Do fasting days help with weight loss? How does it work?

Fasting days - an effective way to lose weight

Fasting days won't help you lose 10-15kg in the month before summer. They're more suitable for those who need to stay in shape without doing any special effort or to get back "in line" after winter. Days of unloading to lose weight aren't as impressive as we'd like them to be, but if you do it regularly and then don't swoosh on food, the results are sure to be satisfying.

What is a fasting day?

It seems like what happens after a day of fasting, but that's only at first glance. The benefits of fasting days have long been proven, tested and double checked. It consists of the following:

  • After a short hunger strike, a feeling of lightness due to bowel cleansing;
  • Stress brings the body into tone;
  • It helps overcome what many people know as the "plateau effect" of pain. In other words, stagnating on the diet. The weight drops to a certain point and then stops, not wanting to budge. Fasting can cause mild stress to the body and also act as a catalyst for the fat burning process.
  • Of course, the "strength test" and the development of willpower cannot be ignored.

Types and characteristics of food unloading

Unloading days are conditionally divided into two types:

  • "hungry"
  • "Satisfy".

The difference between the two options is the calorie content of the daily menu and the number of ingredients allowed.

The Essence and Principle of "Hungry" Day

The easiest and strictest option is to spend the day on the water. Unloading to remove protein, fat and easily digestible carbohydrates is also known as "cleansing". In other cases, a product was included in the diet in addition to liquids. The maximum daily calorie content is 500 calories. Considering you can eat low-fat kefir, cucumbers, apples, cabbage, or citrus fruits, generally low-calorie foods, it's easy to stay within the allowable bar. For example, 100 grams of a regular cucumber has 15. 5 calories. With these limits, you can eat 3. 2 kg of fresh green cucumbers per day.

important!You need to drink 2 or more liters of water regardless of the food you eat. Plain, non-carbonated water will complement green tea or herbal soups.

"Complete" uninstall: types and rules

A more benign option. They allow 2-3 products that can be combined: meat, vegetables, eggs, beans, fruit, dairy. Calorie profile changes slightly and you cannot exceed the 800 calorie limit. Depending on the type of product used, the "complete" fasting days for weight loss are protein and carbohydrates.

  • If a stricter diet is causing weakness, dizziness, or inappropriate health reasons, protein offloading is the best option. Can eat: lean meat; shellfish, crustaceans and fish; vegetable protein. The menu can be varied to include low-calorie vegetables if desired. Chinese cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, vegetables are all successfully combined with protein. Depending on the method of preparation, cooking or steaming is preferred. No intense hunger during the day.
  • Carb Offloading - Sounds tempting, but has nothing to do with candy. In this case, we're talking about foods rich in slow carbs. Usually buckwheat, rice, dried fruit.

When compiling a menu for a "full" fasting day, it is important to consider product compatibility.

product group name meat, fish, poultry beans vegetable oil cereals sour semi sweet Sweet and Dried Fruits vegetable dairy products Egg
fruit
meat, fish, poultry / - - - - - - + - -
beans - / + 0 - - - + - -
vegetable oil - + / + + 0 0 + - -
cereals 0 - + / - - - + - -
sour - - + - / + 0 + 0 -
fruit semi sweet - - 0 - + / + + + -
Sweet and Dried Fruits - - 0 - 0 + / + + -
vegetable + + + + + + + / + +
dairy products - - - - 0 + + + / -
Egg - - - - - - - + - /

Benefits and Contraindications

Fasting days will help fight overweight inequality. They will help get rid of heaviness after a busy holiday and help to gently cleanse the gut of toxins. for certain diseases. So, for example, in the case of kidney disease, it is recommended to spend "watermelon" days, heart and blood vessels - "potatoes", and joint problems - "cucumber". I just didn't take the initiative to consult a doctor. Unloading must adhere to a variety of fitness diets, people who like protein foods, artificial proteins and other "heavy foods".

Diabetic patients, pregnant and breastfeeding women cannot unload. People who are exhausted from long-term illness and suffer from gastrointestinal disease (showing only "complete" discharge after consultation with a gastroenterologist). Unloading should not be arranged during menstruation.

Suggest!You shouldn't be fooled by "starved" uninstalls, they do not happen more than once a week, while "full" can be done 2-3 times.

