Fasting for weight loss - why is it better not to do it?

Beauty and slimness are synonymous definitions for a large number of girls. As part of this statement, it is necessary to encourage the desire to tone the body, but at the same time refrain from torturing oneself in order to reduce body weight. In order to lose weight and, for example, reduce the size of your waist or hips, you should adjust your diet and also take part in physical activity. Some girls and boys may perceive the judgment of body correction through a review of the diet distorted. In this case, young people do not resort to healthy food, but completely refuse any food, depleting the body.

Does fasting help you lose weight or just destroy muscle?

It is necessary to start by defining what fasting is so that there is no confusion with terminology in the future. Fasting is a conscious refusal to eat, accompanied by ignoring the feeling of hunger for a certain time. People can stop eating for various reasons, for example, in the postoperative period, to treat various diseases, athletes resort to fasting for professional purposes, and this technique is also used by people trying to lose weight.

It should be noted that the procedure itself is stressful for the body and it is impossible to say for sure that the benefit from the event will be greater than the harm. The specificity of fasting is the burning of subcutaneous fat tissue, but the situation is much more complicated. When a person stops eating, the body, due to a lack of nutrients, begins to look for alternative sources of “fuel” for life.

The body needs protein to function adequately, and when there is nowhere to get it, amino acid structures are “removed” from muscle tissue. Thus, the physiology of the process of prolonged fasting is accompanied by the destruction of muscles, as protein is drawn out of them. In some cases, serious damage to muscle tissue is observed, leading to atrophy and the inability to move independently.

It is also worth noting that fat, upon returning to a normal diet, accumulates again, but only on a large scale. Adipose tissue replaces the lost protein missing from the muscles. Bodybuilders resort to such tricks because in order to build muscle, you need to gain fat mass. When fasting for the purpose of losing weight, the process is reversed, muscles degenerate into fat.

How much weight can you lose on a fasting diet in a week?

It is generally accepted that if fasting lasts for one week and takes the form of a “wet” diet, that is, you can only consume liquids, then the total loss of body weight will be about 6 kilograms. However, it must be remembered that after the resumption of adequate nutrition, the weight will return again, provided that all biological processes are functioning normally. If the weight lost during abstinence from food does not return to its original form, then it can be argued that the body’s metabolism is disturbed.

A week-long fast is accompanied by weight loss, but you should not expect that the external condition of the body will improve. Fat deposits on the stomach and thighs will not go away; the first thing to lose weight will be the arms, legs and face. At the same time, when describing such facts, it is necessary to turn to data that explains the process of weight loss and why this happens.

On the first day, the body begins to lose carbohydrates concentrated in it in the form of glycogen. The main volume of the substance that performs the reserve function is located in muscle cells (80%) and 20% of the component is in the liver tissue. In total, about 500 grams of glycogen are burned per day, proportional to the energy reserve of 2000 kilocalories. During the first day, the body becomes 3.5 kilograms lighter, of which 500 grams are carbohydrates, and the remaining 3 kilograms are water associated with it. Only after the entire glycogen reserve in the body has been lost does the process of burning fat begin, which is why it can be argued that a one-day fast cannot bring any changes.

Pros and cons of losing weight while fasting

As usual, the considered method of losing weight has two camps, the first includes supporters of the approach, and the second includes opponents. It should be rightly noted that fasting has both positive and negative sides. In order to draw the correct conclusion about the event, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the positive and negative aspects of such a diet. The advantages include:

• evens out skin tone, gets rid of inflammatory processes on the face and body;
• this is an opportunity to regulate the digestive process;
• give muscles definition;
• remove harmful toxins and waste from the body in a natural way;
• carry out prevention of certain inflammatory processes, etc.

As for the negative aspects, their significance should also not be overlooked, since in certain cases the harm exceeds the benefit. Thus, the disadvantages of the approach can be considered:

• the risk of disrupting metabolic processes in the body;
• threat of developing digestive problems;
• exhaustion of the body;
• lack of nutrients and vitamins necessary for the adequate functioning of all vital systems;
• Over time, muscle tissue degenerates into fat, and the lost kilograms come in even greater volume, etc.

Types of fasting for weight loss and what are their dangers

Today, there are quite a few types of nutritional systems based on food abstinence that guarantee effective weight loss. All approaches have fundamental differences from each other, and therefore each of them is used to achieve separate goals. Most of the fasting diets are based on the developments of nutritionists, but even taking this fact into account, before using a specific method, it is necessary to consult a specialist. It is not possible to describe all known methods of fasting, so below are only the most popular methods that have been proven over the years.

One day

It should be noted that mastering one-day fasting should take place in a month, or better yet, in three. During the procedure, the body is cleansed of accumulated waste and toxins, and the formation of intestinal stagnation and kidney stones is prevented. In general, the event is popularly referred to as rejuvenating, since such stress forces the body to function at increased speed, bringing it into tone.

