In my teenage years, I became fascinated with survival training. Does anyone remember “Euell Gibbons and the wild hickory nuts?” Yes, I actually bought his book “Stalking the Wild Asparagus.” In one of the survival courses I took, the instructor talked about the
“Survival Rule of 3’s.
You can live without air for 3 mins.
You can live without shelter for 3 hours (in bad weather.)
You can live without water for 3 days.
You can live without food for 3 weeks.
Years later, I decided to see if I could last for 2 weeks on water, coffee, fruit juice, and vitamins. It is important to note that I was under the care of a doctor who agreed to monitor my health and end the experiment if he felt I was in danger. The remarkable thing was that after the first few days, I was not that hungry, and I extended the project to 3 weeks. At that point, my doctor said “enough” and gave me instructions on switching back to a regular diet.
So, what’s the record for the longest fast? Scottish man Angus Barbieri (1939 – 1990). He fasted for 382 days, from June 1965 to July 1966. His diet during this time was tea, coffee, soda water, and vitamins. During the fast, he lived at home in Tayport, Scotland, and visited Maryfield Hospital for medical evaluations. Angus lost 276 pounds (125 kg) and set a record for the longest recorded fast.
Is fasting the same as starvation? No.
Starvation is an involuntary and uncontrolled condition that ends in death.
Fasting is a controlled condition that ends in fat burning and weight loss.
Starvation – you die.
Fasting – you do not die; you burn fat and lose weight.
Unlike starvation, where you have no control, you can end your fast whenever you wish. You have complete control!!!
Quick Review – If you don’t eat, you will not instantly die!
– Angus Barbieri (1939 – 1990). Fasted 382 days.
– You can survive several weeks with little or no food at all.
– His (Angus) diet was tea, coffee, soda water, and vitamins, the identical items we suggest you use during your fasts.
– Starvation vs. Fasting:
Starvation – you die.
Fasting – you do not die; you burn fat and lose weight.
Food for Thought – Take the Fresh Food Veggie Challenge. Purchase one fresh vegetable or fruit you usually don’t buy and give it a try. You may find a new, healthy, whole food to add to your shopping list.
Trouble Shooting – You can not outrun your fork. Exercise has so many health benefits it’s hard to know where to start. While exercise helps motivate me to stick with my fasting lifestyle, I have never lost much weight by simply working out. So, work out and then take a good hard look at what you are eating. Remember – fresh is best!
Test your dietary knowledge – Email me at Lovethisdietplan@gmail.com, and I will send you a complimentary set of 20 critical diet and fasting questions with answers.
If you have friends or family interested in a healthy lifestyle or dietary information, please feel free to send them my email or website.
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