Intermittent Fasting For Dummies - Anna’s Archive (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to intermittent fasting? ›

The easiest way to do the 12-hour fast is to include the period of sleep in the fasting window. For example, a person could choose to fast between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. They would need to finish their dinner before 7 p.m. and wait until 7 a.m. to eat breakfast but would be asleep for much of the time in between.

If you consistently stay active while following intermittent fasting, you can lose as much as 6-8 pounds per month. This estimation is shockingly high when you consider that all you have to do is not eat for select hours throughout the day.

The most common time-restricted pattern is the 16:8 intermittent fast, which is where you eat all your food for the day in an 8-hour period — eat as often as you wish during this window. The remaining 16 hours is your fasting period where no calories are consumed (only calorie-free beverages and lots of water).

If you've tried intermittent fasting but aren't losing weight, possible reasons why include overeating during your eating window and poor food choices. To help, you can try eating fewer calories, work on balancing your meals, or create a smaller or larger eating window.

Flavor without Breaking Fast: One of the challenges of fasting is the boredom of consuming plain water only. Adding True Lemon adds a refreshing twist without adding calories, which means it won't break your fast.

Weinandy says that results are usually apparent around the 10-week mark, adding that she sees an average weight loss of seven to 10 pounds over that period through any of the three approaches to intermittent fasting mentioned previously. It might take longer than that since everyone's metabolism works differently.

A 2023 review of research found that the 16/8 method and 16/8 combined with restricting calories were effective strategies for weight control in adults with overweight or obesity. An eating window starting before noon led to greater weight loss than one that began after noon.

Technically speaking, eating or drinking any calories breaks a fast. That means it's generally considered OK to drink black, unsweetened coffee or tea, as well as water.

A good option for beginners, then, is to fast for a set number of hours each day. This option allows you to start with fasting for around 12 hours a day, most of which you will be asleep. After you get more comfortable with 12-hour fasts, you can slowly lengthen the time of the fast.

What should I eat first when intermittent fasting? ›

Start your fast correctly: The best way is to have a low-carb meal, with healthy fats and high-quality protein. This allows your body to activate satiety hormones that have long-term effects and mean you won't experience hunger for a long time.

Depending on your lifestyle and when you can manage to stop eating, the best hours for intermittent fasting include the 16/8 or 14/10 fasting periods. Intermittent fasting is hailed by many as the new mantra of weight loss, disease prevention, and reversal of aging.

Also, note that the key to weight loss with intermittent fasting is not to overeat during your eating windows. Eating fewer calories than you expend remains the basis for losing weight. Shortening the eating window may make it difficult to get the vitamins and minerals you need.

Going too long without eating might actually encourage your body to start storing more fat in response to starvation. Mattson's research shows that it can take two to four weeks before the body becomes accustomed to intermittent fasting. You might feel hungry or cranky while you're getting used to the new routine.

The 16/8 method is popular because most people already fast while they sleep, so it is convenient to extend the overnight fast by simply skipping breakfast and having an early lunch. You have your first meal at 11 a.m. and your last meal at 7 p.m. (or 12 p.m. and 8 p.m., respectively).

The idea behind intermittent fasting is that by restricting food, our bodies will more quickly and efficiently tap our fat stores for energy. While glucose from carbohydrates is our most direct fuel source, we burn fat for energy when glucose isn't available. This happens even more during times of food deprivation.

A good rule of thumb for those wanting to fast to improve their metabolic and overall health is to leave at least 12 hours between meals – ideally more – on a regular basis, according to Dr Adam Collins, Principal Teaching Fellow in Nutrition at the University of Surrey.