There are those dieters who believe that skipping meals will actually kick start the weight loss process. According to one expert from the National Institute on Aging, people in good health can actually benefit from going without food one day a week, or cutting back calories a couple of days a week. Some research indicates that fasting for up to 36 hours may reduce the risks for heart disease, diabetes or cancer. Short-term fasting is thought to also improve insulin sensitivity and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in cells which can contribute to cancer down the line. These same experts also suggest that fasting slows the elements in the body that trigger aging, which in turn helps keep the organs aging. Of course, there are others who cry foul when it comes to the supposed benefits of fasting, especially when you're trying to lose weight.
Joel Fuhrman, author of Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Plan for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss and Fasting and Eating for Health, tells WebMD, "Fasting is not a weight loss tool. Fasting slows your metabolic rate down so your diet from before the fast is even more fattening after you fast." Bypassing breakfast, lunch or dinner is actually the quickest way to derail your diet efforts. While it may help you lose weight in the short term, it's actually water weight that you're dropping. In addition, fasting can cause dizziness and fatigue. When your body goes into starvation mode and you can no longer tolerate the hunger, you're likely to binge and pack the weight back on... and then some. Instead of looking for the quick fix, it's important that people focus on the long-term solution for getting to a healthy weight, which is through a well-balanced diet and regular exercise.