Intermittent Fasting Schedules And Their Benefits
Luisa Torres, PhDLuisa is a science communications manager at LifeOmic. She is a neuroscientist and science writer covering topics related to aging, metabolism, and brain health.
Luisa Torres, PhDLuisa is a science communications manager at LifeOmic. She is a neuroscientist and science writer covering topics related to aging, metabolism, and brain health.
Intermittent fasting involves avoiding calories for a period of time. It is a simple way to control your weight that doesnt require you to follow a specific diet, count calories, measure food, or follow other complicated rules. Intermittent fasting benefits include weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, improved blood sugar control, reduced blood pressure, reduced inflammation and increased autophagy. Although its not a diet, you can get the most benefit from intermittent fasting if you focus on eating natural foods most days of the week. You should also limit your intake of meals or snacks that are processed or high in sugar.
There are many intermittent fasting methods you can try. Well talk about some of the most popular here. Use this guide to create an intermittent fasting plan that works for you!
What intermittent fasting schedule should you follow? Consider the following 5 categories:
What Can I Eat While Intermittent Fasting
During the times when youre not eating, water and zero-calorie beverages such as black coffee and tea are permitted.
And during your eating periods, eating normally does not mean going crazy. Youre not likely to lose weight or get healthier if you pack your feeding times with high-calorie junk food, super-sized fried items and treats.
But what Williams likes about intermittent fasting is that it allows for a range of different foods to be eaten and enjoyed. We want people to be mindful and take pleasure in eating good, nutritious food, she says. She adds that eating with others and sharing the mealtime experience adds satisfaction and supports good health.
Williams, like most nutrition experts, regards the Mediterranean diet as a good blueprint of what to eat, whether youre trying intermittent fasting or not. You can hardly go wrong when you pick complex, unrefined carbohydrates such as whole grains, leafy greens, healthy fats and lean protein.
Is 12 Hours Enough For Intermittent Fasting
12-hour fasting means that you fast for 12 hours every day and eat within a 12-hour window. While the fasting time is set, there are different possibilities for arranging meals in your eating window. Research suggests that the benefits of 12-hour fasting are similar to longer fasting times, as long as you restrict the number of meals in the eating window.
16/8 fasting is considered the beginnerâs version of intermittent fasting. Many people donât consider 12-hour fasting as intermittent fastingâwhether it is or not is debatable.
If you want to learn more about different intermittent fasting methods, we recommend our in-depth article about the 8 different methods of intermittent fasting.
In our opinion, what matters are the health benefits. Donât you agree?
Before answering this question, letâs have a closer look at how 12-hour fasting works.
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Guidelines To Follow 12
The right way to begin any fasting routine is to start slowly. You dont have to start with a full 12-hour fast from day one. Give your body time to adapt to the fasting routine. You can begin by having an early dinner and slowly increase your fasting window. If you are used to feeding your body first thing in the morning, start your morning slowly by delaying any food for 30 mins, then one hour, and so on. This way, you can extend your fasting window from 8 to 9 hours to a full 12-hour window.
When you are planning for 12-hour fasting, try to stick to a routine and decide your fasting window. You can choose 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 9 p.m based on your daily schedule. Having a fixed routine helps your body to adapt well to the fasting and feeding routine.
How To Schedule Meals When You Are Intermittent Fasting
While the idea of fasting can be overwhelming, especially if you haven’t done it before, intermittent fasting can actually be a lot easier than many other types of eating plans.
Once you start your intermittent fasting journey, you’ll most likely find that you feel fuller longer and can keep the meals you do eat very simple.
There are a few different ways you can fast, so I broke up each of the different plans below into beginner, intermediate, and advanced along with a typical meal plan for each day.
The combination of nutrients will give you the energy you need to enhance the benefits of your fasting journey.
Just make sure to take into account any individual food intolerances, and use this as a guide for your particular health case, and adjust from there.
Remember, intermittent fasting does not necessarily mean calorie-controlled, so be sure to eat according to your personal caloric needs.
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Intermittent Fasting And Sleeping
Besides staying without food for the said period, it is better to sleep during the fasting hours. Intermittent 12 hour fasting at night is easier because you will be asleep for the most part, say 7 hours. However, if you fast during the day, you may need to take a nap and keep yourself busy to avoid thinking about food that will lead to relapse.
You can begin by fasting weekly, then on several days of the week before making it a day to day routine. If you are fasting for specific days a week, for example, five days a week, eat as usual on the non-fasting days. Note that you may become irritable, and your concentration may momentarily dip during the fasting period as you begin this healthy journey. The good news is that your body will adjust within a month, and the side effects should disappear. If they are particularly severe or donât go away, consider stopping your fasting routine and discuss with your doctor.
