Intermittent Fasting 16/8 Schedule
With classic 16/8 intermittent fasting, its really up to you which 16 out of 24 hours you decide not to eat.
The only vital aspect, in my experience, is to fit the 8 hours of sleep into the fasting period. This way, you shorten the fast to 8 hours a day. That is only half.
For this reason, it makes little sense to skip lunch. Nevertheless, some people have successfully managed to do this because of their unique daily routine.
However, if you follow a standard 9-to-5 schedule at work, youll probably have more success skipping breakfast or dinner.
After most people like to eat in the evening in the company of their loved ones, skipping breakfast has largely proven best.
Moreover, according to countless experiences, this approach is the most sustainable and easiest way for beginners to start intermittent fasting.
Hour Fast Benefit #: Better Gut Health
If we had to blame a single factor for the modern-days epidemic of chronic disease, wed single out inflammation.
The scientific literature is clear that chronic inflammation has devastating effects on ones health. Inflammation essentially causes poorer expression of your genes. If your mother has arthritis, for example, chronic inflammation may make you more susceptible to developing the same thing.
Thankfully fasting may help. It improves gut health enough to reduce many inflammatory markers. Its ability to promote ketosis means it can also help your body generate new, inflammation-fighting mitochondria. This process is called mitophagy.
In addition to reducing inflammation , increased mitophagy has been correlated with an increased lifespan.
Rodent studies show that IF extends lifespan by 36-8%. Its possible that a similar effect is seen in humans, though more research is needed before we can know for sure.
Fasting also reduces inflammation by relieving your digestive tract from the burden of non-stop digestion. It uses this time off to regenerate the gut lining, reducing your risk of leaky gut syndrome and preventing harmful endotoxins from escaping the digestive tract.
Intermittent Fasting: A Simple Guide
Like most women that I know, weight and body image is often on my mind, and has been for years. I lost weight in college doing a low carb diet. I tried again after the birth of our second son and it was simply impossible. My husband lost weight but I was cranky, shaky, and miserable. I could not enjoy our two sons because of how horrible I felt. I lost 20 pounds after our third son was born with the PiYo diet and exercise, which worked well for me simply because I have to have specific guidelines and portion sizes. What has worked for so many people is intermittent fasting. It encourages me to get to bed to get the sleep I need and avoid late night snacking, and also to think about meals and eating rather than just eating because its mealtime.
Recommended Reading: When Is The Best Time For Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting And Longevity
Intermittent fasting is thought to improve the health of your heart, blood vessels, immune system, brain, liver, and bones. I make no claims to be an expert on intermittent fasting, and although many studies have shown promising results, no one scientifically proven that it is truly beneficial. On the other hand, a lot of people have tried it and found that it can help them lose weight and get healthier in many different ways.
Is Intermittent Fasting Safe
![Intermittent Fasting 16/8 : The 101 Practical Guide for Losing Weight ... Intermittent Fasting 16/8 : The 101 Practical Guide for Losing Weight ...](https://www.fastingtalk.net/wp-content/uploads/intermittent-fasting-168-the-101-practical-guide-for-losing-weight.jpeg)
Some people try intermitting fasting for weight management, and others use the method to address chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol or arthritis. But intermittent fasting isnt for everyone.
Williams stresses that before you try intermittent fasting , you should check in with your primary care practitioner first. Some people should steer clear of trying intermittent fasting:
- Children and teens under age 18.
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- People with diabetes or blood sugar problems.
- Those with a history of eating disorders.
But, Williams says, people not in these categories who can do intermittent fasting safely can continue the regimen indefinitely. It can be a lifestyle change, she says, and one with benefits.
Keep in mind that intermittent fasting may have different effects on different people. Talk to your doctor if you start experiencing unusual anxiety, headaches, nausea or other symptoms after you start intermittent fasting.
