Fasting Guide

For many, losing weight is not the real goal of a fasting cure. What matters is what comes after: if you quickly fall back into old habits, you take little away from the fasting period.

Fasting according to the Buchinger method is a holistic fasting concept and one of the best-known methods. For five days or longer you only take vegetable broth and diluted juices. So instead of a zero diet, there is liquid with few calories.

The Christian Lent is a period of abstinence lasting forty days, from Ash Wednesday to Easter. In the past, strict rules of abstinence were observed to reflect and re-center oneself. Nowadays, Christian fasting rules are less strict. Many people voluntarily choose to give up sweets or alcohol.

Every fasting period has three phases: relief, fasting and build-up. How long you fast depends on you and your experience. A single juice day is enough to try it; three days are a good start for your first juice cleanse. With more experience, five or six days work too. Instead of fasting for a very long stretch, you can also fast more often and for shorter periods.

Which cleanse fits which duration you can see in the comparison on our juice cleanse page.

The relief days usher in the fast and prepare you for the fasting period. You already eat a little lighter: more fruit, vegetables and water, less coffee, alcohol, sugar and meat. That makes it easier to start the fasting days.

Fasting is something everyone can try once. At first it can take some effort, especially for beginners, but it is worth it. It is important to prepare well and know the basic rules. Beginners should not start with two weeks straight away; three days are enough for a start. If you like, you can take a break for fasting twice a year. Fasting tip: fasting together in a group motivates you and helps you keep going.

Before you fast, a quick check is worth it: if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication regularly, or have or have had a chronic illness or an eating disorder, please talk to your doctor first. Fasting is not meant for children and teenagers. Plan quieter days, drink enough and listen to your body.

Fasting according to Hildegard von Bingen is a very gentle form of fasting. The concept combines conscious abstinence with time for rest and reflection.

Intermittent fasting, also called interval fasting, describes less a particular form of fasting than a particular eating rhythm. Compared with multi-day fasting programmes, which are often done a few times a year, intermittent fasting is a regular form of fasting that can be built into everyday life in the long term if you wish. You go without food for hours or days at a time. Intermittent fasting is divided by the time windows in which you eat or do not eat.

VERY POPULAR: THE 16:8 METHOD

The 16:8 method is probably the most common form of intermittent fasting and is often seen as the beginner's version. The 16 stands for the 16-hour window in which you take in no calories. In the remaining 8 hours, eating and drinking are then allowed. With 5:2 intermittent fasting, on the other hand, you go without food two days a week, or take in at most 500 kcal, while eating normally on the other five days.

The yo-yo effect is unwanted weight gain after a diet, where the final weight is often higher than the starting weight. It is the body's reaction to a badly done diet, especially if you fall back into old habits afterwards. Fasting done properly is not a crash diet. Rather, it is about a lifestyle you can keep up in the long run. With a balanced diet and enough exercise, the yo-yo effect is easier to avoid in the build-up phase.

A fasting cure is a consciously chosen period of fasting. You don't have to go to a spa clinic or an expensive hotel for this; you can fast comfortably from home. In your familiar surroundings, you can carry out the fasting phase exactly as you wish. However, you should fast under guidance so that you prepare yourself step by step.

After fasting you start again slowly. On the first day after, something light such as steamed vegetables, a soup or an apple works well. Bigger meals are better one or two days later.

Many forms of fasting are liquid only. Depending on the method, one of the fasting drinks is often a broth or fasting soup. Warm vegetable broth warms you from the inside and brings something savoury to the fasting days.

Every body reacts differently to fasting. Especially in the first days, side effects such as headaches, tiredness, dizziness or weakness can occur, but do not have to. They usually fade when the fasting period ends. If symptoms are strong or do not fade, stop fasting and talk to your doctor. What helps with headaches is in our article Headaches during a juice cleanse.

There are many myths about muscle loss during fasting. It is true that multi-day fasting can lead to slight muscle loss. The exact extent depends on the duration and phase of the fast. But if you fast for only a few days and build enough movement into your day without overdoing it, you need not worry seriously about muscle loss.

Fasting is much more than simply not eating. A programme with a plan helps you: you know what to drink when, how to prepare and how to start eating again afterwards. For every I·DO cleanse there is a guide on our page All juice cleanse guides.

Fasting experiences for body and mind are often offered in the form of fasting retreats. A retreat in general is primarily a phase of relaxation, rest, and withdrawal from everyday life. Fasting retreats can be conducted either in special hotels or facilities or conveniently from home. You decide where you want to enjoy your retreat for this fasting experience.

With a juice cleanse you replace your meals for a few days with cold-pressed organic juices. You also drink water and unsweetened herbal tea. Many use the cleanse as a conscious break from everyday eating and as a fresh start for their eating habits.

Since you consciously go without solid food while fasting, it is all the more important to drink enough. Unsweetened herbal tea is a good companion and brings a little aromatic variety to the fasting period.

For a fasting experience, you can, but don't have to, take a vacation. There are fasting programs specifically designed to be carried out during everyday life. Those who choose to completely withdraw from their usual daily routine can also book a fasting retreat away from home.

What exactly is allowed during fasting depends heavily on the fasting method. With all fasting methods, drinking water and unsweetened teas is permitted. Fasting concepts that significantly reduce calorie intake and rely on liquid nutrition prioritize juices and broths. Other methods allow for further food intake in the form of fruit, steamed vegetables, rice, and potatoes. However, with common forms of fasting, alcohol and cigarettes should be avoided.

Yoga is a meaningful addition to fasting. In fasting as in yoga, we turn our attention to ourselves and devote ourselves to body and mind. Yoga is a gentle way to move that fits well into the fasting experience.

You can fast anywhere you feel comfortable and safe. The familiar surroundings of your own home therefore offer many advantages. If you fast at home, you should, especially as a beginner, fast under guidance. With a little preparation or the right provisions, you will easily master fasting at home. Decide which method is right for you, how long you want to fast, and choose a period without important appointments.