{"id":15985,"date":"2021-01-19T19:42:06","date_gmt":"2021-01-19T19:42:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?p=15985"},"modified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","slug":"what-happens-when-you-fast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/","title":{"rendered":"What Happens When You Fast: Learn The Benefits And Risks Of This Popular Weight Loss Method"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Get_your_personalized\" >Get your personalized<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#What_Happens_When_You_Fast_For_16_Hours\" >What Happens When You Fast For 16 Hours?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Weight_Loss\" >Weight Loss<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#May_Lower_Your_Risk_Of_Type_II_Diabetes\" >May Lower Your Risk Of Type II Diabetes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#May_Help_Lower_Blood_Pressure_In_Obese_Patients\" >May Help Lower Blood Pressure In Obese Patients<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#May_Improve_Brain_Health\" >May Improve Brain Health<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#What_Happens_To_Your_Body_When_You_Fast_12_Hours\" >What Happens To Your Body When You Fast 12 Hours?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#What_Happens_When_You_Fast_For_3_Days\" >What Happens When You Fast For 3 Days?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#1_May_Lead_To_Weight_Loss\" >1. May Lead To Weight Loss<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#2_May_Help_Lower_Blood_Pressure\" >2. May Help Lower Blood Pressure<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#3_May_Promote_Cell_Recycling\" >3. May Promote Cell Recycling<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Who_Should_Not_Be_Fasting\" >Who Should Not Be Fasting?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#People_With_Diabetes\" >People With Diabetes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Pregnant_Women\" >Pregnant Women<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Breastfeeding_Women\" >Breastfeeding Women<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Anyone_With_A_Chronic_Illness\" >Anyone With A Chronic Illness<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Children_Teenagers_And_The_Elderly\" >Children, Teenagers, And The Elderly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#People_With_A_History_Of_Eating_Disorders\" >People With A History Of Eating Disorders<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#What_Happens_When_You_Eat_Too_Fast\" >What Happens When You Eat Too Fast?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Weight_Gain\" >Weight Gain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Insulin_Resistance\" >Insulin Resistance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Type_II_Diabetes\" >Type II Diabetes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Metabolic_Syndrome\" >Metabolic Syndrome<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Indigestion\" >Indigestion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#Bloating_And_Gas\" >Bloating And Gas<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#What_Happens_When_You_Fast_For_A_Day\" >What Happens When You Fast For A Day?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#What_Happens_When_You_Fast_For_A_Week\" >What Happens When You Fast For A Week?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#The_Bottom_Line_What_Happens_To_Your_Body_When_You_Fast\" >The Bottom Line: What Happens To Your Body When You Fast?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#DISCLAIMER\" >DISCLAIMER:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#SOURCES\" >SOURCES:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the growth in popularity of intermittent fasting and other fasting methods for weight loss, one may wonder as to exactly what happens when you fast? We all know that over time you will lose some weight but what prompts this? Are there some bodily functions that are affected? What risks are linked to this?<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <section class=\"ad-single-wrapper\">\n        <div class=\"ad-single-text ad-title-wrapper\">\n            <h3 class=\"ad-single-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_your_personalized\"><\/span>Get your personalized<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n            <span class=\"ad-single-sub-title color-green\">\n                <svg class=\"icon-sparkle\" width=\"36\" height=\"21\" viewBox=\"0 0 36 21\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\n                          d=\"M34.6837 0.515943C34.8247 0.835947 34.9421 1.16291 34.9891 1.48987C35.1417 2.64466 35.3179 6.51949 35.2592 7.29863C35.2592 7.53515 35.1887 7.7995 35.0243 8.01516C34.7307 8.39777 33.9791 8.4256 33.5681 8.07081C33.4154 7.94559 33.3215 7.77863 33.2745 7.61863C33.1453 7.15254 33.0396 6.68645 32.9809 6.22035C32.8165 4.81512 32.6638 3.40293 32.5581 1.9977C32.5229 1.53161 32.6051 1.05856 32.6991 0.592466C32.7695 0.244637 33.251 -0.0197144 33.6973 0.00115537C34.2257 0.0289818 34.5546 0.230723 34.6837 0.515943ZM18.6184 9.78225C18.5734 9.67557 18.5344 9.57528 18.4971 9.47956C18.4178 9.27568 18.3465 9.09257 18.2426 8.91267C16.7159 6.24133 14.2615 3.86217 11.4665 1.60128C11.1377 1.33693 10.7267 1.08649 10.2687 0.919531C10.0221 0.829095 9.52885 0.843009 9.247 0.933445C9.03562 1.00301 8.88295 1.27432 8.92992 1.42736C9.01213 1.71954 9.18828 2.01868 9.4349 2.28303C11.0555 4.02913 12.6879 5.76829 14.3437 7.50048C14.8308 8.0068 15.3395 8.50887 15.8473 9.01L15.8473 9.01001C15.9883 9.14921 16.1293 9.28833 16.2697 9.42746C16.4811 9.64311 16.7159 9.85181 16.9626 10.0466C17.2327 10.2692 17.6437 10.4014 18.0547 10.2553C18.0691 10.2501 18.0836 10.245 18.0981 10.2399C18.1097 10.2358 18.1213 10.2318 18.1329 10.2278C18.3785 10.1424 18.6184 10.0589 18.6184 9.78225ZM1.98942 20.1407C2.17783 20.1221 2.37674 20.105 2.58175 20.0875C2.99012 20.0525 3.42272 20.0154 3.84492 19.9598C6.34632 19.6259 8.84771 19.292 11.3374 18.9442C11.8776 18.8676 12.406 18.7355 12.8875 18.5824C13.5334 18.3807 13.7566 18.0954 13.6509 17.7824C13.5452 17.4694 13.1224 17.2746 12.3826 17.2676C11.8776 17.2607 11.3374 17.2676 10.8559 17.3372C7.69683 17.8102 4.5378 18.2972 1.3905 18.7911C1.03819 18.8468 0.674137 18.9442 0.404034 19.0833C-0.2771 19.4242 -0.065712 19.9598 0.803314 20.092C1.01858 20.1228 1.25262 20.1258 1.51135 20.1291C1.66195 20.131 1.82092 20.133 1.98942 20.1407Z\"\n                          fill=\"#17B991\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n               meal plan!