One method many people try to lose weight is fasting. It could be considered to be the ultimate of the extreme weight loss diets! Fasting from certain types of foods as a way to lose weight is not always a bad idea. But fasting from all foods in order to try to lose weight quickly can be dangerous if it is done for too long or too often. Though there are a few benefits from fasting there are results that may not be beneficial to long term weight loss.
The main benefit from fasting is that it enhances the body’s ability to remove toxins from the blood. Without the toxins that naturally come from food and digestion the body can work on what toxins there are without having them build back up immediately. This should not be done for long periods of time as there are other less beneficial effects that result from fasting.
Fasting as a weight loss method is not the most effective plan and in most cases does not result in long-term weight loss. In the first day or two without food you would lose a couple pounds a day but after that the body adjusts its metabolism to conserve energy. The body naturally lowers the metabolism and the amount of energy it is using to maintain the body is significantly lower during a fast. Most of the initial weight lost in the first couple days will be water weight and will return as soon eating habits become normal again. The metabolism will be slow when food is reintroduced to the system and weight will likely be put back on quickly until the metabolism adjusts itself back to a higher rate.
If fasting is the weight loss method that you would prefer to try it is important that the fasts do not last longer than two days. Fasting for one or two days should always be followed by at least three days of normal meals and the Fitness Connection suggests that this method should be supervised medically.