Don’t Miss: Dr Alan Goldhamer Water Fasting
What Is 16/8 Fasting
16/8 fasting is one of the most popular ways of bringing intermittent fasting from theory to practice.
As the name implies, it involves skipping one meal and eating within an 8 hour time period.
Though the term 16/8 fasting is relatively new , this type of fasting has stood the test of time.
Until just recently, skipping breakfast was the norm, and an early fast-breaking meal was reserved for the very young, very old, and very ill.
Breakfast was seen as medicinal, BBC Historys Ian Mortimer writes. People might be prescribed a breakfast of as a means to sustain them in illness or old age. In 1305, Edward I , employed a cook just to prepare breakfasts.
Other forms of intermittent fasting also have a strong historical basis. The Islam religion has Ramadan, a 28-30 day fast that prohibits food and drink during the daylight hours.
The Judaic religion also has many ceremonial fast days. Christianity espouses fasting, too Jesus and the early apostles fasted in order to access more spiritual spaces and relate more directly to God. To this day Orthodox Christians have up to 200 days of fasting per year!
How Much Weight Can You Lose On The 1: 8 Diet
If done so correctly, there’s a typical weight loss of around seven to 11 pounds over a ten week period, according to a review of studies by Sydney Medical School . They found, on average, someone weighing 90kg would lose 5% of their body weight in 10 weeks.
But how much weight you lose on the 16:8 diet depends on eating fewer calories than you’re burning. According to a leading study by the University of Vienna , this energy deficit can be achieved in many ways – but is ultimately the only method of weight loss. When you eat food, your body metabolises it to create energy used for daily activities – everything from breathing to walking around. If you have more energy than your body uses, the extra is mainly stored as fat. If you have less energy than what your body can burn, your body will turn to fat stores for energy. This is the calorie deficit.
While intermittent fasting has benefits, eating in a 8-hour period alone will not automatically mean you lose weight. The plan is just one way to achieve the deficit without having to count how many calories you burn in a day . The given eating time aims to automatically restrict the amount of food you can eat, leading to weight loss.
Don’t Miss: What Can You Drink On Intermittent Fasting
Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
Research has shown surprising benefits of intermittent fasting. In animal studies, it has been shown that intermittent fasting improves cardio, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure and helps with weight-loss.
Some studies have shown that an intermittent diet is more effective at inducing weight-loss than a traditional diet where the intake of food is constant. Performance dosent seem to drop when people fast as compared to when they are full. Even more surprising, some people report to have more energy, and increased mental clarity when they are on a 16-8 intermittent diet.
Lean gains
The 16-8 diet is often referred to as lean gains. When you exercise on an empty stomach, your body is forced to use those built up fat deposits. The 16-8 diet hits your body fat on two fronts. First by restricting the amount of calories you take in. Secondly, it forces the body to use the fat you do have, while maintaining muscle and performance.
The diet also has practical benefits. For example, you will spend less time in the kitchen preparing food, and that means less dishes to do. With less meals come flexibility. You might only need to prepare two meals a day instead of 3. This is because the key to the 16-8 diet is the timing of when you eat, and not portion sizes, so feel free to eat your fill.
How The 16/8 Intermittent Fasting Diet Works
Like exercise, restricting calories is a helpful metabolic stressor. Eating within a certain time frame pushes your body in a different metabolic direction than if you were eating all the time.
Intermittent fasting can cause autophagy, which is a crucial defense mechanism against malignancy, infection, and neurodegenerative diseases. Its basically your bodys way of cleaning out cells that arent performing at their best.
Research finds short-term fasting is an effective way of starting neuronal autophagy , therefore protecting your brain against neurodegenerative diseases.
Intermittent fasting also triggers a beneficial metabolic reaction that includes:
- A decrease in inflammatory markers
- Reduced blood glucose levels and insulin
- An increase in the neurotrophin BDNF
These are powerful changes that can lead to several health improvements.
Browse our curated collection of fan-favorites and discover your new favorite snack or supplement.
