Blume Posted April 20, 2010 I recently started to skip meals usually lunch on a daily basis. Not only lost a few kgs but also started feeling really really weak in the knees and body. I thought fasting is energizing not weakening. Does body takes a long time to get used to not eating? Do i have to be really careful about what to put in my system.? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cloudhand Posted April 20, 2010 You need to make sure your getting enough protein. Orange juice helps through out the day. Try Jennys 5 Element Vegetable soup its great. Cloud Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sasblamthanb Posted April 20, 2010 (edited) Skipping meals and fasting are two different things. Loosely, the freeing up of energy some experience when fasting is primarily from giving a break to all the systems that have to handle 'mass quantities' of food day in and day out . Unless something else is going on - 'blood sugar' issues, adrenal burnout, D eficiencies, or worse, etc the feeling weak is more likely a function of when you eat what (instead of what you eat or when you eat) hth Edited April 20, 2010 by sasblamthanb Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kabalabhati Posted April 20, 2010 Depending on what youre after with your fast, it might be more useful to fast for several days in a row, since during the first three days of fast a lot of toxins and other accumulated stuff starts moving in your circulation. According to what I've read in "The tao of health sex and longevity" By Danie Reid among others, this causes weakness and nausea. Then should follow a period of lightness and more energy. I would guess that if you first hold this kind of purification fast it's then easier to skip meals or have one fasting day a week, for example. I'm hoping to be able to fast for a week sometime in the future, but I have three kids to care for so I don't think it would be convenient.. My nerves are at test daily even with steady nutrition. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dainin Posted April 20, 2010 Blume, what are you trying to accomplish by fasting? Detoxification, weight loss, spiritual effects, etc? I've done several 7 day vegetable juice fasts. Usually I feel pretty crappy for the first 3 days, then better after that. Headaches, nausea, coated tongue, bad breath, etc. are common side effects, usually attributed to detoxing and withdrawl from caffeine, sugar and other chemicals. With what you are doing, I think that it might be better not to skip lunch, but breakfast or dinner instead. That way you'd be fasting overnight plus one meal. In some Buddhist monasteries they only eat breakfast and lunch on a regular basis. There are some books and web sites that talk about different approaches to intermittent fasting: Fast Five, Warrior Diet, Alternate Day Diet, etc. Another thing to look at is the glycemic index and the idea of eating foods that provide more sustained energy over time versus the quick crash and burn of sugar and refined flour. Good luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mYTHmAKER Posted April 20, 2010 Do i have to be really careful about what to put in my system.? Naw any old crap will do LOL I eat two meals a day. Brunch and dinner Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
That Guy Posted April 20, 2010 (edited) Your Energy comes from food, if you don't eat you have no energy, its that simple! Now there are Claims~ that you can live off the energy all around you and stuff like that, but even if they are true it would take some kinda training of the body to do so, to just stop eating enough is foolish. Think harder about how you pursue your spiritual or energy type affairs. Edited April 20, 2010 by That Guy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DalTheJigsaw123 Posted April 20, 2010 I want to learn more about the 2 day eating habit. What is one eat? How much? And so on... Thank you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hagar Posted April 20, 2010 I want to learn more about the 2 day eating habit. What is one eat? How much? And so on... Thank you! It is not the quantity of meals but quantity and quality of your practice that determines how many and how to go about your meals. The certain amount of food, and when to eat boils down to what your body needs at a certain phase, or stage, what you elementally are needing, and what state your practice is in. Basically one rule precedes any diet requirements and systems: - how you exercise your digestive system and the state of your digestive system is more important than the food you eat. If you are able to do digestive qigong at a regular rate, you may decide to go no-food for days, even weeks cold turkey. No need to ease into it or out of it. If you fast, and not exercise your digestive system through practicing digestive qigong your digestive system suffers. Actually, people who starve to death does not die due to lack of food, but the digestive system breaks down and starts to produce toxsins due to lack of activity. Thus energetically keeping it exercised will prevent starvation! - In relation to your bodily and energetic state, there are times when your body needs to replenish itself, and you shouldn't skip any meals, and really try to eat more. I was once told to start eating more instead of