\n            <\/span>\n        <\/div>\n    \n        <div class=\"ad-single-text ad-desc-wrapper\">\n            <p class=\"ad-single-desc\">What's your main health goal?<\/p>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\" class=\"btn-ad btn-green\">Lose weight<\/a>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\" class=\"btn-ad btn-green\">Feel great<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <img class=\"ad-single-img\" alt=\"health-food\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"395\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/themes\/gridlove-child\/assets\/img\/ad\/health-food.webp\">\n    <\/section>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In today&#8217;s article, we\u2019ll be taking an in-depth look at what happens to your body when you <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/intermittent-fasting-20-4\/\">fast<\/a>. We\u2019ll also include different timelines, that is, we\u2019ll discuss what happens to your body when you fast for 24 hours, 3 days, 12 hours, a week, and more. Is it okay to go without food for a couple of hours to a week? What health benefits have been linked to it and are there any risks associated with it?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_When_You_Fast_For_16_Hours\"><\/span><b>What Happens When You Fast For 16 Hours?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 16\/8 method is one of the most popular types of <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/fasting-for-3-days\/\">intermittent fasting<\/a>. It is the method most suggested to beginners as it is quite easy to handle. Many people use the 16\/8 method due to its promises of weight loss, but other than this what else happens to your body when you fast for 16 hours?<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Weight_Loss\"><\/span><b>Weight Loss<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting with the obvious, losing weight is one of things that may happen to you when you fast consistently for 16 hours every day. In 2016, a study looked at the weight loss effects of intermittent <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/186-intermittent-fasting\/\">fasting<\/a>. At the end of the study, researchers found that the resistance-trained men who consumed 100% of their energy needs over an 8-hour period (16\/8 fasting method) experienced greater fat loss than those who ate the same diet but consumed their meals over a 12-hour period.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Read More:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/30-day-fast-weight-loss\/\">30 Day Fast Weight Loss: Can You Fast Your Way To Fat Loss?<\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"May_Lower_Your_Risk_Of_Type_II_Diabetes\"><\/span><b>May Lower Your Risk Of Type II Diabetes<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2014, a review set out to compare the effects of intermittent fasting as compared to calorie reduction on the body. At the end of their study, the researcher found that intermittent fasting and alternate day fasting showed promising results as an alternative to traditional calorie restriction in regards to lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes in overweight and obese people, although more research is needed (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24993615\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">11<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33784 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4703-1024x576.png\" alt=\"What Happens When You Fast\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4703.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4703-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4703.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4703.png 1344w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"May_Help_Lower_Blood_Pressure_In_Obese_Patients\"><\/span><b>May Help Lower Blood Pressure In Obese Patients<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a study published in 2018, 23 obese persons were put on the 16\/8 fast for about 12 weeks. At the end of the study period, not only had the body weight and calorie intake gone down in the IF group, but also their systolic blood pressure readings had decreased (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6004924\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"May_Improve_Brain_Health\"><\/span><b>May Improve Brain Health<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fasting in general (not just for 16 hours) has been known to help improve cognition, stall age-related cognitive decline, slow neurodegeneration, reduce brain damage and enhance functional recovery after stroke (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6836141\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_To_Your_Body_When_You_Fast_12_Hours\"><\/span><b>What Happens To Your Body When You Fast 12 Hours?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the 16\/8 method is too much for you, then you can try the 12:12 <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/intermittent-fasting-keto-bodybuilding\/\">IF<\/a> method which some beginners find to be much easier to handle. If you are wondering what happens to your body when you choose this method, here are some things you may experience:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reduced bloating. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are always bloated and gassy and nothing seems to work for you, try going without food for 12 hours. Giving your digestive system a long break from working might help it reset and prevent future bloating<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reduced mindless snacking. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you find yourself constantly and mindlessly reaching for snacks because you are bored, try going without eating for 12 hours. Making this a goal will help you practice mindful eating, which will prevent you from snacking aimlessly.