What happens to you while fasting?

What happens during fasting? A lot of things happen to you while fasting.

Even though you’re halting your digestive engine, you’re activating many other interesting things which I’ll talk about in this post. And don’t worry, all these “things” do benefit your health in a multitude of ways.

Fasting is a practice that has been popular among religions for a very long time. As long as thousands of years ago. In Hinduism, a devotee practices vrata. In Islam, devotees do sawm during Ramadan. In Jainism, upvaas is observed. And in Christianity, people fast during Lent.

Now, although these practices may not be done for health upliftment exactly. Still, nothing stopped these people from harnessing the health benefits too. Moreover, instead of the strict absence of food intake, most of these practices involved a type of fasting called, intermittent fasting. It involves restricting your food intake for long stretches of time and consuming food only after those food breaks.

But ever wondered, what happens to you while fasting? What are the stages of it? What are the “things” I talked about earlier that benefit your health? And if you get some fasting fever after reading this post, and decide to practice it, how can you do so? Well. let’s get straight into that!

What is intermittent fasting?

Before I tell you what happens to you while fasting, you should be aware of the concept of this kind of fasting properly.

I’m sure you may have heard about intermittent fasting as a technique for weight loss. However, if you read more and more about it in this post, you’ll realise it’s so much more than just a weight loss technique. See, when we eat food, assuming it has some carbohydrates in it, our body breaks down it into glucose that provides energy to our body cells. Excess glucose is stored in our body in 2 forms: Glycogen in the liver and body fat(adipose tissue). When the body is in a fasted state, it starts to convert this glycogen and body fat into glucose to meet its energy needs. And that’s where all the beneficiary “things” happen to you. I’ll talk about all the benefits in detail further in this post.

Intermittent fasting is not practised in just 1 particular way. It has many versions of it due to the different needs, goals, and physiological responses of different people while fasting. Also note that different people have different periods of fasting after which their body starts to take glucose from their glycogen and fat reserves. Some kinds of intermittent fasting include :

• Alternate day fasting (ADF) – It involves calorie restriction rather than complete elimination on fasting days. It includes fasting every other day, limiting calories to 30% of usual intake, and consuming recommended calories on non-fasting days.
• 5:2 – The 5:2 approach involves fasting for two non-consecutive days weekly, limiting intake to 500-600 calories on fasting days.
• Eat-Stop-Eat (ESE) – This fast consists of abstaining from calories for 24 hours, practised once or twice weekly.
• 16/8 – This method requires fasting for 16 hours daily, followed by an 8-hour eating window, often starting at noon, utilizing sleep for a significant portion of the fasting period.

Basically in this kind of diet regime, we do not focus on WHAT you have to eat, we focus on WHEN you have to eat.

What happens when you fast?

Now, I’ll take you through all the bodily processes that start to occur when we fast, step by step. So, to answer the question of what happens to you while fasting, let’s imagine a scenario.

So, assume a healthy person named Bob. He’s had a good dinner till 8 pm. And now after reading about the benefits of intermittent fasting, he has decided to not eat until it’s possible for him. (I know nobody does something like that, but for the sake of giving you important information about everything that happens while fasting, let him be)

8 a.m. (12 hour fast)

After around 12 hours of fasting, the pituitary gland starts to release growth hormones. These hormones do a lot of good to our bodies in many ways. Majorly, they help heal our joints, synthesise new proteins in our body and help in the breakdown of stored fat (lipolysis).

2 p.m. (18 hour fast)

This is the time when Bob’s body starts to enter autophagy.

Before I tell you what autophagy is, let me tell you what exactly autophagy is useful for. So, if you’re a person with belly fat, it must mean that you’ve been on a high-carb diet earlier. This excess carbohydrate combines with proteins in our body and forms Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). Accumulation of AGEs in tissues and organs is associated with the development and progression of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and kidney disease.

But our body can also clear these AGEs and other damaged or dysfunctional proteins through autophagy. But our body starts the process of autophagy only after around 18 hours of fasting.