Don’t Miss: How Much Weight I Lose With Intermittent Fasting
How To Get Started
Once you decide on a general eating window and talk to a professional to make sure IF is right for you, it’s time to jump inbut not necessarily all in.
I suggest starting with a 12-hour daily fast and easing into a 16-hour fast,” says Vincent Pedre, M.D., a functional medicine physician and gut health expert who often recommends IF to his patients. “Leave alternate-day and 20-hour fasts to people who’ve done it for a while.
Some experts suggest starting just a couple of days a week and working your way up, while others recommend gradually increasing your fasting window from 12 to 14 to 16 hours. “It’s important to listen to your body,” Pedre adds.
Even though food is off-limits during fasting hours, non-caloric drinks and exercise are not. Research says they could even stave off hunger.
For liquids, that includes water, black coffee, and unsweetened tea .
What’s more, exercising in a fasted state can supercharge your body’s fat-burning potentialbut again, listen to your body. “If you feel too weak to work out from fasting, then you should take care of your nutrition and work out later, Pedre cautions.
Weight Loss And Fat Loss
Eating during a set period can help people reduce the number of calories that they consume. It may also help boost metabolism.
- neurodegenerative diseases
However, the research in this area remains limited.
A 2014 review reports that intermittent fasting shows promise as an alternative to traditional calorie restriction for type 2 diabetes risk reduction and weight loss in people who have overweight or obesity.
The researchers caution, however, that more research is necessary before they can reach reliable conclusions.
A 2018 study indicates that in addition to weight loss, an 8-hour eating window may help reduce blood pressure in adults with obesity.
Other studies report that intermittent fasting reduces fasting glucose by 36% in those with prediabetes, although it has no effect on healthy individuals. It may also decrease fasting insulin by 1157% after 3 to 24 weeks of intermittent fasting.
Time-restricted fasting, such as the 16:8 method, may also protect learning and memory and slow down diseases that affect the brain.
A 2017 annual review notes that animal research has indicated that this form of fasting reduces the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cancer.
Don’t Miss: Men’s Intermittent Fasting Diet
How Does Intermittent Fasting Work
There are several different ways to do intermittent fasting, but they are all based on choosing regular time periods to eat and fast. For instance, you might try eating only during an eight-hour period each day and fast for the remainder. Or you might choose to eat only one meal a day two days a week. There are many different intermittent fasting schedules.
Mattson says that after hours without food, the body exhausts its sugar stores and starts burning fat. He refers to this as metabolic switching.
Intermittent fasting contrasts with the normal eating pattern for most Americans, who eat throughout their waking hours, Mattson says. If someone is eating three meals a day, plus snacks, and theyre not exercising, then every time they eat, theyre running on those calories and not burning their fat stores.
Intermittent fasting works by prolonging the period when your body has burned through the calories consumed during your last meal and begins burning fat.
Health Benefits Of 16/8 Intermittent Fasting
![Intermittent Fasting 16/8: A Beginner Intermittent Fasting 16/8: A Beginner](https://www.fastingtalk.net/wp-content/uploads/intermittent-fasting-168-a-beginners-guide-to-the-168-method-for.jpeg)
Adopting this eating style may seem difficult if youve never tried it before, but once you get used to it, its easy to follow. Plus, the research-backed benefits make it an excellent tool to improve your health.
Intermittent fasting 16/8 has been researched for its ability to improve multiple aspects of your health.
Read Also: What Type Of Intermittent Fasting Is Best For Weight Loss
Final Word On 16/8 Intermittent Fasting Schedule
16:8 intermittent fast can be an effective and sustainable way to lose those extra pounds and improve overall wellness when combined with healthy lifestyle choices.
These include consuming a diet rich in nutrients, limiting junk food, meeting your fitness needs, and getting enough rest.
Individuals practicing this dietary pattern should focus on eating a variety of whole foods, fruits, veggies, and protein.
