People have done fasting for several thousand years, mainly for religious reasons. Nowadays, fasting has become a popular way to “cleanse” your body and lose weight.

However, there are three big problems with cutting out food completely:

1. You will tell your body to store fat.

When you don’t eat for a longer period of time, your body will enter “starvation mode”, and as soon you start eating again it will try to store as much energy as possible for the bad times ahead. And how does it store the energy? Well, as fat.

2. You will lose muscle.

When your body doesn’t get the food it needs, it will use the glycogen stored in your muscles. When that glycogen gets low, the body will produce a hormone called cortisol, that will work catabolic and break down your muscle tissue.

3. You will fill your body with waste.

When your muscle tissue is broken down, there will be a lot of waste stored in your body. This makes fasting a very counter-productive way to cleanse the body.

Studies have shown that calorie restriction is a great way to live longer, but fasting may not be the ultimate answer. Instead, go for a low calorie diet with fairly high amounts of protein – in that way you can lose weight without compromising your health.

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