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What Is 16/8 Intermittent Fasting
The practice of 16/8 intermittent fasting involves limiting your intake of foods and calorie-containing beverages to a set window of 8 hours per day. You abstain from food for the remaining 16 hours, though youre still allowed to drink water and other no-calorie beverages, like plain coffee or tea.
You can repeat this cycle as frequently as youd like from just once or twice per week to every day, depending on your preference.
The popularity of this fasting method has grown widely among those looking to lose weight and burn fat. 16/8 intermittent fasting is also believed to improve blood sugar control and enhance longevity.
While other diets often set strict rules, 16/8 intermittent fasting is easy to follow and may provide measurable results with minimal disruption to your diet. Its generally considered less restrictive and more flexible than many other diets and works with most lifestyles.
Summary
With 16/8 intermittent fasting, you restrict your food intake to an 8-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours. This practice may support weight loss, improve blood sugar, and increase longevity.
It is simple, safe, and sustainable to do 16/8 intermittent fasting.
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Hours Intermittent Fasting Before & After Comparison Charts
Week 3 to Week 4 Intermittent Fasting Results
Starting weight: 168.8| Ending weight: 166.8 | Weight lost: 2 pounds
Starting body fat %: 36.5% | Ending body fat %: 36% | Body fat % lost: 0.5%
I lost 2 pounds, 0.5% body fat and 1.5 inches during my fourth week of intermittent fasting for 12 hours each day.
Total Intermittent Fasting 12 Hours Results For 1 Month
Starting weight: 178.9 | Ending weight: 166.8| Total weight lost: 12.1 pounds
Starting body fat %: 39% | Ending body fat %: 36% | Total body fat % lost: 3%
I lost 12 pounds, 3% body fat and 8 inches in one month of fasting for 12 hours each day.
Intermittent Fasting 12/12 Vs 16/8
Written by Andrew Brewer. Updated on September 2022.
Medically reviewed and fact checked by our team.
Intermittent fasting has many different plans, allowing you to pick one that works best for you and your lifestyle. 12/12 fasting allows you to eat for 12 hours and fast for 12 hours, which is a great entry point. You can get the majority of your fasting done while you sleep, helping you start your day off on the right foot.
16:8 is the next step up, where you fast for 16 hours and eat for 8 hours. This is one of the most popular and effective types of fasting, helping you maximize your results while still eating every day.
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We Asked Nutritionist Kerry Torrens For Her View
Is it safe?
Much of the emphasis of these diets is on the fasting stage, but in order to be a safe, effective and healthy style of eating, the food consumed during your ‘eating windows’ needs to be of high nutritional value. Aim to include essential fats from oily fish, nuts and seeds, lean sources of protein, wholegrains and starchy carbs and plenty of fruit and vegetables to supply dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Is it effective for weight loss and is it sustainable?
Studies suggest that when you compare IF with daily calorie restriction it is equally as effective at promoting weight loss in those who are overweight and obese. Results will vary, however, dependent on your individual circumstances and the amount of weight you have to lose. How effective it is in the longer term will depend on your ability to maintain this style of eating going forward. This is because IF is not so much a diet but rather a programme of eating, which means sustaining the weight loss is all down to how well you adapt your eating patterns in the long term.
How do different versions of IF compare?
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Who should be more careful when considering fasting?
Please note: if you’re considering attempting any form of diet, please consult your GP first to ensure you can do so without risk to health.
What Is The Best Intermittent Fasting Plan For Weight Loss
Dr Sam Watts, founder of Mind Body Medical , tells Live Science that there are two clear leaders when it comes to intermittent fasting styles. Lots of clinical evidence exists around the potential weight loss benefits of different intermittent fasting plans, he says. For quicker and more profound weight loss, the alternate day fasting plan is arguably the most effective. A less-extreme and thus easier-to-adopt approach is the 16:8 model. This is a time-restricted eating version of intermittent fasting that involves consuming all of your calories in an eight-hour window and fasting for the remaining 16 hours.
This approach has consistently been shown to induce significant and progressive weight loss in an arguably more sustainable model.
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What Can 1: 12 Intermittent Fasting Offer You
Since 12:12 intermittent fasting is among the least restrictive types of IF, it bears minimum risks. But that is not the only benefit of this nutritional approach. Here is what 12-hour fasting has to offer:
- Improved longevity
- Improved longevity
- Better physical performance
These are only a few of the health benefits of 12:12 intermittent fasting. Here are some other pros of this weight loss tool:
- Easy to follow. This type of IF is very easy to follow, and you are unlikely to suffer from hunger pangs during your fasting period. You can have breakfast at 8 am and eat your dinner before 8 pm.
- Affordable. You choose which food you will eat yourself, so you can plan your menu in such a way that there would be no need in buying expensive products or supplements.
- Encourages healthy sleep. The more you sleep the less time you have to fast. In such a way, 12:12 intermittent fasting encourages you to sleep a healthy 7-9 hours a day.