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over time, you will notice more benefits of fasting for 12 hours; such benefits include better memory, improved cognition, and more energy. Doing this may also extend your lifespan, reduce the risk of disease, and improve cardiovascular health<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33444 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4797-1024x576.png\" alt=\"What Happens When You Fast\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4797.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4797-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4797.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4797.png 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_When_You_Fast_For_3_Days\"><\/span><b>What Happens When You Fast For 3 Days?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as a water <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/intermittent-fasting-vs-calorie-restriction\/\">fast<\/a>, it is often done by people looking to lose some weight or for other religious reasons. During these 3 days people often go without food and can drink up to 3 liters (if not more) of water a day. Food and other drinks such as coffee, tea, alcohol, and zero-calorie sports drinks are not allowed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, what happens when you fast using this method?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_May_Lead_To_Weight_Loss\"><\/span><b>1. May Lead To Weight Loss<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you weigh yourself after a 3-day fast you are likely to realize that your weight has gone down. It is suggested that because your body will not have any carbohydrates to use as energy during this time, it turns to your body&#8217;s stored fats and uses them as an energy source instead<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, the weight loss might be as a result of losing <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/how-much-water-should-i-drink-while-fasting\/\">water<\/a> weight &#8211; extra water stored in the body that causes bloating and puffiness. An easy way to lose water weight is through drinking more water which happens during a 3-day fast<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Also using up your stored carbohydrates (glycogen) in the first part of a fast leads to loss of water weight because water is stored along with glycogen and gets released when you metabolize it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33413 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4859-1-1024x576.png\" alt=\"What Happens When You Fast\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4859-1.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4859-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4859-1.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4859-1.png 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_May_Help_Lower_Blood_Pressure\"><\/span><b>2. May Help Lower Blood Pressure<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to a study done in 2002, medically supervised water <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/intermittent-fasting-14-10\/\">fasts<\/a> can help people lower their blood pressure. In the study, 68 patients with borderline hypertension were placed under a medically supervised water fast for 1 to 2 days.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike other water fasts, however, the participants were allowed to consume some fruits and vegetables and it was done in a closely monitored inpatient setting. At the end of the study, about 82% of the subjects achieved a normal blood pressure rate of 120\/80 mmHg and below (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/12470446\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Looking for a way to <a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\" rel=\"noopener\">break the vicious cycle of weight loss<\/a> and tone up all the jiggly parts? Watch the extra pounds fly off and your muscles firm up with the BetterMe app!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_May_Promote_Cell_Recycling\"><\/span><b>3. May Promote Cell Recycling<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as autophagy, aka &#8216;self eating&#8217;, it is a natural process whereby your body cleans out damaged cells, in order to regenerate newer, healthier cells. When your body does this, it helps to protect you against many illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, as well as progressive neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer&#8217;s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several studies have shown that targeting autophagy in cancer treatment can be beneficial. Recently in 2019 one study showed that using autophagy modulators has produced promising results in the treatment and chemosensitization of tumors (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6826429\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). The theory of why autophagy is considered necessary for cancer treatment was also further explained by another older study done in 2014 (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4014668\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 2016 review found that defects in autophagy could be one of major contributors to Alzheimer&#8217;s disease (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5039008\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). In light of this, fasting for 3 days may help boost autophagy hopefully reducing your risk of this progressive neurodegenerative condition. It is important to note that while autophagy may be a beneficial process, there is little to no human evidence that intermittent fasting diets actually increase it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2018 a study done on mice that fasted for 72 hours showed that it promotes body weight suppression and fat oxidation in the lab mice<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33412 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4852-1024x576.png\" alt=\"What Happens When You Fast\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4852.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4852-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4852.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4852-1636x920.png 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4852.