How much fat can I lose if I fast for a whole day?
wally2wiki
Posts: 36 Member
I'm 294 this morning, was 297 yesterday morning before my 14 hour fast.
My maintenance calories are 3300, obviously most of that was water weight, but I'm going to try for a full day today to see what happens.
Anybody with experience on this?
My maintenance calories are 3300, obviously most of that was water weight, but I'm going to try for a full day today to see what happens.
Anybody with experience on this?
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Replies
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wally2wiki wrote: »I'm 294 this morning, was 297 yesterday morning before my 14 hour fast.
My maintenance calories are 3300, obviously most of that was water weight, but I'm going to try for a full day today to see what happens.
Anybody with experience on this?
What would be the point, you want to lose fat not water? As soon as you eat again you'll regain the water weight you lost.21 -
Depends how much you eat when you eat...4
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It's up to you. If you find it easier, you can not eat 1 day a week and eat at maintenance the rest of the week. Then you'd lose about a pound a week on that maintenance level. The trick is not to eat more the day after because you're starving!7
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Not enough to matter, and and without a real plan you may end up eating that back anyway.10
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Your questions don't make sense. You will have a much greater chance of success if you educate yourself on how weightloss works. MFP is a great place to learn.
"Intermittent fasting" is getting traction. But 14 hours of not eating isn't even considered "intermittent" fasting.
You don't starve yourself for a day. That is called fasting for a day.
Not eating for 24 hours is okay for most healthy people. But people who have a difficult relationship with food, should probably aim to eat more regularly, instead.
Your weight fluctuates from day to day, so you can't measure true weight gain or loss in one day. You will lose 2 pounds of fat in a week if you have a 1000 calorie deficit every day. This sounds simple and it is, but it takes commitment, dedication, patience, knowledge, and actual, real guts.14 -
You did not provide any information, but lets make a few assumptions for you.
Say your maintenance calories are 2500. Thus you'd get 2500kcal less in a day. As 3500kcal equals 1lbs, you'd be 'down' about 2/3 of a lbs. However, part of this will be muscle instead of fat. Also, you might notice this on the scale as you digest less food. On the other hand a decrease in fibre, fat and fluids might has some adverse influence on pooping, and you don't notice any change on the scale.
In summary: totally useless, and a rather stupid idea. Sorry, mate.5 -
When I have done 24hr+ fasts, my weight has gone up due to stress on the body and water retention .... upon eating again and staying at maintanence I lost about 0.5lb ... so about 200grams
this was at 165lbs
so really not worth the effort if you are planning on it for a weightloss strategy6 -
First of all you are right you lost water and there is less bulk in your stomach and intestines. This is not fat loss. If you truly burn 3300 calories a day you could theoretically lose almost a pound a day but your body is going to consume more than fat which is why fasting for quick weight loss is not safe. Take your time to lose weight. You didn't gain it all in a day and you won't lose it all in a day. One of the many reasons we lose slowly is to reeducate ourselves on how to eat healthy. Fasting excessively to lose weight is not going to accomplish that and you are risking your health.3
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Short answer.
None2 -
Lasting weight loss happens over time. What you do over the next week and the next month and the next year consistently will have far more impact than what you do for one day.
You have a long journey ahead of you. Figuring out how to eat a filling, enjoyable, and practical diet that gets you consistently at the right calorie level is the single most important thing you can figure out. If intermittent fasting helps you do that then it's fine, but it really isn't about how much fat you can lose in a very short period of time.5 -
Between where you are today based on your past and where you will have to get to in order to both manage to lose the weight you need to and maintain that loss.... you have a long way in front of you.
Much of it behavioral and mental and overhauling how you relate to food (and various types of food) and general levels of activity and even exercise.
Your current exploration? A dead end.
Thinking of a sustainable way to create a ~20% deficit as compared to how many calories you burn each day for the next couple of years? Much more practical.
You want simpler still? Figure out what a normal weight person (BMI 24.9) who is lightly active or even active and has your stats.... figure out how many calories they get to eat.
Start there.... you can adjust later...
And it is never too early to start practicing how you will have to eat and move in order to maintain...
