^^^ Does fasting help with weight loss differently than just calorie restriction and helping you eat in a calorie deficit?
Fasting, especially for extended periods, has a vastly different hormonal response than just eating less during the day. We evolved to burn body fat when we go long periods with no food not just eating less everyday. You really need to read the Obesity Code by Dr Jason Fung for the full explanation or at least watch his longer videos/interviews on YouTube.
I saw your question, and I dont’ actually know.
I have GERD (crazy heartburn sort of) and find a huge meal is hard, but lately one meal a day has been pretty easy, or maybe 2 smaller things in 2-3 hours. I can’t eat all my calories easily in that time, and often feel satisfied on less.
I also know my GERD symptoms are better without food (if only I could go on a date in my fasting window and not worry about reflux, burps, and wanting to gag on my own tongue!!) and that the time spent fasting may be giving my digestive tract time to heal without working.
I do omad and monitor my blood glucose and ketones. Fasting for a long period >12 hours forces you into ketosis, burning fat to produce ketones as fuel. It definitely happens and can be seen on blood measurements. OMAD has me fasting 23 hours. Glucose level will usually drop to low 80’s after 12 hours.
Ketosis brings some advantages, clearer/faster thinking, you are more alert, it drives your body back to being insulin sensitive, and away from diabetes. Another measurable effect by doing A1C testing. I was pre-diabetic before fasting with a A1C of 5.7, after 3 months of OMAD my A1C went to 5.1(the low side of normal)
I’ve done some longer fasts, up to 52 hours, not really hard to do. The lowest I’ve seen blood glucose go is 60 during one of the longer fasts. I felt fine, did the gym, ketones are a good fuel.