Autophagy is a state in our bodies where we start recycling damaged proteins and clearing these AGEs. This helps in improving cellular health and tissue repair, reducing the risk of chronic diseases, anti-aging etc. Autophagy is done more efficiently as we fast more and more after the 18-hour mark since the repair hormones get more time to act on these damaged or dysfunctional proteins.

8 p.m. (24 hour fast)

By this time, Bob’s body has completely depleted its glycogen reserves (excess glucose stored in the liver). Then his body looks towards another energy reserve, i.e., FATS!

This happens through a process called ketosis in which Fats get converted to Ketones for energy needs. Now, ketones are a far superior energy source for our body than glucose. For example, 10g of ketones provide the same energy as 100g of Glucose. Moreover, ketones are also appetite suppressants.

Inflammation also starts to decrease in the body due to all these processes. This decreases the risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Our gut also starts to heal at this point as it would get a substantial amount of rest. The proportion of good bacteria and bad bacteria is improved.

The clean-up of damaged proteins also thrives as the inflammation keeps decreasing and new cells are generated where we need them.

8 p.m. (48 hour fast)

Now, Bob had read my posts on discipline last time and through discipline techniques, he was able to reach this mark. So around the 48-hour mark, he experiences a huge increase in the production of Stem cells in the body, Stem cells are the cells which don’t have a specific purpose. They serve as the body’s raw materials, with the potential to become specialized cells with specific functions, such as muscle cells, nerve cells, or blood cells. Stem cells can divide and renew themselves indefinitely, making them essential for replenishing damaged or ageing tissues and maintaining tissue homeostasis throughout life.

So when these cells’ numbers shoot up in our body, our body uses them exactly where we need them. Basically, our body goes into a self-healing state.

Conclusion

I think now you have a pretty solid idea of why intermittent fasting is good for your health apart from just weight loss. And what happens to you while fasting.

However, as this kind of fasting includes completely eliminating food intake for prolonged periods, some people may not find this easy without professional help. If done carelessly, people can also experience many side effects such as dizziness, headaches, disruptions in sleeping patterns, digestive issues etc.

Especially those who have eating disorders, conditions like diabetes, sugar, nutritional deficiencies, low body weight or are currently on a medication course. Pregnant women, children and adolescents are also discouraged from practising this type of fasting without any medical supervision.

However, if you do not fall under any of these criteria and would like to start Intermittent fasting, I would suggest you take the following steps and precautions to start.

• Choose Your Fasting Method: There are several different intermittent fasting methods to choose from, each with its own fasting and eating windows. I mentioned some of these methods earlier in the post; scroll up to check them.
• Gradually Transition: If you’re new to intermittent fasting, consider gradually transitioning into your chosen fasting method. Gradually increase your fasting window over several days or weeks until you reach your desired fasting duration.
• Plan Your Eating Window: Determine when you’ll eat your meals during your eating window. It’s important to focus on consuming nutrient-dense, balanced meals that provide essential nutrients and support overall health. Consider having a variety of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially during fasting periods, to stay hydrated and help reduce hunger. You can also consume calorie-free beverages such as herbal tea, black coffee, or sparkling water during fasting periods.
• Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to your body’s hunger and fullness cues. If you feel excessively hungry or unwell during fasting periods, consider adjusting your fasting schedule or eating window to better suit your needs. It’s essential to prioritize your overall health and well-being.
• Be Flexible: Intermittent fasting can be flexible and adaptable to your lifestyle and preferences. You can experiment with different fasting schedules, meal timings, and food choices to find what works best for you. Remember that consistency is key, but occasional deviations from your fasting routine are okay.
• Monitor Your Progress: Keep track of your fasting schedule, eating patterns, and any changes in your health or well-being over time. Consider tracking your food intake, hunger levels, energy levels, and other relevant factors to help assess the impact of intermittent fasting on your body and overall health.
• Consult with a Healthcare Professional: If you have any underlying health conditions or concerns about starting intermittent fasting, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before beginning. They can provide personalized guidance, address any questions or concerns, and help ensure that intermittent fasting is safe and appropriate for you.