It is with a one-day fast that you should begin to prepare your body for procedures that are based on 3.5 or even 7 days of abstaining from food. This will also allow a more rational approach to the nutritional system in the future, namely, to clearly understand the feeling of hunger, be able to cope with it and regulate the functioning of the digestive system.

Dry

Dry fasting is a complete refusal to consume not only food, but also any type of liquid. Such an event can last from one to several days, during which the body loses a significant amount of internal reserves. This type of fasting is not suitable for beginners and is the prerogative of advanced users whose main goal is drying.

Despite the fact that at first glance the process is quite complicated, it can be experienced quite painlessly. As the experience of people who have already gone through this shows, on the first day of dry fasting you don’t feel like drinking at all. During this time, even more fluid leaves the body, but there is no qualitative difference between the dry and wet approach.

Water

Water fasting, also known as wet fasting, is a complete refusal to eat any food, but at the same time, the person “preaching” the approach needs to drink as much liquid as possible. This is necessary in order to remove the maximum amount of harmful substances contained in the gastrointestinal tract, blood, etc.

This is a classic type of fasting, on the basis of which all other practices are based. You need to start with one day of refusing food, but if on this day there is an irresistible desire to put something in your mouth, then you can mix some water with a small amount of honey (1 teaspoon per glass of liquid). Some people brew special infusions to enhance the effect, which help to best cleanse the body.

According to Bragg

Bragg is a famous naturopath and healer of his time, who was born at the end of the nineteenth century. Paul Bragg did not have a medical education, but he actively developed methods that allowed complex treatment of the whole body without the help of medications and classical approaches. A feature of his approach was a system according to which fasting took the form of systematic procedures implemented in a certain sequence.

The author believed that the best healing effects come from fasting, which lasts from 7 to 10 days. However, the author recommended that you always start by fasting for one day, progressing to weekly fasts. At the same time, once a season, Bragg advised fasting for 7 days, which was a transitional stage to vegetarianism. As for the process itself, during fasting there is a complete refusal of any food, but liquid is available in any volume.

Periodic

Intermittent fasting is the establishment of a clear time frame regarding the consumption of food during the day or week. Typically, a specific approach is used by bodybuilders and people involved in gaining muscle mass, as well as those who seek to get their body in shape. In any case, intense physical activity must be added to fasting.

The most famous author who developed the intermittent fasting approach is Martin Barhan. He argued that by dividing the day into two parts and eating 12 every 12 hours, you can lose a lot of weight quite quickly. According to the teachings of a specialist, breakfast can be absolutely anything, lunch can consist of vegetarian dishes, but after lunch any food intake is completely prohibited.

Cascade (interval)

This is a rather complex approach within the framework of fasting, since a specific event is long-term, consisting of a cycle of fasting days and days with a limited diet. A cascade system is built on alternation, in which one day a person must completely give up food and water, and the second day is a dietary one. On a diet day, you can only eat raw food - this is food that is based on raw plant products.

Such a food system should last on average 14 days, of which half are completely hungry, and the other are on a diet. This process has a significant effect on the body, but it should only be followed under medical supervision to avoid serious consequences.

Can fasting be therapeutic/health beneficial?

As described in the previous paragraphs, fasting can have a positive effect in some cases, but in most situations the benefits are quite exaggerated compared to the side effects of the approach. As for therapeutic fasting, this is a rather strange formulation, since only those who do not have health problems can truly fast, so “therapeutic fasting” is not a real method of combating illnesses or pathological phenomena in the body.

Harm from fasting as a way to quickly lose weight

As noted earlier, fasting poses a serious threat to human health, which leads to a number of disorders in the functioning of the body. First of all, the muscles suffer, which atrophy over time; it is also difficult for the gastrointestinal tract, nails, hair, skin, etc. Due to a lack of necessary substances, a person loses strength, feels weak, drowsiness, bad mood, headaches pain, heartburn, etc.

Contraindications to losing weight through fasting

It must be remembered that fasting is a great stress for the body, which forces every cell of the human body to experience severe stress, as a result of which those organs that were most vulnerable and weak fail. Thus, it can be argued that any chronic disease is a contraindication to undergoing the procedure, including: gastritis, stomach ulcers, tuberculosis, diabetes, renal and liver failure, etc.

Video: the dangers of long-term fasting at home

In this video, the author shares his own thoughts on losing weight through long-term fasting. The video contains recommendations regarding the use of a specific method for weight loss. At the same time, the author describes the possible consequences of such events in the future, which cannot be neglected.

Video: how to lose weight without fasting

This particular video is a meaningful set of the author’s thoughts about such a process as dietary and “proper” nutrition. The girl shares her own thoughts about losing weight without abstaining from food, which are based on personal experience. After reading the material, you can form your own opinion regarding the principles of nutrition for weight loss.