Post: #1

I'm 16, 5'5 and around 120 pounds. I've just recently found out about water fasting. My main reason for doing this would be to lose weight and cleanse my body. What are your thoughts?

Post: #2

My initial thoughts are if you want to lose weight and keep it off for good, why don't you make some permanent lifestyle changes for both nutrition and exercise?

I started my health and fitness journey just a few years younger than you are and have been going strong ever since (and I'm now considered a middle ager).

Clint Cora - Motivational Speaker, Author & Karate World Champion
www.ClintCora.com

Post: #3

I'm no fasting expert and have never participated in an extended fast like some forums members have done. However I would think that at 16 you will not grow much more and you could assume that medical advice that applies to adults also applies to you. I remember reading in Celes's interview with Loren Lockman that the youngest person he ever saw fasting was 2.5 years old. That was only for 5 days though. How long do you plan on fasting, Yuenmei?

Post: #4

@ Clint Cora: Yea, I'm intending to do a fast, and then make a permanent change.

@ Matt: My mom has agreed to do a fast with me, so while I'm still at school, I'd do short fasts of about 2-3 days. At the end of this year during the holidays, I'm planning on doing a 10-14 day fast with my mom.

Post: #5

You may have already fasted. As you are not obese and haven't mentioned any conditions. I'm not sure there would be much reason/purpose to fast, and in realizing that you aren't fully grown yet, it may do more harm than good. if its just a couple days not much harm could be done though as long as you are supervised by your Mom. i don't feel very comfortable with a 16 year old doing it for 14 days though because it might condition you to think in a certain way. I have a little experience with fasting, and I do believe that fasting is a healthy thing for adults to do in our society of excess. However as a high school teacher for many years, in a young person's mind I feel it could be a slippery slope from fasting to an eating disorder. It would be different if you were say 5'5 and 190 lbs, then i'd say that it would probably be a good step to getting healthy. I know this is a late response, but I'm sure more teenagers are apt to be interested in this and I'd say that my opinion is that they should at least wait until they are 18 or have finished growth unless they are morbidly obese or have been exposed to some serious toxins that they need out of their system, and they should also have their parents permission/supervision which in this case Yuenmi, you do of course, and ultimately I don't know you but your mother does so do not take my attempt at dissuading you as any judgement on your maturity or capabilities, just as a general caution against this sort of thing for someone who is a minor.