The most popular health and fitness trend in the world is intermittent fasting (IF). IF is a popular eating regimen that involves alternating cycles of fasting and eating. It has proven to be beneficial to many people. IF, according to several studies, aids weight loss, improves metabolic health, protects against disease, and helps people live longer. It is said to be beneficial to patients with chronic illnesses and autoimmune diseases.
Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, might be difficult because it necessitates being aware of the time and when one is eating. This is why intermittent fasting applications can be so beneficial, as they make intermittent fasting much easier to maintain.
In fact, intermittent fasting can be done in a variety of ways, with “dry fasting” becoming increasingly popular in recent years. Dry fasting is a more extreme kind of fasting that entails limiting both food and water intake. This dietary habit is said to help with weight loss, immunity, and mental well-being.
What’s Dry Fasting and a Dry Fasting App?
Dry fasting, also known as absolute fasting, limits both food and beverage intake. It forbids the consumption of any liquid, including water, broth, and tea. Unlike most fasts which encourage water consumption, dry fasting does not. It is thought that when the body is deprived of water, it begins to burn fat in order to generate energy. The lack of water in the body causes it to become stressed, and it begins to use whatever available source of energy to keep the internal system running. Dry fasting is also known to benefit the immune system by eliminating damaged cells and allowing the body to replenish new ones. Fasting on a regular basis can also help to reduce inflammation, maintain good skin, and boost inner awareness.
Intermittent fasting, alternate-day fasting, eat-stop-eat, and periodic fasting are all options for dry fasting. Dry fasting is divided into two categories: soft dry fasting and hard dry fasting. Dieters on a soft dry fast are allowed to brush their teeth, shower, and wash their faces with water. Dieters on a hard dry fast are not allowed to come into contact with any water at all.
The Side Effects of Dry Fasting
As an extreme way of intermittent fasting, dry fasting may make fasters feel thirsty, irritable, and tired, and experience headaches, nausea, or sleep troubles. In fact, water makes up roughly 60% to 70% of the human body, and every portion of that body requires water to function properly. So, if you practice dry fasting, you must experience dehydration. And in a study to see how dehydration affects mood, researchers reported that male college students in China who went 36 hours without drinking water had shorter attention spans, slower reaction times, short-term memory loss, and weariness. Therefore, it is not recommended to try dry fasting because of its side effects.
Notes: Dry fasting should be avoided by anyone with a pre-existing medical condition. This type of fasting is not suggested for pregnant or breastfeeding women (intermittent fasting is even not fit for the pregnant). Before using this fasting way, a healthy person MUST take advice from a professional.
How to Do a Dry Fasting
If you are determined to do dry fasting, do not straightaway jump into dry fasting as it can be dangerous and you should start it step by step.
Step 1. To prepare for a dry fast, start with water or juice fast.
If you try to start a dry fast right away, your body may be shocked. Water fast entails drinking just water throughout the day, whereas a juice fast entails drinking only fruit and vegetable juice. Choose one day to commit to a juice or water fast to see how your body responds, then eat normally the next day. You can alternate eating normally with fasting days. If you feel comfortable, you can begin a dry fast after completing 4 to 5 water or juice fasts.
Step 2. If this is your first time, start from a soft dry fast.
A soft dry fast allows you to come into contact with water, such as when you take a shower, wash your hands, or brush your teeth. If you’ve never done a dry fast before, start with a “gentle” one. Because your skin absorbs the moisture, you’re less prone to become dehydrated this way.
Step 3. Before you begin, eat a meal rich in omega-3 fatty acids and salt.
Healthy omega-3 fats can be found in foods including mackerel, salmon, and avocados. These foods take longer to digest, so you won’t be as hungry when you first start dry fasting.
Step 4. When you’re on a dry fast, be kind to your body.
Participate in activities that relax your senses, such as yoga or meditation. Avoid direct sunlight and any other setting that depletes your energy. If you’re having trouble staying motivated, try keeping a journal of your trip.
Step 5. Don’t ignore your body’s signals.
Prepare to break your fast if your body is in severe pain and is telling you so. Take something light if your body is actually hungry and not merely making a grumbling sound in your stomach. Don’t put yourself through this.
