The Complete Guide to Fasting

Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting

By: Jimmy Moore, Dr. Jason Fung

Narrated by: Jimmy Moore

Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Thousands of books have been written about the latest and greatest diets that will help people lose weight and improve health. But a key element in any successful nutritional health program is a tried-and-true method that most people haven't thought about - yet it could be revolutionary for taking health to the next level. This ancient secret is fasting.

Fasting is not about starving oneself. When done right, it's an incredibly effective therapeutic approach that produces amazing results regardless of diet plan. In fact, Toronto-based nephrologist Dr. Jason Fung has used a variety of fasting protocols with more than 1,000 patients, with fantastic success. In The Complete Guide to Fasting, he has teamed up with international best-selling author and veteran health podcaster Jimmy Moore to explain what fasting is really about, why it's so important, and how to fast in a way that improves health. Together, they make fasting as a therapeutic approach both practical and easy to understand.

The Complete Guide to Fasting explains:

• Why fasting is actually good for health
• Who can benefit from fasting (and who won't)
• The history of fasting
• The various ways to fast: intermittent, alternate-day, and extended fasting
• What to expect when starting to fast
• How to track progress while fasting
• The weight loss effects of fasting
• How to ward off potential negative effects from fasting

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore (P)2016 Victory Belt Audio

Hard to get through

I have listened to many books, several hundred hours. This one was rough to get through. The reader has no emotion, the same tone throughout the entire book. Which makes it difficult for the listener to comprehend what is being said. I would highly suggest if you choose this book that you read it to yourself instead of through audiobook. I listen to this book three times and was able to get very little out of it due to the way it was being read.

Great book, REALLY Bad Narrator

This book, especially when read after The Obesity Code, is fantastic. It's so good to me that overall the rating is still 5 stars even though the narration was HORRIBLE.

Jimmy Moore seems like a good guy and maybe he's got his fans from his podcast. Maybe he sounds more natural in regular conversation. But he was not the right person to read this audiobook. He sounds like he's never spoken to other people in his life and also like he's not sure how to read.

I'm truly sorry, I don't like to be critical of other people, but it was just that bad.

Optional headline??? Guess again. :(

Great information! Normally I struggle with all of the scientific data and numbers, but that wasn't the case.

What I did struggle with in this particular book was the editing. It was very choppy and you can tell the difference as it jumps around a bit. It sounds like it might have been recorded in two different places and sounds somewhat robotic in places. If those issues could get fixed, it'd be awesome!

I never knew what insulin did. OH MY GOSH!!!

This book was a gift from my daughter who has lost 15 pounds several months ago after listening to this book. Her Husband has also listened to it and he has lost 20 pounds. They are both very trim and both are maintaining their weights by fasting.

So let me begin by saying, I started a diet on July 1st and told my daughter I was hoping to lose just 10 pounds. Not easy for a guy in his 60's.

She told me what she and her husband had done and gave me this book on July 4th. I started listening to it that very day and finished it on July 8th. As I type this, that was 3 weeks and 21 pounds ago!!! One June 30th my Blood pressure was 139/87. This morning it was 122/77.

There are a lot of books I really like but when it comes to practical life changing knowledge, I think there is only one book that has changed my life more than this one and that is the Bible.

I have never been one who fasts. I might miss a meal, but go several hours, that wasn't for me. Especially doing it for a whole day but the knowledge of how fasting benefits the body has changed my whole attitude. Before it was for a spiritual benefit that, to be honest, I never really felt. Now it is a physical benefit as well and I get its purpose.

Understanding the role of insulin in the body has been the key for me as I never knew what it did, how it was produced and it never even entered my mind it could be controlled. Dr. Fung and Jimmy Moore, who did a great job of narrating it, explained the process of how the body functions so clearly that I kept having "ah-ha" moments over and over.

For those suffering with Type-2 Diabetes, I can't imagine what you go through, but the way this book lays out the role of insulin, I think it will give you hope, I think a whole lot of Doctors should be re-thinking things.

For me, I do not have diabetes, so this process is right in my wheelhouse. Fasting is not an issue as I have always liked eating two meals a-day or even one big meal but I have always been told it was unhealthy to do that. Now I know different and even my wife who has always wanted me to eat three times a day is rethinking that old thinking.

Having been on the Adkins diet and losing 30 pounds about 15 years ago, I now understand why I gained it all back. After listening to this book (twice now), I understand now how to control the insulin in order to keep the weight off and doing that in a way that fits my schedule as I eat the way I always wanted to.

