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Intermittent Fasting Basics 16/8

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How Often Should You Do 16/8 Intermittent Fasting

16:8 Intermittent Fasting – EVERYTHING You Need to Get Started

Unlike other diets where you must eat strict types of foods at a strict time of the day, each day of the 16/8 works independently from the other days.

This means you can practice 16/8 intermittent fasting from one day to seven days a week. It all depends on your goals and the advice from your doctor.

Dont change your eating pattern right away, listen to your body, you can start with one day weekly with 16/8 fasting and see how it affects your body.

You can go for two days weekly after a while but again consult with your doctor before going 16 hours without eating.

Experts suggest that a person needs to follow the basic rules for at least ten weeks to witness some positive results. Following the diet properly will help you to shed 7 to 11 pounds depending on your BMR .

Does Intermittent Fasting Have Different Effects On Men And Women

The quick answer is: yes, Intermittent Fasting can affect men and women differently.

Anecdotally, we have many women in our online coaching program that swear by Intermittent Fasting, while others have had adverse effects.

Lets dig into the science and studies.

A recent PubMed summary concluded thatfasting can be prescribed as a safe medical intervention as well as a lifestyle regimen which can improve womens health in many folds .

Now, in that extract, many of the studies cited are focused on specifically calorie restriction , and they also say that future studies should address this gap by designing medically supervised fasting techniques to extract better evidence.

Digging into the PubMed Archives brought me to the following conclusions :

One small study resulted in the following: Glucose response to a meal was slightly impaired in women after 3 weeks of treatment, but insulin response was unchanged. Men had no change in glucose response and a significant reduction in insulin response.

Another small study studied the effects on their menstrual cycles after a 72 hour fast which is significantly longer than any fast recommended in this article: in spite of profound metabolic changes, a 72-hour fast during the follicular phase does not affect the menstrual cycle of normal cycling women..

Precision Nutrition a great resource recommends not attempting Intermittent Fasting as a woman if:

Intermittent Fasting 1: : Getting Started

Intermittent fasting for beginners using the 16:8 approach is relatively easy: simply pick an eight-hour feeding window, eat one to three nutritious meals during that time frame, then abstain from food the rest of the time. You can still drink water, herbal teas, black tea or coffee. The most popular window for eating tends to be 12pm to 8pm, but its entirely up to you to choose a time that fits your schedule.

Michal says: Many people will find a 16:8 fasting pattern is not too difficult to start with. However, if you do find that 16 hours is too long for you to begin with, you can start with shorter fasts of 12 hours or so and work your way up to the full 16 hours.

During your eating window, it is recommended to consume whole, nutrient-dense foods. With intermittent fasting, people often end up restricting their caloric intake. Focusing on nutritious foods can help to ensure your full dietary needs are covered.

Dr Kara adds: Pay close attention to the quality of the food that you are eating. Its always best to select organic or locally sourced ingredients whenever possible to avoid any harmful preservatives or additives that can contribute to toxin build-up, or other health issues, in the body. So even though you are fasting, avoid high-fat, high-sugar foods, refined carbohydrates, and other poor food options.

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Popular Ways To Do Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting has recently become a health trend. Devotees claim it can cause weight loss, improve metabolic health, and maybe even extend life span.

Every method can be effective, but figuring out which one works best depends on the individual.

Several methods of this eating pattern exist. But before embarking on an intermittent fast or deciding how often to fast, you should speak with a healthcare professional.

Here are 6 popular ways to do intermittent fasting.

Any Side Effects Of 16/8 Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting (16:8) For Fat Loss

I do not take this kind of approach lightly. There are side effects to this lifestyle, but the benefits outweigh the risks. The two biggest risks are:

  • Worsening high blood pressure: The 16/8 fasting cycle is an extremely dangerous approach to life-threatening high blood pressure. This is because, when you skip meals, you use your body as a fuel tank. You are not giving your body the fuel it needs to be fully functional, and without food, your body starts to shut down.
  • Worsening or gaining weight: As I have been recommending that my clients do intermittent fasting for years, many of them find that they have become overweight. These people often forget that intermittent fasting is not a diet, but a lifestyle.
  • Recommended Reading: Water Fasting Weight Loss Results

    Are There Any Risks

    Intermittent fasting is not safe for some people, including people who are pregnant, children, people at risk for hypoglycemia or people with certain chronic diseases.

