Ok, you have got a wedding two weeks later that you need to attend. And there is that one wonderful dress you wish to fit into by then. What would you do? Hit the gym or fast?

If you choose the second option over the first, then you are probably one among the millions of women around the world who think fasting or skipping meals can help them reduce weight.

Fasting has become one of the top priority options to lose weight nowadays. The trend has been rising alarmingly for the past few years and experts worry that more and more women today resort to fasting rather than opting for other methods of weight reduction to achieve the same.

Here are a few facts and truths that you need to know about fasting before you decide to go ahead with it!

True! Fasting does help you reduce weight. But you can get the desired results only if you follow it properly under the guidance of a nutritionist or a dietitian. Just like with any other diet plan or fitness program, you need to discuss about fasting with a trained professional who can give you the necessary guidance in par with your body conditions.

Fasting for long periods without the proper guidance is not only unhealthy; it can also weaken your body in the long run, leaving you with very little immunity from ailments and the stamina to recover from them as well.

Before checking out the immediate and long term effects of fasting, it is better to know about the various types of fasting that are practiced by individuals around the world. There are several forms of fasting of which the more popular ones are given below.

Water Fasting: In water fasting, the individual refrains from eating any kind of food whatsoever and drinks water to satisfy his/her hunger pangs.

Though the immediate result of this kind of fasting is incredibly impressive and relieves the body of several toxins, in the long run it tends to leave the body lacking in several nutrients.

Juice Fasting: This method of fasting sees the individual following a stringent diet of only fruit and vegetable juices for cleansing and detoxification purposes. Though the method is better when compared to water fasting, it can weaken the body rapidly.

Selective Food Fasting: This is by far the best known method of fasting. Accordingly, the individual follows a diet plan that includes certain foods like cereals, vegetables and fruits, while refraining from foods like meat and poultry. This kind of fasting can be followed for longer periods.

Most forms of fasting tend to show their effects on the body at a later stage. Some of the more common symptoms and issues include dehydration and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

In addition to this, individuals who fast for longer periods without breaks in between fall victim to some if not all of the following ailments. These include hormonal deficiencies, low blood pressure, menstrual irregularities in women, mood swings, muscle cramps and weakness, low blood sugar levels, decreased body metabolism and infections related to the kidney and liver.

Fasting has its benefits too! According to certain health experts, proper fasting when combined with a healthy diet can reduce issues like high cholesterol, insulin side effects, mental instability, depression, anxiety and kidney and liver related ailments. In addition to this, proper fasting also helps detoxify the body, prolongs life span and cleanses the blood of impurities.

All said and done, fasting can be beneficial but can wreck havoc on the body if not followed properly. Accordingly, the best situations for fasting are deemed to be those that arise in cases of emotional attachment to food or over excessive eating habits.

And any kind of fasting, be it water, juice or the selective food type should not be followed for more than 3-4 days without giving a break in between.