By the way, three days ago I ate at the Texas Road House with my family and had salad with extra Thousand Island dressing, filet steak, loaded baked potato, two roles with cinnamon butter and veggies and this morning I weighed less than at anytime in the last 15 years. How is that possible? Because I understand the role of insulin and that is thanks to this book on fasting.

While for me it has been easier to fast than I ever imagined, I know it won't be that way for everyone so I don't want to come across like it is super easy. All I can say is for me, this has worked, is working and I understand why.

If you are saying, "oh this is just a fad" you are wrong. This is not a fad. It is a change in the way I live my life by understanding how the body works and using that knowledge to control my weight, lower blood pressure and so many other benefits which are explained in this book,

Obviously, I highly recommend it and I will come back to update my story later as I still have 20 pound to go.

Update... It is September 8th, 2019 and I have now lost 43 pounds and am at my target weight of 195. Blood pressure this morning was 115/68. Haven't seen that since I was 20 years old. I am going to hold at this weight for awhile and then try to lose 10 more pounds.

great info...bad narration

The info in the book is fantastic but I wish there would have been a better narration.

Narration by Jimmy Moore is so bad that I returned the book!

Loved Dr Fung's "Obesity Code" and was so looking forward to this book but Jimmy Moore is a self-aggrandizing egomaniac - with a voice that grates with every word. All the podcasts are un-listenable as well. I am disappointed that Dr Fung would associate with him considering the total emphasis on SELLING.

Usual jimmy

Same as his other two books, the information is good, but he repeats himself constantly! This didn't need to be a whole book, it could have been 1/3 of the size, just the facts!

Did not like

jimmy should stick to his podcasts because I can't stand listening to him read this book. Hire a professional please! The books seemed to repeat the same thing over and over again.

Are you kidding me!?!

I buy audiobooks to listen to while I'm driving. This thing is so poorly organized, poorly read and unedited that it's a distraction. Hopefully, by buying the book I'll be able to go back and reread until I can get the context, but in the meantime, I'm sure wishing I could get my money back for this piecemeal, hacked together, audio! I wish I could have given it a -1 rating!

Dr. Fung and Jimmy Lead the Pack!

Any additional comments?

Thank you! I've fasted 24-48 hours in the past, painfully! I needed to do a 7 day fast for health reasons and so, got your book in hopes it would help me through. Did it ever! Today I finished my 7 day water only (and a little green tea) fast and I know I was successful because of your information. I didn't quit on day 2 knowing day 3 and beyond would be easier. Without your information either I would have quit or been miserable for the entire time. Instead I breezed through and rode with the difficult spots. During my fast I got to my ideal body weight though I expect to add some lbs back on in the coming days. On top of all of that, great narrating Jimmy! This book was well organized and easy to listen to which I cannot say for many books of this kind.

Like finding the light switch.

Wow.

Just. Wow.

I'd tried the 5-2 diet but it didn't work out for me. Now I understand why. Since reading this book I've developed the confidence to manage my hunger and now it's gone from a banging drum to a gentle tap.

I shed a stone in a month and I feel great. This is so blooming easy - and obvious. I'll update this review in six months and tell you if I managed to keep the weight off.

Exceptionally annoying voice

What did you like best about The Complete Guide to Fasting? What did you like least?

For anyone British who likes to feel superior to Americans this is an essential buy. The format is exceptionally repetitive. The same thing is said in slightly different language repeatedly, as if sledgehammering the same thing over and over and over again, to someone of simple intellect. There are a lot of success stories interrupting the technical information, with a constant "Fasting Allstars!" subtitle to it in the narrator's sing songy voice before launching into some personal account of success and thanks. This whole format is that of a repetitive pep talk. You actually get far better and clearer information from Fung's website interviews. He sounds professional, erudite and has a pleasant voice, unlike the celebrity Fat to Thin narrator he chose to 'write' this book with, who narrates this book and makes it exceptionally annoying and grating as an Audible book.

What could Jimmy Moore and Dr. Jason Fung have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Employ someone with a pleasant voice who is semi literate to narrate. The voice is irritating and ugly and makes it hard to listen to as its so grating, and the pronunciation of certain words are laughably ignorant and illiterate.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I thought the voice was a computer at first, it is that stilted, harshly nasal and with words spaced out with massive regular gaps as if he needs to think carefully before pronouncing EVERY- SINGLE- WORD. But I realised it was a real person after a certain amount of pronunciation errors surfaced. Being famous for losing weight doesnt mean you have the voice to carry a 7 hour book. It should have been narrated by an actor or by Fung.