5 Uninstallation rules

For fasting days to bring the desired results, five simple rules must be followed.

Rule 1: Obey the conditions

Most fasting days are built on the principle of a single diet, which means you can eat one product, but you need to do it as much as possible. Naturally, a small portion. Also, the products chosen should be liked, which will help relieve an already tense situation in the body. The total energy value of the product should not exceed 800 calories.

Rule 2: Choose the best product

Typically, unloading is done on low-calorie foods with the lowest fat and carbohydrate content (fruits, vegetables, kefir). For a carbohydrate diet, you can eat just one low-glycemic-index grain (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal). Low-fat meats and lean fish are allowed in protein unloading. The most effective are "liquid" fasting days, when your teeth are at rest, but you can only drink water.

Rule 3: The right day

Many people don't value this moment, but choosing a day is just as important. Nutritionists advise against taking statutory holidays and choosing Mondays instead. This option is not suitable if the job involves physical labor. Unloading is best scheduled on the same day each week.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner on fasting days

Rule 4: Rest

On the day of unloading, not only the digestive tract has to rest, but the entire organism as well. It is important to rule out any physical activity, especially training. Alcohol is not included per day. For people with poor alcohol tolerance, 2 or even 3 days. On the list of recommended activities: visit the bathtub or sauna. A sauna program calms the body, helps cope with stress, improves lung ventilation and promotes the elimination of toxins. A leisurely walk in the park is also shown.

Have a lot of time to sleep. Ideally: at least 9 hours. Don't miss the chance to relax instead of lunch. Prolonged sleep builds physical strength while also helping to shift hunger pangs more easily.

Rule 5: No Contrast

It is very important to enter the fast day smoothly, spend it calmly, and exit the fast day smoothly.

Smooth Entry and Exit: Why Does It Matter?

Any diet, even one for a day, is an intense stress on the body. At one point, without explaining why, they suddenly stopped feeding him. When will it end, or when will it end? All of a sudden, he finally got a high-calorie meal and maxed it out. That's why after a long-term diet, the weight lost comes back quickly.

How to start a fasting day

Proper physical preparation will help get the most out of unloading. On the eve of lunch, they refuse to eat heavy food. Dinner with light salad, fruit, kefir instead. A cleansing enema is recommended before going to bed. You can drink herbal tea, it has a laxative effect, but no frenzy.

How to successfully complete unloading

Of course, you shouldn't start with fried potatoes the next morning. It is best to drink 200ml of water on an empty stomach, eat some stew or a spoonful of rice, and fast for 2-3 hours. Grains, vegetables, and fruits will help the body shift to steady work. It's best to give up meat, beans, eggs or fish. Due to the production of cortisol (the stress hormone), appetite increases and food is maximally absorbed.

The most efficient way to unload

The effectiveness of a given diet is a relative concept. Every organism is an individual and responds differently to stress, perceiving and absorbing products. Therefore, you can only choose the option that works best for you based on experience. Judging from the reviews of "users", as well as hearing from a dietitian, sticking to the diet described below yields the most dramatic results. You can stop at one type of uninstall or alternate between different uninstalls. Therefore, we present to you the most effective fasting days for weight loss.

water unloading day

The most difficult and effective is called "liquid" unloading, when performed correctly. Many people start "unloading" the day after a feast or immediately after the festival, but nutritionists recommend excluding lactic acid, meat, flour dishes and switching to lighter foods at least one day before the "X" day. Of course, everything is greasy, fried, salted and smoked. It is best to prepare water in advance. It can be non-carbonated mineral or plain purified, but not boiled.

Fasting days that really work for weight loss are as "strict" as possible. Completely eliminate food. Drink every hour to get at least 3 liters per day. Since the stomach is constantly filling with fluid, there should be no very bright hunger. The strictest way to unload is to drink no tea, coffee or juice on this day, only water.

Suggest!It is very difficult, but you need to maintain a positive attitude and persevere to the end. Of course, listen to happiness. The experiment should be terminated if weakness, dizziness, or other adverse symptoms occur.

You need to be very careful when going into the water. After fasting in the morning, drink a glass of water and eat some steamed or stewed vegetables. The next day you can only eat grains, vegetables and fruits.

