Regular Fasting as a way of life

Regular Fasting as a way of life
Fasting is the act of voluntarily abstaining from food or drink (or both) for a fixed period of time. Most religions advocate fasting firstly to increase piety and secondly as part of  healthy living. Fasting takes various forms, varying from partial day fasts to partial meal fasts. But the overall caloric intake should be reduced. Daily caloric intake requirement varies according to sex and age. But we can assume men need 2000 calories and women need 1500 calories daily. The above diet recommends fasting 2 days a week. Fasting day meals should consist of 2 meals of 300 calories. The rest of the week you can take your usual diet. It is good to separate the 2 fasting days. So Mondays and Thursdays will be good. Incidentally, Mondays and Thursday fasts are followed by many religions including Hinduism, Judaism, traditional Christianity and Islam.

Why do I fast and not lose weight?

Contrary to logic, prolonged fasting actually reduces appetite. But for there to be weight loss, the overall caloric intake needs to be reduced. The fasting day caloric intake needs to be reduced to a total of 600 calories. That's about 1½ murtabak or 4 chappatis. (refer to table below)

Food Name	Serving Portion	Serving Weight (g)	Energy (kcal)	Protein (g)	Fat Total (g)	Carbo- hydrates (g)	Dietary fibre (g)	Choles -terol (mg)	Ca (mg)	Na (mg)
Bhatura	1 piece	120	444	7.9	25	47	2	6	87	579
Bun, chicken curry	1 bun	74	201	6.0	6	30	2	4	20	277
Bun, coconut	1 bun	69	229	5.0	11	27	NA	0	24	160
Bun, dried shrimp	1 bun	66	226	9	10.5	24	2	38	94	432
Bun, kaya	1 bun	68	213	5.8	6	35	1	24	19	126
Bun, red bean	1 bun	84	267	7	7.5	43	3	20	29	142
Bun, sausage	1 bun	77	219	8.6	9	26	1	48	53	404
Bun, tuna	1 bun	68	205	8	9	23	1	39	32	287
Chapati, plain	1 piece	46	144	3.2	5	22	3	0	13	119
Doughnut	1 doughnut	78	304	6.0	16	35	2	16	27	206
Idli	1 piece	61	64	2.8	0	13	2	0	11	228
Murtabak, chicken	1 portion	455	697	32.8	29	76	19	159	177	2248
Murtabak, mutton	1 portion	410	418	28.7	34	76	18	254	247	2653
Naan	1 piece	131	356	10.6	10	57	3	21	57	429
Pow, meat	1 pow	68	206	7.4	8	25	1	13	13	268
Pow, red bean	1 pow	67	204	4.0	6	33	2	2	41	89
Roti jala	1 piece	79	108	3.2	3	17	4	2	19	190
Roti John	1 piece	200	571	20.0	27	61	9	192	71	1596
Roti prata, plain	1 piece	41	122	3.0	4	19	1	1	11	226
Roti prata, with egg	1 portion	117	289	11.7	14	28	2	175	32	364
Thosai, plain	1 piece	91	196	4.1	4	36	1	0	15	534

Key: Ca – Calcium; Na – Sodium; g - grams; kcal - kilocalorie; mg - milligram; tr - trace; NA - Not available

Source: Singapore Food Facts, Ministry of Health, 1999 Most of us make the mistake of overcompensating when we breakfast with high caloric food. If we are selective with the types of food, weight loss is inevitable. The recommended weight loss is ½ to 1 kg a week. Fasting regularly may be a feasible option for sustained weight management. Moreover, it does not involve paying thousands of dollars to a beauty saloon and may in fact save you some money. Dr Mohamed Ghazali

Food Name

Serving
Portion

Serving
Weight
(g)

Energy

(kcal)

Protein

(g)

Fat
Total
(g)

Carbo-
hydrates
(g)

Dietary
fibre
(g)

Choles
-terol
(mg)

Ca

(mg)

Na

(mg)

Bhatura

1 piece

120

444

7.9

25

47

2

6

87

579

Bun, chicken curry

1 bun

74

201

6.0

6

30

2

4

20

277

Bun, coconut

1 bun

69

229

5.0

11

27

NA

0

24

160

Bun, dried shrimp

1 bun

66

226

9

10.5

24

2

38

94

432

Bun, kaya

1 bun

68

213

5.8

6

35

1

24

19

126

Bun, red bean

1 bun

84

267

7

7.5

43

3

20

29

142

Bun, sausage

1 bun

77

219

8.6

9

26

1

48

53

404

Bun, tuna

1 bun

68

205

8

9

23

1

39

32

287

Chapati, plain

1 piece

46

144

3.2

5

22

3

0

13

119

Doughnut

1 doughnut

78

304

6.0

16

35

2

16

27

206

Idli

1 piece

61

64

2.8

0

13

2

0

11

228

Murtabak, chicken

1 portion

455

697

32.8

29

76

19

159

177

2248

Murtabak, mutton

1 portion

410

418

28.7

34

76

18

254

247

2653

Naan

1 piece

131

356

10.6

10

57

3

21

57

429

Pow, meat

1 pow

68

206

7.4

8

25

1

13

13

268

Pow, red bean

1 pow

67

204

4.0

6

33

2

2

41

89

Roti jala

1 piece

79

108

3.2

3

17

4

2

19

190

Roti John

1 piece

200

571

20.0

27

61

9

192

71

1596

Roti prata, plain

1 piece

41

122

3.0

4

19

1

1

11

226

Roti prata, with egg

1 portion

117

289

11.7

14

28

2

175

32

364

Thosai, plain

1 piece

91

196

4.1

4

36

1

0

15

534

Key: Ca – Calcium; Na – Sodium; g - grams; kcal - kilocalorie; mg - milligram;
tr - trace; NA - Not available

Source: Singapore Food Facts, Ministry of Health, 1999

Most of us make the mistake of overcompensating when we breakfast with high caloric food. If we are selective with the types of food, weight loss is inevitable. The recommended weight loss is ½ to 1 kg a week.

Fasting regularly may be a feasible option for sustained weight management. Moreover, it does not involve paying thousands of dollars to a beauty saloon and may in fact save you some money.

Dr Mohamed Ghazali