Do fasting days help you lose weight and how does it work?

Fasting days - an effective way to lose weight

Fasting days will not help you lose 10-15 kg per month before summer. They are more suitable for those who need to keep in shape without making any special effort or getting back "in line" after the winter. Unloading days for weight loss don't bring as impressive results as we would like, but if you do them regularly and don't attack food, the effect is sure to please.

What are fasting days for?

It looks like what can happen after a day of fasting, but that's only at first glance. The benefits of fasting days have been proven, tested and double-checked. And it consists of the following:

  • After a brief hunger strike, a feeling of lightness arises due to intestinal cleansing;
  • Stress tones the body;
  • It helps to overcome the "plateau effect" known to many about pain. In other words, it's stagnation during the diet. The weight drops to a certain point and then stops, not wanting to give in. A hunger strike can serve as a mild stress for the body and a kind of catalyst for the fat burning processes.
  • And of course, one cannot fail to mention the "strength test" and the development of willpower.

Types and characteristics of food discharge

Discharge days are conditionally divided into two types:

  • "hungry"
  • "sated".

These two options are distinguished by the calorie content of the daily menu and the number of ingredients allowed for use.

The essence and principles of "hungry" days

The simplest and most rigorous option is a day on the water. Unloading in which easily digestible proteins, fats and carbohydrates are excluded is also called "cleaning". In other cases, in addition to the liquid, a product is included in the diet. The maximum daily calorie content is 500 calories. Considering that you can eat low-fat kefir, cucumbers, apples, cabbage, or citrus fruits, in general, low-calorie foods, it will be easy not to exceed the allowable bar. For example, the calorie content of 100 grams of a regular cucumber is 15. 5 calories. With these restrictions, you can eat 3. 2 kg of fresh green cucumbers a day.

Important!Regardless of the type of food consumed, you need to drink 2 or more liters of water. Ordinary still water will be supplemented with green tea or an herbal decoction.

"Complete" download: types and rules

A more benign option. They allow 2-3 products that can be combined: meat, vegetables, eggs, vegetables, fruits, dairy. The calorie condition changes slightly, you cannot exceed the 800 calorie limit. According to the type of products used, the "complete" fasting days for weight loss are protein and carbohydrates.

  • Protein flushing is the best option if more restrictive diets cause weakness, dizziness, or are unsuitable for health reasons. You can eat: lean meat; shellfish, crustaceans and fish; vegetable proteins. If desired, the menu can be diversified with low-calorie vegetables. Chinese cabbage, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, greens are successfully combined with proteins. According to the method of preparation, it is better to give preference to cooking or steaming. During the day, there is no strong feeling of hunger.
  • Carb dump - Sounds tempting, but it has nothing to do with sweets. In this case, we are talking about foods rich in slow carbohydrates. It is usually buckwheat, rice, dried fruit.

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

Product group name Meat, fish, poultry legumes Vegetable oil cereals Sour almost sweet Sweet and dry fruits Vegetable dairy products Eggs
Fruit
Meat, fish, poultry / - - - - - - + - -
legumes - / + 0 - - - + - -
Vegetable oil - + / + + 0 0 + - -
cereals 0 - + / - - - + - -
Sour - - + - / + 0 + 0 -
Fruit almost sweet - - 0 - + / + + + -
Sweet and dry fruits - - 0 - 0 + / + + -
Vegetable + + + + + + + / + +
dairy products - - - - 0 + + + / -
Eggs - - - - - - - + - /

Benefits and contraindications

Fasting days will help in the uneven fight with excess weight. They will help to get rid of weight after hectic holidays, contributing to the gentle cleansing of the intestines of toxins. Indicated for certain diseases. So, for example, in case of kidney diseases, it is recommended to spend days on "watermelon", heart and blood vessels - "potato", and for joint problems - "cucumber". Only without initiative, after consulting a doctor. Without fail, unloading should be carried out by those who constantly follow various fitness diets, like protein foods, artificial proteins and other "heavy foods".

It is impossible to unload patients with diabetes mellitus, pregnant and lactating women. People exhausted by a long illness and suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (only "complete" discharges are shown after consultation with a gastroenterologist). It is undesirable to arrange the discharge during menstruation.

Addendum!You should not get carried away with "hungry" unloading, they are carried out no more than once a week, while "full" can be done 2-3 times.

