Water fasting has recently been considered a sort of diet though it is nothing new and of course it shouldn’t be used for long-term weight loss.
But, you will find that many celebrities use this method of dieting as a way to quickly lose weight and of course there are other very legitimate reasons for going on a water fast.
What is Water Fasting?
Water fasting is really just what it sounds like – you are fasting on water alone and nothing else.
While most of us can get through a few hours without a snack, the thought of going an entire day with only water, or even two or three days might seem a bit much.
If you have ever needed to have surgery, then you probably went on a water fast for at least twelve hours, and that can be difficult for many people.
So, if you are thinking about a water fast, then you will want to get fully prepared before you start.
While you may think that the best way to get ready for a water fast of any length would be to “pig out” for a few days so you have energy, the opposite is actually true.
When you are starting this, you will want to reduce your caloric intake for the days leading up to the fast so that your empty stomach and the reduction in calories isn’t such a shock to your system.
It is also important that you load up on vitamins during this time, especially those that are water soluble, since they will be prone to being flushed out of your system as soon as you start your water fast.
Water Fasting For Weight Loss
While for some people the purpose of a water fast is weight loss, that is not always the case.
For instance, there are some religions and cultures who use a water fast as one of their rituals, enabling them to cleanse themselves.
You will often find that other people use a water fast as a way to legitimately cleanse their organs and clean out toxic waste from inside their gastrointestinal system.
It is hard to determine just how much weight you will lose on a water fast, since your body will always find its own equilibrium when it comes to water weight.
After all, you will probably end up drinking much more water when you are on a water fast than you would during a normal day.
So it is quite possible that you will actually gain weight (water weight) while you are on the fast, but it is still a great way to give your organs a break, if only for a day or so.
The results that you get from water fasting will depend on your overall state of health and just how well you physically adapt to the lack of calories.
The primary purpose of any water fast is to cleanse your system.
And while it can help to give your organs a rest and enable quicker elimination of toxins from your digestive system, you might not find that it results in huge weight loss.
But, drinking plenty of water is always a good thing to do and will help to enhance your overall health.
Is Water Fasting Safe?
No matter how safe a diet may seem or what the so-called experts say, you should always talk to your doctor before going on a diet.
Especially if you are someone with existing health issues, making such a dramatic change to your diet can be disruptive to your system, even if you only go on it for a day or two.
You might in fact find that getting your doctor to approve of a water fast for weight loss that lasts longer than 24 hours may be impossible.
In addition to talking to your doctor, you should also keep in mind what medications you are currently taking and how this change in diet will impact the effectiveness of the medications or your body’s tolerance.
The pills that you normally take with food will have a greater impact on your system if you aren’t eating.
Water Fasting Side Effects
You should expect a little dizziness and you probably won’t have the level of energy that you normally do when you are fasting.
You should also expect a significant increase in urination, since you will be drinking much more than you normally do. So, for this reason it is sometimes a good idea to do a water fast on the weekend when you can be at home.
The most common side effect that is found with water fasting for weight loss is that you simply feel tired and lacking in energy.
This is because you aren’t giving your body the nutrition that it normally needs and your entire body will be quite surprised at what you are doing to it.
However, as long as you don’t go on a water fast for more than a day, you should have no potential side effects.
See also: Intermittent Fasting Diet Plan
Conclusion
Over the years, the term “diet” has come to represent a way of losing weight, but there are other reasons why people go on particular diets.
When you go on any kind of diet, it is important that you plan ahead and discuss the changes with your family or other people that you live with, so that they can support you.
Since it is not advised that you go on a water fast for more than a day at a time, this diet is actually a lot less disruptive to your life than others.
However, it is usually a good idea to plan ahead and make sure that you go on your water fast on a day when you won’t need to do a lot of exercise or activity, and when you will also be near a bathroom!
When it comes to planning your fast, most experts agree that you should not go for more than one or two days at most without proper nutrition, and that doing a water fast should not be a very regular occasion for you.
You might try water fasting just once a month for a day to see how your body adapts to it.