Hydration is also essential during intermittent fasting and should not be limited to your eating window.
Be sure to sip on water and noncaloric beverages, such as tea and coffee, throughout the day to meet fluid needs.
Although 16:8 intermittent fast is considered a safe process for most healthy and well-nourished adults, you may consider speaking with a registered dietitian or doctor before starting any type of intermittent fasting plan.
Hour Fast Benefit #: Improved Cognition
Studies show that intermittent fasting boosts several hormones, notably Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor , that are neuroplastic and neurodegenerative in nature.
In other words, fasting provides the perfect fuel for your brain. Increased BDNF levels are associated with improved mood, cognition, productivity, memory, and creativity. Harvard neuropsychiatrist John J. Ratey calls BDNF Miracle-Gro for the brain.
Its not known why intermittent fasting boosts BDNF so powerfully, but our evolution may give us some hints.
Throughout human history most tribes and people groups wouldve gone long stretches without food, say before their next successful hunt. During this time, peak physical and mental performance wouldve been paramount to securing the next meal and the body wouldve met this need.
To this day its thought that the human body perceives fasting as a healthy stressor and responds by forming new neurons that prime your body to learn new skills. In this type of emergency situation, BDNF allows our brains to form new neural networks quickly.
Don’t Miss: Can I Drink Coffee While Fasting
About 16/8 Diet You Should Know:
The 16/8 intermittent dieting, also called the 16/8 diet, as the name suggests, is a diet in which you eat for 8 hours and then fast for the remaining 16 hours. Unlike other weight-loss diets that are not allowed to eat so many kinds of high-calorie foods, the 16/8 intermittent diet doesnt limit the type or amount of food you eat within the 8-hour period. As a result, it is easier for those who practice the method to insist, and not rebound and get bulimia from fasting for a too long period.
Types Of Intermittent Fasting
How to intermittent fast is important because you want to maintain proper nutrition in your overall diet and not put yourself at unnecessary risk. Weight loss is never a one-size-fits-all approach, says Taylor. Intermittent fasting may be sustainable for some people, while others find that this approach just isnt for them.
If you want to try intermittent fasting, youll first need to figure out how youre going to incorporate this style of eating into your life, especially when it comes to things like social events and staying active, she advises.
Ready to explore your options? Here, Taylor explains some of the most popular intermittent fasting methods.
1. Time-restricted eating
In this option, you have set fasting and eating windows. For example, you fast for 16 hours of the day and are able to eat for only eight hours of the day.
Since most people already fast while they sleep, this method is popular. Its convenient, as you extend the overnight fast by skipping breakfast and not eating until lunch. This form of fasting is a safer bet for many people who are interested in trying intermittent fasting for the first time, says Taylor.
Some of the most common ways are:
- The 16/8 method: Only eating between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- The 14/10 method: Only eating between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
This method of intermittent fasting can be repeated as often as youd like or even done once or twice a week whatever your personal preference is.
2. The twice-a-week method
Recommended Reading: How To Begin Fasting For Weight Loss
Weakness And Low Energy
- A few people find they become weak while fasting. It may require decreasing the intensity or duration of exercise, but if you are on time-restricted eating then you should not prevent yourself from exercising at all.
- People who have physically demanding jobs, however, may find this to be an issue. Always stay well-hydrated and take proper salt intake. These are the two potential ways to prevent feelings of weakness.
Bottom Line
An intermittent fasting diet plan generally offers a food-flexible approach to dieting and has unique metabolic benefits for health. From a fat loss aspect, it can be an excellent tool, mainly due to controlling calorie intake. Fasting can be used in the known format of 16-hour fasting which is followed by an 8-hour fasting window. Whereas, the alternate-day fasting approach is with a 24-hour fast that is followed by a 24-hour feast. This fasting cycle is easy to follow and does not limit you. Even allows one to eat without tightly tracking calories.