Do you feel like you've reached a plateau in your weight-loss efforts? Have you spent much time and money trying different diets, exercise plans, and supplements with little success? If so, you may have heard about water fasting, a method gaining favor among individuals looking to lose weight quickly and safely.
There are many benefits of water fasting, such as helping you lose weight, improving the health of your skin, sharpening your mind, and much more. However, how reliable is water fasting as a means of shedding pounds? To answer this question, we will examine the research surrounding it, its possible health advantages, and weight loss treatments.
Also Read: Weight Management: All you Need to Know about Weight Management in 2023
What is Water Fasting?
Traditional water fasting has been utilised for thousands of years to improve physical and mental health. It's a weight loss management technique in which you restrict yourself to drinking only water for a long time. You can do this for as little as 12 hours or do a full 3-day water fast. This promotes the body to cleanse and recover and, thus, encourages weight loss.
How Do You Do Water Fasting?
The following are a few tips that'll help you walk through the two stages of water fasting:
24 to 72-Hour Water Fast
During a water fast, you are not supposed to eat or drink anything other than water for the length of the fast. Most people drink two to three litres of water per day during a water fast. The water fast lasts anywhere between 24 and 72 hours. You should not fast for longer than this without seeking advice from a healthcare professional due to potential health risks.
1 to 3 Days - Post-Water Fast
You shouldn't binge on food just after a water fast. This is because heavy meals after a fast might trigger unpleasant physical effects. Drinking smoothies or eating many small and light meals at regular intervals would be best to break your fast. As you gain confidence, you may gradually increase the size of your meals daily.
The phase post-fast is especially important after longer fasts, as there may be a risk of refeeding syndrome. It is a potentially fatal condition in which the body undergoes rapid changes in fluid and electrolyte levels.
Can Water Fasting Help you Lose Weight?
We'll look at the water fasting benefits and why it's a wonderful approach to losing weight rapidly.
- Increased Metabolism: When you do a water fast, it increases lipolysis, the process by which the body burns fat for energy. Your metabolism speeds up and helps you burn more calories, thus, promoting weight loss.
- Detoxification: Water fasting helps the body get rid of toxins, which may help reduce inflammation and improve health in general.
- Increased Mental Clarity: Fasting on water helps rid your mind of mental fog, enabling you to think and act more clearly.
- Better Autophagy: Water fasting speeds up autophagy, which usually happens between 24 to 48 hours of fasting and helps your body get rid of damaged cells.
- Lower Calorie Intake: A water diet for weight loss reduces calorie consumption and may help you lose weight.
- Better Digestion: Water fasting aids digestion, enabling you to absorb more minerals and vitamins.
- Enhanced Energy: Water fasting may enhance your energy, making you more productive and fit.
Dangers and Risks of Water Fasting
These are only a handful of the hazards and risks associated with water fasting. Here are a few instances:
- Wrong-Type Weight Reduction: Caloric intake is reduced during a water fast. Hence rapid weight loss is a realistic expectation. Unfortunately, a lot of the weight you lose in the beginning may come from water, carbs, and even a small amount of muscle mass.
- Causes Dehydration: Ironically, a water fast could make you dehydrated. This is because roughly 20–30% of your daily water intake comes from the foods you eat. So if you're just drinking the same amount of water instead of food, there is a high chance you might not be retaining the water and nutrients required.
- Orthostatic Hypotension: Water fasting causes dehydration which leads to orthostatic hypotension. It’s defined as a drop in blood pressure that happens when you suddenly stand up, and it can leave you dizzy, lightheaded, and at risk of fainting.
Types of Water Fasting
These are the many forms of water fasting and its associated advantages. Experiment with these weight loss management ways to determine which one works best for you!
- 3-Day Water Fast: Three days of water fasting. It detoxifies the body and reduces inflammation.
- Intermittent Water Fasting: This water diet for weight loss involves drinking water only between meals. This weight loss treatment reduces body weight and boosts energy.
- Prolonged Water Fasting: This fasting involves sipping water for days or weeks. It's famous for spiritual cleansing and long-term health benefits.
Get professional medical counsel before beginning water fast. This is just to prevent any medical complications after or before the water fast.
Conclusion
Water fasting is an excellent method for weight loss and improving overall health. Nevertheless, this weight loss management technique may differ based on body type and health problems. Before commencing water fast, speaking with a medical practitioner is critical.
Although water fasting benefits are numerous, it is important to recognize the hazards and seek medical attention if necessary.