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_Should_Not_Be_Fasting\"><\/span><b>Who Should Not Be Fasting?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we have seen above, <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/stevia-and-intermittent-fasting\/\">fasting<\/a> has its benefits and its risks and when done well the benefits seem to heavily outweigh the risks. However, even with the knowledge of what happens to your body when you fast, there are some people who should not fast as it could prove to be very risky for their health and well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The groups of people who should not fast include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"People_With_Diabetes\"><\/span><b>People With Diabetes<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can cause dangerous dips and spikes in blood sugar.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pregnant_Women\"><\/span><b>Pregnant Women<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weight gain is normal in pregnancy. Even if you are concerned about the amount of weight you are gaining, or your doctor has warned you about your weight gain, do not fast. Instead, speak to your doctor and he\/she can advise you on dietary and lifestyle changes to make that will be safe for you and your child during this time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33369 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4725-1024x576.png\" alt=\"What Happens When You Fast\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4725.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4725-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4725.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4725-1636x920.png 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4725.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Breastfeeding_Women\"><\/span><b>Breastfeeding Women<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The same case applies as with pregnant women. Fasting while breastfeeding can lead to nutrient deficiency in your milk supply to your baby. You risk depriving your newborn of important nutrients such as iron, iodine and vitamin B-12.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can also lower your milk supply in general. It may also cause you to suffer from anemia, fatigue and shortness of breath, and muscle weakness<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Instead of risking all this, choose to adopt healthy lifestyle changes that will keep you and your newborn healthy.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Anyone_With_A_Chronic_Illness\"><\/span><strong>Anyone With A Chronic Illness<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Children_Teenagers_And_The_Elderly\"><\/span><strong>Children, Teenagers, And The Elderly<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"People_With_A_History_Of_Eating_Disorders\"><\/span><strong>People With A History Of Eating Disorders<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fasting has been linked to not only the onset but also to triggering the recurrence of eating disorders in recovering patients.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. According to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MedicineHelp.net, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">anorexia nervosa is one of the eating disorders that is most closely related to fasting. This could be because anorectics often obsess about weight and what they eat and often use fasting as a way to control their weight<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. May increase the risk of the onset of binge eating and bulimia &#8211; A study published in 2010 followed 496 teenage girls for about 5 years. At the end of the 5-year study, researchers found that participants who fasted showed stronger and more consistent predictive relations to future onset of recurrent binge eating. They also noticed that fasting also increased the risk of bulimia (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2850570\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33365 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4729-1024x576.png\" alt=\"What Happens When You Fast\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4729.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4729-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4729.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4729.png 1344w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psychology Today <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">also supports this statement. According to them several studies revealed that<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Fasting can trigger more binge-eating episodes in patients suffering from BED (binge-eating disorder)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-E) for eating disorders has better results in decreasing the frequency of binge-episodes in patients with bulimia nervosa and BED.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ps. While BED and bulimia are both serious eating disorders, they are not the same thing. While both disorders involve frequently consuming unusually large amounts of food in one sitting and feeling that eating behaviour is out of control, those suffering from bulimia tend to purge their system of all the extra food consumed in an effort to rid themselves of the extra calories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They may use purging methods such as vomiting, fasting, and exercising excessively to achieve this. Those suffering from a binge-eating disorder do not do this<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Read More:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/12-hour-intermittent-fasting\/\">12-Hour Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss And Other Benefits<\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_When_You_Eat_Too_Fast\"><\/span><b>What Happens When You Eat Too Fast?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many times have you wolfed down your meal as you hurried to get to a meeting, watch the game, meet up with friends or just to get back to work before your lunch hour is up? While eating <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/does-coconut-oil-break-a-fast\/\">fast<\/a> every once in a while is not one of the worst things you could do, science suggests that eating too fast and often can lead to several health problems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33322 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4736-1024x576.png\" alt=\"What Happens When You Fast\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4736.