- When you do a 7-day water fast, you only drink water for seven days. Some people do this for their religion, their spirit, or their health. Other people do this to lose weight. But is this a good idea? Here are some things you should know about water fasting and weight loss.
- Water fasting can make you weigh less, but most of it is not real weight loss. A study ¹ says that men can lose up to 5.2% of their body weight and women can lose up to 4.5% of their body weight after a 7-day water fast. But this is mostly because you lose water, sugar, salt, and food in your body, not fat. When you start eating again, you will probably gain back most of the weight you lost.
- Water fasting can also make you lose muscle, especially if you don’t move or eat enough protein. When you fast, your body will use up the sugar in your body and then start using fat for energy. But it will also use some muscle protein to make sugar for your brain and other parts of your body. This can make your muscles smaller and weaker. To avoid this, you should do some easy exercise, like walking or yoga, and eat enough protein before and after your fast. You can also do muscle sparing fasting, which means you eat a little bit of protein (around 50 grams) every day during your fast.
- Water fasting can have some good effects on your health, but it also has some bad effects and dangers. Some of the good effects of water fasting are better blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, less swelling, and more human growth hormone in your body. But some of the bad effects and dangers are not enough water in your body, not enough minerals in your body, headaches, tiredness, feeling dizzy, feeling sick, not being able to poop, and kidney problems. To reduce these risks, you should drink enough water, take mineral supplements, and eat sea salt during your fast. You should also talk to your doctor before you do a water fast, especially if you have any health problems or take any medicines.
- Water fasting is not for everybody, and you should not do it often or for a long time. Water fasting is not good for pregnant or breastfeeding women, kids, old people, or people with diabetes, heart problems, kidney problems, or eating problems. You should also not do it more than once or twice a year, and not for more than 7 to 10 days at a time. Water fasting is not a good way to lose weight and keep it off, and it can hurt you more than help you if you do it wrong or too much.
To sum up, a 7-day water fast can make you weigh less, but most of it is not fat loss. It can also make you lose muscle, not enough water, not enough minerals, and other health problems. It is not a safe or effective way to lose weight for a long time, and you should only do it with a doctor’s help and with the right steps. A better way to lose weight is to eat a healthy, low-calorie diet and do regular exercise.
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