What Is The : 8 Diet
The 16:8 diet is a type of intermittent fasting where you break each day into two parts a 16 hour stretch and an 8 hour period. For 16 hours every day, you consume nothing but water, coffee, tea and other unsweetened drinks. Then for the other eight hours of the day, you can eat all your meals and snacks.
The 16 hour stretch sounds like a long time, but if youre getting enough sleep, you should be asleep for about half of that time.
Sports Scientist Harry Aitken tells GoodtoKnow, Intermittent fasting is a dietary technique in which all food is consumed within a relatively small window of time. Fasting is going for a significant period of time without eating, and intermittent fasting simply brings in a small window of time where you are able to eat.
Intermittent fasting has been popularised and studies have gone on to confirm that it leads to weight loss and fat loss.
The 16:8 diet stems from the book 8 Hour Diet by author David Zinczenko and editor-in-chief of Mens Health Peter Moore, who suggested that a longer fasting time between eating gives the body the time it needs to process the food and burn away extra fat.
Can You Have Coffee Creamer While Intermittent Fasting
I realize that Ive addressed quite a few intermittent fasting dos and donts throughout this blog before addressing the actual intermittent fasting FAQ you were promised. But I did that with purpose, I promise.
After all, if I just flat out said NO WAY IN HE-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS should you ever consume coffee creamer while fasting, would you have even bothered to read the rest of the blog? Probably not.
With all of the fasting misinformation floating about the Ketosphere, I thought it was important to clear up a thing or two about a thing or two when it comes to what you can drink while intermittent fasting for weight loss. In case youre still confused at this point, thing one is plain water and thing two is black coffee.
In zero parts of thing one or thing two did I mention coffee creamer, or any of the horrible ingredients most coffee creamers use.
This is where gets real.
Do you even know about the toxic ingredients most coffee creamers use to make their seemingly innocent product? No? Then lets have a chat.
Many popular brands of coffee creamer use some combination of:
- Sugar
- Toxic thickening agents, like carrageenan
- Hydrogenated oils
- Artificial flavors and artificial sweeteners
- Chemicals like Dipotassium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, and other chemical preservatives
Pros Of 1: 6 Intermittent Fasting
Without much disruption to your daily schedule, you basically skip breakfast and then have your dinner on the earlier side so it’s easy to maintain every day. 18:6 is also a great method if you tend to go to bed earlier, so you’re not hitting the sheets with a full stomach. If you often snack after dinner, having an early cutoff time can help curb that. You can just start a new habit where you curl up on the couch with a hot cup of herbal tea. This plan is also flexible. If you prefer eating a later lunch, you can shift your eating window or shift it earlier .
Since you’re consuming all your daily calories within a shorter window, another pro is that you can sit down and eat larger meals and feel more satiated than if you were eating three to six small meals throughout the day. You have more leniency with the foods you eat as well, so you can choose higher-calorie or higher-carb foods you may have denied yourself before. And even if you skip breakfast, you can still eat the breakfast foods you love you’ll just be delaying your meal until later in the day.
Once you get past the first week or two of fasting, you’ll find that your hunger subsides as your body adjusts to its new schedule. You may also feel less bloated, more clear-headed, and lighter in mind and body.
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Why Might Changing Timing Help
But why does simply changing the timing of our meals to allow for fasting make a difference in our body? An in-depth review of the science of IF recently published in New England Journal of Medicine sheds some light. Fasting is evolutionarily embedded within our physiology, triggering several essential cellular functions. Flipping the switch from a fed to fasting state does more than help us burn calories and lose weight. The researchers combed through dozens of animal and human studies to explain how simple fasting improves metabolism, lowering blood sugar lessens inflammation, which improves a range of health issues from arthritic pain to asthma and even helps clear out toxins and damaged cells, which lowers risk for cancer and enhances brain function. The article is deep, but worth a read!
You Don’t Ease Into It
Skip breakfast. Skip lunch. And by 3 p.m. you’re willing to eat your arm. “If you normally eat every 34 hours and then suddenly shrink your eating period to an 8-hour window, you’ll likely feel hungry all the time and discouraged,” according to Libby Mills, RD, a dietitian at Villanova University’s College of Nursing.
“Deciding to limit your eating hours may be motivated by weight loss. However, this represents an opportunity to reacquaint yourself with what your body is really feeling. We often are eating every 3-4 hours and not always because we are hungry.” Plus, you don’t have to fast all week. In fact, people who follow the 5:2 diet eat regular amounts of healthy food for 5 days, then flip the switch on the other 2 days, by reducing caloric intake. A study involving 107 overweight or obese women found that women who restricted calories twice weekly lost the same amount as those who continuously cut calories.
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How To Get Started With Intermittent Fasting
There are two schools of thought with regard to how to structure your fasts. The first is fairly different from what’s described above it’s commonly known as 5:2, meaning you eat normally for five days of the week and fast for two. That may work for some, but two days of virtual starvation doesn’t sound very appealing.