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4736-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4736.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4736.png 1344w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Weight_Gain\"><\/span><b>Weight Gain<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, you read that right; eating too <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-breaks-a-fast\/\">fast<\/a> will lead to weight gain. The main reason behind this is that when you are eating too fast, you are most likely to end up overeating. It is said that it may take up to 20 minutes from when you start eating for your brain to realize that you are full<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you are constantly inhaling your meals, you end up not giving your brain enough time to process whether you are full or not, and thus will end up eating way more food than someone else who took their time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several studies have also linked fast eating to weight gain and obesity.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2006 a study done on middle aged Japanese men and women revealed that those who consumed their meals quickly had a higher BMI than those who did not. This study was done by comparing the men and women&#8217;s BMI changes from when they were 20 years old to their age at the time (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16710080\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2011, one study done on children aged between seven and nine years old revealed that, the children who ate rapidly were three times more likely to be overweight than those who ate slowly (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22020188\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another study done in 2011, this time on middle-aged New Zealand women showed that the women who ate fast had a higher Body Mass Index than those who did not. These results were achieved after careful consideration of other influencing factors such as age, smoking status, menopause status, thyroid condition, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and physical activity (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21802566\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A recent review of more that 20 studies done in 2015 showed that people who tend to eat quickly had a higher BMI and are twice as likely to be obese than those who took more time at the dinner table (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26100137\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33318 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4732-1024x576.png\" alt=\"What Happens When You Fast\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4732.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4732-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4732.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4732-1636x920.png 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4732.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Insulin_Resistance\"><\/span><b>Insulin Resistance<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the key feature in type II diabetes. Eating fast has been linked to a higher risk of insulin resistance by several studies. In 2008 a study of non-diabetic Japanese civil servants suggested that fast eating is associated with insulin resistance (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/17822753\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Type_II_Diabetes\"><\/span><b>Type II Diabetes<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With insulin resistance comes progression to type II diabetes. One clinical study of 234 diabetes patients and 468 non diabetic participants found that fast eaters had twice the increased risk of getting this chronic illness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The study in question came to this conclusion after controlling for factors such as a family history on diabetes, body mass index, waist circumference, educational level, morning exercise, smoking and plasma triglycerides level, all which can increase your risk of the disease (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22800734\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Metabolic_Syndrome\"><\/span><b>Metabolic Syndrome<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Formerly known as &#8216;syndrome x&#8217; it is a cluster of conditions that when occur together increase your risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2018 one study brought together middle-aged subjects (642 men and 441 women) who had had no metabolic syndrome. The participants were then divided into 3 groups depending on their eating speeds; slow, normal, or fast eaters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Five years later in 2018, the researchers found that 11.6% of fast eaters had developed metabolic syndrome, compared with 6.5% of the normal eaters, and 2.3% of the slower eaters. The researchers associated faster eating with more weight gain, higher blood glucose and larger waistline<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33293 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4648-1024x576.png\" alt=\"What Happens When You Fast\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4648.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4648-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4648.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4648.png 1344w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Indigestion\"><\/span><b>Indigestion<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eating too fast is one of the factors that may trigger indigestion. When you consume your food too fast you may end up experiencing an unpleasant fullness, or heat, burning, or pain in the area between the navel and the lower part of the breastbone<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bloating_And_Gas\"><\/span><b>Bloating And Gas<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This happens because you tend to swallow more air when you eat too fast<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--><\/style>\n<p><strong>If you tend to let yourself off the hook, raise the white flag when things get tougher than you expected, send yourself on an unconscious binge-eating trip \u2013 <a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\" rel=\"noopener\">BetterMe app is here to help you<\/a> leave all of these sabotaging habits in the past!