Should I Fast To Lose Weight?

fast to lose weightWith a quick Google search, you will come up with dozens of intermittent fasting diets. The claims range from two to 10 pounds of weight loss in just a few days. While it’s likely the numbers on the scale will drop if you fast to lose weight, many of these diet plans don’t touch on what happens to your body in the long term.

Is fasting health?

The appeal to just saying “no” to food is the immediate drop in weight. However, the numbers on the scale should not be confused with actual weight loss. When you fast, your body goes through quick fluid loss, which naturally causes your weight to decrease. Fasting does not support actual fat loss, which is crucial in the change of your body and maintaining good health.

Research from JAMA Internal Medicine compares two groups: one that used the fasting method for weight loss and another that used a weight loss food plan. After one year, the participants were questioned and weighed. Researchers reveal that the fasting group lost no more weight then those on a food plan, but the drop-out rate was significant – 35 percent – for those fasting.

Fasting Pitfalls

There are a number of reasons fasting doesn’t work for long-term weight loss success. Even if the process allows you to lose a few pounds in the beginning, the challenges of fasting are many:

  • Rebound eating: After having no food for days at a time, you’re more likely to gorge on high-calorie foods once you conclude the fast.
  • Harder to sleep: Even when you’re asleep, the pains of an empty stomach can mentally stimulate you, affecting your sleep.
  • Muscle loss: When you lose weight, your goal is to reduce body fat. Fasting can eliminate muscle mass, which is healthy weight you want to keep.
  • Lack of nutrients: Your body needs vitamins and nutrients to perform at its peak. When you forego those necessary elements, your mind and body become sluggish.

Fasting for weight loss may change the numbers on the scale but creating a weight loss plan you can stick to in the long term will be far more beneficial for your body. You don’t have to starve to meet your weight loss goal!