How Long Do You Starve Yourself To Lose 20 Pounds?

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Having a few extra pounds is not necessarily a bad thing.

Still, being overweight and obese places you at risk for health, social and emotional problems.

As such, it’s prudent to shed off that extra weight and obtain health benefits. The good news is that you don’t have to lose hundreds of pounds to benefit from weight loss benefits.

Nevertheless, shedding weight can be quite tricky regardless of whether you are looking to lose five or 20 pounds.

There are several ways to do this, and starvation is one that many people use.

So how long do you starve yourself to lose 20 pounds? Here’s everything you need to know.

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How long do you starve yourself to lose 20 Pounds?

When you are hoping to lose a lot of weight, you need to be patient.

There is no quick fix that can give you the results you need.

The most weight that you can lose in a day is half a pound of muscle or fat.

With starvation as a weight loss plan, you might lose a lot more weight though it will not last.

The human body needs at least 1200 calories per day for women and 1500 calories per day for men to perform basic functions.

When you starve yourself, you will not have enough calories, and your body will not work as intended.

You will feel weak and tired and may also suffer from nausea, dizziness, irritability, depression, and digestive distress.

All these can cause massive organ failure if left to go on for too long and even be fatal.

Even when you starve yourself to lose 20 pounds or even 15 pounds, the initial weight loss will not last once you start eating normally.

Your body will do all it can to conserve energy when fasting and start breaking down muscles instead of stored fat.

This state is known as ketosis, and your body will shut down non-essential functions such as the menstrual cycle and sex drive.

It will also weaken your immune system severely, which will leave you vulnerable to opportunistic infections and diseases.

Once you start eating again, your body will want to stay ready in case of another fast, and you’ll gain back the lost weight pretty fast.

The effects of starvation on your body are dangerous, and you should not take it lightly.

Make sure that you talk to your doctor before undertaking this or any other extreme weight loss program.

They will examine you and determine if you have any underlying condition that would make starvation a big no-no for you.

Instead of starvation, the best and safest way to lose 20 pounds is to work to lose one or two pounds per week.

There are simple ways to make sure that this happens, which include:

Step 1:

Include a lot of lean protein in your diet. It is what your body needs to build up muscle even as you lose weight. They also make you feel full for longer, so you are not likely to snack or overeat.

Step 2:

Eat lots of vegetables to give your body all the nutrients it needs. Most vegetables have few calories, and they contain important vitamins and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy.

Step 3:

Whole foods are some of the best additions you can make to your diet when losing weight. They are not too processed and will help you to maintain an essential calorie deficit.

Step 4:

Take supplements whenever you can. Since you’re restricting what you eat, you may miss out on essential nutrients without knowing, such as omega-3 fatty acids. Supplements will help bridge that gap and keep you healthy.

Step 5:

Exercise will really work to help you lose that extra 20 pounds. Go for workouts that use most of the body’s muscles as they are also great for your metabolism. That includes lifting weights and cardio exercises, such as swimming and biking.

If exercise isn’t really for you, just increase your physical activity throughout the day. Walk more, do more chores around the house, and don’t allow yourself to stay seated for too long.

Step 6:

Create meal plans and keep a food journal so you can stay on track. To lose weight effectively, you need to be burning between 500 and 1000 calories more than what you’re consuming daily. It can be hard to know if and when this happens.

That is why a food journal is important. You can write down everything you eat and the calorie count, and this will help you know if you are actually losing weight or not. Meal plans will help you to know exactly what you’ll be eating at any given time, so you won’t be tempted just to eat anything.

You’ll also save time and money by only getting what you need.

If you are looking for ways to shed extra weight and want to know how long do you starve yourself to lose 20 pounds, you need to reconsider your weight loss strategy.

It would be best to remember that starvation is not a sustainable way to lose those extra pounds.

Instead, you can try these other ways, like creating a meal plan and changing your diet, that will keep the excess weight off for good.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose weight if I stop eating for three days?

It would be best if you didn’t completely stop eating for three days.

There is a high likelihood your levels of glucose and glycogen will lessen drastically, causing your body to use amino acids to provide energy.

As a result, your muscles will weaken, and you might experience starvation.

On the other hand, fasting for three days won’t affect most healthy individuals as long as they stay hydrated.

Still, the best practice would be incorporating a three-day diet. It’s possible to lose 10 pounds by adapting to the three-day diet since it’s very low in calories. 

How Can I Lose Tummy Fat Fast?

There are several healthy and practical ways to lose tummy fat. Avoiding sugar and foods with added sugar will help reduce belly fat.

Excess sugar consumption is highly considered the core driver of excess fat in the abdomen and liver.

Regular exercise is a proven strategy to lose tummy fat quickly.

Aerobic exercises, weight training, and cardiovascular exercises will go a long way in ensuring you get rid of abdominal fat and other health benefits.

Also, track your food intake, eat fewer carbohydrates and increase your protein consumption.  

What Happens To The Body When It Starves?

Adopting starvation diets to lose weight ultimately decreases body weight. Still, there is a likelihood the lean muscle mass will lessen drastically.

Also, some organ sizes might decrease in size. In sum, weight loss through starvation leads to significant loss of lean muscle mass and lean body mass.

This can make you prone to injuries, infections, and even death.