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The Complete Guide to Fasting by Dr. Jason Fung & Jimmy Moore Review: A Comprehensive, Science-Backed Fasting Manual
by Dr. Jason Fung, Jimmy Moore
Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore's The Complete Guide to Fasting is a health and wellness reference book published by Victory Belt Publishing in 2016, designed to explain the science behind fasting and provide structured protocols — from intermittent fasting to alternate-day and extended fasting — along with a 7-Day Kick-Start Fasting Plan and 20 accompanying recipes. This review is based on the book's contents and published reception, not hands-on use.
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Best for
Readers who want a single, clinically informed reference covering the full spectrum of fasting protocols — from 16:8 intermittent windows to extended fasts — and who appreciate a book that pairs the physiological rationale with an actionable kick-start plan and recipes.
Worth it if
You want both the science behind fasting and a concrete, structured entry point — particularly if you're drawn to a co-authored perspective that blends a practicing nephrologist's clinical experience with an accessible health-communicator voice.
Skip if
You're looking for a tightly focused guide to a single fasting method, or you find a co-authored format that shifts between clinical analysis and personal-experience narrative harder to follow as a unified text.
What readers & critics say
A blogger at pecheyponderings.wordpress.com awarded the book nine stars, crediting both Fung and Moore with opening their eyes to the practical and life-changing benefits of fasting. On Audible, listener commentary highlights the book's strength in combining practical implementation guidance with easy-to-understand explanations of the science behind how the body uses energy, while a reviewer at brettlore.com notes that Chapter 1 is "quite a good introduction to intermittent fasting," though flagging that Moore's introductory section runs overlong and some early material is "eminently skippable."
Sources: Pechey Ponderings, Audible, BrettLore.com4.6from 12,534 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 informed health reference that covers the full spectrum of fasting protocols — 16:8, 20:4, alternate-day, and extended fasting — alongside a 7-Day Kick-Start Plan and 20 recipes, making it one of the most comprehensive single-volume treatments of the subject available. The combination of Dr. Fung's nephrology-grounded clinical experience and Moore's talent for accessible science communication has earned the book consistently enthusiastic reader reception, with reviewers praising both its scientific rigor and its practical on-ramp. Readers who want a broad, protocol-spanning framework will find it an exceptionally strong fit; those seeking one narrowly defined method, or who prefer a uniform single-author voice, may find the scope and co-authored style more expansive than they need.
- Is it worth reading?
- For readers who want a single comprehensive reference on fasting — one that spans multiple protocols, explains the physiology behind each, and provides an actionable kick-start plan — the book delivers a rare combination of clinical credibility and practical accessibility. Published reader commentary, including a nine-star write-up at pecheyponderings.wordpress.com and enthusiastic Audible listener reviews, consistently praises its ability to balance science-backed explanation with clear implementation guidance. The main caveat is scope: readers who already know which single protocol they want to follow may find the multi-method breadth more than they need.
- Similar books
- Readers drawn to The Complete Guide to Fasting for its blend of clinical science and practical guidance will find several strong companions on the LuvemBooks shelves. Dr. Fung's own The Obesity Code (Jason Fung) directly extends his thinking on insulin and weight loss. Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia MD offers a similarly data-driven look at metabolic health and long-term wellness. Good Energy by Casey Means MD and Calley Means tackles the metabolic roots of modern disease from a complementary angle. For readers who want a more focused, entry-level treatment, Intermittent Fasting For Dummies by Janet Bond Brill narrows the scope considerably.
- Who should read this?
- The book is best suited to adult readers who want a comprehensive, science-grounded reference on fasting — particularly those who prefer to understand the physiological rationale behind a dietary approach before committing to it. Readers who are comfortable with a co-authored format that shifts between Dr. Fung's clinical analysis and Jimmy Moore's personal-experience narrative will get the most from it. It is also a strong fit for anyone who has encountered conflicting information about fasting and wants a single authoritative volume that maps the full landscape of protocols.
- How does this compare to The Obesity Code?
- The Obesity Code focuses on the insulin-resistance model of obesity and makes the case for why conventional calorie-counting approaches fall short, while The Complete Guide to Fasting is purpose-built as a protocol reference — covering 16:8, 20:4, alternate-day, and extended fasting in depth, with a kick-start plan and recipes. Both books are grounded in Dr. Fung's clinical perspective, but The Complete Guide to Fasting is the more hands-on, action-oriented of the two. Readers interested in Dr. Fung's broader theoretical framework may benefit from reading The Obesity Code alongside or before this title.
- Does the co-authored format work?
- The division of labor is a deliberate editorial choice: Dr. Fung supplies clinical rigor — backed by his nephrology training at the University of Toronto and UCLA, and his experience applying fasting protocols with more than 1,000 patients — while Jimmy Moore's role is to translate that clinical content for a general-audience readership. Audible listener commentary specifically praises Moore's ability to pair practical advice with accessible explanations of how the body uses energy. That said, the format does produce a voice that shifts between clinical analysis and personal-experience narrative, which may not suit readers who prefer a single, uniform authorial tone.
