Fasting as a ‘body cleansing’ tool has been around for millennia but how about intermittent fasting to achieve weight loss? Does it work and is it safe?
There are many types of fasting, which is the voluntary withholding of food (unlike starvation) and usually lasts hours or days. Intermittent fasting is, in a sense, a normal part of our lives – for example between dinner and breakfast. However, ‘proper’ fasting means not eating for a period of time longer than it takes your body to merely digest the food you had just eaten. During true fasting, your body uses its own stored energy, first from glycogen (carbohydrate stored in the liver and muscles) and other molecules, and eventually from body fat if the fasting continues for longer or if you’re physically active.