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Medically reviewed by Dr. med. Sarah Boss
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Intermittent fasting means observing a fast for a specific duration of the day. There are many forms of intermittent fasting as we read on. Dr. Jason Fung, MD, is a kidney doctor in Toronto who specializes in low-carb diets and intermittent fasting is one of the leading proponents of the concepts and benefits of intermittent fasting and the science behind it.

If you are unfamiliar with basic intermittent fasting or considering giving it a try, here’s a quick rundown of the most important guidelines to remember and mistakes to avoid.

The practice of 16/8 intermittent fasting is restricting your consumption of foods and calorie-containing liquids to an 8-hour window each day. You don’t eat anything for the next 16 hours of the intermittent fasting period, but you can drink plenty of water and other low-calorie liquids like simple tea or coffee.

You can restart this cycle as many times as you want, from once or twice per week to each day, based on your preferences.

This fasting strategy has increased in favor among individuals trying to burn fat and lose weight. 16/8 intermittent fasting is also thought to stabilize blood sugar levels and lengthen life.

While other diets frequently impose tight regulations, 16/8 intermittent fasting is simple to implement and may deliver quantifiable effects with no disturbance to your diet. It is often seen as less stringent and more adaptable than many other diets, and it is compatible with the majority of lives.

Here are the top 5 intermittent fasting plans to incorporate into your diet:

  • Eating on a timetable. Fasting for 12 hours or longer each day eating during the remainder of the time. The 16/8 technique is a common type. It includes a daily 16-hour fast and an 8-hour eating period during which you can consume two, three, or more meals.
  • The 5:2 rule. The 5:2 diet entails eating regularly 5 days a week and lowering your calorie consumption to 500-600 on the other two days.
  • Eat, Stop, and Eat. Eat Stop Eat consists of 24-hour fasting once or twice a week.
  • Fasting on alternate days. The purpose of alternate-day fasting is to fast every other day.
  • Warrior Diet. One of the first well-known diets to feature a type of intermittent fasting was the Warrior Diet. It consists of eating modest amounts of fresh vegetables and fruits throughout the day and one huge meal at night.

Short-term fasting has been found to have a dramatic effect on particular hormones associated with weight management and weight loss. The goal of intermittent fasting is to affect and utilize fat-burning processes that are already present in your body.

This covers your metabolism, blood sugar, hormones, and other elements related to weight reduction.

While most diets concentrate on content and calories, the most significant aspect of intermittent fasting would be when you eat and when you don’t. You should schedule intermittent fasting as per your daily routine and convenience.

The following are the most essential intermittent fasting rules.

When Should You Eat?

Divide your day into two sections. One is for eating and the other is for fasting.

With intermittent fasting, you don’t have to stress over calories like a madman. As previously said, it is not a content diet. It’s a meal-planning diet.

As you progress through the stages of a short-term fast, which is normally 12-16 hours each day, your body will begin to increase the natural growth production of growth hormones as well as other hormones that regulate hunger and body fat. It also has an impact on your blood sugar levels and how your body heals its cells.

The first step is to determine how long you intend your fast to last each day. 12 hours is the very minimum and is ideal for first-timers, while 20 hours is regarded as extreme.

Then you just divide your day into “eating” and “non-eating” time windows. So, if you fast for 12 hours and begin eating at 8 a.m., you have until 8 p.m. to consume your daily calorie limit.

Once you enter the “non-eating” period, you are not permitted to ingest any additional calories until the next morning.

What You Should Eat

Intermittent fasting does not necessitate any special foods or diet.

After you’ve determined how long you want to fast each day, it’s important to decide what content you’ll consume. Unlike other diets, there is no set criterion for the sort of food you consume.

This flexibility allows intermittent fasting to be used with different diet philosophies such as low carb, vegetarian, paleo, and simply eating healthily.

However, you should keep a strict eye on your calorie intake. It isn’t necessary to go on a frenzied calorie-cutting binge since your blood sugar, hormones, and other weight-loss elements are doing all of the heavy liftings for you.

Unfortunately, intermittent fasting does not allow you to maintain a calorie surplus while losing weight. A minimal calorie deficit of 200 is more than adequate to effectively reduce weight.

Many people have lost weight and become leaner by utilizing intermittent fasting without calorie restriction. That is, they did not vary what they ate every day; instead, they just adhered to the non-eating and eating time frames without making significant modifications to their daily calorie totals.

