The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, by Dr. Jason Fung, Jimmy Moore cover

The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day,

by Dr. Jason Fung, Jimmy Moore

$16.97 on AmazonRead our full review

At a glance

Pages304
First published2016
AudienceAdult
ISBN1628600012

About the Author

Dr. Jason Fung, Jimmy Moore

1 book reviewed

LuvemBooks Verdict

Best for

Adult general-audience readers who have encountered intermittent fasting in health media and want a single, protocol-driven resource that explains the underlying rationale, differentiates between fasting types, and provides a practical starting plan — all grounded in clinical perspective.

Worth it if

Worth reading if you want a structured introduction to fasting — from 16:8 to extended multi-day protocols — backed by a practising nephrologist's clinical experience and a concrete 7-Day Kick-Start Plan to get you going.

Skip if

Skip it if you are already well-versed in metabolic health science and want peer-reviewed research depth, or if you have complex medical conditions that require a more cautious, physician-led approach before beginning any significant fasting regimen.

What readers & critics say

Reader reception has been strongly positive: an Amazon.co.uk reviewer highlights Fung's ability to explain fasting's benefits for insulin resistance "in a non-scientific language" that is easy to follow. A blogger at brettlore.com offers a more mixed take, finding the opening sections — including Moore's lengthy introduction and the "Fasting All-Stars" bios — unnecessarily padded, while still acknowledging Chapter 1 as "quite a good introduction to intermittent fasting."

Sources: Amazon UK, brettlore.com, pecheyponderings.wordpress.com, audible.com
4.6from 12,717 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score

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The Complete Guide to Fasting by Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore is a clinically grounded introduction to fasting as a health strategy, covering everything from 16:8 intermittent schedules to extended multi-day fasts, complete with a 7-Day Kick-Start Plan and 20 healing recipes. Fung's background as a practicing nephrologist with clinical experience applying fasting protocols to more than 1,000 patients sets it apart from typical wellness titles, making it a compelling entry point for general-audience readers who want both the rationale and the practical tools in one volume. The key caveat: Fung's broader insulin-focused framework has drawn scrutiny from other clinicians, and the book's confident, prescriptive tone warrants extra care from readers managing complex medical conditions.
Is it worth reading?
For readers who have encountered intermittent fasting in health media and want a single resource that explains the underlying rationale, differentiates between fasting types, and provides a practical starting plan, The Complete Guide to Fasting is a widely referenced and substantive choice. Dr. Fung's clinical voice, paired with Jimmy Moore's communicator perspective, gives the book unusual reach across both clinically minded and general-wellness audiences. The main caveat is that Fung's broader dietary framework — particularly his work on insulin and obesity — has drawn scrutiny from other clinicians and nutrition researchers, so readers should approach some of its more sweeping claims with critical attention. Those already well-versed in metabolic health science may find the general-audience framing covers familiar ground.
Similar books
Readers drawn to The Complete Guide to Fasting will find natural companions in the broader metabolic and longevity health space. Dr. Fung's own The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss extends his insulin-focused argument into the mechanics of weight loss. Peter Attia MD's Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity offers a rigorous, clinically informed look at extending healthspan, while Casey Means MD and Calley Means's Good Energy connects metabolism and cellular health to energy and well-being. For a science-driven counterpoint with different dietary conclusions, Michael Greger M.D.'s How Not to Diet presents evidence-based nutrition research, and Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto makes a compelling cultural and scientific case for rethinking how we eat.
Who should read this?
The Complete Guide to Fasting is most directly aimed at adult general-audience readers who want a structured, protocol-driven introduction to fasting backed by clinical perspective. It's particularly well-suited to readers who have encountered intermittent fasting in health media and want a single resource that covers both the underlying science and the practical how-to — from choosing a fasting protocol to following a beginner's kick-start plan. Those managing complex medical conditions should supplement it with professional medical advice, given the book's prescriptive tone and the scrutiny some aspects of Fung's framework have received from other clinicians.
Does it address the fasting vs. starvation confusion?
Yes — dismantling the conflation of fasting with starvation is central to Fung's argument. The book contends that equating the two has unnecessarily discouraged a practice with documented metabolic effects, and it structures the argument to address that confusion directly. Fung draws on his clinical experience with more than 1,000 patients to ground this distinction in real patient outcomes rather than purely theoretical nutritional science.
Are the book's health claims reliable?
The Complete Guide to Fasting carries real clinical credibility through Dr. Fung's background as a practicing nephrologist and his patient-outcome experience, and reader reception has been notably enthusiastic, with many citing his medical grounding as a key reason they found the book persuasive. However, Fung's broader dietary views — particularly his framework around insulin and obesity — have drawn scrutiny from other clinicians and nutrition researchers who dispute aspects of his argument. LuvemBooks' assessment is that readers should approach some of the book's more sweeping claims with critical attention, treating it as a well-grounded entry point rather than a definitive or universally accepted clinical consensus.
Where should I start with Dr. Fung's work?
For readers specifically interested in fasting protocols and practical implementation, The Complete Guide to Fasting is the most direct starting point — its breadth of coverage, beginner plan, and recipes make it the most hands-on of Fung's titles. Readers more interested in the underlying theory of insulin, obesity, and weight loss may want to pair it with or follow it up with The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss, which develops Fung's broader dietary and metabolic framework in greater depth.
Summarize this book

Summarize this book

The Complete Guide to Fasting, published by Victory Belt Publishing in October 2016, brings together Toronto-based nephrologist Dr. Jason Fung and health podcaster Jimmy Moore to make the case for fasting as a time-tested physiological strategy — not a diet trend. The book covers a full spectrum of fasting protocols, including 16:8, 20:4, alternate-day fasting, and extended fasts, positioning them as a range of options readers can match to their individual goals. It also includes a 7-Day Kick-Start Fasting Plan and 20 healing recipes, giving first-time fasters a structured, practical on-ramp. Fung draws on his clinical experience with more than 1,000 patients to argue that fasting and starvation are fundamentally different, and that conflating the two has unnecessarily held back a practice with genuine metabolic benefits.

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Age & Reading Level

Recommended age

Adult

Reading level

Adult

Skip if you want peer-reviewed research depth or a cautious, clinically hedged guide rather than a confident, prescriptive wellness framework.

Editorial Review

Published by Victory Belt Publishing in October 2016, The Complete Guide to Fasting brings together Toronto-based nephrologist Dr. Jason Fung and international bestselling author and health podcaster Jimmy Moore to make the case for fasting as a foundational health strategy — covering everything from 16:8 and 20:4 intermittent schedules to alternate-day and extended fasts, and equipping readers with a 7-Day Kick-Start Fasting Plan and 20 healing recipes to get started.

Read the Full Review

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