5 download rules

For fasting days to bring the expected result, five simple rules must be followed.

Rule 1: meet the conditions

Most fasting days are based on the principle of a mono-diet, meaning you can eat one product, but you need to do it as often as possible. Of course, in small portions. Also, the selected product should be enjoyed, this will help to alleviate the already stressful situation for the body. The total energy value of the products must not exceed 800 cal.

Rule 2: Choosing the ideal product

Typically, flushing is carried out on low-calorie foods with a minimum content of fats and carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, kefir). For a carb diet, you can stop at a low glycemic type of cereal (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal). Low-fat meat and lean fish are allowed in the protein dump. The most effective are the "liquid" fasting days, when your teeth are resting, but you can only drink.

Rule 3: the right day

Many do not give importance to this moment, but choosing a day is no less important. Nutritionists advise not to take your legal days off, but to choose Monday. This option is not suitable if the job involves physical work. Unloading is best arranged weekly on the same day.

Fasting day breakfast, lunch and dinner

Rule 4: rest

On the day of discharge, not only the digestive tract must rest, but the entire organism as a whole. It is important to exclude any physical activity, especially training. Alcohol is excluded per day. And for those who have little tolerance for alcohol, in 2 or even 3 days. On the list of recommended activities: a visit to the bath or sauna. Sauna procedures calm the body, help deal with stress, improve lung ventilation and promote the elimination of toxins. Leisure rides in the park are also shown.

Plenty of time to sleep. Ideally: at least 9 hours. Don't miss the opportunity to relax instead of having lunch. Prolonged sleep will strengthen the body and at the same time help to transfer the feeling of hunger more easily.

Rule 5: no contrasts

It is very important to enter the fasting day smoothly, to survive calmly and also to exit smoothly.

Smooth entry and exit: why is it important?

Any diet, even for a day, is a strong stress for the body. At one point, without explaining why, they suddenly stopped feeding him. When will this end, or will it end? Suddenly, he finally gets a serving of high-calorie food and assimilates it to the fullest. That's why after long diets, the lost weight quickly returns.

How to start a fasting day

Proper body preparation will help to get the maximum effect from unloading. On the eve of lunch, they refuse heavy food. Dinner is replaced by a light salad, fruit, kefir. Before going to bed, it is recommended to do a cleansing enema. You can drink herbal tea, which has a laxative effect, but without fanaticism.

How to complete the download smoothly

Of course, the next morning you shouldn't start with fries. It is better to drink 200 ml of water on an empty stomach and eat some boiled vegetables or a spoon of rice, and then refrain from eating for 2-3 hours. Cereals, vegetables and fruits will help the body switch to steady work. It is better to give up meat, vegetables, eggs or fish. Due to the production of cortisol (stress hormone), appetite increases and food is absorbed to the maximum.

The most efficient way to download

The effectiveness of a specific diet is a relative concept. Each organism is individual, reacts differently to stress, perceives and assimilates products. Therefore, the best option for you can only be chosen empirically. Judging by the reviews of "users", in addition to listening to the opinion of nutritionists, the most visible results can be obtained by adhering to the diets described below. You can stop at one type of download or switch between different ones. Therefore, we present to your attention the most effective fasting days for weight loss.

Day of discharge in the water

The most difficult and effective ones are called "liquid" unloading, if they are carried out correctly. Many start "unloading" the day after the party or immediately after the holidays, but nutritionists recommend at least the day before "X" day to exclude lactic acid, meats, flour dishes and switch to light foods. Of course, everything is greasy, fried, salty and smoked too. It is better to prepare the water in advance. It can be ordinary non-carbonated or purified mineral, but not boiled.

Really effective fasting days for weight loss are as "strict" as possible. Completely eliminate food. It is necessary to drink every hour, so that at least 3 liters are obtained per day. Due to the fact that the stomach is constantly filled with liquid, there should not be a very bright feeling of hunger. The strictest version of the download says that on this day you cannot drink tea, coffee or juices, only water.

Addendum!It's very difficult, but you need to keep a positive attitude and follow through. Of course, listening to the well-being. If weakness, dizziness or other bad symptoms appear, the experiment should be terminated.

You need to be very careful when getting out of the water. In the morning, after fasting, they drink a glass of water and eat some steamed or boiled vegetables. The whole next day you can eat only cereals, vegetables and fruits.