The greater your calorie deficit, the greater the weight loss you can expect. Weight loss with 16/8 intermittent fasting is one of the key benefits as we discuss later.

When Should You Work Out?

Exercising throughout your non-eating period is advised.

If you’ve heard the term “fasted workout,” it was most likely as a component of an intermittent fasting regimen. Exercising, particularly cardio, can be difficult if you’re in the final stages of a fast, but it’s been shown to be helpful for fat reduction.

Your body will have a hierarchy of favored resources, with caloric intake at the top of the list. When you don’t have any calories in your system from a meal, your body seems to be more likely to use fat stores for energy when exercising.

Don’t Interrupt Your Fast

The most crucial rule is “do not break your fast.”

It is more crucial than how many calories you consume every day or how you schedule your meals. The first element required to benefit from intermittent fasting is continuous non-eating hours.

If you never fast because you snack every few hours, you won’t gain the benefits such as improved blood sugar, enhanced growth hormone production, and lower appetite.

Be wary of zero-calorie meals, as many include small amounts of calories that, if consumed in sufficient quantities, can break your fast. To assist moderate hunger cravings, drink plenty of water and incorporate a fiber source into your diet or take a supplement.

16/8 intermittent fasting is safe, easy, and sustainable.

Choosing A Time Frame

To begin, choose an 8-hour timeframe and limit your food consumption to that time frame.

The following are examples of popular 16/8 time windows:

  • From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • From 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  • From 12 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Many individuals like to eat from noon and 8 p.m. since you just need to fast overnight and skip breakfast, but then you can still eat a complete lunch and dinner, as well as a few snacks during the day.

Others choose to eat between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., giving them enough time to eat a proper breakfast around 9 a.m., a regular meal around midday, and a small, early dinner or huge snack around 4:30 p.m. before beginning their fast.

Nevertheless, you can experiment to find the time range that works best for you.

Setting timers at the start and end of your eating window may help you remember when to stop and start eating.

Intermittent Fasting Diet and Meal Plan 

To maximize the possible health advantages of your diet, limit your eating periods to healthful whole foods and beverages.

Consuming nutrient-dense foods helps to fill out your diet and promotes a healthy weight. Try including a range of whole foods throughout each meal, such as:

  • Apples, berries, bananas, oranges, pears, peaches, tomatoes, and other fruits
  • Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, leafy greens, cucumbers, and other vegetables
  • Whole grains include buckwheat, barley, quinoa, rice, and oats.
  • Avocados and olive oil are good sources of healthy fats.
  • Protein sources include eggs, fish, beans, meat, nuts, poultry, seeds, and so on.

Even while fasting, drinking calorie-free drinks like water, unsweetened coffee, and tea help decrease your hunger while maintaining your hydration level.

Avoid ultra-processed foods such as deep-fried foods, packaged snacks, most frozen meals, and sugary drinks. These counteract the benefits of 16/8 intermittent fasting and may be harmful to your health.

For decades, researchers have been researching intermittent fasting.

The conclusions of the studies are occasionally conflicting and inconclusive. Yet, studies on intermittent fasting, including 16:8 fasting, suggest that it may have the following advantages.

Fat Loss And Weight Reduction

Eating at regular intervals can help people limit the number of calories they consume. It may also aid in metabolism.

According to a 2017 study, intermittent fasting contributes to improved weight reduction and fat loss in obese individuals than conventional calorie restriction.

According to a 2016 study, males who maintained a 16:8 approach while resistance training for 8 weeks lost fat mass. The subjects’ muscular mass was maintained throughout.

In comparison, a 2017 study found virtually little weight loss difference between people who followed intermittent fasting (as opposed to 16:8 fasting) and those who lowered their overall calorie consumption. Dropout rates were likewise high in the intermittent fasting cohort.

Prevention Of Diseases

Intermittent fasting advocates claim that it can help avoid a variety of ailments and diseases, including:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Heart problems
  • Some cancers
  • Neurodegenerative conditions

However, research on the topic is very restricted.

According to a 2014 assessment, intermittent fasting appears to be a promising alternative to typical caloric restriction for diabetes type 2 risk mitigation and weight loss in adults who are overweight or obese.

However, the experts warn that additional research is needed before they can make meaningful findings.

According to a 2018 study, an 8-hour eating period may help lower blood pressure in obese persons in addition to weight loss.

