Fasting has been an age-old thing and people have been doing it for a long time. In many cultures, it is done as a religious practice. It is done for various other reasons, as a way to pay respect, as a way to get something one desire, etc. But there are some people out there who fast as a way to lose weight.
Fasting has made a name for itself as being a great way to flush out toxins from your body. There are some benefits that have been proven and some which haven’t. As we all know, our bodies are different and react to several things differently. Similarly, fasting can turn out to be a good thing for one and a bad thing for another.
What Are The Common Fasting Regimens?
Fasting, as per many people, is just having liquids and some basic food. Only a few types of food are allowed during a set time period. One can have water, juices, and even some solid food too. Fasting does prohibit more food than is allowed during a particular time period.
There are a lot of different regimens. Some allow a certain solid food. Whereas there are some which have to be done with full dedication and one is not allowed any food and sometimes even water for a whole day or two.
Although there are a few risks to it, fasting is not for people with chronic diseases, kids, and women who are pregnant.
What are the risks of fasting?
Fasting may sound like a good idea for you but some of the things to know before fasting are:
- Fasting reduces the calorie intake up to a minimum. For some people, they don’t know where to draw the line and go on taking a health risk with their fasting regime.
- Since you are on a fasting diet, you will lose weight initially. But this regime can backfire when you go back to your routine.
- If you go on for a longer than necessary time, there is a fair chance that you are putting your health at risk. You can get your body Increase deficiency of some sort which will only make you grow weaker.
- While fasting, one thing that people don’t generally consider is that when they will go back to their regular routine, their chances of gaining more weight are high. With the low calorie intake before which has suddenly increased, the metabolism of a person is slow, which makes it easier for that person to regain weight.
Can fasting help in losing weight?
Yes. When done religiously and dedicatedly, fasting can be quite effective. When it comes to losing weight, the fasting technique may or may not work on someone, depending on their body type.
One thing is for sure. It is that one who has lost weight while fasting, has to take care of themselves even more after they are done fasting. This is because a single slip up can make their lost weight come back, which is not worth the hassle they have been through.
In such a case, it is a must that you take utmost care of yourself and pay attention to the food you are eating. This really is the key. If you are having trouble with not being able to avoid some foods, then you can try portion control. In this, you only eat in small portions.
Is fasting safe?
To listen to the many experts and researchers, when done for a short amount of time, fasting can be a good thing. This is not really a diet one should follow on a long term basis. And since it can cause more problems than provide benefits, it is only good if one looks for different methods of losing weight.
Is fasting a good option for you?
If we have learnt anything by the 21st century, it is that fasting can put us in some potential danger. This may look like an effective way to go initially, but a great option would be to look for other alternatives, which are more effective and most importantly, provide you with more nutrition.