- Safe for health. This dietary approach is among the least restrictive weight loss methods. It offers you gradual and sustainable weight loss and encourages a healthy lifestyle.
What Are The Benefits Of The 12
Greek Physician Hippocrates and Athein and philosopher Plato are among the early proponents of the benefits of fasting to improve health, thousands of years back. Plato fasted for better physical and mental productivity. And according to Hippocrates, our food should be our medicine, and to eat when you are sick is to feed your sickness . Fast forward to today, modern science agrees that having a full stomach all the time is not ideal.
After eating, many new proteins are produced in the brain, and during fasting, the body also produces few new proteins. Therefore, cells are prompted to obtain protein from non-essential sources, convert them, and use the amino acids to make new proteins needed to survive.
The benefits of intermittent 12-hour fasting include:
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What Happens After Not Eating For 12 Hours
The main benefit of fasting is that your body is forced to look inside for energy rather than using carbohydrates and other nutrients from foods for energy. During the first 12 hours of a fast, your body begins to use stored fats for energy. This is why fasting is such a popular dietary method for those who are looking to lose weight quickly.
Another reason why fasting helps you lose weight quickly is that it reduces your calorie intake, simply because youre not eating. By partaking in fasting you may find it easier to cut back on calories every day. The energy restriction from a 12-hour fast may also benefit your metabolism, helping in weight loss.
Fasting And Weight Loss
The idea behind fasting for weight loss is that when we eat after an extended fast, we dont fully compensate for the food weve gone without. That creates an energy deficit and results in weight loss.
There have been many human weight-loss trials comparing intermittent fasting against traditional energy restricted diets. Most studies find minor differences in weight loss between approaches.
Intermittent fasting works for weight loss simply because you eat less food. Not everyone gets the same results. That means intermittent fasting doesnt appear to be any better or worse than any other type of energy restrictive diet if weight loss is the goal.
Most behavioural weight loss methods, including intermittent fasting, result in short-term weight loss followed by weight regain. Remember that a healthy lifestyle has benefits regardless of weight. This is where an Accredited Practising Dietitian can help to ensure you’re eating well no matter what your nutrition goals.
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What Is Intermittent Fasting
Many diets focus on what to eat, but intermittent fasting is all about when you eat.
With intermittent fasting, you only eat during a specific time. Fasting for a certain number of hours each day or eating just one meal a couple days a week, can help your body burn fat. And scientific evidence points to some health benefits, as well.
Johns Hopkins neuroscientist , has studied intermittent fasting for 25 years. He says that our bodies have evolved to be able to go without food for many hours, or even several days or longer. In prehistoric times, before humans learned to farm, they were hunters and gatherers who evolved to survive and thrive for long periods without eating. They had to: It took a lot of time and energy to hunt game and gather nuts and berries.
Even 50 years ago, it was easier to maintain a healthy weight. Johns Hopkins dietitian Christie Williams, M.S., R.D.N., explains: There were no computers, and TV shows turned off at 11 p.m. people stopped eating because they went to bed. Portions were much smaller. More people worked and played outside and, in general, got more exercise.
Nowadays, TV, the internet and other entertainment are available 24/7. We stay awake for longer hours to catch our favorite shows, play games and chat online. Were sitting and snacking all day and most of the night.
But 12 Hour Fasting May Not Work
If you are anything like I was with hormone issues, gut imbalances, sleep issue, a liver needing detoxed or any vitamin deficiencies, 12-hour Intermittent Fasting may not work for you.
I always suggest to anyone interested in implementing a 12-hour Intermittent Fasting schedule, to get their bloodwork and labs. This helps to ensure your body is in optimal shape to change your diet.
Consider the following labs: hormones along with vitamins and minerals.
If your lab results show an imbalance, check out a few articles at Clean Cuisine to get you back to optimal health so you can begin taking advantage of all of the 12-hour Intermittent Fasting benefits.
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/8my Workout And Fitness Secrets
Because the gym didnt work for me, I just did a basic home workout wherein I did a lot of cardio. My diet was the biggest change that helped me.
I also believe there are no specific secrets to losing weight. Just plain old hard work and dedication will get you there. As they say, consistency is key.
Can You Fast While On The Keto Diet
Those who keep up with health trends will already know how big of a boom both intermittent fasting and keto diets have made in recent years. Now, many people are wondering if you should combine the two to get optimized results. The main idea behind the keto diet is to help your body reach ketosis, the process in which your body breaks down fats to form substances called ketones that serve as an alternate fuel source. This diet can be an incredibly effective way to lose weight.
Believe it or not, researchers believe that intermittent fasting may help your body reach ketosis quicker than the keto diet alone. This is because your body, when fasting, maintains its energy balance by shifting its fuel source from carbs to fats which is the exact premise of the keto diet. While its safe to combine the two if youre healthy, its unnecessary to combine both.
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