What You Need To Know Before Fasting

Although intermittent fasting is known to improve weight loss results - and in some cases, to improve health, it is difficult. If you're used to eating three full meals a day and some snacks to boot, sticking to this new lifestyle is a real challenge. Whilst people are fasting, it's not uncommon for them to feel lethargic, stomach-achingly hungry, grumpy and tired. That's completely normal - if your body is used to eating food at specific times every day and you don't meet those hunger needs, you'll most definitely feel grumpy and hungry!

The initial transition from eating when you want to to restricting your calorie intake and fasting for one meal or a full day is tricky, but once you get past it, according to a recent study, cognitive function and energy levels return to normal within 48 hours. You just have to push through! How long does it take for your body to get used to this new way of life? Many intermittent fasting advocates say that two weeks does the trick.

Read More: Fasting: Pros and Cons

Some people who have followed an intermittent fasting plan have reported side effects, such as:

• severe headaches
• difficulty sleeping
• dehydration
• drowsiness
• irritability
• bad breath
• anxiety and depression

Little is yet known about why people might be experiencing these symptoms because there haven't been enough long-term studies into the effects of intermittent fasting. Some experts believe that these unpleasant symptoms could be due to an increase in cortisol production. Cortisol is the "stress hormone". If you're not eating food when your body thinks you need it, you could become stressed. If you're repeatedly stressed over the course of one day, cortisol builds up in your body - and this can cause things like irritability, anxiety and depression. Other symptoms, such as bad breath, are caused simply because of the calorie deficit. 

It's also really important to speak to your doctor before beginning any intermittent fasting plan, especially if you have blood sugar problems or diabetes. Intermittent fasting can play havoc with your blood sugar levels and if you need them to stay level and stable throughout the day, fasting probably isn't for you. Equally, if you have severe, long-term health complaints like high blood pressure or heart disease, it's really important that you see your doctor before starting any sort of fasting regime. 

However, some people really flourish on intermittent fasting regimes - it totally depends on your health and your body.