Diet tip: Go slow on fasting

It’s February, and the number on the scale is not going down. Frustration sets in. For some dieters, it means turning to more drastic measures to lose weight —- like fasting, celebrity-style.

Celebrities who fast on occasion include singer Beyonce and actors Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow. Beyonce said she lost 20 pounds by fasting (and sipping a concoction of water, maple syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper) for her role in the film “Dreamgirls.”

That regimen would melt off a lot of holiday bonbons. But is it safe?

Many experts warn against padlocking the refrigerator and say much of the weight loss from fasting is water weight.

Julie Schwartz, a registered dietitian with Emory Clinic, said the lost weight will return once you start eating normally. And while fasting for a day or two is rarely a problem if you are healthy, Schwartz said it can be dangerous for anyone with heart disease or any kind of compromised immune system.

Healing benefits?

Still, some believe in the benefits —- even healing benefits —- of fasting. Dr. Joseph Murray, an Atlanta dentist, says he has fasted for up to 10 days in the past, subsisting on only water during the day and fruit smoothies at night.

“It really helped with my mental focus and takes the focus away from food,” Murray said. “I think it can put the body in a reparative state.”

Still, Murray insists anyone considering fasting should get the OK from his or her doctor first. For his part, Murray has opted for a modified night-time fast, in which he refrains from eating after 5 p.m. a few times a week.

At the Mandala Wellness Retreat and Spa in the North Georgia mountains, fasting is used as a first step in losing weight and eating a more healthy diet. (About a third of guests here to lose weight begin with a fast, their intake consisting of a lemon juice beverage sweetened with Vermont maple syrup.)

“It’s a way to reboot,” Mandala owner Linda Davis said. “It’s a time for reflection and a time for rest and a time to look inward as you start a program to have a more balanced relationship with food.”

After three days, guests begin dining on healthful, easily digestible meals such as beans and rice simmered with herbs.

The detox debate

Proponents of these lemon-and-syrup fastings, called “cleanses,” believe the fluids serve as a “detox” and get rid of toxins in the body.

And this is where the debate intensifies.

Doctors say the body’s organs naturally cleanse the body. Emory dietitian Schwartz says popular “cleanses” are just sweet beverages, and says the maple syrup adds calories and can have a laxative effect.

As an alternative to fasting, she recommends that people cut calories but still eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and low-fat protein.

She says she wouldn’t recommend that anyone cut out starchy carbs, either, because she believes that will only make people crave them more once they stop fasting.

Beyonce’s experience may be an object lesson. After she ended her fast, she gorged on junk food and gained all the weight back.

THE “CLEANSE”

Here is the recipe for the “Cleanse” beverage served during fasting at the Mandala Wellness Retreat and Spa:

1 1/2 cups of fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup of maple syrup for women, 1/2 cup of maple syrup for men

2 quarts distilled water

Can be served warm or cold.

Note: Spa goers who drink this for up to three days are closely monitored by spa staffers.

KNOW THE FACTS

Do not fast

> If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

> If you suffer from heart disease or diabetes.

> If you are elderly.

Stop fasting

> If you feel dizzy. It could be a sign that your electrolytes are out of balance, which could be dangerous and even trigger a heart attack.

> If you feel extreme nausea or diarrhea. These could be signs of an imbalance in your blood sugar.

Fasting alternatives

Other ways to hydrate but keep the calories down include:

> Eat a low-calorie diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat proteins, and limit yourself to three servings of starchy carbohydrates a day.

> Stop eating after dinner and drink only water. Stopping night-time snacking can eliminate hundreds of calories.

> If you want to add flavor to water but not calories, drink decaffeinated tea or add a squeeze of lime to your water.