Lose Belly Fat by Fasting: How it Works
You can lose belly fat by fasting simply because fasting increases your metabolism, it allows the body to burn more fat for energy, which, in turn, leads to weight loss.
We’ll start by noting that Fasting Works! Specifically, intermittent fasting is an effective approach that will help you lose belly fat. So, how can you lose belly fat by fasting? Read on to understand all about fasting, how it works, why you should practice it, and what you need to do to succeed.
When you think about fasting, the first thing that might come to your mind is that you’ll be starving yourself. But that’s not the case. Fasting has been widely appreciated over the past few years as an effective weight loss strategy. Celebrities practicing intermittent fasting include Gisele Bündchen, Elsa Pataky, Jennifer Aniston, Kourtney Kardashian, and more.
The popularity of fasting has also been greatly influenced by Jason Fung, a Canadian doctor, through his books The Complete Guide to Fasting and The Obesity Code. His books advocate for intermittent fasting as a way of reversing type 2 diabetes and its associated effects.
Most of the weight loss techniques we follow today are quite restrictive. Most of them talk about adopting lifestyles we can’t cope with in the long run. As a result, it’s easy to give up on these strategies because they are not sustainable.
You can lose belly fat by fasting because going without food for hours allows the body to turn to alternative energy sources – fat stores. So, fasting more often means that your body will burn more fat.
Of course, chances are you’re wondering how you will cope with hunger, right? Here’s how to overcome hunger when fasting:
Lose Belly Fat by Fasting: Overcoming the Hunger Bully
Whether you’re fasting or dieting, one of the main concerns people have is how they can cope with hunger. Luckily, you can starve off hunger and fast for hours.
How not to feel hungry when fasting
Take charge of your eating habits
Try fasting for several hours just to see how much food you need to feel full again. You’ll realize that you don’t need to overeat to feel full.
Distract yourself
Hunger is a bully. It will show up even when you don’t want to eat. Since it’s lunch hour, you’ll find yourself thinking about your next meal. Distract yourself by drinking water or coffee. Doing this will give you a few more hours before you think about food.
Ignore hunger
Yes, you can ignore hunger. Ignore hunger for 30 minutes or more, and it will disappear. Remember a time when you were busy working on something, and you ignored hunger for hours. Hunger subsides when you ignore it. Don’t give in to the hunger bully just because it’s your usual time to feast.
Go for a walk
Walking will maximize the fat-burning effects of fasting and also keep you distracted. Instead of binging on your favorite TV show on Netflix, go for a walk. You won’t be thinking about the next meal.
Fasting to liberation
Once you learn how to manage your hunger, it gets to a point where you feel liberated because you don’t have to worry about food or avoiding it.
Lose Belly Fat by Fasting: How to Fast Successfully
Before you start fasting, you must be clear about your goals. If you’re fasting to lose weight, know what you should expect and how to fast successfully to achieve your set goals.
To lose belly fat by fasting, here are key pointers to keep in mind:
1. Be realistic
Like any other goal you will set, you must be realistic about your expectations and the strategies you adopt. Since you’ve not tried fasting before, you shouldn’t expect to fast for 24 hours on your fast day.
You must be realistic. Set SMART goals that will guide you to start fasting slowly and steadily. A good fasting approach here will be to fast for 8-12 hours and see how your body responds. You can then adjust your fasting window as you listen to your body.
2. Start slow
Your fasting plan might demand that you change your eating habits. You need to focus on easing into your eating plan. The last thing you need is your body to fight against your weight loss approach – you won’t like it! Make slow and gradual changes while paying attention to your body.
3. Eat only when necessary
Listen to your body cues and eat when the body needs to be replenished with energy. Even when you had planned to fast for 16 hours and realize later that your body needs energy, there is nothing wrong with breaking the fast. Eat fruits or drink coffee and other unsweetened beverages.
4. Keep yourself hydrated
Drink plenty of water during fasting. Water can trick you into feeling full, allowing you to fast for more hours. Switch things up by drinking unsweetened tea or coffee. These drinks will keep your hunger pangs at bay.
5. Don’t break your fast with a feast
After going for hours without food, it doesn’t mean that you should feast. Feasting after fasting for hours doesn’t help you to burn belly fat. Instead, you risk not losing weight as you had expected.
So, break your fast slowly and steadily. Eat small portions as you listen to your body. Stop eating when you feel full.
Lose weight by fasting – Summary
If you’ve not tried fasting for weight loss, it’s one effective strategy that will allow you to lose belly fat naturally. It’s a voluntary way to allow your body to work its magic while ensuring that you burn the stomach fat that has accumulated for years.
FAQs
Does fasting help you lose weight quickly?
Fasting consistently will help you lose weight. If the right approach is followed, you will burn belly fat within a short time.
How much weight can you lose when fasting?
You stand to lose weight when fasting. Studies show that you can lose up to 2 pounds when following a 24-hour fast.
Does fasting help lose belly fat?
Yes. Health experts argue that you can lose belly fat by fasting and eating normally from time to time.
Does sleeping count as fasting?
Yes. When following intermittent fasting (IF), sleeping counts as fasting because your body goes without food.
Can I drink coffee while fasting?
Fasting allows you to drink moderate amounts of coffee during fasting. You can also drink tea and other unsweetened beverages.
What can I drink during intermittent fasting?
You can keep yourself hydrated during fasting by drinking coffee, water, tea (unsweetened), and other non-alcoholic beverages.