Beginner guide to fasting

[irom]

I’m looking for kind of ‘Beginner guide to fasting’ (and prayer). There are couple on Amazon, like Elmer L. Towns books. I would like to learn how to maintain nutritional balance and keep health when fasting. How to start, recommendations ?

 

[SORROWS]

I saw in the Catholic Encyclopedia website that they have information on fasting. I admire you for your interest because fasting can be soooo hard to do.

I used to fast on bread and water for 24 hours and you can bet at midnight I was stuffing my face. It is a powerful practice and extremely pleasing to Our Lord.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

I would like to learn how to maintain nutritional balance and keep health when fasting. How to start, recommendations?

Whatever you do, do it with the permission and oversight of your doctor AND your spiritual director/confessor.

 

[irom]

I saw in the Catholic Encyclopedia website that they have information on fasting. I admire you for your interest because fasting can be soooo hard to do.

I used to fast on bread and water for 24 hours and you can bet at midnight I was stuffing my face. It is a powerful practice and extremely pleasing to Our Lord.

Oh yes, better to be prepared Thank you

 

[DL82]

The Church’s rules for fasting are that you can eat one satisfying meal, and two smaller servings of food that do not equal that meal, during a fast day. So, eating some toast at breakfast, a grain bar at lunch and a single-course dinner would be allowed. Liquids are allowed all day, but no other food.

First get used to that. Then, if you want to do something more, do it with the advice of a spiritual director.

Richard Foster’s A Celebration of Discipline provides some good nuts & bolts ideas on fasting and the other disciplines of Christian life.

It might also be worth posting this question on the Eastern Catholicism thread, as the Eastern Churches tend to have much stricter rules of fasting and abstinence, and are much more used to fasting as a discipline.

 

[A_Sinner_1]

Here are some web sites that might help you. The first two are from are from Jimmy Akin’s blog; the third is from a Protestant site, but it contains excellent, detailed fasting information; and the remainder are from heath and nutrition sites.

jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2007/09/a-short-primer-.html

jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2007/09/more-on-fasting.html

ccci.org/growth/growing-closer-to-god/7-steps-to-fasting-and-prayer/index.aspx

healthy.net/scr/article.asp?ID=1996

falconblanco.com/health/fasting.htm

freedomyou.com/fasting_book/juice%20fasting.htm