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I have no idea, but I find this question slightly concerning. I'd look into some healthier weight loss options.7
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Why would you do that? Maybe you should inform yourself a little bit more how weight loss with mfp works, before you start inflicting more emotional and physical damage on yourself, no offense. You've been probably over eating a good portion of your entire life, and now you plan to fast for 24 hours or more to lose 2 more pounds of water weight. It's disturbing honestly.9
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jennifer_417 wrote: »I have no idea, but I find this question slightly concerning. I'd look into some healthier weight loss options.
There is nothing unhealthy about a one day fast.2 -
Zero. You will lose zero fat.2
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You'll lose < 1 lb of fat if your daily TDEE is 3300 and you consume no calories. If you overeat the next day, you'll gain it back.
You may or may not see a drop on the scales, since weight is more than fat.
I fast for a day now and then for weight control and for the discipline of it. I like it. I've done it for decades. Not on a regular schedule, just now and then when I feel like it.1 -
Why? it would just be water.1
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »jennifer_417 wrote: »I have no idea, but I find this question slightly concerning. I'd look into some healthier weight loss options.
There is nothing unhealthy about a one day fast.
Perhaps not in and of itself. Unless it triggers a binge-restrict cycle or is accompanied by other eating-disordered behaviors. Not saying that is the case with the OP (I have no idea) but it bears further consideration.3 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »jennifer_417 wrote: »I have no idea, but I find this question slightly concerning. I'd look into some healthier weight loss options.
There is nothing unhealthy about a one day fast.
Perhaps not in and of itself. Unless it triggers a binge-restrict cycle or is accompanied by other eating-disordered behaviors. Not saying that is the case with the OP (I have no idea) but it bears further consideration.
That could be said of anything regarding eating.3 -
LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Why? it would just be water.
How does fat loss occur?1 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Why? it would just be water.
How does fat loss occur?
but if they went back to normal eating again after that one fast day the (water) weight would come back, fat loss doesn't happen in a day, it happens over time. What I was driving at was one day's fasting is not going to result in true fat loss but mostly water.1 -
LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »What I was driving at was one day's fasting is not going to result in true fat loss
yes it will .. calorie deficit is calorie deficit, whether you do that ALL in one day or spread it out over 7 days ... thing is, you need to burn 3500kcal for 1lb of fat (assuming 100% efficiency), I dont consume or burn that a day, so its already going to be less than 1lb ... and the weightloss wont be instantaneous as the body will fuel you from glycogen and sugar with in the body.
So in real terms, you will loose less than 1lb of fat, you will lose a little other tissue and you will loose weight from glycogen ... I didnt loose weight from water, I gained weight as fasting stresses my body and I ALWAYS retain water on days that I do IF
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LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Why? it would just be water.
How does fat loss occur?
but if they went back to normal eating again after that one fast day the (water) weight would come back, fat loss doesn't happen in a day, it happens over time. What I was driving at was one day's fasting is not going to result in true fat loss but mostly water.
And if they went back to a normal calorie deficit? Why would they lose mostly water? Most people who do a one day fast drink plenty of water.
If there is a deficit there is fat loss. You are making a lot of assumptions. Have you ever done a one day fast?0 -
A 29X lb person contemplating fasts for weight control has other more approachable, more likely to lead to success, less likely to lead to problem behavior, all around much better and simpler to implement and continue to implement tools available to them.
In other words this avenue of exploration is quite likely the wrong rabbit hole for them!
Now it's perfectly okay to argue, if that's what you want, that alternate-day fasting or other intermittent fasting protocols will provide the best cost-benefit to somebody just starting their weight loss endeavor from the just under 300 lb point.
I just think that you would be in error to do so
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Why? it would just be water.
How does fat loss occur?
but if they went back to normal eating again after that one fast day the (water) weight would come back, fat loss doesn't happen in a day, it happens over time. What I was driving at was one day's fasting is not going to result in true fat loss but mostly water.
And if they went back to a normal calorie deficit? Why would they lose mostly water? Most people who do a one day fast drink plenty of water.
