Ephedra is a pharmaceutical.
pharmaceuticals are drugs.
drugs are poison to the human body.
a poison in the body is a toxic substance.
For the body's survival, the body wraps fat cells around toxic substances in order to protect itself.
The more toxic substances in someones body, the more fat cells it is going to be holding onto unnecessarily.
Fasting removes toxic substances from the body, eliminating the need for extra fat cells to be held onto.
One of the main reasons for obesity in todays society is due to the volume of toxic substances in the food chain. Particularly fast food and processed foods.
And just as an aside, anything added to a Water Fast in addition to the water will interfere with the results of the fast.