You've nailed the first step of intermittent fasting: making the decision to do it. Step two may be more difficult: determining how to do IF correctly to ensure it works best for your health and well-being goals.
You may be feeling a little overwhelmed by this phase, given that your search yielded 40 million results... What sources do you believe? That is why you have come to us. Allow us to be your guide as you begin your IF adventure by assisting you in determining the optimum fasting window for your needs.
You've chosen your fasting period.
The first thing you should do is reflect on your day. When do you think would be the best time to eat and when do you think would be the best time to fast?
This may appear to be a stupid question considering most of us work 9 to 5 jobs and sleep at night. However, for those of you who work in other time zones or on shifts, your fasting and eating windows will be very different.
There are several approaches to IF. If you know what to anticipate ahead of time and have a plan in place to accommodate the eating and fasting times, you'll be significantly more likely to be able to apply and maintain the critical tactics required for IF success.
The following are the most prevalent types of IF:
1. 16:8
The 16:8 window is the most popular IF window because many who use it feel it is sustainable, relatively easy to perform, and can be a handy approach to losing weight and increasing general health*. The theory is that as long as you fast for 16 hours a day, you can eat whatever you want for the remaining 8 hours.
Typically, the recommendation is to eat between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., then fast in the evening, overnight, and into the morning. Of course, changing these timings to fit your schedule is 'acceptable,' as long as you adhere to the 16-hour fast.
2. 14:10 Fasting
This approach, like the last one, needs only 14 hours of fasting every day. You may lose some of the benefits of fasting, such as autophagy.
3. 12:12
An overnight fast is another alternative if a 14-hour fast seems too long, or if you enjoy the occasional late meal or earlier breakfast.
This fast is only 12 hours long, rather than 14 hours. According to research, it only takes 12 hours for your body to burn up all of its glucose stores, which aids in the regulation of insulin levels, which is one of the goals of fasting. While the results will be less severe than with a prolonged fast, the overnight fast is often simple to complete.
4. 5:2
Another popular strategy is to eat normally 5 days a week and then restrict yourself to 500 calories the other two days. This method works for the majority of individuals because it allows them to choose their two fasting days each week, which may be scheduled around events.
5. OMAD - One meal a day
When you fast for the entire day, you will only eat one meal. This is a difficult strategy that, once again, may cause hormonal changes in women. Many people try to eat only once a day, but fill up on coffee or diet drinks to stave off hunger, which might have harmful consequences.
6. Fasting on alternate days
Alternate-day fasting entails eating every other day and has been proven to offer excellent weight loss effects. However, one disadvantage is that hunger levels do not appear to decrease significantly with time, implying that alternate-day fasting is unlikely to be a long-term strategy.
7. Long-term fasting
Prolonged fasts might include not eating for more than 24 hours. In reality, some people engage in 21-day fasts! Prolonged fasts are excellent for putting the body into a deeper state of repair and have numerous advantages, including improved blood sugar control11. It should be noted that before engaging in any protracted fasting, a doctor should be consulted to ensure that it is appropriate for each individual.
That's all there is to it! Choose a fasting and eating window that works for you and give it a shot. Of course, you can change your windows as you advance during your IF adventure!