Fasting. It’s a hot topic. While there are some controversial opinions about fasting, most health care experts agree that fasting (when done correctly) provides many physical and emotional benefits. As believers, we know that fasting is a gift with more than physical benefits. From the beginning, God provided fasting as a spiritual tool to help break strongholds, purify ourselves before Him, orient our minds toward Him, and so many other advantages to enjoy spiritual breakthrough and growth.

Fasting has gained popularity in mainstream culture as well. Fasting can take on many faces. However, most methods provide the same health benefits and can help aid weight loss, reduce inflammation, increase cognitive function and mood, and reduce your overall risk for several diseases.

So, with all the hype surrounding fasting, how do you know if it's right for you? And how do you go about incorporating fasting into your healthy lifestyle? First, it's essential to understand when fasting is NOT a good choice. Before fasting, it's wise to consult your medical provider to help set yourself up for safety and success. Second, use caution that fasting while pregnant or nursing is not generally considered safe. If you're pregnant or nursing, you must consult your doctor before considering any time of food-related fast.

To help you determine which type of fasting may be best for you, let's review the most popular types of fasts:

Spiritual Fasting

The Bible has a lot to say about fasting. It's mentioned more than 70 times throughout the scriptures. Reasons for fasting throughout scripture vary. They include everything from Moses fasting before receiving the Ten Commandments to David fasting in mourning. One thing we know for sure, God has a blessed purpose for fasting. In very straightforward terms, the scriptures imply that fasting is an integral part of the Christian life and serves to help us grow in our faith, receive breakthroughs, worship, submit, strengthen prayer, mourn, sacrifice, and declare our complete dependence on God alone. As John Piper explains, "Fasting is a temporary renunciation of something that is in itself good, like food, in order to intensify our expression of the need for something greater - namely, God and his work in our lives."

I cannot emphasize enough how powerful it is to pray solely for the spirit's sake. To go into a time of fasting with no physical preoccupation or motive was a game-changer for me. When you experience the supernatural power of fasting, you begin to understand why Jesus said, "When you fast," not if you fast.

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting has taken the health and fitness world by storm. Without question, intermittent fasting is one of the most popular health trends right now. We do not endorse trendy diets and the latest IG "lose weight fast" plans at DD. In fact, it's our mission to help free women like you from the traps of diet mentality. That said, I do not view intermittent fasting in the same light as dieting. There is solid data to support the fact that intermittent fasting can provide undeniable health benefits. So, what is intermittent fasting? There are several forms. However, the most popular is the 16/8 method and the eat-stop-eat method.

The 16/8 Method: This method is the most popular form of physical fasting because it's a delicate pattern that's easy to maintain long-term. When applying the 16/8 fasting method, you restrict eating to 8 hours and fast for 16-hours. For example, if you choose to eat your first meal at 10 a.m., you will end eating for the day at 6 p.m. The nice thing about this method is that it is very flexible and accommodating to different needs. If starting and ending eating later works better for your schedule, you may choose to have your first meal closer to the lunch hour to allow for eating later into the day. The key is simply to keep your active eating to 8-hours.

The Eat-Stop-Eat Method: This method is sometimes referred to as the 5:2 fasting method. The idea behind the Eat-Stop-Eat Method is that you eat normally for five days of the week and fast for 24-hours twice per week. This method may be preferable for some people who can plan for a longer fast and prefer more normalcy throughout the week. Obviously, for some, more extended fasting can be more complex and may require easing into it. While more challenging, there are benefits to this option if done safely.

Food-specific Fasting

Just as it sounds, food-specific fasting is the decision to abstain from particular food or foods for a designated time. There are many reasons a person may choose to fast from specific foods, including determining food sensitivities, eliminating food that you find overly tempting or tend to "overdue," even as a sacrificial offering to the Lord to honor Him with your body. Unlike intermittent fasting, there are no actual "rules" to food-specific fasting. This option is a personal decision regarding duration and which foods you avoid. Sometimes, this fast is also suggested and monitored by a physician or health professional to determine if certain foods trigger unwanted physical reactions.

Whether or not you are new to fasting or primarily opt to fast for physical reasons, I cannot encourage you enough to seek the Lord. Fasting is a powerful way to humble yourself in the sight of God (Psalm 35:13, Ezra 8:21, Psalm 69:10). May you gain vigor, health, strength, and Holy Spirit connection as you rely on God more fully when as you fast.