If this book were a film would you go see it?

No.

Reversing My Diabetes

Would you listen to The Complete Guide to Fasting again? Why?
This guide to fasting is full of excellent content for anyone looking towards fasting to step up their level of health.

I bought this book because was very recently diagnosed with diabetes type ll. I've been following the guidelines laid down in this book and I'm amazed at how it has affected my blood sugar level. I will continue to use the information in this book to reverse my diabetes and I would recommend it to everyone who owns a physical body and wishes to live a longer, healthier life.

Fantastic

Any additional comments?

I'm very interested in this whole fasting concept. My GP highly recommends anything to do with Michael Mosleys idea of the 5:2 diet that's what lead me to this book. I've listened to this audio book twice now and found I missed information the first time so a second time is useful. I'm 35 years old and have 5 children. I had up until a few years ago a very busy home life as well as job, but then I became very ill. I could never lose weight. When I was in my teens I weighed next to nothing, I had a very slim figure and ate the world. Then late teens I noticed that changing as was diagnosed with an under active thyroid. To date this is still not managed as it's either a little under or extremely under. So for 20 years I've quite possibly been on every diet gimmick and well you name it I've been there and done that. The only success I've ever has is on the 5:2. But I only lost 1lb is a week. I need to lose 7 stone so I need better results. This book has given me better understanding of fasting for longer! What to expect what to look out for and what actually is happening inside my body.
I will update this review as I start my fasting today. I have no set time frame in mind, I just want to see how long my body takes to reach the different stages! I also have MS and two types of arthritis- I've cleared fasting with my doctors. I had to point them towards this book as they at first looked at me like I was insane.
I do very highly recommend this audio book though regardless of whatever results I get. It's super clear, explains dr language in English and he's someone who's been through it all. So he knows exactly what fasting is, not just the science.

My solution to the ‘annoying voice’

As others have already noted - the reader does an excellent job of mimicking computer generated speech. I couldn’t stand it past the intro, so I used the audible app and set the speed to 1.25 and was able to get through the whole book without too much trouble.

I found the information valuable and will be putting the advice into practice. A great companion to the Obesity Code.

Wow

As someone who is constantly eating to maintain muscle and strength i was sceptical of the idea of fasting this book has convinced me - Part of a good health regime needs to incorporate fasting. The book is persuasive arguments for fasting and very informative regarding the science behind the process in its varying forms.
Slight downside... i found the readers voice quite annoying at times.... sorry.

Very useful

The subject has been covered elsewhere but not as well as this. Very comprehensive. Well researched and well presented.

A life changing book

Reading the book and listening to Dr Fung on YouTube has given me the confidence to attempt successive five day firsts followed by two days of eating.Without the insight provided by the book I would have found it very difficult to attempt such a feat.
Many of the insights are counter intuitive and contrary to cultural norms. Muscle mass isn’t reduced during fasting. Metabolism increases rather than decreases. Autophagy provides considerable health benefits. For me this is becoming a life changing event.

Interesting concept and persuasive

It’s a very interesting concept. The authors spend the first few chapters explaining the concept of fasting and its benefits which was compelling. As the book progresses there’s a lot of repetition and, being a physician, a lack of trial evidence. They do discuss some studies such as the Framingham studies but I feel when claiming the benefits of something long thought to be unhealthy (which may well be a myth) quite so strongly, more evidence is required to reinforce their claims.
Occasionally it became akin to preaching and, after listening to 7 hours of the benefits of fasting they then discuss at the end the risks and when to consult doctors which, in the timeframes suggested are often not possible for a U.K. audience.

I look forward to researching more primary literature on fasting and to reading/listening to Dr Fung’s lectures.

Overall an interesting introduction to the concept of fasting and recommended for this reason but when advising significant lifestyle changes I would like to see more research evidence than much of the anecdotal work quoted from the IDM programme.

Excellent book on fasting for health

I have read a little on fasting but this book really clarified it for me. Well written and clearly read, ideal for anyone interested in fasting for health, weight loss or diabetes.

I really liked the way it answered all those niggly questions I had. Thank you for writing it!