I prefer the daily method: Fast for at least 16 hours per day. The aforementioned New England Journal of Medicine study was based on an 18:6 structure: 18-hour fast, six-hour window.
“16:8 is a great place to start,” Stephens says, “but it may not be a weight-loss window for many people. That’s because fat-burning ramps up between hours 18 and 24 of the fast. 19:5 was a great weight-loss sweet spot for me, and I lost at about a pound per week when doing it. With 19:5, you fast for 19 hours a day and have an eating window of five hours. Your sweet spot may be different from mine, of course. Maybe it will be 18:6 or 20:4.” Experimentation is key, she adds.
Before you embark on this journey, I recommend reading CNET writer Caroline Roberts’ guide to doing intermittent fasting safely.
If your eating window doesn’t include breakfast, you can still drink coffee as long as it’s black and unsweetened.
Top 6 Questions About Intermittent Fasting
1) Wont I get really hungry if I start skipping meals?
As explained above, this can be a result of the habits you have built for your body. If you are constantly eating or always eat the same time of day, your body can actually learn to prepare itself for food by beginning the process of insulin production and preparation for food.
After a brief adjustment period, your body can adapt to the fact that its only eating a few times a day. The more overweight you are, and the more often you eat, the more of an initial struggle this might be.
Remember, your bodys physical and cognitive abilities most likley wont be diminished as a result of short term fasting.
2) Where will I get my energy for my workouts? Wont I be exhausted and not be able to complete my workouts if fasting?
This was a major concern of mine as well, but the research says otherwise: Training with limited carbohydrate availability can stimulate adaptations in muscle cells to facilitate energy production via fat oxidation.
In other words, when you train in a fasted state, your body can get better at burning fat for energy when there are no carbs to pull from!
Ill share some of my experiences, now doing heavy strength training for 3 years in a fasted state:
Here I am pulling 420 lbs. at 172 BW after a 16 hour fast:
A post shared by Steve Kamb on Nov 21, 2018 at 10:43am PST
LeanGains digs into various options here, but here is really what you need to know:
4) Wont fasting cause muscle loss?
Recommended Reading: Does Fasting Help Burn Fat
Should I Try Intermittent Fasting
Now that were through a lot of the science stuff, lets get into the reality of the situation: why should you consider Intermittent Fasting?
#1) Because it can work for your goals. Although we know that not all calories are created equal, caloric restriction plays a central role in weight loss.
When you fast, you are also making it easier to restrict your total caloric intake over the course of the week, which can lead to consistent weight loss and maintenance.
#2) Because it simplifies your day. Rather than having to prepare, pack, eat, and time your meals every 2-3 hours, you simply skip a meal or two and only worry about eating food in your eating window.
Its one less decision you have to make every day.
It could allow you to enjoy bigger portioned meals and STILL eat fewer calories on average.
#3) It requires less time . Rather than having to prepare or purchase three to six meals a day, you only need to prepare two meals.
Instead of stopping what youre doing six times a day to eat, you simply only have to stop to eat twice. Rather than having to do the dishes six times, you only have to do them twice.
Rather than having to purchase six meals a day, you only need to purchase two.
#4) It promotes stronger insulin sensitivity and increased growth hormone secretion, two keys for weight loss and muscle gain. Intermittent fasting helps you create a double whammy for weight loss and building a solid physique.
#6) Plus, Wolverine does it:
#7) Boy George is a fasting fan :
Can You Eat Whatever You Want When Youre Not In A Fasting Period
Intermittent fasting isnt a free pass to eat anything you want, contrary to what you may have heard . You still should avoid processed foods, eat more whole foods from plants and animals, and get moving for at least 150 minutes per week. Your eating plan should be something you can follow the rest of your life to promote good health, says Cohen.
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Isnt It Important To Have Breakfast Every Morning
Not necessarily. This appears to be an old misconception, based on speculation and statistics, and it does not hold up when its tested.57 Skipping your morning meal gives your body more time to burn fat for energy. Since hunger is lowest in the morning, it may be easiest to skip it and break your fast later in the day.58
Learn more:
Potential Negative Effects Of Intermittent Fasting And Lchf
Is it normal that during fast I am quite cold? like hands and feet especially feet at night thanks. Hope Its not the sign my REE is going down.
No, it is not normal to be cold it means your REE is going down. Try to eat sufficiently on eating days or consider fasting less often. If it continues, you should consult your physician.
I have started intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast. Today i saw this on medXp: In study, skipping meals is linked to abdominal weight gain
I am sure the study was not done with low carb diets so there is that. What do you think?
This was an animal study and I would ignore it. Most studies proving that you must eat all the time prove nothing of the kind. Eating all the time to lose weight? I dont think so.
