fasting partner?

I am not a female but i started fasting on Monday and i plan not to eat anything during the Passion week until Pascha (Easter) which for the Orthodox Christians is on April 8th. How are you fasting?

Maksim Z said:

I am not a female but i started fasting on Monday and i plan not to eat anything during the Passion week until Pascha (Easter) which for the Orthodox Christians is on April 8th. How are you fasting?

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Wait, as in you're not eating anything at all? All week? Is that normal? Don't most fasts last from sun up to sundown, or something like that?

Gracia Singh said:

Wait, as in you're not eating anything at all? All week? Is that normal? Don't most fasts last from sun up to sundown, or something like that?

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Edit - FTR my reply concerns Orthodox fasting since I think that was the particular question. Yes, there are other kinds of fasts.

Most keep the Lenten fast for Holy Week (no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, oil, wine) and many do not eat until after sunset or eat only one small meal a day. Some eat only raw foods within those guidelines, or vegetables boiled in water.

I don't even know any monks fasting completely for 7 days. We have many hours of services to attend, and if would be difficult to have the strength to get through them (and all the extra work many of us do as a result) without eating.

If someone has his spiritual father's blessing to undertake such a fast, they could. But I know of no one who does. Then again, we don't typical share the details of our fasts, particularly if they vary from the ordinary.

JenniferChristian said:

I am starting a partial fast on April 4. I am doing this to practice the Christian discipline of fasting and to prepare myself for my summer missions trip. I plan to do this for one week, take a short break, and do it again. Any lady wants to join me for mutual encouragement? I have a definite somewhat strict partial fast plan. I will keep it to myself, though.

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Hello Jennifer. Welcome to CF! And God bless you in your efforts!

I would offer to join you, but we have a feast day this Sunday. And I'm on a medical diet already so I'm not able to vary it much in or out of fasts. I hope you find a partner, and God be with you on your missions trip.

Maksim Z said:

I am not a female but i started fasting on Monday and i plan not to eat anything during the Passion week until Pascha (Easter) which for the Orthodox Christians is on April 8th. How are you fasting?

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And welcome to CF! We are glad that you've joined us. Good strength in your fasting. Kali Anastasi!

Gracia Singh said:

Wait, as in you're not eating anything at all? All week? Is that normal? Don't most fasts last from sun up to sundown, or something like that?

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I just finished a 7 day water fast a couple of months ago.... not unusual for people to do 2 or 3 weeks. Some have even done a 40 day fast. The record for a water fast is 383 days by a severely obese British man in the 60's under Dr supervision. Just had water and black tea and a few vitamins the Dr's gave him. He lived to be into his 90's.

Fasting, aside from the religious aspects, is very healthy for your body... there are lots of videos and info on Youtube.

I'm a female. I just started my fast 2 days ago and I will be doing it for a week. Monday to Monday. I'm fasting but it is still knew to me. I haven't removed all food, just meat but as I grow in my relationship with God, I will go deeper into fasting with each fast.

Gracia Singh said:

Wait, as in you're not eating anything at all? All week? Is that normal? Don't most fasts last from sun up to sundown, or something like that?

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Sunup to sundown is an Islamic fast.

Christian fasting is a 24 hour deal.

EastCoastRemnant said:

I just finished a 7 day water fast a couple of months ago.... not unusual for people to do 2 or 3 weeks. Some have even done a 40 day fast.

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Evangelist Mahesh Shavda (disciple of Derek Prince) used to do (3) 40 day fasts every year.

JenniferChristian said:

I am starting a partial fast on April 4. I am doing this to practice the Christian discipline of fasting and to prepare myself for my summer missions trip. I plan to do this for one week, take a short break, and do it again. Any lady wants to join me for mutual encouragement? I have a definite somewhat strict partial fast plan. I will keep it to myself, though.

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I'm definitely posting this too late. I saw your thread this morning, and you inspired me. I know I'm using different rules, but I've joined you, at least for today. (husband told me I should say something to you about it, not just fast quietly by myself. lol)

EastCoastRemnant said:

I just finished a 7 day water fast a couple of months ago.... not unusual for people to do 2 or 3 weeks. Some have even done a 40 day fast. The record for a water fast is 383 days by a severely obese British man in the 60's under Dr supervision. Just had water and black tea and a few vitamins the Dr's gave him. He lived to be into his 90's.

Fasting, aside from the religious aspects, is very healthy for your body... there are lots of videos and info on Youtube.

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I second this. Ive done several 3-4 day fast in the last 2 weeks (water only ) & am currently fasting (for however long I feel like contenuing) There are a LOT of health benifits to fasting.
For anyone intrested in the science & benifits of fasting I recomend googling (or youtube, ) Dr. Jason Fung .
Oh and I feel great by the way.. Not tired or weak etc.. In fact I have much better energy levels now than usual (& I work a very physicaly demanding job)

I've done water-only fasts before, and juice fasts (as a Protestant - tends to be among those that fast that way).

It actually IS very possible to go without food. I'm on a medically directed diet right now - Ketogenic, which I have moved into the "fat-adapted phase". That means the mitochondria of the cells are adapted to running on fat rather than forms of glucose, so once you get there, you have energy and no longer get hungry as long as your body has fat stores. I still eat but not because I'm hungry - only to prevent metabolizing of muscle tissue at this point.

But that's not "fasting" as a spiritual discipline. I'm actually rather unhappy not have been able to follow the usual Lenten fast, because I've learned how incredibly spiritually beneficial it is. Fasting for spiritual benefit is about discipline, denying the flesh, resisting the passions, feeding yourself spiritually instead. The body/flesh grows weaker - the spirit grows stronger. We turn to God instead of physical comfort.

What I'm doing is not fasting in the same way. Not really. It does require a lot of discipline up front but no more than I've been challenged with before. Less in fact. And the body isn't weakened - it has MORE energy and is healthier now.

Which is good and has its place in the scheme of things. But if you're doing it for a healthier body, it's not fasting - it's a diet of some sort (not limited to weight loss).

Fasting without the spiritual component may be good for the body, but is much less beneficial for the spirit.

Gracia Singh said:

Wait, as in you're not eating anything at all? All week? Is that normal? Don't most fasts last from sun up to sundown, or something like that?

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i read that muslims during ramadan do not eat anything from 4 am to 8 pm and then they can eat anything. As for me, i am just trying to do what St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco did when he fasted during the Great Lent.

EastCoastRemnant said:

I just finished a 7 day water fast a couple of months ago.... not unusual for people to do 2 or 3 weeks. Some have even done a 40 day fast. The record for a water fast is 383 days by a severely obese British man in the 60's under Dr supervision. Just had water and black tea and a few vitamins the Dr's gave him. He lived to be into his 90's.

Fasting, aside from the religious aspects, is very healthy for your body... there are lots of videos and info on Youtube.

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40 days without food, just water? Only Jesus Christ, Son of God could do that and none else, so please do not bs here.

Actully its quite possible to do a longer fast (water only) and yes.. the record was 382 days. Features of a successful therapeutic fast of 382 days' duration

Maksim Z said:

40 days without food, just water? Only Jesus Christ, Son of God could do that and none else, so please do not bs here.

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Not bs... as i said, the record is 383 days.... do your own research.

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.