Fasting for weight loss is something that many people consider when they are hoping to lose weight quickly. In certain situations, it can be effective. But what exactly does it involve and can it really help you to lose weight?
What Is Fasting?
Fasting means not eating. A ‘true’ fast involves taking in nothing but water. That’s where breakfast got its name: we break our overnight fast. In fact many people say that the body needs 12 hours of fasting a day, and so we should not eat snacks or drink anything but water after dinner so that we have 12 clear hours before eating again at breakfast time. You may find this a very helpful practice if you are following a weight loss program.
Beyond this, some people advocate fasting for health reasons for various periods of time such as one 24 hour fast per week (from dinner one day to dinner the next day), a 3 day fast a few times a year, or even longer periods. They often point to sources in the Bible and other religious texts which speak of the purifying effects of fasting. Many religions have a tradition of restricting food intake at certain times, such as Lent or Ramadan, although these are not fasts in the sense of eating nothing at all.
We also use the word ‘fast’ loosely in everyday speech. You will find references to ‘juice fasts’ where you have freshly squeezed vegetable and fruit juice, single food fasts where you eat nothing but one food (usually a fruit) for a period of time, etc. These can be very effective for weight loss.
Is Fasting Dangerous?
Fasting can be dangerous if practiced to excess or without medical supervision. You should always talk with a doctor if you are considering fasting.
There are 5 main situations where fasting can be a very real threat to your health or even to your life:
1. If you have any medical condition that requires you to eat certain things or at certain times, including but not limited to diabetes and renal conditions.
2. If you are taking any medication. Your medication will have been prescribed on the assumption that you are eating a normal diet. If you don’t eat, the drugs could have a stronger, different or dangerous effect.
3. If you have been eating a very unhealthy diet in recent times. Stopping eating completely can have a very powerful detoxification effect. If a lot of toxins have piled up in your body, your liver and other organs may not be able to handle it. Equally, it can be dangerous to eat a lot of hard to digest or refined food at the end of a fast. Keep to fruit and vegetables for the first few meals.
4. If you have any history of eating disorders e.g. anorexia, bulimia or compulsive eating, or if you are at risk of these disorders. If you are in one of these risk groups, fasting could lead you either into anorexia or into dangerous binges.
5. If the fasting goes on for too long. How long is too long? It depends on the individual. But eventually, of course, you would starve, and even before that point the lack of certain nutrients can cause permanent damage to many organs of the body.
How To Lose Weight With Fasting
After checking with your doctor, think about whether you have had a relatively healthy diet in recent months and weeks, even if you were eating a little more than you needed. If so, you may decide to try fasting to lose some weight.
The best approach is to use a fast as a kick start to your diet, or when your weight loss has reached a plateau. You can fast on water only for 24 hours from after dinner one evening and then begin your healthy weight loss diet with a light meal of fruit and salad (no dressing) the following evening. You will be good and hungry by then, so this can be an effective way to help you focus on the great food that you are going to be eating instead of thinking about what you are giving up.
Another possibility is to start your weight loss program with 3 days of ‘fasting’ on only fruit and raw vegetables, or only juice. Whole fruit can be better for keeping the digestive system running, because it contains fiber. If you choose this method of fasting for weight loss, you can mix vegetables but try to eat only one type of fruit at a time.
