Gastroenterologist Dr Pal Manickam says one habit will help you burn fat even when you sleep. Research says it can also keep blood sugar in control

Losing weight, at its core, is really simple. Burn more calories through exercise and physical activity than you consume. Taking to YouTube, Indian-American gastroenterologist Dr Pal Manickam shared some easy tips to burn fat. He explained that the body needs fuel to run, and to gain fuel, your body needs three things – proteins, carbs, and fats. Out of these three things, our bodies only like carbs, as it is easy to digest, unlike fat and protein.

If we need to burn more fat, we need to “trick” the body to burn fat for energy and not carbohydrates. And the best way to do it? Go on fast!

The doctor explained that when you are steering clear of food, you can ‘convince’ your body to transform fat into energy, as there would be no carbohydrates available. In the absence of carbohydrates, your body will burn fat even when you sleep!


He concluded humorously: Either you eat biryani and maintain the fasting window, or you maintain distance from the biryani during the fasting window.

Here are the other benefits of fasting according to Healthline:

Lowers Blood Sugar

Fasting may help those at risk of developing diabetes by improving blood sugar regulation, according to several studies. The less carbohydrates you consume, the fewer sugar-rich foods you avoid, the more manageable your blood sugar levels become.

By improving insulin sensitivity, intermittent fasting three days a week can lower the incidence of type 2 diabetes, according to a 2023 study involving 209 participants.

Reducing insulin resistance can improve your body's sensitivity to insulin, enabling it to more effectively transfer glucose from your bloodstream to your cells.

Reduces Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is the culprit behind many diseases such as cancer and heart attacks. Fasting can definitely reduce inflammation.

Improves Heart Health

When compared to a control group, alternate-day fasting may lower total cholesterol and several heart disease risk factors in overweight individuals.