Fasting has become an undeniable part of the weight loss process – all thanks to the emergence of intermittent fasting. Only a handful of people today might not completely know all the wonders of fasting.
But we are sure that the 3-day fasting method is still not as explored as the other forms of intermittent fasting.
That’s precisely why this article discusses the 3-day fast benefits and other factors so you can get on with it with the proper knowledge and information.
What is a 3-Day Fasting?
Three-day or 72-hour fasting is when you cannot eat anything and only drink water. For that reason, it is also called water fasting. However, you can also drink non-caloric beverages, such as green tea, club soda herbal tea, or black coffee, with little to no calories.
You can also try unsweetened electrolyte capsules or powders during your fasting duration. Following a strict protocol, you can get the required amount of sodium by licking pure Himalayan pink salt.
Preparation to Safely Fast For 3 Days
If you stop eating suddenly, your weight-loss dreams will not be fulfilled in the long run. Experts suggest you should have at least a week of preparedness or even more before fasting. Some also recommend practicing a Keto diet for weeks, as being in the ketosis state will help your body gather energy from other nutrients (not only carbs).
Eat a lot of whole grains, high-fiber foods, and healthy fats so your body has the energy to last the 72-hour fast without lacking the nutrients it requires.
3 Days Of Healthy Fasting Benefits
Weight Loss
The apparent advantage is losing weight.
Your body reaches starvation mode and enters a ketosis state when you fast for more than 48 hours. This means your body will use the stored fat as fuel, so your body composition will change, and you will lose weight.
You can prolong this effect by following the Keto diet after you break a 3-day fast.
Improved Cardiovascular Health
This fasting method is heart-healthy as it improves cardiovascular health by decreasing heart rate and regulating blood pressure. This way, the risk of developing heart conditions also lessens, and you can prevent cardiac muscle damage altogether.
Prevents Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance is a crucial factor contributing to weight gain and obesity. Insulin resistance is when your cells resist insulin and your blood sugar level rises. Insulin resistance can also aid in developing type 2 diabetes, which is why many obese or overweight people are diabetic.
Promotes Detoxification
You won’t have to drink detox drinks to detoxify your body, as fasting 3 days a week can make it happen naturally. Your kidneys will have a break to detoxify the blood more efficiently.
Fights Inflammation
Inflammation can cause several health issues, such as PCOS, heart disease, some types of cancers, and problems with your immune system. Your body will get the desired rest it requires, and there will be lowered monocytes in your blood, meaning lessened inflammation.
Prolonged Longevity
Fasting lets your body enter into the autophagy state. Your body recycles and reduces damaged, dying, or old cells in this state. This cell regulation and regeneration in the body happens naturally, but fasting speeds up the processes.
Prevents Diseases
Disease prevention is another benefit of water fasting for 3 days because of its other effects on our body. Health effects include improved regeneration and activation of cells, as well as reduced inflammation, metabolic stress, damage to the DNA, and oxidative stress. This ultimately keeps our bodies disease-free.
Is Water Fasting For 3 Days a Safe Approach?
We have heard about fasting throughout the day, and it is not uncommon among celebrities to do so to get that shredded look. Celebrities like Henry Cavil and Hugh Jackman, among others, all shared their experience of water fasting in their interviews.
So, practicing water fasting for a day or two is not uncommon. But when it comes to stretching it for 72 hours, it can become a little extreme, especially for those who have never fasted before. Such fasting should be done under medical supervision and guidance.
According to studies, fasting is healthy for us, but prolonged water fasting for 72 hours is not recommended for all. Such people can give less severe and healthier alternatives to meet their weight management goals.
We recommend you talk to a healthcare professional before embarking on this journey and reap all the benefits of fasting for 3 days.
Some of the reasons why we think 3-day fasting should be supervised are because it can harm your metabolic health and cause medical conditions like a loss of lean muscle mass, hyponatremia, hyperuricemia, protein sparing, decreased serum calcium and magnesium levels, sodium and potassium-sparing, acidic urine and dehydration.
Other less critical health issues include migraine, nausea, constipation, vomiting, the inability to regulate body temperature, lightheadedness, muscle loss, shakiness, blurry vision, poor healing, difficulty sleeping, adverse nutritional deficiencies, and mood instability.
People Who Should Avoid 3-Day Fast Weight Loss Approach
As mentioned above, certain people should refrain from practicing this fasting routine. You must consult a healthcare professional to know whether you are a suitable candidate for this practice. They can determine your suitability based on your health and medical history. Nevertheless, pregnant and breastfeeding women and people who suffer from gout and eating disorders or are on certain medications and are underweight should avoid the 3-day fast altogether.
Conclusion
Even though 3-dady fast is not an easy journey to complete, it’s rewarding.
Although it offers some drawbacks, the advantages of this fasting method make up for it. We recommend you be prepared and sure before entering this routine.
