Yes, I know that you have always heard that fasting for weight loss is not safe – that it attacks lean body mass (I.E. your muscle) while not touching your fat. The fact is that there are many scientific studies that prove it doesn’t. The fact is that your muscle mass is not in jeopardy at all.
If it is true, then why is there so much out on the ‘net that fasting is harmful to your body? There are several reasons which we will cover here briefly.
Before we try to establish the proof that fasting for fat loss is safe and healthy when taken with proper exercise, it is important to note that just because something is said in a magazine article, website, or even a “respected” authority – even this one – that you should take it on face value. There is a lot of confusion on the Internet about dieting, fitness, health, fasting, etc, so how do you know what is true? Well, part of learning the truth requires common sense and part of the truth requires blowing away some of the fog of misinformation.
Think about what would happen to the diet and fitness business as a whole if more and more people found out that fasting is safe and effective. No more weight loss pills; no more diet foods; would we need any more diet plans?
There is just no money in fasting. And maybe you haven’t heard, but the weight loss industry is multi-billion dollar business. Lots of businesses would stand to lose a lot of money.
But isn’t there a drastic reduction in your metabolism that shuts down to into so called starvation mode. This thing is supposed to cause your body to retain weight even cause a gain when reality is that you might have a net gain of 100 calories in a 24 hour period amounting to about the same as a cup of creamed coffee. So much for huge weight gains!
Then what does happen during a short 1 to 3 day fast? Without getting technical and all, simply this: while maintaining a regular fitness program,fasting retains lean body mass. It is evidenced by the fact that there is an increase in growth hormone during this time. Yes, that very same hormone that big stars pay money to get, you can have as a bonus when you continue to exercise during a fast.
For those of you who think going without food for 24 hours is unthinkable consider this: every night you fast for at least 12 hours. That’s why they call the first meal of the day “breakfast”. The thing with this is that you choose to stretch that fast for another 12 hours or more (up to 72 hours). Some folks will eat their dinner and then fast all the way through the next dinner. Others (like me) from breakfast till breakfast. Simple, huh?
Really, fasting is the easiest most forgiving way to lose weight of all. No counting calories, or fat grams or carbs. No fancy or complicated menus to follow. Just eat the way you do all the rest of the time. NO more stressing over food. Just go without for 24 hours once or twice a week.
Learn more about fasting for weight loss. Stop by Marie Stimson’s site here to learn more.
categories: intermittent fasting,fasting for weight loss,fasting,weight loss