If there is a deficit there is fat loss. You are making a lot of assumptions. Have you ever done a one day fast?
OK hands up agreed I probably made assumptions about OP and them probably wanting instant results - you are correct, if there is a calorie deficit fat would be lost.
And no, personally I have never done a one day fast, I don't do well going without food, makes me hangry. When I was in my weight loss phase I aimed for a small deficit to lose slowly. Each to their own.2 -
Hey, I disagree with most of the negative comments. Fasting can be a useful tool on your weight loss arsenal. Of course it is going to be useless if you stuff yourself with food afterwards. But, if you have discipline and some nutritional knowledge, are already exercising and sleeping well, it might be a good idea to occasionally fast. I am unable to sleep on zero calories, so I fast for 15-20 hours 2-3 times per week. It has many other health benefits, such as improving insulin sensitivity.10
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LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Why? it would just be water.
How does fat loss occur?
but if they went back to normal eating again after that one fast day the (water) weight would come back, fat loss doesn't happen in a day, it happens over time. What I was driving at was one day's fasting is not going to result in true fat loss but mostly water.
And if they went back to a normal calorie deficit? Why would they lose mostly water? Most people who do a one day fast drink plenty of water.
If there is a deficit there is fat loss. You are making a lot of assumptions. Have you ever done a one day fast?
OK hands up agreed I probably made assumptions about OP and them probably wanting instant results - you are correct, if there is a calorie deficit fat would be lost.
And no, personally I have never done a one day fast, I don't do well going without food, makes me hangry. When I was in my weight loss phase I aimed for a small deficit to lose slowly. Each to their own.
But a one day fast doesn't necessarily mean fast weight loss. I took almost 1.5 years to lose 30 lbs. My rate of loss was about 1.3 lbs per month. I did some one day fasts in there.
I'm not trying to argue or pick on your posts, just clarify as many people on this site seem to have a skewed view of planned safe fasting.
And I'm not saying this will be a good plan for the OP. Only he can decide that. Different things work for different people. But it's not inherently an extreme plan. If the OP fasted for one day a week and ate at maintenance the other 6 days, that would only be a 550 daily average calorie deficit.
If he maintained a reasonable deficit of 500 calorie per day on the other 6 days it would still only be a little over 1000 calories per day deficit, or a 2 lbs per week rate of fat loss. There is nothing unhealthy or extreme about that rate of loss for someone of the OP weight.1 -
True @Need2Exerc1se - I used a similar approach to yourself when losing. I guess one day fasting is similar to IF and of course it would work if there is an overall calorie deficit. Everyone has to find what works for them and that they can stick to consistently to be in deficit.1
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MarceloMenezes1 wrote: »Hey, I disagree with most of the negative comments. Fasting can be a useful tool on your weight loss arsenal. Of course it is going to be useless if you stuff yourself with food afterwards. But, if you have discipline and some nutritional knowledge, are already exercising and sleeping well, it might be a good idea to occasionally fast. I am unable to sleep on zero calories, so I fast for 15-20 hours 2-3 times per week. It has many other health benefits, such as improving insulin sensitivity.
It can be useful, but not in a vacuum without a plan. For it to be useful the person needs to know what they're doing. The "eating less makes me lose weight so not eating at all will make me lose even more" mentality is anything but healthy or sustainable and can be a slippery slope where they chase quick weight loss. The flip side is not as dangerous but is useless, having a day without food and thinking that's all there is to it is very likely to not produce results.
I have a full water fast day once every few months when I feel like I would rather fast one day and have 300 extra calories the rest of the week and sometimes if feels worth it. But it's planned, controlled, and is not driven by disordered patterns. I don't aim to have as high of deficit as possible and I plan for the potential increase in appetite for the next couple of days after the fast. I also already have my strategies in place because I've been dieting for a long time, so I'm not seeking a quick fix or doing this without working on my eating habits.
When a question is asked like this, it's usually very likely it's not coming from a person with an established plan, but from someone who is new to weight loss and is exploring options. Directing them away from more advanced strategies that can be dangerous if not done right is a good thing to do. If down the road they decide to experiment with fasting, then they would be doing it from an informed place.5
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