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_When_You_Fast_For_A_Day\"><\/span><b>What Happens When You Fast For A Day?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are wondering what happens to your body when you fast for 24 hours, the effects of going without food for a couple of hours to about 3 days are the same across the board. Going without food for a day<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-33260 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Frame-4669-1024x576.png\" alt=\"What Happens When You Fast\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Frame-4669.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Frame-4669-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Frame-4669.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Frame-4669-1636x920.png 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Frame-4669.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>1. Induce ketosis. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once the body lacks carbohydrates to use as an energy source it turns to burning stored fat to help give you energy and keep all your organs functioning as required. The fat is converted to ketone bodies which can be used by your brain as a fuel source.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>2. Aids in weight loss<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> but only if you are consistent. If you are looking to lose weight then alternate day fasting could work for you. Going for 24 hours at a time without food puts you at an overall calorie deficit which is the greatest trick to shedding those unwanted pounds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>3. Promotes heart health. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Going without eating for a day, once to twice a week may help prevent cardiovascular illnesses. The practice may help reduce the levels of \u201cbad\u201d LDL cholesterol and blood triglycerides which can cause heart attacks.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>4. Improves brain health. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As stated above, fasting may help improve cognition and in the same breath the practice has been shown to reduce inflammation, which works to prevent neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer\u2019s and Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>5. Improves immunity. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fasting has been known to help decrease inflammatory markers in the body. Chronic inflammation can trigger your immune system to attack healthy tissue and organs in your body. If left unchecked and untreated it increases your risk for diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis. Fasting is one way to naturally reduce these inflammation markers and stay healthy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_When_You_Fast_For_A_Week\"><\/span><b>What Happens When You Fast For A Week?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please note that fasting for a week is not advisable, especially if you are planning on doing a water fast, or worse a dry fast (going without both food and liquids, even water). Remember that the threshold for an unsupervised water fast is 3 days &#8211; nothing more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our bodies need vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from food to stay healthy and going without eating for a week will cause nutrient deficiencies. Remember that while short-term fasting can cause some minor side effects, doing it for long (e.g. a week) can lead to worse and even life-threatening issues such as anemia, a weakened immune system, liver and kidney problems, and irregular heartbeat<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line_What_Happens_To_Your_Body_When_You_Fast\"><\/span><b>The Bottom Line: What Happens To Your Body When You Fast?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Going without food for a couple of hours to up to 3 days is generally a safe practice for healthy adults that has multiple potential health benefits. It may lead to weight loss, improve brain health, cognitive function, reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome and chronic illnesses, and even help improve digestion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, please note that despite its benefits, it has some health risks and not everyone should do it. Before trying it out, please seek advice from your doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Happens_When_You_Fast\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-2.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><iframe title=\"Create Happines now\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xLxjdQ4DYdg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"DISCLAIMER\"><\/span><b>DISCLAIMER:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any medical conditions. