Fasting is the first thing to come to mind when someone is willing to lose weight. But what if I tell you fasting can increase your belly fat? Unbelievable right?
A protruding belly is unsightly and the home of many health risks. People try every other tip and trick to reduce their bulging abdomen. But not every method hits the bullseye, and one of them is fasting.
This method of getting back in shape sometimes backfires and leaves people with an increased belly instead.
Well, there are so many discussions about the right way to lose pot belly and the relationship between different types of fasting and visceral fat. And while most of us have accepted that fasting is a sure-shot trick to burn belly fat, the experts think otherwise.
If you have been fasting religiously to fit in your old clothes but couldn’t see any significant changes, this blog is for you. Here we’ll be discussing does fasting increase belly fat along with how you should fast to lose belly fat. Stay tuned to find answers.
Key Insights:
- Fasting for weight management and belly fat reduction is common among weight watchers.
- Different types of fasting are proven to have weight loss effects, but some of them are also found to increase belly fat after the fasting ends.
- Water fasting and intermittent fasting are two weight loss methods and belly reduction trends proven to help lose belly fat fast. However, their results are also not convincing in the long run.
Let’s dissect the topic of fasting for belly fat and how you should go about it.
Does Fasting Increase Belly Fat?
Fasting is a common approach to lose weight and belly fat. People have been trying this method to get fit for many years. This is because most of the time, a protruding or pot belly is the result of overeating and unhealthy eating habits.
Therefore, many instinctively attempt to skip meals to control calorie consumption. But sadly, it doesn’t always work.
While you may think it is working, the results are temporary and not for the long term. Well, we are not saying this; it’s the scientific research that’s hinting towards an increase in belly fat due to fasting.
As per the reports of the study published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, skipping meals sets off a series of metabolic miscues, resulting in abdominal weight gain.
The study includes mice who received half of the calories in comparison to the mice who were on an unrestricted diet for 3 days. Food was gradually added so that by the end of the 6th day, every mouse received the same calories.
Adding to it, they finished their day’s worth of food in 4 hours and fasted for the next 20 hours. As per reports, initially, the mice on a restricted diet lost weight compared to those with unlimited access to food.
However, restricted-diet mice regained weight as calories were added back into their diets and matched to controls at the end of the study.
Fasting Caused Increase in Abdominal Fat Accumulation
What’s more surprising is that the fat around their middle that matches the belly fat of humans weighed more in restricted diet mice in comparison to those allowed to eat without restrictions.
Clearly, the impact of prolonged fasting on visceral fat is quite shocking and not what people usually expect. In fact, the gorging and fasting pattern in mice resulted in a spike and then a severe drop in insulin production.
This led to elevations in inflammation and higher activation of genes that promote the storage of fatty molecules and plumper fat cells, especially in the abdominal area.
Therefore, the answer to does fasting increase belly fat, depending on the restricted-diet research, is YES!
Fasting for prolonged periods increases belly fat by affecting your insulin production. Nonetheless, there are different types of fasting, and each one of them claims to have a dramatic impact on belly fat. Let’s see if these trending fasting diets actually work or if they also increase belly fat.
Different Types of Fasting and Their Impact on Belly Fat
The two most popular fasting plans used and even recommended by weight watchers and even dietitians are intermittent fasting and water fasting.
While Intermittent fasting is touted as the “The Way” to lose any kind of weight by everyone from TikTok influencers to professionals, water fasting is also gaining popularity slowly.
So, are water or intermittent fasting for belly fat reduction a good choice? You need to take a look at the experts’ opinions before joining the rat race.
#1. Water Fasting and Visceral Fat
For those who are still unaware of this type of fasting, it is when people consume nothing but water for several days. It is usually for 24-72 hours and people do it mainly for detox purposes.
There are a lot of studies that show the promising effect of water on the body. It has proven its impact on reducing hypertension, improving heart health, and reversing type 2 diabetes. But can water fasting reduce visceral fat?
As per the study published in Nutrition Reviews, prolonged fasting with little to no food or caloric beverages for 5 to 20 days produces circulating ketones and leads to a mild and moderate weight loss of 2 to 10%. Notably, two-thirds of weight loss was lean mass and one-third was fat mass.
Plus, the results show that after 3-4 months of completing the fast, there was a cessation of all metabolic activities even after maintaining weight. Also, some of the participants gained back the weight they had lost once the fast ended. So, when it comes to water fasting, it does increase belly fat.
Adding to it, it is also important to understand that water fasting is not for everyone. There are consequences like nutritional deficiencies. Extended water fasting can also lead to the risk of developing an eating disorder.
#2. Intermittent Fasting for Belly Fat
This is one of the most talked about fasting types on the internet, and I bet those who are serious about their weight have attempted to try it.
Unlike other types of fasting, intermittent fasting is about when to eat rather than what to eat. It involves a transition between the periods of eating and fasting. There are also different types of intermittent fasting, but the most popular one is 16:8.
In this type of intermittent fasting, people fast for 16 hours and eat anything they want for the remaining 8 hours. 16:8 Intermittent fasting for belly fat has successful results.
Scientific research supports the fat loss benefits of intermittent fasting. In a study published in the Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 12 weeks of intermittent fasting in adults with obesity and prediabetes resulted in 5% weight loss and a significant reduction in total body fat, abdominal fat, visceral fat, and fat-free mass.
However, in a new study published in the Journal Cell Reports, the results conclude that every-other-day fasting makes it even more difficult to lose belly fat and deep visceral abdominal fat.
So, basically, different types of fasting have varied results. Not to mention that the success rate of fasting for belly fat reduction also depends on a lot of factors like body type, what to eat after fasting, and lifestyle.
So, if you want to try fasting to reduce belly fat, make sure to choose the right one. Because some of the fasting can increase belly fat after you stop skipping meals and start including food in your diet plan again.
Final Note
Fasting detoxifies the body, helps maintain body weight, and also helps improve eating habits. However, if you’re wondering does fasting increase belly fat or not, the answer is some of the fasting types can.
While there’s some proof that water fasting has a positive impact on fat loss, it is also found to lead to an increase in it too once the subjects stop fasting.
Intermittent fasting is also backed by a lot of scientific proof to support weight loss, its effect on visceral fat in the long term is also not satisfying. Therefore, it is recommended to not rely on prolonged fasting for visceral fat reduction.
Rather, it’s better to control portion size and choose healthier and satiating foods.
Common fasting types are not for everyone and can even lead to health issues like eating disorders and numerous nutritional deficiencies. Always consult a doctor before you try any of the extreme fasting plans.