Fasting

Any opinions on Fasting for weight loss? I have heard that it is good, and also the other way, that it is bad for you.

It can work in the short term but it is probably not a good long term plan. Losing weight too rapidly will cause the liver to produce excess cholesterol, which may promote the formation of gallstones.Also, when you break a fast the blood sugar spikes may stress the pancreas.

For example, if you need to drop 5 lbs to fit in an expensive suit perhaps for an important occasion, I'd say go for it. But don't go longer than about a week, and don't let it become a habit or the long term effects of "body-slamming" the metabolism from ketosis back to glycolysis and vice-verse will likely not be good.

I would recommend you have a look at the 5-2 diet. I have been using it for about 4 years.
It requires you eat normally for 5 days and fast for 2 days. On the fasting days you eat only 600 calories.
I chose Monday and Thursday for my fast days.
I sometimes found that the day after the Thursday fast day I would have an afib event. This was a rare event though.
I have since changed to 900 calories without any problems.
Over the time I have been on the diet I have lost about 55 lbs (25kg) from 230 lbs (105kg) to 175lbs (80kg).
As a result my blood pressure has dropped to normal (120/80)

At present I have been afib free for three months.
I hope that helps

Colin

I've been fasting two separate days a week. I was around 190 pounds, which was too much to bear before I started the fasting. I slowly lost weight and now it has been something like a year and a half and when I weighed myself yesterday I was 155.7 pounds. I usually am around 160 pounds. So, that's a loss of for sure 30 pounds. If you are using the 5-2 process don't have the two days together. It's best to separate them. If you fast 2 straight days the day when you break the fast you have to be careful as to how you do break the fast. Fasting two separate days the day after the fast you tend to relax and not eat a lot. My two fast days are Monday and Thursday. You can see how and why they're spaced as they are.

Here is a talk I think you'll be interested in listening to. It discusses some research done 4 and more years ago. It makes a connection between weight and Afib.

[www.drjohnm.org]