The FastDay Forum

Hi all. I have been searching the forums looking for a related topic but I couldn't find it. So anyway I'm a Christian and am in a ministry possession at our church. I have been fascinated about fasting and the Bible for a while, so after discovering 5-2 this week I have been researching how to incorporate this into religious life. To me it is so exciting to find a diet that is not only healthy for us but can be part of our spiritual lives as well

Also, as I continue to research I'll add it to this thread. Once again thank you for such a wonderful website!!!

"fasting is also an age-old way of eating.For hundreds of years, Christians around Europe, just like today’s 5:2 fans,": http://vanorabennett.com/blog/the-fasting-diet-its-so-last-millennium-sweetie/

"Fasting is not just good for the soul, but also for the body": http://thechristians.com/?q=node/1240

"The impact of religious fasting on human health" http://www.nutritionj.com/content/9/1/57

"We know that Fasting has spiritual benefits, but what about physical benefits?"http://www.fcc-phx.com/events/fasting/benefits-of-fasting/

"The Spiritual Benefits of Fasting for Christians" http://prayers4reparation.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/the-spiritual-benefits-of-fasting-for-christians/

"Adding Fasting to Your Prayer Life" http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/adding-fasting-to-your-prayer-life.html

"Fasting has many benefits both physical and spiritual" Link includes Bible verses http://www.trustbible.com/fasting.htm

"Fasting is obviously not a new phenomenon and has been used for centuries for nutritional and spiritual ends" http://www.plymouthchristiancentre.org/news/church-blog/posts/55/Fasting-and-Feasting

"the 5:2 diet...how we can apply this ‘fasting and feasting’ philosophy to other areas of life" http://bridgesandtangents.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/fasting-is-suddenly-fashionable/

"Research shows individuals that fast for religious purposes or moral reasons tend to be more successful." http://instituteofhealthsciences.com/the-intermittent-fasting-diet-52-diet-by-caroline-noonan/

[Moogie]

Hi and welcome Canoearoo It's great if there are even more reasons for you to fast beyond health benefits and find spiritual benefits as well!

In my experience as a forum admin, two kinds of topics can very easily not go down well - religion and politics! While religion may not be for everyone, we're a friendly bunch here and we try not to argue. So, to anyone reading this who might not believe and enjoys a religious argument, please do respect the original poster's intent to have a friendly discussion here as opposed to an argument I won't say "if you don't have something nice to say, say nothing", more "if you have something unpleasant to say, don't say it"!

So, let's all keep it pleasant as we are all entitled to our beliefs - always remember we all have fasting in common!

oh, it didn't even occur to me that this could be offensive. Thanks for the heads up, that was my not my goal at all. I removed the part of my title "Fasting with a purpose" Because we all have a purpose with 5-2 and I didn't want to imply anything

Hi we are a friendly bunch and whilst I may not follow a fasting lifestyle for any other reason than it's health benefits I do appreciate that fasting has been around for centuries, mainly in a religious context, so please don't hesitate to post your findings - it is always good to have rounded knowledge x

You've made me think back to my Catholic childhood,Roo,when i was a faster without ever thinking about it - it was just part of life to have nothing after teatime Saturday til after we'd been to Mass and Holy Communion on Sunday morning ..so it was a 16:8 at least once a week for everyone,adults & children..for religious reasons only of course!
i used to love to go to a friend's house after Mass as her Mum always gave us "elevenses " of coffee and ring doughnuts! X

In the past I'd practised fasting as a spiritual exercise, I think it's one of the reasons I was attracted to 5:2. I don't think it's surprising that various religions employ fasting - there is what I can only describe as a clarity of mind, body and spirit that we experience when fasting whether or not you come from a religious perspective.

I come from a Christian background, but I've worked in a multi-faith context with chaplains from other religions. It was fascinating when we talked about different spiritual practices in the various traditions, and it was interesting how often fasting came up as one of those. I think people have known for a long time that occasionally abstaining from food is good for us, and we're only just starting to rediscover it and look at the science behind it.

I am finding the science behind it to be completely fascinating. For my beliefs I love it when something in the Bible has a solid reason behind it... Fasting benefits both spirit and health

Welcome to the forum Canoearoo!

Fasting has long been a part of many religions but it seems to not be practiced anymore on a regular basis in Christianity (at least in the West). I suppose the clarity of mind it brings some would have spiritual advantages.

Dear Canoeroo,
Thank you for this post. I am also a Christian, though not now in any ministry. The difference with our health fasting and biblical fasting is in the motive. God calls us to a fast. We respond as an act of obedience.
We are not doing it for health, weight loss, or even spirituality. Just for obedience.
I used to fast when younger in a spiritual way, until I found it impossible.
5:2 has guided me back to fasting and has sooo helped me to control my weight. Thus I see 5:2 fasting as something God given for me. I also still find that the fasting state IS spiritually conducive. 5:2 fasting is doable, when other fasting is too difficult. Thank God for that!

Thank you for starting this topic.
I did a 21 day liquid fast in 2012 with my church and never lost weight. What I gained, however, was a revival and closeness to God I had been missing for years. I knew nothing about 5:2 when I fasted but later found "Eat, Fast, and Live Longer" when I was researching biblical perspectives. God revealed fasting as a way for me to spiritually connect with Him and to bring about a new healthier body & mind. On my 4:3 fasting days I certainly pray more for strength and guidance!

I also read about the Danial fast bible study and I see from reading about it that once they are done with it they go back to their old ways of life. To bad people on the Danial fast don't know about 5-2 they could easily transition into 5-2 after it

I think the whole fasting and spirituality question very interesting. As others have said, fasting has been practised in religion for hundreds, probably thousands of years: Buddhists, Muslims, Jews and Christians have all got fasting traditions. I am a Quaker and I know some influential Friends who for years have had a fasting practice one day a week. They wrote about how their spirituality was enhanced by this practice and I was attracted to the idea but didn't think I could do it. Now I know I can. In this material world, funny how the desire to lose weight made me try something that I thought I couldn't do for my spiritual health!

On the original post I updated the articles and blogs I have found about this topic

Thank you for posting the articles. I am going through them little by little and they are very interesting.