One of the most well-known benefits of fasting is weight loss.
(Weight loss = Fat loss + water loss.)
How?
When you fast, your body is forced to burn stored fat for energy. Leading to a decrease in body fat.
During a fast, the body shifts from using glucose as its primary energy source to using your body fat.
This process is called metabolic switching, and it occurs when the body runs out of glycogen (stored glucose) and starts to break down stored fat for energy. This process leads to the release of ketones, which are molecules produced by the breakdown of fat. When the body is in a state of ketosis, it becomes more efficient at burning fat for energy.
This is why I also start my clients on fat assisted fasting when they first start out. It can help the body get used to burning fat as an energy source. And help your body metabolically switch more easily.
Additionally, fasting can also suppress appetite and reduce cravings, this happens when the hunger hormone ghrelin stops spiking as much.
Making it easier to stick to a healthy diet. If you are counting calories. It helps you keep on target.
As for most people, it’s actually hard to overeat when following a fasting lifestyle.
In addition to fat loss through ketosis, we also get rid of excess water. This happens when the body’s glycogen stores are depleted during the fast.
How does this happen?
Glycogen is a form of carbohydrate that is stored in the liver and muscles. Each gram of glycogen is stored with 3 grams of water. So, when glycogen is broken down for energy, the stored water is also released.
This is one of the reasons why people may see a significant drop in weight during the first few days of a fast or when following a low-carb diet.
However, it’s important to note that this is not fat loss, and it will be regained as soon as you start eating carbohydrates again and your body’s glycogen stores replenish.
With this being said, if you are only having carbs once per day. You will not hold onto this water for best part of the day. As a result, you will have that weight loss for most of the day.
It is important to keep this in mind when looking at the scales. As explained above not all weight loss is fat.
I always advise my clients to get some body composition scales. So that they can measure body fat, muscle, and water weight. As this gives a truer indication of their progress.
If you would like the link to the scales I use (they’re around £15-£20) or have any questions, or comments, or think there is something I have missed.
You can email me @ [email protected]
Fasting 101.
It’s not a diet.
It’s a lifestyle.
