When you ask How Long after fasting do you lose weight?, whether you mean How long does it take to get into fat-burning when fasting? , or How long does it take to lose weight with intermittent fasting? , this post will provide you with all the answers.
One Question, Two Answers: How Long After Fasting Do You Lose Weight?
There are three ways I pick my blog topics:
- My readers request information about a specific topic.
- I learn something new that I want to share.
- I find out what questions people are asking on Google.
I think it’s obvious how I picked my topic today. People search How long after fasting do you lose weight? In my mind, the meaning of this question isn’t clear. It isn’t to Google, either. If you look it up, you will find articles that tackle it in two ways: How long does it take to get into fat-burning when fasting? And How long does it take to lose weight with intermittent fasting? That’s why I created a post that gathers all the information in one place.
How Long Does It Take to Get Into Fat-Burning When Fasting
Let’s start with How Long Does It Take to Get Into Fat-Burning When Fasting? To answer this question, we need to define fat-burning. Fat-burning means your body runs out of glycogen, producing ketones using fat cells for energy. it is also called ketosis. This starts anywhere after fasting for 10-16 hours. However, optimal weight loss ketosis takes longer. In my experience, the 18-20-hour range works well for weight loss.
Optimal Weight Loss Ketosis
Whenever your body is just starting to produce ketones but still below 0.5 mmol/L, you are not officially in ketosis. Ketosis starts at 0.5 mmol/L. Anything between 0.5-3.0 mmol/L is referred to as nutritional ketosis. Aiming for 1.5 mmol/L may help break your plateau if you hit a weight loss plateau.
To determine your optimal weight loss ketosis, measure your ketones when you start feeling different. In optimal weight loss ketosis, you will notice that hunger doesn’t bother you as much. You will feel energetic and focused.
I bought the Keto Mojo to measure my ketones. Use my affiliate link to get a 15 percent discount.
How Long Does It Take to Lose Weight With Intermittent Fasting
Now, assuming you are switching to fat-burning mode whenever you are fasting, how long will it take to lose weight? It depends on how long you stay in fat-burning mode before breaking your fast, how frequently you fast, and what you eat during your eating window. Despite all these variables, I can give you some clues to figure out how long it takes to lose weight with intermittent fasting.
My Intermittent Fasting Results After The Age of Forty
From personal experience and coaching experience, I can say that if you maintain optimal weight loss ketosis 4-5 days a week for about 2-3 hours, you can expect to lose about 2 lbs a month. That is if you have 20 lbs or less to lose. If you have more than 20 lbs to lose, you can expect to lose more at first, but I still recommend a slow and steady weight loss. Listen to your body, and don’t obsess over the scale. Those are only numbers. You must focus on how you feel as you grow in your intermittent fasting practice.
My intermittent fasting results after the age of forty were remarkable. Intermittent fasting changed my life! However, my weight loss was slow.
How Intermittent Fasting Changed My Life
Intermittent fasting gave me food freedom. I am no longer a slave to food cravings and expensive healing protocols. It has simplified health and wellness. I feel energetic, I sleep well, my mood is even, even though I don’t always make the best food choices. I have also become more attuned to my body’s cues. I can tell when my body needs certain kinds of foods. I have discovered my true hunger cues.
My Weight Loss Results With Intermittent Fasting
It took me a year to lose 20 lbs. My average weight loss was 2 lbs a month, but some months, I would not lose any weight. I was fasting 18-20 hours 5 days a week. With such a slow weight loss, many women in my situation would have thought that intermittent fasting wasn’t working for them. This idea never crossed my mind! Why? Because before intermittent fasting, I had come to the point where I had to feel hungry and deprived all the time not to gain weight. Now, I wasn’t feeling deprived in the least, and I was losing weight (even if it was just a small amount). I felt satisfied and content.
What to Eat During Intermittent Fasting
Since I mentioned that one of the variables that will dictate how long it takes to lose weight with intermittent fasting is what you eat, let’s spend some time defining what to eat during intermittent fasting. When it comes to your diet with intermittent fasting, it is relatively simple: eat the whole foods you enjoy! With practice, you will notice that your body sometimes wants more veggies, fruit, or protein. You will learn to listen to your body’s cues.
However, here are some general guidelines you may find helpful:
- Focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods like veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, and herbs.
- Reduce your sugar intake.
- Avoid refined oils (canola, sunflower, soybean, vegetable, etc.)
I wrote a post entitled What to Eat on Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss. It addresses your eating style during intermittent fasting in more depth. Moreover, I created a 7-Day Meal Plan that uses some of the recipes included in my 30-Day Intermittent Fasting Program.
There was a time when I could not imagine following any program that did not provide a meal plan. Things have changed over the last three years. I have gained so much confidence in my ability to figure out what I need to eat. That is what the end goal of my 30-Intermittent Fasting Transformation is all about—getting you to go from overwhelmed and frustrated to empowered and confident. Don’t forget to check it out!
In Summary
Alright, so what’s the bottom line here? If you ensure you stay in fat-burning mode (optimal weight loss ketosis) for a few hours, 4 to 5 days a week, you can expect to start losing weight during your first month of intermittent fasting. However, I recommend you aim for a slow and steady weight loss, which means you may lose only 2 lbs a month. And you know what? That’s ok! You are growing and learning. Your weight loss journey is a process!