You don’t need to fast for a long time to help the body. Dramatic changes and weight loss only cause additional stress that not everyone can handle. Better to make the changes mild and gentle on the body.
Water instead of dinner?
Fasting is being talked about more and more. From intermittent fasting to several-day detox, but few people remember that even the simplest step, for example a glass of water instead of dinnermay make sense. You don’t have to do a drastic fast, just try skipping the last meal one night a week and stopping instead. Next week you may have two such days.
In the evening, when you feel like “having something else”, try it first pour yourself a glass of water. Not ice cold, more like room temperature. Drink slowly, calmly in sips. Sit, breathe and wait a few minutes.
Usually, within ten to fifteen minutes, the strongest impulse to eat will subside. The hunger will certainly not disappear completely, but thanks to water or perhaps herbal tea, you can easily have dinner.
Twenty-one-day fasting is presented to you by a post from the YouTube channel Tvořím zdraví.
What happens in the body
If you skip only the last meal of the day, it is not a true water fast. More like o a subtle form of intermittent fastingwhich will allow the body to process nutrients, reduce insulin levels and rest a bit.
When this ritual is repeated, the body learns to respond better to hunger and satiety signals. In the morning, digestion tends to be easier, one feels less swollen and has more stable energy.
Scientific studies show that even short fasting can promote natural fat burning and better taste regulation. For example, oz Nutrition Reviews, which is based on monitoring the effect of water fasting on 209 people, or published in Nature Medicine, which confirmed the support for weight loss and a reduction in total cholesterol.
In women during periods perimenopauzy a postmenopauzy but it is recommended to proceed with sensitivity. Hormonal changes can affect how the body reacts to longer breaks between meals. It tends to be more appropriate to stick to just this mild version, i.e. “a glass of water instead of dinner”. In general, a gradual change is recommended rather than the shock of a drastic long fast. Although water fasting has a positive effect, you should listen to your body and not push yourself unnecessarily.
If you skip a meal in the evening and have only a glass of water, it is not a dramatic starvation, but a short break that has proven physiological effects. The body does not have to switch to night digestion, so the sympathetic activity decreases, which is the part of the nervous system associated with tension and stress.
The aforementioned research shows that even short fasts can lower insulin levels and contribute to lower inflammation in the body.
This practically leads to the fact that in the evening a feeling of calmness comes more quickly and the whirlwind of thoughts gradually eases. In addition, more stable glycemia is associated with better morning attentionbecause the brain is not burdened by late digestion. A short water fast is therefore a simple ritual which promotes relaxationbetter.
What is expected from the ritual
It’s not a diet or a punishment. More like o slow down ritualwhich helps to calm the chaos in the head, to recognize whether we are eating out of hunger or out of habit.
With regular repetition, the perception of one’s own needs improves, sleep tends to be more restful and the morning meal tastes better. In addition, you will deplete the body by several hundred kilocalories, which can manifest itself in a very slight weight loss during long-term practice.