Girl observes strict unloading on water

Cucumber unloading day

The 95% water vegetable is beloved by nutritionists, and the weight loss cucumber fast day is so popular it doesn't need advertising. Cucumbers are a negative calorie product (the body spends more on digestion than it receives), and it's easier to get enough of them than water (albeit for a short time).

People who haven't been exposed to eating cucumbers in person should know that this vegetable is a strong diuretic.

So it is best to be close to the toilet during the day. Active social life will have to be postponed, and weakness may develop after dinner, especially in the legs. Some stools increased. One day cucumber unloading is suitable for uric acid quality, obesity, high blood pressure, gout, joint disease and atherosclerosis.

For "green" unloading, you will need 1. 5-2 kg of fresh cucumbers. This amount is divided into 5-6 doses. Alcohol is not restricted. For a change, you can prepare a cucumber salad with herbs and add a spoonful of vegetable oil. Of course, salt is not allowed. Cucumbers remove excess water, which can interfere with the process, but you can add lemon juice to the salad. At lunchtime, the diet can be supplemented with a boiled egg. Too bad it doesn't save you from starvation.

Cucumbers – a low-calorie unloading vegetable

Kefir unloading day

Kefir can compete with cucumber. Much has been written about the beneficial properties of the product, the most important being that it is available all year round, helps to normalize stress, effectively prevents atherosclerosis and of course normalizes the digestive tract.

A single diet of fat-free kefir will be most effective. The unloading pattern is extremely simple: every 2-3 hours you need to drink 1-2 glasses of kefir. By noon, the product is tired of the order. For flavor, you can crumble dill or parsley in, and instead eat it with a spoon instead of drinking it. If you want to eat between meals (which you absolutely do), you can drink a glass of water. If the hunger is very strong, a tablespoon of wheat bran, unsweetened vegetables or fruit will help kill it.

There are many options for kefir uninstall. Kefir is usually mixed with vegetables, lean meat or honey. A "complete" unloading day for kefir weight loss is ideal for people with low willpower and those affected by certain health conditions.

One of the most popular methods is to unload on kefir

Apple Unloading Day

Apples are a slow-digesting, low-calorie fruit. It's 85% water and the remaining 15% is a treasure trove of valuable vitamins and minerals, and it's not for nothing that it's called "rejuvenating. "Apples are affordable and healthy, they boost immunity, contain antioxidants, regulate gut flora and promote fat burning. A one-day apple diet is also known as a fasting day to lose belly weight. But every medal has two sides. Apples swell, and a strict apple diet absolutely prohibits gastrointestinal disorders (gastritis, ulcers, hyperacidity, biliary dyskinesia). In these cases, baked apples are permitted.

Let's start by describing the easiest way to unload apples, which requires a few kilos of apples.

The procedure is as follows: Divide 2 kg of unsweetened green apples into 5-6 doses or about once an hour.

You can eat fresh or baked fruit, or a mix. Sour apples are better, but will increase appetite.

If it is difficult to stick to apples alone, you can try apple lactic acid unloading. It is allowed to eat 1. 5 kg of apples and 500 grams of nonfat cheese or drink 1. 5 liters of kefir per day.

Fasting apples for a day and getting in great shape

Buckwheat Unloading Day

Perhaps, you should not say that buckwheat is very healthy, containing trace elements, vitamins and amino acids. What's more important in this case is that the grains are rich in dietary fiber, which improves digestion, helps restore normal function and cleanses the gut. Like many other grains, buckwheat is low on the glycemic index, so it can fight hunger for a long time.

It is best to prepare the unloading of buckwheat a day in advance. Pour a cup of cereal (about 250 grams) into a small saucepan, add boiling water (0. 5 liters), cover and let stand overnight. Naturally no salt, but you can add vegetables as a spice. In the morning, the porridge is divided into 4-5 portions. By the way, it is better to use green buckwheat instead of toasted brown. According to experts, all the nutrients in it are preserved. If you feel hungry, you can have a snack with green apples, but it's best to drink water.

