. If you want to post up your diet you will get plenty of help critiquing it. Also, I am of the opinion that you are not helping your abs by training them every day...twice a week should be enough.

Sure jerry...

My diet is

Breakfast
- 100% ON Whey Protien Shake with ON Creatine
- Quaker Oats with 2 bananas
Brown Bread with butter and Bananas

Lunch
- Rice
- Vegetables
- Chicken
- Salad
- Brown Bread

Pre Workout
BSN Nitrix Oxide

Post Workout
- 100% ON Whey Protien Shake with ON Creatine

Dinner
- Chicken(4 pieces) or Paneer 150 gm(homemade cheese)
- Rice

I tried eating Eggs, but somehow it doesn't suit me. I will try eating just the egg whites.

Please suggest.

Ya one thing more,

I use Vegetable Oil (Refined) for my cooking. Is it ok or should i switch to something else.

I used to use clarified butter, but now i have stopped.

I try to avoid oily food outside home as much as possible.

I eat sprouts sometimes, i know i should be more regular with them.

My thoughts exactly, Danny. Plus, you don't say how much you consume of each item at each meal which suggests you aren't weighing or measuring which will also lead to inconsistency. Depending on what those quantities are, I am betting that you could benefit from eating smaller meals more frequently as well.

Right guys, my goal is to increase my body mass, but still have a defined body.

My body weight has increased by 5kgs in last 6 months.

I agree with you Jerry that not measuring will lead to inconsistency.I'll try to do it.

Managing many small meals is little difficult for me in office but I'll try to manage it.i feel there is oppurtunity to improve things.

Thank you :)