Fasting to Loose Weight

Fasting by itself isn't a good way to loose weight.  When you fast, you will typically see a quick loss of 3-8 kg in your first few days.  Unfortunately, this weight loss has nothing to do with fat.  What you have lost is your sugar reserves, along with all the water required to keep them liquid.  If you go back to your normal diet after the fast, this weight will come back very quickly.  I lost 5kg in my first 5 days, and then my weight was pretty much the same throughout the rest of my fast.  After I stopped fasting, I did return to the same diet as before, and I regained all of that lost weight within a week of eating normally.

Actual fat loss takes time.  There are no quick solutions.  Most nutritional experts agree that the body is not able to burn more than 1 kg of fat per week.  Any weight loss greater than this means you have lost sugar stores or are dehydrated, and will probably gain back that weight quickly once you return to normal food.

So if you want to loose weight, should you fast?  The answer is yes, but you should be aware that the fast is not the end of the process.  Fasts are VERY effective at helping to change your habits.  By breaking up your eating patterns with a fast, it is very easy to replace your old habits with healthier ones.  Many of the people I've talked to have reduced snacks, cut out alcohol, or eliminated all fried foods from their diet.

If you want to loose weight, the most important part of your fast is planning how you want to permanently change your diet AFTER you finish the fast.  For burning fat, I recommend the Zone diet and a regular exercise plan.