The girl observes the strict discharge in the water

Unloading day in cucumbers

The vegetable, which is 95% water, is adored by nutritionists, and the cucumber fast day for weight loss is so popular it needs no advertising. Cucumbers are a product with a negative calorie content (the body spends more on digestion than it takes in), and it's much easier to get enough (albeit for a short time) than water.

Anyone who has not yet met the cucumber face-to-face diet should know that this vegetable is a strong diuretic.

Therefore, during the day, it is better to be close to the bathroom. An active social life will have to be postponed, weakness may appear after dinner, especially in the legs. Some have enlarged stools. One day cucumber discharge is indicated for uric acid diathesis, obesity, hypertension, gout, arthrosis and atherosclerosis.

For "green" unloading, you will need 1. 5-2 kg of fresh cucumbers. This amount is divided into 5-6 doses. Drink without restrictions. For a change, you can prepare a cucumber salad with herbs, which you can fill with a spoonful of vegetable oil. Salt, of course, is not allowed. Cucumbers remove excess water and this interferes with this process, but you can add lemon juice to the salad. At lunchtime, the diet can be supplemented with a boiled egg. Too bad it won't save you from hunger.

Cucumbers - a low-calorie vegetable to unload

kefir discharge day

Kefir can compete with cucumbers in popularity. Much has been written about the beneficial properties of the product, the most important thing is that it is available all year round, helps to normalize pressure, is effective in preventing atherosclerosis and, of course, normalizes the digestive tract.

The fat-free kefir mono-diet will be the most effective. The unloading mode is extremely simple: every 2-3 hours you need to drink 1-2 glasses of kefir. In the middle of the day, the product is getting fed up with the order. To taste, you can crumble dill or parsley and, for a change, do not drink, but eat with a spoon. If you want to eat between meals (you definitely do), you can drink a glass of water. And if the feeling of hunger is very strong, a tablespoon of wheat bran, a vegetable or fruit without sugar will help to kill it.

There are many options for unloading kefir. Kefir is often paired with vegetables, lean meats or honey. "Full" flushing days for kefir weight loss are perfect for people with low willpower and those who are dictated by certain health conditions.

One of the most popular is unloading on kefir

Apple Unload Day

An apple is a slow-digesting, low-calorie fruit. It contains 85% water, and the remaining 15% is a valuable storehouse of vitamins and minerals, no wonder it is called "rejuvenating". Apples are affordable and healthy, boost immunity, contain antioxidants, regulate intestinal microflora and promote fat burning. A one-day apple diet is also called a fasting day to lose weight in the abdomen. But every medal has two sides. Apples can swell, and a strict apple diet is absolutely contraindicated in diseases of the digestive tract (gastritis, ulcers, hyperacidity, biliary dyskinesia). In these cases, the use of baked apples is allowed.

Let's start by describing the simplest version of unloading apples, which will require a few pounds of apples.

The procedure is as follows: 2 kg of unsweetened green apples are divided into 5-6 servings or consumed one at a time approximately every hour.

You can eat fresh or baked fruits, as well as combine. It is best to use sour apples, but they can increase your appetite.

If apples alone are hard to bear, you can try malolactic unloading. It is permissible to eat 1. 5 kg of apples and 500 g of fat-free cottage cheese per day or drink 1. 5 liters of kefir.

Excellent shape thanks to a fasting day with apples

Unloading day in buckwheat

Probably, you should not say again that buckwheat is incredibly healthy, it contains trace elements, vitamins and amino acids. In this case, it is more important that the cereal is rich in dietary fiber, which improves digestion, helps to restore normal functioning and cleanse the intestines. Like many other cereals, buckwheat belongs to foods with a low glycemic index and therefore, it decreases the feeling of hunger for a long time.

It is better to prepare for unloading buckwheat the day before. A cup of cereal (about 250 g) is poured into a small pan, poured with boiling water (0. 5 liters), covered with a lid and left overnight. Naturally unsalted, but you can add greens as seasonings. In the morning, the porridge is divided into 4-5 portions. By the way, it is better to use green buckwheat, not roasted brown. In it, according to experts, all nutrients are preserved. If the feeling of hunger has worsened, it is permissible to have a snack with a green apple, but it is better to drink water.