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SOURCES\"><\/span><b>SOURCES:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26100137\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Association between eating rate and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2015, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4014668\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Autophagy and Cancer Therapy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2014, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5039008\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Autophagy in Alzheimer\u2019s Disease<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2016, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/17822753\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eating fast leads to insulin resistance: findings in middle-aged Japanese men and women<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2008, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16710080\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eating fast leads to obesity: findings based on self-administered questionnaires among middle-aged Japanese men and women<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2006, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6004924\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Effects of 8-hour time restricted feeding on body weight and metabolic disease risk factors in obese adults: A pilot study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2018, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22800734\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fast eating and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a case-control study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2013, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21802566\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Faster self-reported speed of eating is related to higher body mass index in a nationwide survey of middle-aged women<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2011, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6836141\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fasting as a Therapy in Neurological Disease<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2850570\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fasting Increases Risk for Onset of Binge Eating and Bulimic Pathology: A 5-Year Prospective Study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2010, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24993615\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction for type 2 diabetes prevention: a review of human findings<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2014, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/12470446\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medically supervised water-only fasting in the treatment of borderline hypertension<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2002, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6826429\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Targeting Autophagy for Cancer Treatment and Tumor Chemosensitization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22020188\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The effect of eating behavior on being overweight or obese during preadolescence<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2011, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the growth in popularity of intermittent fasting and other fasting methods for weight loss, one may wonder as to exactly what happens when you fast? We all know that over time you will lose some weight but what prompts this? Are there some bodily functions that are affected? What risks are linked to this? [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":15994,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"coauthors":[109,87],"class_list":["post-15985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.2.1 (Yoast SEO v25.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Happens When You Fast: Learn The Benefits And Risks Of This Popular Weight Loss Method - BetterMe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you curious about what happens when you fast? Check out this article to find out the potential benefits and risks of fasting.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Happens When You Fast: Learn The Benefits And Risks Of This Popular Weight Loss Method\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Are you curious about what happens when you fast? Check out this article to find out the potential benefits and risks of fasting.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BetterMe Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/shutterstock_1642266973.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"\u0421. Kamau, Kristen Fleming, RD\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\u0421. Kamau, Kristen Fleming, RD\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"17 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\u0421. Kamau\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/f9c1a6effa8c3e87adaf60e1ab104496\"},\"headline\":\"What Happens When You Fast: Learn The Benefits And Risks Of This Popular Weight Loss Method\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/\"},\"wordCount\":3282,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/shutterstock_1642266973.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Nutrition\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"articleBody\":\"<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">With the growth in popularity of intermittent fasting and other fasting methods for weight loss, one may wonder as to exactly what happens when you fast? We all know that over time you will lose some weight but what prompts this? Are there some bodily functions that are affected? What risks are linked to this?<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">In today's article, we\u2019ll be taking an in-depth look at what happens to your body when you <a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/intermittent-fasting-20-4\/\\\">fast<\/a>. We\u2019ll also include different timelines, that is, we\u2019ll discuss what happens to your body when you fast for 24 hours, 3 days, 12 hours, a week, and more. Is it okay to go without food for a couple of hours to a week? What health benefits have been linked to it and are there any risks associated with it?<\/span>\\r\\n<h2 style=\\\"text-align: center;\\\"><b>What Happens When You Fast For 16 Hours?<\/b><\/h2>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">The 16\/8 method is one of the most popular types of <a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/fasting-for-3-days\/\\\">intermittent fasting<\/a>. It is the method most suggested to beginners as it is quite easy to handle. Many people use the 16\/8 method due to its promises of weight loss, but other than this what else happens to your body when you fast for 16 hours?