Healthy Buckwheat, Perfect for a Day of Fasting

rice unloading day

The most effective day is the day of fasting. This is good because it has few contraindications. The main problem is the possibility of constipation. Therefore, people with hemorrhoids or irregular stools are better off eating rice. After meals, it is advisable to drink a laxative tea and start the next morning with kefir and fresh vegetables. In the gut, grains act as sorbents, they absorb water and toxins and then expel them from the body.

To prepare suitable rice porridge, take 350-400 grams of low-calorie brown rice and 0. 5 liters of water. Beforehand, the grains must be soaked in water for several hours. Cook grains until half cooked. All porridges (up to 1kg) are divided into portions. Be sure to drink plenty of water, you can drink water, green tea, herbal soup.

No taboo on rice unloading day

A comparative review of popular fasting days

The table shows a sample menu (the "full" option) for each of the fasting days above.

Type of unloading day cucumber apple kefir Buckwheat Meter
8-00 breakfast 2 cucumbers + 50 g. boiled meat 2-3 apples + a cup of kefir 1-2 cups kefir 100 g steamed buckwheat + cucumber or tomato 200 grams of rice + a cup of green tea
11-00 snack 2 cucumbers + green tea or juice 2-3 apples + 100g any porridge 200g any vegetable 100 g steamed buckwheat 200g rice + 50g fish or meat
14-00 dinner 2 cucumbers + boiled egg or 100g rice porridge 2 baked apples + fresh cucumber salad and a spoonful of lettuce. Oil 1-2 cups kefir + 50 grams lean meat 100 g buckwheat + 50 g meat 200 g rice + 1 fresh carrot
17-00 snack Lemonade Cucumber Apple Smoothie 2-3 apples + 1 banana 1 cup kefir + banana 100 g buckwheat + apple or ½ grapefruit 200 grams of rice + a glass of juice
20-00 dinner 2 cucumbers + 1 cup kefir 2-3 apples + 100 g cottage cheese 1-2 cups kefir 100 g steamed buckwheat 200 g rice + 1 cup kefir

drink coffee on fasting days

Coffee lovers may be interested in this question: Is it possible to drink coffee these days, or even arrange for a "coffee offloading". According to nutritionists, 1-2 drinks are only beneficial. In this case, the coffee cup should not equal the soup bowl. The recommended volume is 90-120 ml. Of course, the coffee should be natural coffee without sugar or cream, but you can add sweeteners or skim milk.

Coffee lovers didn't want to limit themselves in some way and came up with their own version of the diet. The fasting day menu for weight loss is very simple - drink 5-6 cups of coffee on a regular basis. You can also eat fresh fruits and vegetables. The amount of other liquids must be limited. Many reviews wrote that they lost 3kg after a day like this. The only pity is that this "weight loss" is a lie. Coffee is a diuretic. During the day, drink about a liter, rather than the prescribed 2 liters, and more is excreted from the body. It's just that the weight of the lost water is basically what the scale shows. But the biggest problem is that the heavy burden on the heart and kidneys exacerbates an already stressful condition in the body.

You can supplement your fasting day with a cup of natural coffee.

The conclusion from this is simple: Scheduled coffee fasting days are inadvisable and even dangerous, but supplemental offloading of 1-2 cups of natural coffee can be useful. The key is to drink plenty of water.

helpful hints

Tips compiled from numerous reviews, but equally applicable to any kind of uninstall.

  • Hunger days are a lot easier if you spend them on your favorite foods (but not cookies and candy).
  • On fasting days, it is recommended to supplement the diet with herbal soups. You can use ready-made herbal teas to lose weight. Generally, they have complex actions, they are laxative, fat burning, cleansing, appetite reducing, diuretic and choleretic.
  • No need to try to do everything at once and combine diet with physical activity throughout the day. But breathing exercises will be the right way.
  • If it is difficult to maintain five meals a day, you can divide the daily portion into multiple meals.
  • Completely avoid sugar, salt and spices.

Days of unloading for weight loss make a difference. In the comments, they often write that they lose up to 2kg a day. People who are attracted to this figure should understand that it is not 2 kilograms of body fat that is lost! Excess fluid containing toxins and "food scraps, " semi-digested food that accumulates on the intestinal wall is left behind. It is impossible to lose weight even if you lose 1kg a day. Under the strictest drainage conditions, up to 100-200 grams of fat can be removed.