My health care practitioner is completely on board with LCHF in fact, advocates it for all patients. I have had limited success in using LCHF in fat loss. Although gaining muscle, my weight loss is minimal after 4 months of solid, no-cheating LCHF plan .I am currently trialling 16:8. My HCP is completely AGAINST fasting, as he claims that there is definitely protein status loss. He didnt mention starvation mode or anything like that, just a major concern that the level of protein in the body is always affected by IFWhat is your take on this? Does protein get used in the same way that fat stores do? If so, can you compensate by eating more protein in the 8 hour window?
No, it does not make sense to me.
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What Breaks An Intermittent Fast
If youre new to intermittent fasting, you may have a lot of questions about what to do while fasting1. Does coffee break a fast? What about diet soda, or tea? Can I eat a banana? Or a handful of almonds? What if Im really, really hungry? Read on to discover what really breaks a fast, and how to curb hunger while intermittent fasting for greater success.
How To Make Intermittent Fasting Most Effective
If youre interested in trying intermittent fasting, its a good idea to start slowly, suggests , a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. I often tell people to try to fast after they finish their dinner for a few nights a week and see how that goes, she says. If youre doing well, then you can gradually increase your fasting window.
The authors of the review offered insights on what to expect when trying intermittent fasting, as well as some best practices:
Give yourself time to adjust. Side effects such as headaches, dizziness, and constipation subside after one to two weeks of fasting. Drinking more water can help alleviate headaches caused by dehydration while fasting. Headaches are common with fasting, agrees Zumpano. You may want to add a drink with electrolytes, she adds.
Make your diet quality count. There are no specific recommendations for food consumption during intermittent fasting, but the reviewed studies suggest that eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help boost fiber intake, which can help alleviate the hunger associated with fasting.
Dont avoid exercise. Moderate- to high-intensity endurance or resistance training during food abstention can be done, and some study participants reported having more energy on fast days, according to the authors. If you follow an alternate day fasting plan, studies recommend eating your fasting day meal after exercise.
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Good News About Training Your Body
While it certainly will be difficult to maintain your intermittent fasting without being able to satiate your hunger with a small snack, it does become much easier as you keep with it. The more you intermittent fast, the more you train your body to become used to the process. Longer periods of intermittent fasting become much more accessible for your body.
Eventually, youll get to the point where you wont be as willing to eat throughout your intermittent fasting period. Your body will be able to handle the hunger and you wont have to worry about breaking ketosis. Keep up with intermittent fasting and youll find that the fasting windows become easier and easier.
Eventually, youll be able to work your way up the ladder to a much more strenuous intermittent fasting plan. This is the recommended method of intermittent fasting for most users start at an easier level then work your way up to the difficult fasting plans.
What Can You Eat
During your fasting window, you can drink as many of the approved beverages as you want, but you can’t eat anything. Eating provides calories and starts digestion, two things that break your fast. When your fasting window ends, and you enter your feeding window, it’s best to make food choices that keep your blood sugar levels stable.
Although there’s no specific dietary recommendation when intermittent fasting, many people choose to combine it with a low-carb, ketogenic diet. When it’s time to eat, include foods that are high in good fats and low in carbohydrates. That means eating nuts, seeds, vegetables, avocado, olives, meat and fish, while avoiding whole grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, sugary drinks and anything processed.
Processed foods are usually packed with sugar additives and other undesirable ingredients that improve the taste but negatively affect your health. Even if “sugar” isn’t listed on the label of ingredients, chances are it contains a substitute in some form. Whether it’s sucrose, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup or something similar, these ingredients can have the same effects as sugar.
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Are There Drinks You Should Avoid During Intermittent Fasting
There are a few beverages that you might not realize are capable of breaking your fast. This means that if you consume these, you will knock your body out of the fasted state.
If youre wondering whether common beverages, like diet soda, almond milk, coconut water, or alcohol will break your fast, we found the answers:
/4must Have Foods During Intermittent Fasting
One doesn’t have to count and restrict the calories, as long as you eat healthily in the given 8 hour time frame. While the 16:8 diet does not specify what food to include and what to avoid, it is beneficial as it maximises the potential of the diet, if one sticks to healthy and nutritious options in the eight-hour window.
Balancing your meals with a good variety of healthy whole foods is very important. One must include food such as:
- Fruit: Apples, bananas, berries, oranges, pears, etc.
- Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, leafy greens, tomatoes, etc.
- Whole grains: Barley, quinoa, rice, oats, etc.
- Healthy fats: Avocados, coconut oil and olive oil
While fasting, avoid, junk as well as processed foods. One should consume water regularly throughout the day this will help control the appetite. Try meditation during the fasting period, to allow hunger pangs to pass and exercise just before or during the eating window as it will trigger hunger and ensure that you are full.
With inputs from: Honey Thaker, Head Nutritionist – Fitness Science & Nutrition, Purenutrition.in
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