What happens if you don’t eat for 2 days?
In this article, we are going to answer what happens if you don’t eat for 2 days, what is intermittent fasting, what are the health risks of not eating for 2 days, and who should not do intermittent fasting for 2 days.
What happens if you don’t eat for 2 days?
When you don’t eat for 2 days your body finishes the sugar or glucose stored in your body and begins to use fat and protein making a metabolic switch.
Not eating for two days is the longer intermittent fasting method. This type of fasting should not be done more than 2 times per month. When you do this type of intermittent fasting your body starts to get healthier.
Some benefits include:
- Slow cell aging
- Reduce inflammation
- Improve insulin sensitivity
- Lower blood glucose levels
- Weight loss if done right
When you don’t eat for 2 days you need to eat plenty of no-caloric liquids such as unsweetened teas, water, and maybe some unsweetened coffee. When you break the fasting after two days without eating, reintroduce food slowly.
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that focuses on cycles of fasting and eating. These cycles of fasting usually last between 16 to 24 hours. There’s no guide for what food you should avoid when you eat again but it’s recommended a healthy balanced diet or Mediterranean-style diet.
Fasting has been linked with weight loss, blood sugar control, calming inflammation, and protecting brain health.
It’s important to mention that research suggests that not all intermittent fasting approaches are the same, and some diets are indeed more effective and sustainable. Here are listed different types of intermittent fasting, they are all based on time, not on the types of food you ingest
The 12/12 fast
You fast for 12 hours and you are allowed to eat for 12 hours. For example, you can eat from 6 am to 5 pm and start fasting from 6 pm to 6 am.
The 16/8 fast
You fast for 16 hours and you can eat for 8 hours. For example, you can skip breakfast. Eat your first meal at 11 am and start your fast at 7 pm.
The 5/2 fast
You eat a normal healthy diet 5 days a week and you fast for 2 full non-sequential days.
Alternate fast day
As the name of the fast says, you fast one day on and one day off.
Weekly fast
Is similar to a 5/2 fast but you are normal for one day and you fast for one whole day.
Meal skip
The idea of meal skip is just to choose one meal to skip. There are no hours of fasting established.
Warrior Fast
Is a type of fast food that limits your intake to small portions of low-calorie foods for 20 hours of the day and in the next 4 hours you eat a regular meal.
48 hours fast
Is the longer fasting period. You should not eat for more than 48 hours or two days. You can only consume no caloric liquids to maintain hydration and slowly reintroduce healthy food. You should not do it more than twice per month.
Our bodies have adapted to daytime food and nighttime sleep, so nighttime eating is associated with a higher risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. So, it’s ideal to eat during the daytime and fast during the nighttime for better results.
What are the health risks of not eating for 2 days?
Not eating for 2 days or 48 hours is a long period of time, and it has to be done with caution. You should not do heavy activities those 2 days and keep hydrated to prevent you from feeling bad. Some risks of not eating for 2 days include:
- Hunger
- Dizziness
- Exhaustion
- Sluggishness
If you need more information about 48 hours of fasting follow this link
Who should not do intermittent fasting for 2 days?
Even if not eating for 2 days might be beneficial for some people, there is a risk that the population should abstain from doing this type of fasting. People that should not stop eating for 2 days include:
- People with type 1 diabetes
- People with low pressure
- If you are underweight or have an eating disorder
- Pregnant women, breastfeeding women
- If you are taking any medication that requires to be taken with food
Conclusion
This article answered what happens if you don’t eat for 2 days, what is intermittent fasting, what are the health risks of not eating for 2 days, and who should not do intermittent fasting for 2 days.
Citation
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/48-hour-fasting#downsides