- Is this book practical or mostly theory?
- The book is explicitly designed to move readers from theory to action. While the physiological rationale for fasting is covered in depth — explaining what fasting does to the body and why it works — the inclusion of a 7-Day Kick-Start Fasting Plan and 20 recipes ensures that readers leave with a concrete implementation path. Published reader commentary consistently highlights this balance of science-backed explanation and practical, accessible guidance as one of the book's defining strengths.
Summarize this book
Is it worth reading?
Who should read this?
How does this compare to The Obesity Code?
Does the co-authored format work?
Is this book practical or mostly theory?
Summarize this book
Co-authored by Toronto-based nephrologist Dr. Jason Fung and health podcaster Jimmy Moore, The Complete Guide to Fasting (Victory Belt Publishing, 2016) argues that fasting — framed as an ancient, time-tested practice rather than a novel diet trend — is a fundamentally important and widely overlooked tool in nutritional health. The book walks through the full range of fasting approaches, from 16:8 and 20:4 intermittent windows to alternate-day and extended fasting, explaining the physiological rationale behind each. Practical support material is built in throughout: a 7-Day Kick-Start Fasting Plan and 20 recipes give readers a structured entry point rather than a purely theoretical read.
Follow up
Which fasting protocols does it cover?
What practical tools are included?
What does each author contribute?
Synthesized from verified book data & published reviews · How we review
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Age & Reading Level
Recommended age
Adult
Reading level
Adult
who it suits
Skip if you want a single, narrowly focused fasting protocol rather than a comprehensive multi-method reference.
Our Review
This review covers the book's contents and published reception; it does not reflect hands-on application of its protocols.
What the Book Actually Is and Contains
Interior page with quotation about fasting as therapeutic approach, emphasizing proper implementation over caloric restriction.
The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting is a health reference book co-authored by Toronto-based nephrologist Dr. Jason Fung and international bestselling author and health podcaster Jimmy Moore, published by Victory Belt Publishing on October 18, 2016. The book's central argument is that fasting — framed as an ancient, time-tested practice rather than a novel diet trend — is a key element in nutritional health that most people have overlooked. It covers the full spectrum of fasting approaches, including the 16:8 and 20:4 intermittent fasting windows, alternate-day fasting, and longer extended fasts. Practical support material is built in: a 7-Day Kick-Start Fasting Plan is included alongside 20 recipes, giving readers a structured on-ramp rather than a purely theoretical introduction.
The Authors' Credentials and Their Roles
The division of labor between the two authors is meaningful context for any prospective reader. Dr. Fung brings clinical authority: he earned his medical degree at the University of Toronto, completed his internal medicine residency there, and then pursued a fellowship in nephrology at UCLA. According to the publisher's description, he has applied a variety of fasting protocols with more than 1,000 patients. Jimmy Moore contributes from the practitioner-and-communicator side — he is the author of multiple health books and a veteran health podcaster whose strength, as one Audible listener noted, lies in pairing practical advice with accessible explanations of the science behind how the body uses energy. The combination positions the book as both clinically informed and accessible to a general audience.
Scope and Structure: Why It Stands Apart in a Crowded Field
The publisher's framing is direct: while thousands of books address weight loss and diet, few have centered fasting itself as the primary subject. By dedicating an entire volume to explaining what fasting is, why it matters physiologically, and how to execute different protocols safely, Fung and Moore carved out a distinct niche. The book is designed to address the full range of fasting durations rather than advocating a single method, which gives readers the framework to match a protocol to their own goals and circumstances. The inclusion of a structured kick-start plan and recipes means the book is built to move readers from concept to action, not merely to inform.
Reception and Reader Response
Reader response, as reflected in published commentary, has been notably enthusiastic. One blogger, writing at pecheyponderings.wordpress.com, awarded the book nine stars and credited both Fung and Moore with opening their eyes to the practical and life-changing benefits of fasting. On Audible, where the audiobook is narrated by Jimmy Moore himself, listener commentary highlights the book's ability to combine practical implementation guidance with science-backed explanations — described as clear and easy to understand. This pattern of reception — readers praising both the scientific grounding and the practical accessibility — appears consistently across published commentary, suggesting the book has found its intended audience effectively.
Who It Is For and Where It Has Limits
As a functional reference book, The Complete Guide to Fasting is designed for readers who want both the physiological rationale for fasting and a concrete plan to begin. Readers seeking a single, narrowly defined protocol may find the multi-method scope broader than they need, though the kick-start plan does provide a clear default starting point. Because this is ultimately a practical health guide, readers with specific medical conditions should, as with any dietary intervention, consult a healthcare provider before applying its protocols — a consideration the book's clinical framing does not eliminate. Readers who enjoy data-driven health writing and are comfortable with a co-authored voice that shifts between clinical analysis and personal-experience narrative are the most natural fit for this title.
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
- Cited in this review
- 1
- Further reading
- 2
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