Other studies show that intermittent fasting lowers fasting glucose by 3-6 percent in people with prediabetes but has no effect on healthy people. After 3 to 24 weeks of intermittent fasting, it may also reduce fasting insulin by 11-57 percent.

Time-restricted fasting, such as the 16:8 approach, may also preserve memory and learning and reduce the progression of brain illnesses.

According to a 2017 yearly review, animal studies show that this type of fasting lowers the risk of cancer and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Can Be A Long-Term Lifestyle Change

Intermittent fasting may appear hard and daunting at first, yet it may be rather simple at times. Fasting may even help you streamline your day by requiring you to arrange fewer meals.

Furthermore, it does not often necessitate calorie counting, macro tracking, eating meals you aren’t used to eating, or removing foods you otherwise enjoy.

One strategy to fast occasionally is to eat an early dinner accompanied by a light late breakfast the next day. If you eat the last meal at 8 at night and don’t eat again until midday the next day, you have fasted for 16 hours.

This strategy may be difficult to adapt for persons who are ravenously hungry in the morning and cannot skip breakfast, or for those who can not eat until later in the evening owing to working time and other commitments.

Other people, on the other hand, eat in this manner instinctively. They may be more willing to experiment with an intermittent fasting eating habit.

Complements A Balanced, Whole-Foods Diet

Because intermittent fasting focuses on when you eat rather than what you consume, it’s often simple to incorporate into your current diet.

You wouldn’t need to buy any specific meals or deviate greatly from your usual diet.

If you’re happy with the current state of your diet but searching for more methods to improve your general health, fasting may be something to consider.

Intermittent fasting, for example, may be very beneficial for anyone who wants to combine it with a physical exercise regimen and a high protein diet.

However, this is not to say that what you consume is unimportant. There’s little doubt that consuming a range of nutritious foods and eliminating ultra-processed items within your eating window will help you enjoy the maximum benefits of intermittent fasting.

Prolonged Life Span

According to animal research, intermittent fasting can help animals live much longer lives. One study, for instance, discovered that short-term repetitive fasting improved the life expectancy of female mice.

According to the National Institute on Aging, even after decades of investigation, experts are still unable to explain why fasting may increase life span. As a consequence, they are unable to confirm the practice’s long-term safety.

There has been little human research in this field, and the possible advantages of intermittent fasting for human survival remain unknown.

While 16/8 intermittent fasting has been linked to a number of health benefits, it does have a few drawbacks and may not be suitable for everyone.

Intermittent fasting is usually thought to be safe. However, it is best to exercise caution when starting or continuing an eating program.

Calorie restriction over a longer length of time may be hazardous for:

  • Teenagers and children
  • Women who are pregnant or nursing
  • Diabetic individuals
  • Those using specific drugs
  • Individuals with a background of eating disorders

Consult a trustworthy healthcare practitioner before beginning intermittent fasting or adopting any other major adjustments to your diet to ensure a healthy start.

Start your fasting routine gradually, and if you have any worries or feel bad symptoms, consider halting or visiting your doctor.

Overeating And The Possibility Of Gaining Weight

Limiting your intake to only 8 hours a day may cause people to overeat during meal periods in an effort to compensate for the hours spent fasting. This can result in weight gain, intestinal issues, and poor eating habits.

Surprisingly, recent evidence suggests that intermittent fasting does not result in any greater weight loss than traditional diets that advocate total calorie restriction. Both eating styles may result in minor weight loss.

If losing weight is your primary aim, you may opt to reduce your calorie intake rather than fasting occasionally to avoid overeating that can occur when restricting consumption to a specific time window.

Temporary Physical Symptoms

When you first begin 16/8 intermittent fasting, you may experience short-term adverse side effects like weakness, hunger, and exhaustion, but these usually disappear after you get into a rhythm.

Menstrual Cycles And Hormonal Fluctuations

According to animal studies, intermittent fasting may cause hormonal abnormalities and undereating. These changes may have a deleterious impact on menstrual periods and fertility in persons who have ovaries.

However, the majority of research is outdated and was conducted on animals. Human research is required to completely comprehend how intermittent fasting may affect reproductive health.

Moreover, intermittent fasting may have different consequences on postmenopausal women. Menopause brings about hormonal changes that might cause weight gain and reduce insulin sensitivity, and intermittent fasting may improve and ameliorate these effects.

Limiting daily caloric intake to a specific time frame may result in increased food consumption and weight growth, and also short-term weakness and hunger. Older animal research suggests that intermittent fasting may impair fertility.

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