fasting by my teacer. - If you want to eat less, go for nurturing food, i.e the purest and wildes growing.There are 4 basic food types when it comes to qigong: essential, non-essential, nurturing, and non-nurturing The essential and nurturing foods (i.e certain herbs and roots, wild animal meat like moose etc, if taken in moderate amounts are much more "substantial" thus needing less quantity than f.ex the non-nurturing, non-essential (i.e a french frie) Fasting should be done when your spleen qi is abundant. h Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Russell-NWIA Posted April 22, 2010 There are many valid ways to fast. Which you use is determined by what your purpose is. What's motivating you to limit your intake? -Russell Northwest Internal Arts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blume Posted April 22, 2010 I realized that fasting is good for health and longevity by reading Paul Bragg's work. Decided to try it but got to a point where i cannot even talk without forcing myself. At that point i decided to resume eating my lunches. I guess there is a period of weakness and after that one feel rejuvenated. I would like to copy spiritual masters who do not eat, sleep or have sex. But i guess that takes decades of time. I think everybody should copy spiritual masters. But i don't know how to explain people like Michael phelps who eat 10,000 calories a day and perform at their best. Don't he need to limit his food intake for cleansing purposes. Confused. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
That Guy Posted April 22, 2010 (edited) Decided to try it but got to a point where i cannot even talk without forcing myself. Dear Blume, if you could function properly to talk you're probably starving yourself to death, sorry to be harsh but its for your own good. Even the least healthy of people who you might not expect to makes past theirs 50s can talk properly, that should give you an idea of what you're doing to your body. Please! Just forget the masters and eat good healthy food that will give you what you need to function. Please look at the pictures below and notice the correlation. Percentage_population_undernourished_world_map: Male_Life_Expectancy: If you want to live in what I consider more of a fantasy world thats fine, BUT always look at what your practices are doing to you, if they're harming you stop!, Its either not gonna work or you're doing it wrong. Phelps is burning energy like crazy swimming, he needs more food to get more energy, its the harsh truth of your physical existence. Your car wont go as far with less gas in the tank no matter how much you may want it to, how much you meditate with it or how much you read about it. The only way it could be done is to change its insides or their performance, so unless you're doing some real changes to your system you'll have to eat to function. Edited April 22, 2010 by That Guy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mYTHmAKER Posted April 22, 2010 I realized that fasting is good for health and longevity by reading Paul Bragg's work. Decided to try it but got to a point where i cannot even talk without forcing myself. At that point i decided to resume eating my lunches. I guess there is a period of weakness and after that one feel rejuvenated. I would like to copy spiritual masters who do not eat, sleep or have sex. But i guess that takes decades of time. I think everybody should copy spiritual masters. But i don't know how to explain people like Michael phelps who eat 10,000 calories a day and perform at their best. Don't he need to limit his food intake for cleansing purposes. Confused. Spiritual masters don't always tell the truth and sometimes their followers embellish after the spiritual leaders leave. Before embarking on fasting you should improve the quality of the food you eat. There are so many variables. Michael Phelps may have extraordinary genes. We don't know what shape he will be in ten - 20 years. I get weak when I fast. I have seen people fast and have have lots of energy. It is more important to eat right than to fast. I haven't read all your posts but I don't remember you saying what types of foods you eat, how much, etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blume Posted April 23, 2010 I really appreciate any suggestions on my diet. Since i have to get that right before going on fasting. Mostly everyday i eat rice with some sort of gravy at lunch and at dinner pita bread with some sort of gravy. In breakfast eggs and bread and some times meat. I also try to eat fruits during the day. This diet maintains my weight well. which is around 56kg. I don't have much choice in my diet since this is what is cooked at home. I have heard that starches like rice and bread are not good for health, but i cannot imagine diet without rice and bread. I will try to implement any suggestions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blume Posted April 23, 2010 I also take Abbott Ensure and other Multivitamins as food supplements. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DalTheJigsaw123 Posted April 23, 2010 It is not the quantity of meals but quantity and quality of your practice that determines how many and how to go about your meals. The certain amount of food, and when to eat boils down to what your body needs at a certain phase, or stage, what you elementally are needing, and what state your practice is in. Basically one rule precedes any diet requirements and systems: - how you exercise your digestive system and the state of your digestive system is more important than the food you eat. If you are able to do digestive qigong at a regular rate, you may decide to go no-food for days, even weeks cold turkey. No need to ease into it or out of it. If you fast, and not exercise your digestive system through practicing digestive qigong your digestive system suffers. Actually, people who starve to death does not die due to lack of food, but the digestive system breaks down and starts to produce toxsins due to lack of activity. Thus energetically keeping it exercised will prevent starvation! - In relation to your bodily and energetic state, there are times when your body needs to replenish itself, and you shouldn't skip any meals, and really try to eat more. I was once told to start eating more instead of fasting by my teacer. - If you want to eat less, go for nurturing food, i.e the purest and wildes growing.There are 4 basic food types when it comes to qigong: essential, non-essential, nurturing, and non-nurturing The essential and nurturing foods (i.e certain herbs and roots, wild animal meat like moose etc, if taken in moderate amounts are much more "substantial" thus needing less quantity than f.ex the non-nurturing, non-essential (i.e a french frie) Fasting should be done when your spleen qi is abundant. h Can you explain this? how you exercise your digestive system and the state of your digestive system is more important than the food you eat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mYTHmAKER Posted April 23, 2010 I really appreciate any suggestions on my diet. Since i have to get that right before going on fasting. Mostly everyday i eat rice with some sort of gravy at lunch and at dinner pita bread with some sort of gravy. In breakfast eggs and bread and some times meat. I also try to eat fruits during the day. This diet maintains my weight well. which is around 56kg. I don't have much choice in my diet since this is what is cooked at home. I have heard that starches like rice and bread are not good for health, but i cannot imagine diet without rice and bread. I will try to implement any suggestions. Your diet seems to be lacking in vegetables. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hagar Posted April 23, 2010 Can you explain this? how you exercise your digestive system and the state of your digestive system is more important than the food you eat. PM me and I'll give more info h Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blume Posted April 24, 2010 During the past few weeks i have started eating raw tomatoes, carrots etc to makeup for the lack of vegies in my diet. I would like to know more about Digestive qigong, but anyhow i already work on my midsection quite a bit. I have learned enough on my own from various sources to incorporate good food items like dates, olive oil, organic apple cider vinegar etc into my diet, but as things improve in my life i will incorporate those too. Thanks for so many good ideas though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blume Posted April 24, 2010 I think i should ask all my diet related questions here.I think everyone agrees that junk food is bad for health. The simpler the food the better. How about meat and poultry.I have heard conflicting advice on eating meat and poutltry.Some people suggest eating raw meat some say its bad for heart. Some gurus say lamb meat is good for health. How about milk .Is that good or bad.I have heard that its bad and produces phlegm. Is there a unanimous decision on these food items. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjjbecker Posted April 24, 2010 http://www.whfoods.org/ http://drfuhrman.com/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NeiChuan Posted April 24, 2010 Your Energy comes from food, if you don't eat you have no energy, its that simple! Now there are Claims~ that you can live off the energy all around you and stuff like that, but even if they are true it would take some kinda training of the body to do so, to just stop eating enough is foolish. Think harder about how you pursue your spiritual or energy type affairs. Yeah I agree.. Take your own pace and atleast start with moderation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gerard Posted April 24, 2010 Do you drink green tea leaves several times a day? What is your daily pratice? How much Qi do you absorb from the elements. Do you live in a heavily polluted city? When you eat, is it quality or junk food? You need to provide more info, if you are looking for help. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blume Posted April 24, 2010 I try to drink green tea. I'm in good shape. I do vipissana and 5 times prayer. and workout regularly.Yes karachi is very polluted city. I don't eat junk food but its not that much of quality food either. Dont know how much qi i get from elements. I,m not that qi sensitive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
That Guy Posted April 24, 2010 You said you weigh 56Kgs, how tall are you? and you are a guy? just think that would be good to know for those who suggest things Share this post Link to post Share on other sites