Intermittent fasting has been the secret to my figure for years. As long as I’m back to my daily 16:8, the weight stays off. But while lockdown binging, I unlocked an even better weight-loss hack—intermittent dry fasting.
Can intermittent dry fasting help you lose weight? Some water weight loss is inevitable after a dry fast. Calorie restriction also results in weight loss. However, sustained weight loss can be achieved when intermittent dry fasting is regularly practiced with a low-carb diet and exercise.
Like intermittent water fasting (IF), intermittent dry fasting (IDF) definitely helps with weight loss, but if you’re looking for a quick fix, you better find a plastic surgeon!
How does intermittent dry fasting help you lose weight?
The key to losing weight with IDF is in it for the long haul. Ramadan fasting is a perfect example. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims dry fast daily for a total of 12-20 hours, depending on the region. This study done on Ramadan fasting shows participants lose, on average, 1.2kgs. The average weight gained after 2 weeks, however, was 0.72kgs.
Tons of other research on Ramadan dry fasting show subjects reducing their body weight and body fat during Ramadan; however, much of the weight is regained afterward. For a crazy list of research, go here… * * * *
Weight loss during a shorter period of dry fasting can be misleading. Most weight loss during a dry fast is water weight; at least half of your body weight is water (50% for women and 59% for men). Once you start drinking water again, the volume of water in your body increases, and so does your weight. So surprise, surprise, weight loss after the dry fast is just water displacement—like Archimedes said, Eureka!
Not eating during a dry fast also leads to weight loss: fewer calories in, more fat out, but this is also short-lived; when you usually eat again, the fat gets stored again.
Many people should be raving about intermittent dry fasting because, when done regularly, intermittent dry fasting can double or triple the fat burn rate of intermittent water fasting.
Both types of fasting help you get into ketosis: the metabolic state where your body uses fat for energy. In the absence of sugar or glucose, your fat is converted into chemicals called ketones. Ketones spike levels of autophagy and human growth hormone secretion.
Autophagy, also known as “self-eating,” is a process where your system starts eating unnecessary cells, including fat cells, obliterating them. A 2013 research in Geneva found that the hypertonicity of a 12-16 hours dry fast can increase your autophagy levels to that of a 48-hour or 2-day water fast. These heightened autophagy levels mean your fat cells are being metabolised at an accelerated rate. The increased human growth hormone levels also speeds up your metabolism, increasing your fat burn rate even more.
Dry fasting is water fasting on fire; it burns fat 2-3 times faster. Why does dry fasting burn so much more fat? Because even though your body doesn’t get water from outside, it still needs water for its processes, so it makes its own water. How does it make water? From its premium water reserves—your very fatty, fat cells!
Hydrogen (from your fat cells) teams up with oxygen (coursing through your veins with every breath you take) to create H2O! This H2O is of better quality than pure mountain spring water. It’s pure metabolic water.
So not only is your body burning fat for energy, but it’s also burning fat for water. Dry fasting is more bang for the buck and intercellular double-pronged fat wipe out.
Like intermittent water fasting, however, it needs to be done regularly to get results. Longer hours get you in a deeper state of ketosis, which helps you burn more fat faster. Practiced daily, or at least several times a week, and aided by the proper nutrition, as well as regular exercise, intermittent dry fasting can help you ramp up weight loss far more than intermittent water fasting.
What affects weight loss when intermittent dry fasting?
Increase weight resistance exercise
Exercise increases your body’s calorific need. As more fuel is needed for your body to run smoothly, it quickly burns up the existing glycogen stores and shifts to burning its fat stores. Regular dry fasting increases the body’s Human Growth Hormones levels (HGH), protecting your muscles from depleting. This also happens during weight resistance training: HGH increases muscle retention and fat loss.
Overall, increases in our calorific needs from the extra expense of energy also create more weight loss. Exercise is not recommended during extended periods of dry fasting, such as 24 hours or more; however, it depends on how comfortable and advanced you are in your fasting practice.
Increase Length of Dry Fast
The minimum recommended duration for a dry fast is 12 hours, similar to intermittent (water) fasting, to start the metabolic processes of ketosis and autophagy, with 16 hours being a good standard dry fast length and some advanced dry fasters doing daily intermittent dry fast up to 23 hours in their OMAD (One Meal A Day) routines.
It’s essential to choose a fasting lifestyle you can be comfortable with for the long term— don’t expect to keep it up if it kills you. The more often you can switch into more prolonged periods, the better the benefits.
Correct nutrition before and after dry fasting
The simplest way to lose weight while intermittent dry fasting is to stay in ketosis. Although affected by other factors mentioned here, the amounts of carbs ingested by the body impact the overall ability to burn fat. The carbs will be utilized first before the stored fat.
Diets rich in fats, such as a ketogenic diet, Atkins, or a low-carb diet, amplify the effects of intermittent dry fasting for weight loss. A diet that includes macro ratios of 70%-75% fats, 20% protein, 5%-10% carbs will make sure you stay primarily in ketosis, increasing your weight loss rates. This article discusses ways to ease into ketosis comfortably.
Body type affects dry fasting weight loss results
Every body type is different, as your fat and muscle ratios are unique to each individual, affecting our burning rate. Having more muscle will make you lose more weight faster, so don’t be disheartened and improve your fitness levels. After including intermittent dry fasting for a while, and other healthy lifestyle routines, your body will naturally become a better fat-blitzing machine, which compounds your overall ability to lose weight faster and easier.
How to be sure you are burning fat during intermittent dry fasting?
You can check your body’s ketone level. You’re burning fat while in ketosis, so as long as you’re still in ketosis, you’ll be enjoying the benefits. Ketone testing can be done through your breath, your blood, or your urine.
Ketone testing will show where you are, whether it’s deep, moderate, low, or not in ketosis, as the level of our ketone bodies detects how much fat is being used as fuel. This way, you can monitor your body’s changes and how fast you are burning fat. Some ways you can do this include ketone strips, breathalyzers, and blood testers.
If you’re excited to learn more about intermittent dry fasting for weight loss and age reversal, check out my new video course, 25 Again! The Dry Fasting Lifestyle For A Younger, Slimmer You. See you there!
***Disclaimer: I am not a doctor/ physician, and although I have a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science, I cannot and do not hold myself to be a medical professional (“”Medical Provider””). This article does not contain medical /health advice. The medical/ health information here is for general and educational purposes only. It is my opinion, based on my research and personal experience, and not a substitute for professional advice by your health care provider. Please consult with a professional before acting on the information here, and do not disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical attention because of anything you read in this article. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY OF THE INFORMATION ON THIS WEBSITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.***
References
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- https://www.dietdoctor.com/does-fasting-burn-muscle
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