Take a 1-minute quiz and get a tailored fasting plan!
5 Best Apps to Track Dry Fasting
In addition to the above steps, don’t forget to use some apps to help you practice dry fasting better. So if you decide to practice this rigorous fasting plan, try to find a useful and suitable app to help you implement it more safely and effectively. Here is a list of the best 5 fasting apps.
Life: Best for Intermittent Fasting Pros
Are your peers more motivating than regular reminders? You should try out the LIFE Fasting Tracker app. You might be starting dry fasting on your own, or you might already have friends and family who do that you can follow. In either case, this app can help you connect with individuals who share your aims. You may use the app to keep track of any fasting regimen, and you can also use it to connect with others. You may challenge, motivate, and remind each other when you work together. You can also discuss your objectives and achievements. LIFE Fasting Tracker is compatible with a wide range of wearable devices. This app is very useful for anyone who is combining intermittent fasting with a keto diet, as it can track ketosis as well.
The LIFE Fasting Tracker is free, however for $2.99 you may upgrade to LIFE+. It’s compatible with both iOS and Android devices.
Take a 1-minute quiz and get a tailored fasting plan!
Soon: Best for Those Balancing between Weight Loss and Health
Soon keeps things simple — perhaps too simple — so you don’t get bogged down by “feature bloat.” It’s critical to realize that Soon will track your success for you. In a nutshell, Soon achieves the following: it is in charge of keeping track of everything. It’ll tell you how long you fasted, how long you’ve fasted previously, and how much weight you lost.
Soon, on the other hand, allows you to leave free-form notes, so you may use it to keep track of your diet. Do you want to keep track of what you’ve eaten, how you’re feeling, and when you’ve strayed from your diet? Soon records everything and lets you review it at any time with an incredibly user-friendly interface. Besides, it will also notify you if you keep dry fasting for a long time to avoid some health problems.
Take a 1-minute quiz and get a tailored fasting plan!
Zero: Best for Those Calling for Fasting Tracking Only
Zero is a feature-rich intermittent fasting app that, best of all, gives you a lot of those capabilities for free. This software is built around simple reminders that will help you remember when it’s time to eat and when it’s time to break your fast. Any intermittent fasting strategy will work with the app. You can design and track your fasting periods using Zero, or choose from a list of pre-set fasting slots. Timers, journals, and other tools such as goal-setting, sleep, and weight tracking, and a learning library are also available.
Zero offers a free basic membership, or you may subscribe to Zero Plus for $69.99 per year. The app is compatible with both iOS and Android devices.
Take a 1-minute quiz and get a tailored fasting plan!
DoFasting: Best for Those Who Don’t Have a Budget Limit
Package deals are available from DoFasting. DoFasting is a paid app that helps you get started with dry fasting. The DoFasting app includes a tracker for keeping track of your fasting periods as well as a weight loss tracker to keep track of your success. The DoFasting app gives users access to a variety of articles about intermittent fasting, food recipes, and even workout routines that are best suited to this sort of diet. You may effortlessly browse a professional-curated food database. Keep yourself motivated by saving your favorite dish. Get home fitness videos and start living a healthy lifestyle. It’s one of the most popular free intermittent fasting apps for Android and iOS users.
It’s a free app with a variety of subscription options: a one-month subscription plan costs $33.00, a three-month one costs $15.33, and a six-month one costs $11.00.
Take a 1-minute quiz and get a tailored fasting plan!
Fastient: Best for Those Calling for All Plans of Intermittent Fasting
Fastient is the intermittent fasting app to utilize if you’re seeking consistent and detailed data tracking. This app is all about data collection, and it’s the ideal location to keep track of anything from meals to workouts to moods to sleep. Fastient combines all of a user’s data into a single, slick app that displays trends and progress in easy-to-read graphs. If you want to keep track of more than just data, you can use the journaling feature, which allows you to modify and detail whatever you want. So it’s a good app to choose if you want to start dry fasting.
This one is free to download, but you can upgrade to Fastient Premium for a small fee. A yearly subscription will set you back $4.99, while a lifetime subscription would set you back $11.99. The purchase unlocks a dark mode as well as the ability to post progress images.
Take a 1-minute quiz and get a tailored fasting plan!
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