People get obese as a result of eating too much food. With this simple analogy, the fast diet tries to eliminate the fats by getting rid of its source altogether – refrain from food through fasting. It has been a practice for people of the past to achieve spiritual enlightenment through fasting. The parallel effect of losing weight through this process has duly been noted and since, people would also resort to this practice every time they feel the need to lose weight.
The fast diet espouses a twice a year fasting lasting one whole week for each time. A fast is said to be highly effective in detoxifying the body, eliminating the harmful toxins accumulated by one’s antibiotic intake and pesticide inhalation.
Drinking a lot of water and fruit juices, around three quarts in quantity, and eating fiber rich foods is recommended during the first three days of fasting. It is also best to remove fats and protein. The succeeding five days will be the main stage of the fast. During this stage, no solid food should be taken and the body should only be supplied with vegetable juices. Fruit juices can also be taken but in limited amounts. Food can be re-introduced at the end of the fast but in a gradual manner. This can be done by eating fruits first, then to follow this set with the non-starchy vegetables, then grains and starchy vegetables and finally, nuts, legumes and fats.
During the main stage of the fast diet, where vegetable and fruit juices are the only thing allowed to be taken by the body, it is also advisable to use only organic foods. This is because organic foods are grown in a naturally pure environment, free from pesticides and toxic chemicals. Any other food types are not permitted during this course.
After a fast diet, the required foods to be eaten should be in the raw state. Processed foods like ham, hotdogs and sausages are highly discouraged. While on fast, it is recommended to continue exercising. Take caution though, that with the limited food intake, energy levels may not suffice strenuous exercises. However, it is important for the joints and the body parts exert some form of movement to encourage agility and a smooth flow of the whole body system. It is interesting to note how people claim to feel much energized and alert during fasting.
As with any kind of diet regimen, visiting the doctor is always the required initial step. There are medical conditions that cannot be sustained with a low calorie diet. Solely drinking juice may seem unable to provide sufficient nutrients, but as mentioned, it is but one way for waste detoxification.
Although fasting may seem to be refraining from getting a lot of food, this diet comes with an expense. Organic foods are quite costly and vegetable fruit juices from health food stores are expensive specialty foods. The high liquid consumption can also cause constipation, like a daily enema. Nevertheless, since this fast diet is to be performed for only twice a year, and with the numerous positive effects it can bring, the positive factors outweigh the negative ones.