The Benefits and Drawbacks of Fasting
Health wellness

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Fasting

by BODY COMPLETE RX

Is it Good or Bad: That Depends on the Style of Fasting You Choose

Fasting can be beneficial and it can also be counterproductive. In fact, what most people consider fasting isn’t sustainable at all. However there are variations of fasting that can get you weight loss results in as little as 10-weeks, and you can do it easily.


Intermittent fasting is an example of sustainable fasting. 16:8 is a type of intermittent fasting (IF) that you do each day. The idea is you eat within an 8-hour window and then fast for 16 hours. It gets easier over time, and with practice, you may even prefer it to how you used to eat. Most variations of IF are sustainable diets and with a lot of health benefits. 


Intermittent fasting has the following benefits: 



There are other variations of IF as well where you fast for 24 hours each week or eat for 5 days and 2 days a week when you don’t eat. We recommend daily fasting for beginners. Beginning with an extreme diet (not eating for 3 days) can feel impossible and thus deter you altogether from more sustainable practices. 

 

Collage of Healthy Living Photos


Typical sorts of daily IF include the 16:8 and 12:12. The first number is the duration of your fasting period and the second is the window that you can eat. Once adjusted and enjoying IF then you can take it up a notch and experiment with a 24-hour fast and see what feels good and what makes no difference at all. 


Most people who follow an IF schedule will start seeing results after 10 weeks

 

 

Types of Fasting to Avoid

Water fasting


There are times when water fasting is okay, like for religious practice when you’re healthy and educated on how to do so. Doctors may also have you fast before a procedure and that’s also safe. What we don’t recommend is water fasting for quick weight loss. 


The Drawbacks of Water Fasting:

  • Not getting the vitamins and minerals you need to perform as your best self.
  • Generally being miserable all day long.
  • Experiencing fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and weakness are common for people haphazardly water-fasting.
  • It can be dangerous for those who have health conditions or of a certain age

Detox Fasting


Your body has several detoxification organs like your liver. If you treat your body properly, it can do its job, which makes detoxing unnecessary. In fact, if you’re set on a detox diet then stop eating processed foods and that’s all that needs to happen. Processed foods are what put toxins in your liver and kidneys anyways. Don’t overload your body and it can handle detoxification on its own.


The Warrior Diet

This diet is basically starving yourself. For 20 hours a day, you are on a restricted-calorie diet, and then for 4 hours, you’re allowed to eat as much as you want. What we really love about other forms of intermittent fasting is all your body accomplishes when you’re not constantly digesting food. If you go 20 hours and eat an apple, two tablespoons of peanut butter, and a Starbucks coffee that’s eating, that’s not really a fast is it? 


On this diet, you’re basically starving without all the health benefits of properly fasting.  


The warrior diet is extreme, recall what we said before about beginning with extremes? Ask yourself this question before you consider any diet, “could I do this for the rest of my life?” If the answer is no then you should really reconsider. 


Extreme diets often lead to frustration, and honestly, it’s a perfectly reasonable goal in life is not to hate each and every day. So don’t do things that make you dread the hours.

 

 

By Body Complete Rx Writer, Klarrisa