I often hear this:
“Doctor, I’ve been fasting the whole day. I don’t eat anything from morning to night. But still, my weight isn’t reducing. In fact, I feel more tired, bloated, and low.”
Let me gently explain why this kind of fasting may be doing more harm than good.
Sleeping All Day Isn’t Fasting.
It’s Starving the System.
Simply skipping food from sunrise to sunset, lying in bed all day, or sitting under the AC without movement—that’s not fasting.
That’s called metabolic slowing.
Your body is not burning fat.
It’s going into energy preservation mode—slowing down digestion, reducing metabolic fire (agni), and increasing toxins (ama).
Instead of weight loss, you might notice:
- Sluggishness
- Constipation
- Mental fog
- Fat accumulation around the belly
Irritable moods
- Skin and hair issues
Fasting Needs Movement.
Energy Needs Circulation.
Fasting is meant to reset the digestive system, not shut it down.
Ayurveda encourages light movement, gentle stretches, and mindful walking during fasting to help kindle agni (digestive fire) and circulate prana (life force).
Sleeping all day while fasting builds stagnation, not vitality.
It’s like keeping firewood ready but not lighting the match.
Ayurveda’s View: Fasting Must Be Aligned With Your Body Type and Season
Not every person benefits from prolonged fasting. Especially if you:
- Are predominantly Vata prakriti
- Are underweight or postpartum
- Have hormonal imbalances
- Are already tired or stressed
For such individuals, fasting aggravates Vata—leading to dryness, anxiety, poor sleep, and slower metabolism.
Weight Loss Isn’t About Eating Less.
It’s About Eating Right and Moving Right.
If your goal is to reduce weight, just not eating is not enough.
You need to:
- Wake before sunrise
- Move your body with yoga or a brisk walk
- Eat warm, easy-to-digest meals at the right time
- Avoid sleeping during the day
- Keep your mind calm and focused
So What Should You Do Instead?
If you feel fasting is not working for you, try this Ayurvedic routine:
- Begin your day with warm water and gentle movement.
- Have a nourishing breakfast—don’t skip it mindlessly.
- Eat your main meal around noon, when digestion is strongest.
- Avoid raw and cold foods that weaken agni.
- Finish dinner early (before 7 PM) and make it light.
- Avoid day sleep, especially in air-conditioned rooms during fasting.
- Do not stay inactive—movement keeps metabolism alive.
Ayurveda is not anti-fasting.
Ayurveda is about intelligent fasting.
Fasting that aligns with your body, your activity level, and your environment.
Stop punishing your body with starvation.
Start nourishing it with rhythm, warmth, and mindful movement.
That’s the real way to reduce weight, balance hormones, and feel like yourself again !!!