    If youre at risk for an eating disorder, you shouldnt attempt any sort of fasting diet, advises Taylor. Intermittent fasting has also been known to increase the likelihood of binge eating in some people because of the restriction.

    If youre interested in trying intermittent fasting, you should also be aware of some not-so-pretty side effects. It can be associated with irritability, low energy, persistent hunger, temperature sensitivity, and poor work and activity performance.

    Ultimately, you should contact your healthcare provider and discuss these options. They know your health better than anyone else and can offer the right guidance on whether or not any of these intermittent fasting options are right for you.

    Pros And Cons Of Intermittent Fasting 16/8

    Although many people believe that fasting could be dangerous, it is an entirely natural process. We have been living in food abundance for only the blink of an eye in human history.

    With this in mind, we are still striving if we are not stuffing food into ourselves every hour. On the other hand, if we give our digestive tract more rest through 16/8 intermittent fasting, we can achieve sustainable health goals, which include:

    • Permanent weight loss
    • Are already underweight
    • Are breastfeeding

    In addition, fasting may simply not be proper in some situations. For example, it can lead to serious health drawbacks under the following conditions:

    • Pregnancy: During pregnancy, the focus is on nourishing and growing your offspring.
    • Chronic stress: If youre already going through a mentally challenging phase of your life, 16/8 Intermittent Fasting can cause additional stress.
    • Eating disorders: If you develop a questionable relationship with food or have already suffered from eating disorders, fasting may not be suitable for you.

    Read Also: Do You Have To Diet With Intermittent Fasting

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    Common Intermittent Fasting Mistakes

    Lack of consistency. You need a regular fasting schedule to sufficiently suppress insulin levels and promote fat burning. Pick a pattern and stick to it, including on weekends.

    Eating too much at night. Our bodies are designed to process food better during the day. Eating until 8 or 9 PM may reduce the effectiveness of time-restricted eating plans. In a study of women, those who ate most of their calories before 3 PM lost 30% more weight than those who ate most of their food after 3 PM, despite eating a similar number of calories.

    Not easing into IF. If you want to do a plan like 16:8, start by fasting for 12 hours. Then, increase that time gradually over a series of days, working up to your target.

    Intermittent Fasting Is Not A Diet

    16/8 Intermittent Fasting For Beginners

    Diets have been failing consistently for 50 years. Their lowest common denominator? Calorie counting!

    However, the masses have learned little from it to this day.

    As an empirical study from the United Kingdom shows, 99.5 percent of 99,791 women and 76,704 men failed to lose weight successfully through conventional calorie reduction, even though they were overweight .

    While calorie balance does impact weight loss, hormonal pathways must first be set to allow fat burning to occur in the first place.

    For example, scientists can now predict up to 75% possible gain and loss in overweight people using insulin levels .

    Are you wondering what the most effective way to lower the storage hormone is? Its fasting.

    After a strict fasting period, where you dont trigger insulin production, insulin levels drop, so you can burn more fat while maintaining your calorie intake throughout the day.

    As long as you dont cheat, intermittent fasting will give you enough daily calories to lose weight. For a woman, thats about 1,900 kcal per day.

    However, this does not mean that you will necessarily eat less. Instead, you fetch your nutrients thereby in fewer, however larger meals.

    According to studies, people who eat fewer meals also consume fewer calories during the day, so you are more likely to fall short of your daily requirement .

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    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

    Is 16/8 Fasting Good For Weight Loss

    Restricting your food intake to a few hours per day can help you to reduce the number of calories that you consume. There are some studies that show that fasting could boost metabolism and increase weight loss.

    A study from 2017 published in the International Journal of Obesity showed that intermittent fasting leads to greater weight loss and fat loss in men with obesity than regular calorie restriction.