Healthy buckwheat, ideal for a fasting day

Rice unloading day

One of the most effective is the rice fasting day. It's good because it has practically no contraindications. The main problem is the likelihood of constipation. Therefore, it is better not to dump on rice for those who suffer from hemorrhoids or irregular stools. After eating, it is advisable to drink teas with a laxative effect and start the next morning with kefir and fresh vegetables. In the intestine, grains function as a sorbent, absorbing water and toxins, which are then removed from the body.

To prepare the right rice porridge, take 350-400 grams of low-calorie brown rice and 0. 5 liters of water. Beforehand, the cereal must be soaked in water for several hours. The beans are boiled until half cooked. All porridge (up to 1 kg) is distributed in portions. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, you can water, green tea, herbal decoctions.

Discharge day on rice has no contraindications

Comparative review of popular fasting days

The table shows an exemplary menu for each of the fasting days described above ("full" option).

Type of discharge day cucumber Litter kefir buckwheat Rice
8-00 Breakfast 2 cucumbers + 50 gr. cooked meat 2-3 apples + a glass of kefir 1-2 cups of kefir 100 g steamed buckwheat + cucumber or tomato 200 g of rice + a cup of green tea
11am Lunch 2 cucumbers + green tea or juice 2-3 apples + 100 g of any porridge 200 g of any vegetable 100 g steamed buckwheat 200 g of rice + 50 g of fish or meat
14-00 Dinner 2 cucumbers + boiled egg or 100 g rice porridge 2 baked apples + fresh cucumber salad with a spoon of rast. oils 1-2 cups of kefir + 50 g of lean meat 100 g buckwheat + 50 g meat 200 g rice + 1 fresh carrot
17-00 Lunch Cucumber and Apple Smoothie with Lemon Juice 2-3 apples + 1 banana 1 cup kefir + banana 100 g buckwheat + apple or ½ grapefruit 200 g of rice + glass of juice
20-00 Dinner 2 cucumbers + a glass of kefir 2-3 apples + 100 g cottage cheese 1-2 cups of kefir 100 g steamed buckwheat 200 g of rice + 1 glass of kefir

Coffee on fasting days

Coffee lovers are probably interested in the question: is it possible to drink coffee these days or even organize "coffee offloads". According to nutritionists, only 1-2 cups of the drink will benefit. In this case, the coffee cup should not be the same as the soup bowl. The recommended volume is 90-120 ml. Naturally, coffee should be natural without sugar or cream, but you can add a sweetener or skim milk.

Coffee lovers didn't want to limit themselves in any way and created their own version of the diet. The fasting day menu for weight loss is extremely simple - 5-6 cups of coffee at regular intervals. You can also eat fresh fruits and vegetables. The amount of other liquid should be limited. Many reviews write that after one of these days they lost up to 3 kg. The only pity is that this "weight loss" is misleading. Coffee is a diuretic. During the day, instead of the prescribed 2 liters, about a liter is ingested and much more is excreted from the body. Just the weight of water lost is basically what the scale shows. But the big problem is that an already stressful situation for the body is exacerbated by a heavy load on the heart and kidneys.

You can complement a fasting day with a cup of natural coffee.

The conclusion is simple: it is undesirable and even dangerous to organize coffee fasting days, but it will be useful to complement the flush with 1-2 cups of natural coffee. The key is to drink plenty of fluids.

useful tips

Tips compiled from countless reviews, but equally suitable for any type of download.

  • Hunger strike days will be a lot easier if you spend them on your favorite foods (but not cookies and candy).
  • During fasting days, it is recommended to supplement the diet with decoctions of medicinal herbs. You can use ready-made herbal teas for weight loss. As a rule, they have a complex effect, have a laxative, fat-burning, purifying, appetite-reducing, diuretic and choleretic effect.
  • There's no need to try to do it all at once and combine diet with physical activity in one day. But breathing exercises will just be the way.
  • If it is difficult to maintain five meals a day, the daily portion can be divided into more meals.
  • Avoid sugar, salt and spices completely.

Discharge days for weight loss bring different results. In reviews, they often write that they lose up to 2 kg of weight per day. Those who are attracted to this figure should understand that it is not 2 kg of body fat that is lost! Excess fluid with toxins and "food scraps", semi-digested food that accumulates on the walls of the intestine, comes out. It is impossible to lose weight even at 1 kg a day. In the most rigorous water flush, you can get rid of a maximum of 100-200 grams of fat.