Mel> Won't fasting slow down your metabolism and make your body hold onto it's own fat because it's not getting food for energy? The body's holding on to the fat for just this reason. Once glucose reserves are depleted, it has a choice between burning muscle tissue and burning fat. Unless you're already ketotic, your body's fuel is glucose. When you fast, that glucose supply runs out and the body has to search for alternate energy sources. For a very short period, it breaks down muscle tissue. But soon it shifts into protein sparing mode and begins to burn fat as the source of energy. This shift to fat as the primary energy source (ketosis) generally occurs in 72 hours for men and 48 hours for women. Mel> I don't know how many of you have read Dr Atkin's book, but in it he says that your ease of getting into ketosis depends on the amount of fat you eat and that you need to eat plenty of it to help get you into ketosis. He may be saying the same thing, but what's more important than upping your fat intake is to eliminate your carbohydrates -- which the body converts to glucose. (I mean if you want to lose weight, you've already got the fat to burn, right?) You cannot help the onset of ketosis if you have insufficient carbs to convert to blood sugar. Fasting is the "ketogenic kickstart" which can get you there more quickly. Plus, there are other physical and spiritual benefits too. One note about fasting. Everything I've read cautions against frequent three day fasts like the one I did. Twice a year is fine -- more may not be good for you. I'll try again in late summer.