    Also, research from 2016 reports that men who followed a 16:8 time-restricted feeding for 8 weeks in conjunction with resistance training showed decrease fat mass and also participants maintained their muscle mass throughout.

    If you want to lose weight and have trouble sticking to restrictive diets or prescribed meal plans, then you may benefit from daily fasting.

    A pilot study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Healthy Eating shows that a 16/8 fasting plan can help obese dieters lose weight without having to count every single calorie they eat.

    Will I lose weight on the 16:8 diet?

    In theory, yes. You might lose weight on this diet because when you fast, you are burning more fat for energy. This fat-burning and the metabolic shifts that come with it might increase your chances of losing weight.

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    Is Intermittent Fasting Safe

    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.

    Reason & Science Behind Intermittent Fasting

    The Complete Guide to Intermittent Fasting 16/8

    In our modern days, we are constantly told that a healthy diet is one that includes having three meals a day, and we tend to think of eating less than three meals as dangerous, harmful starvation.

    But if you think about it, our bodies have evolved to sustain hours and days without food. Our ancestors did not have the luxury of eating three meals a day. Three meals a day is, in fact, an unusual and unnatural setting.

    Before they learned how to farm and cultivate, humans were hunters and gatherers, and both activities took time and a lot of energy. It was not feasible or possible for them to hunt and gather food three times a day.

    Therefore, their bodies evolved to sustain long periods of hunger. With time, food became more accessible, food preservation became possible, and people gave in to their gluttony. Our bodies live in a confusion of modern life.

    The digestive system, which evolved to store food for later, never gets a chance to consume what is stored. One meal is followed by another, the supply of calories doesnt come to a stop. We eat more than we need. Our bodies keep building up fat, and we keep feeling hungry for more food. That is unnatural.

    Fasting is a way back to our nature. That is one reason why it is still valued in many religious or cultural settings. Humans never ate that much and that often for ages through intermittent fasting, our bodies learn once again how eating works.

    Also Check: Intermittent Fasting And Caloric Deficit

    Why Does My Blood Sugar Go Up During Fasting

    While this does not happen with everyone, it can occur due to hormonal changes that occur during intermittent fasting. Your body is producing sugar in order to provide energy for your system. This is a variation of the dawn phenomenon and in general is not a concern as long as blood sugars are not elevated the rest of the day.45

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    Intermittent Fasting Is Not Enough To Keep You In Ketosis

    The 16/8 fasting window may not be enough to get you into or keep you in ketosis. Even if you do end up in ketosis, if you continue to eat a diet with even a moderate amount of carbs itll probably kick you out of ketosis each time.

    This can result in unpleasant side effects such as the keto flu and being overly hungry each time you start fasting again.

    Also Check: Intermittent Fasting Weight Loss App Free

    Pros Of The 1: 8 Fasting Method

    There are many potential benefits of the 16:8 intermittent fasting method:

    • The daily schedule makes it easy to adhere to as its the same each day
    • You can adjust the feeding and fasting time to suit your lifestyle
    • You dont have to calorie count
    • Most of your fasting can occur while youre asleep
    • May offer plenty of possible health benefits

    How To Do Intermittent Fasting 16/8

    Intermittent Fasting and 5 TIPS to SUCCEED | 16:8 diet made enjoyable

    To do intermittent fasting correctly and reap all the health benefits, heres what to do:

    • Pick your fasting window: Choose what the hours of fasting will be. The easiest approach is to have an early dinner and skip your morning breakfast. For example, eating only from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
    • Have healthy meals during your eating window: A bad diet during your eating window can offset the metabolic benefits of intermittent fasting, so stick to nutritious whole foods. Heres a list of the best keto-friendly foods to eat.
    • Eat fatty, satisfying meals: While you dont need to be keto to try intermittent fasting, eating fatty foods will make it a lot easier and sustainable. Keto foods are healthy and satisfying, so you wont be hungry during your fasting window. Practice smart snacking and youll do great.

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    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.

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