Last week I discussed the benefits of fasting but also pointed out that many people are following fasting programmes without understanding the long and short-term effects fasting it can have.

Now, here’s a warning: fasting is not for everybody.

If you have suffered, or are suffering, from an eating disorder I wouldn’t recommend fasting at all as it can get you back into bad habits, especially if you’ve had or are recovering from anorexia or bulimia.

Also, if you have a very active job and a lifestyle which involves a lot of daily exercise then fasting is probably not for you.

A professional athlete or a fitness professional is likely to find that fasting will have a negative effect on their energy levels and performance.

Personally, I’ve tried fasting on and off.

Although it helped me to lose some body fat, eventually I found that I struggled with fatigue and my performance in the gym suffered.

Take a good look at the following information.

If you recognise some of these reactions then fasting isn’t working for you: p Uncontrollable hunger, energy lows and strong cravings.

* Difficulty sleeping and tiredness throughout the day.

* Increasing mood swings and feeling irritable.

* A flabby body and loss of muscle mass.

* Reduced strength and endurance.

If you exercise regularly and you start to notice your performance in the gym decreasing this is a sign you are not recovering adequately between workouts.

* Reduced periods, or they have stopped altogether.

This can be a common side effect if you’ve been fasting for a long period of time.

In my opinion fasting can be beneficial for fat loss but it has to be done in the correct way.

Here’s how: If you are a beginner and trying it out, I would advise you begin by going without food for 12 hours overnight (eg 8pm to 8am).

Then increase the number of fasting hours to 17, missing breakfast.

Fast for a maximum of 17to18 hours and then eat a healthy balanced meal consisting of fresh vegetables, protein and good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated).

But here’s the warning again.

Remember, everyone is different and what works for some people may not work for others.

If going without food causes you more stress, then your cortisol levels will increase.

When this happens, it is nigh on impossible for you to shift body fat.

Also, if fasting causes you to eat larger meals than usual due to being so hungry you feel out of control, then fasting most definitely is not the right thing for you.

Don’t rush into fasting without first sorting out your diet.

Eat three meals a day full of organic vegetables, good sources of protein and good carbohydrate sources.

Cut out snacking, sugary foods, bread, cakes, biscuits and sweets.

Make meals from scratch, ditching the processed convenience foods.

Get all this sorted out in your diet and then give fasting a try.

Eating ‘rubbish food’ and fasting will not help you to shift body fat in the long-term.

And you will certainly not gain any benefits from fasting long-term.

If you have any questions with regards to fasting or anything else which is health, fitness or nutrition-related then please don’t hesitate to contact me.