Water fasting affects the body in many ways. It slows the activity of your body but only in those areas where there is an excessive thirst. It is easy to overeat when you don’t have something to eat – if there is no food, nothing is going to move your body which is why the brain wants to get rid of it – and it makes it easier for you to over consume – it takes less willpower to control your thoughts and feelings and overeat than when you have something to eat.
What does water fasting do for you?
It helps with weight loss because it allows you to eat fewer sweets when you are fasting. Water fasting also reduces anxiety, stress, depression, body fat levels and helps increase memory and concentration.
But it is not all good news, there are some negatives. Research says that water fasting can cause your weight to slowly increase.
Why is it bad that water fasting can cause weight gain?
Water fasting and weight gain are linked. When you fast, you need to keep your blood levels below 0.5mmol/L. You should have your insulin levels in check so if you start to see an increase in your blood sugar you will have to switch to a low calorie/high fat diet. If you increase your blood sugar by 10% to 14%, your levels will start to rise quickly. When this happens, the excess fat starts to pack on on and if this happens, your risk of type 2 diabetes goes up 10x. So in effect, water fasting can make you fat. Not to mention that there is also an increase in risk for diabetes in other countries and parts of the world. On average, when someone fasts, they gain 5 to 6 pounds. A fasted person should always check with their doctor before considering any weight loss. If you are not sure, you should take your results with a pinch of salt, however you may want to talk with your doctor a month or two before starting any weight loss strategy, or you may want to read more on this topic before you weigh yourself often.
How often should you water fast?
It depends on your body and level of activity but it can be done once every 2 to 4 weeks depending on why you want to change how you exercise and what your body needs.
Do you plan to water fast?
I know that you might not have the patience to spend your whole evening watching people do stupidly hard things in Minecraft. But there are reasons to do it.