Is fasting the same as starving?

No. Fasting is not starving. Fasting is a voluntary controlled abstinence from eating. Starving people have little or no food choices and do not know where or when their next meal is. It is important to know the difference. I have never come close to starving but I have fasted numerous times without food.

Fasting begins with a positive mindset and discipline. Getting through a set fasting period takes discipline and patience. Starvation is a mindset of despair and hopelessness. It can be accompanied by a very unhealthy and underweight body. Someone who is severely underweight should not fast. Safely fasting should be only for people who are at or above their recommended weight.

How Long Should I Fast?

Each person might be different on where to start fasting. The length of time of 24 hours or more is where I really saw the results. But starting out I found it difficult to get past 18 hours. A beginner should work their way up to longer fasts. As the body gets used to fasting longer and longer it is mentally less difficult. The hunger pains get tough at about the 24 hour period for me. But after an hour of being hungry I get over it and keep going.

Generally speaking the more overweight a person is the longer they can fast. Fasting is not starving. The body continues to eat. It eats body fat once the sugar is burnt off from the liver and muscles. Fasting technically takes place between last eating and during the night while sleeping. For me this is not long enough to accomplish any weight loss or toning up.

How Long Should I Fast the First Time?

The first fast does not have to be long. It is about getting used to the feeling of having to eat out of habit. Keep a log book and set a time to start. Plan ahead on a realistic goal to achieve. Most people can easily already fast for 12 hours. 16 hours would be a good first goal. I did 18 hours for my first conscious, deliberate fast and was fine. My next was 20 hours and then 24 hours. I almost always start my fast at the time of finishing my last meal of the day.

How Do I Track My Fast?

I track my fast on a free app for my iPhone. I do not know if it is the best free intermittent fasting app but it works great for me. It is called Zero.