LogFAQs > #890720492

StupidGenius posted...

What is this "one meal a day to lose weight" shit? Doesn't that just put your body into starvation mode and make it hang onto every calorie it can?

One meal a day is primarily just a calorie restriction tool. Its much harder to out eat your fast when you only eat one meal a day. It can be done if youre really trying. Pizza, beer, and ice cream will do it easily. But a typical standard American diet meal, such as a burger and fries isnt going to get you to your caloric maintenance level. However it should still be enough to fill you up.

Its really about just being in a calorie deficit.

There are protocols out there that is much more aggressive. There are people that routinely go several days without eating and the results arent what you expect. Yeah, they lose weight.

However, their energy level actually increases at the 36 hour mark. Why? Your body cranks up your adrenaline and metabolism. Your body gives you all this extra energy and strength so that youll be able to catch something, kill it, and eat it. If your fast continues to the 48 hour mark, then your body changes strategy. Your body says ok, you suck at this. The new plan is just lay around and hopefully something will just crawl into your mouth and die. Your body then cranks down your metabolism and you become tired and lethargic.

Your body doesnt go into starvation mode until it has depleted all your fat storage. At that point your organs are at risk. And when enough damage is done to your liver and kidneys youll die.

Just for reference on how long it takes to go into starvation mode, the Guinness Book of World records longest fast ever recorded was 392 days of nothing but water and vitamin supplements. Of course, this man was incredibly obese, but the point is that as long as you have fat storage youre relatively safe while fasting.

Theres really no reason to ever go longer than 72 hours because that is where your ketosis maxes out and then begins to diminish.

There are plenty of people that do these extended day fasts of 30-40 days. Thats just unnecessary. Your bodys circulation becomes weaker and you wont be able to feel your legs, youll vomit bile, and just generally feel like death. Your intestines wont be prepared for standard food when you break your fast. Youll have to ease back in with watery soft foods such as watermelon, for a week or so before transitioning back to normal foods. If you eat a steak right off a 30 day fast youll probably die, or at the very least have a trip to the emergency room.

Fasting can be scary if you abuse it, but as long as you dont go past the 72 hour mark youll be fine.