<\/span>\\r\\n<ul>\\r\\n \\t<li style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\" aria-level=\\\"1\\\">\\r\\n<h3><b>Weight Loss<\/b><\/h3>\\r\\n<\/li>\\r\\n<\/ul>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Starting with the obvious, losing weight is one of things that may happen to you when you fast consistently for 16 hours every day. In 2016, a study looked at the weight loss effects of intermittent <a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/186-intermittent-fasting\/\\\">fasting<\/a>. At the end of the study, researchers found that the resistance-trained men who consumed 100% of their energy needs over an 8-hour period (16\/8 fasting method) experienced greater fat loss than those who ate the same diet bu ...\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/\",\"name\":\"What Happens When You Fast: Learn The Benefits And Risks Of This Popular Weight Loss Method - BetterMe\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/shutterstock_1642266973.jpg\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"Are you curious about what happens when you fast? 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Kamau\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/0ed0cd9711a5e48e59c4cd4e3aa6902c\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/clare_kamau-150x150.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/clare_kamau-150x150.png\",\"caption\":\"\u0421. Kamau\"},\"description\":\"Clare is an excellent and experienced writer who has a great interest in nutrition, weight loss, and working out. She believes that everyone should take an interest in health and fitness, as not only do they improve your way of life, but they can also have a significant impact on your health. As a writer, her goal is to educate her readers about the ways they can reprogram themselves to enjoy exercise, as well as break free from bad eating habits. In her articles, Clare tries to give advice which is backed by scientific research and is also easy to follow on a day-to-day basis. She believes that everyone, no matter their age, gender, or fitness level, can always learn something new that can benefit their health.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/clare-k-420b7a133\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/author\/clarekamau\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Happens When You Fast: Learn The Benefits And Risks Of This Popular Weight Loss Method - BetterMe","description":"Are you curious about what happens when you fast? Check out this article to find out the potential benefits and risks of fasting.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Happens When You Fast: Learn The Benefits And Risks Of This Popular Weight Loss Method","og_description":"Are you curious about what happens when you fast? Check out this article to find out the potential benefits and risks of fasting.","og_url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/","og_site_name":"BetterMe Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching","article_modified_time":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":667,"url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/shutterstock_1642266973.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"\u0421. Kamau, Kristen Fleming, RD","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@betterme","twitter_site":"@betterme","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"\u0421. Kamau, Kristen Fleming, RD","Est. reading time":"17 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/"},"author":{"name":"\u0421. Kamau","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/f9c1a6effa8c3e87adaf60e1ab104496"},"headline":"What Happens When You Fast: Learn The Benefits And Risks Of This Popular Weight Loss Method","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/"},"wordCount":3282,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/shutterstock_1642266973.jpg","articleSection":["Nutrition"],"inLanguage":"en-US","articleBody":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the growth in popularity of intermittent fasting and other fasting methods for weight loss, one may wonder as to exactly what happens when you fast? We all know that over time you will lose some weight but what prompts this? Are there some bodily functions that are affected? What risks are linked to this?<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In today's article, we\u2019ll be taking an in-depth look at what happens to your body when you <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/intermittent-fasting-20-4\/\">fast<\/a>. We\u2019ll also include different timelines, that is, we\u2019ll discuss what happens to your body when you fast for 24 hours, 3 days, 12 hours, a week, and more. Is it okay to go without food for a couple of hours to a week? What health benefits have been linked to it and are there any risks associated with it?<\/span>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>What Happens When You Fast For 16 Hours?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 16\/8 method is one of the most popular types of <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/fasting-for-3-days\/\">intermittent fasting<\/a>. It is the method most suggested to beginners as it is quite easy to handle. Many people use the 16\/8 method due to its promises of weight loss, but other than this what else happens to your body when you fast for 16 hours?<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\r\n<h3><b>Weight Loss<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting with the obvious, losing weight is one of things that may happen to you when you fast consistently for 16 hours every day. In 2016, a study looked at the weight loss effects of intermittent <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/186-intermittent-fasting\/\">fasting<\/a>. At the end of the study, researchers found that the resistance-trained men who consumed 100% of their energy needs over an 8-hour period (16\/8 fasting method) experienced greater fat loss than those who ate the same diet bu ..."},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/","url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/","name":"What Happens When You Fast: Learn The Benefits And Risks Of This Popular Weight Loss Method - BetterMe","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-happens-when-you-fast\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/shutterstock_1642266973.jpg","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","description":"Are you curious about what happens when you fast? 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