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Friday, August 21, 2015

Fasting for Weight Loss

Fasting for Weight Loss

Fasting is a great way to begin a new fitness or weight loss program. Reducing or, really, eliminating food and beverages that contribute to weight gain will help to kick-start your efforts and has the added benefit of body detoxification and colon cleansing. Some people fast by only eliminating solid food from their diet, while others prefer to eliminate both solid food and all beverages except water. Which one you choose really depends on your starting points and personal health considerations.

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Advantages and Cautions

By immediately reducing your caloric intake, fasting will produce immediate, short-term effects. Fat that has already been stored in your body will be used for energy that would normally come from calories in consumed foods and beverages. Using fat means losing fat.

Additionally, toxins contained within this fat will be eliminated through sweat, urine, and feces. Skin tone, oral health, and cardiovascular health are positively affected by fasting for weight loss. Short-term elimination of food intake also gives your body the necessary rest and recuperation needed to maintain optimal health.

There are some disadvantages to fasting and things to be considered. When beginning a fast, many people cite general lethargy and headaches as common side effects. Also, a long term fast will cause your body and metabolism, to slow down as your body enters a “starvation mode” to protect itself. This can be counterproductive and a feeling of low energy and a weakened immune system via a loss of nutrients can result. Over a long period of time, this can prove detrimental to your health.

Supportive Research

The Center for Conservative Therapy in Penngrove, California found that water-only fasting produced favorable results (normalized blood pressure) for individuals with hypertension and was beneficial for starting a health-promoting diet and jump-starting lifestyle changes. [1]

The Laboratory of Neurosciences in Baltimore noted multiple benefits with intermittent fasting and/or a caloric restricted diet in the form of enhanced cardiovascular function, improved brain function, blood pressure reduction, and an overall decrease in the risk factors that contribute to coronary artery disease. [2] Read more

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