During the 20 hour fast, you are allowed to eat vegetables so you won’t be starving by any means, but it can take some getting used to.

Also known as the “Warrior Diet”, fasting for 20 hours and eating for 4 can be extremely effective once you get past the initial hunger stage. You can still eat 2 or 3 meals during this 8 hour window, and have enough energy to kill your workout!Ģ0/4 – Fast for 20 hours, eat for 4. Stop eating at 8pm, then start eating again at noon the next day. If you’re naturally one who skips breakfast, this is going to be pretty easy for you. Here are a few of the most popular options for intermittent fasting:ġ6/8 – Fast for 16 hours, eat for 8. You don’t want to starve yourself, obviously, but you need to make sure you’re eating during a specific window of time or it’s not going to give you the results you’re after. There are several options, so it can get overwhelming rather quickly. One of the first things I searched for when researching was how many hours I’d have to actually go without food. Winning! Best Times for Intermittent Fasting This means you’ll be less likely to cheat or fall off the wagon. Meal planning isn’t a necessity, and you’re going to be satisfied when you break your fast and eat during that window of time. You aren’t eating 6 small meals a day like with some diets you aren’t counting calories or points (unless you want to), and it’s super easy to calculate macros when you’re only eating one or two meals. One of the best things about intermittent fasting is that you will be fueling your body, so you’ll have plenty of energy to kick your exercise routine up a notch and get the results you want quickly.Īnother huge bonus of intermittent fasting is that it’s easy. We all know “calories in, calories out” and it’s true! You just have to burn more calories than you take in. By eating during only a small window of time during the day, you’ll naturally eat fewer calories. When your body goes without food for extended periods of time, it turns into a fat burning machine. The worst thing to do is to be too strict and fail before you get to see any results! Set yourself up for success by understanding your body and giving it what it needs. Do what you’re most comfortable with and what helps you achieve your results long term. However, others will disagree and say fasting means no food. Depending on who you ask, some also say you can eat vegetables and/or small amounts of fruit during your fast – especially when fasting for extended periods of time. You can drink water, tea, and coffee during your fasting period to help curb hunger. It’s a bit more complicated than that, but you’re fasting for a certain amount of time and eating for a certain amount of time. Intermittent fasting is, in short, skipping meals.

You probably know what fasting is – abstaining from eating for a period of time – but what is intermittent fasting and what’s the purpose? There are many benefits of intermittent fasting.

(Note: I am not a doctor and I have no medical training, so please consult your doctor if you are wanting to start any weight loss plans.) It encourages me to get to bed to get the sleep I need and avoid late night snacking, and also to think about meals and eating rather than just eating because it’s “mealtime.” Guide to Intermittent Fasting What has worked for so many people is intermittent fasting. I lost 20 pounds after our third son was born with the PiYo diet and exercise, which worked well for me simply because I have to have specific guidelines and portion sizes. I could not enjoy our two sons because of how horrible I felt. My husband lost weight but I was cranky, shaky, and miserable. I tried again after the birth of our second son and it was simply impossible. I lost weight in college doing a low carb diet. Like most women that I know, weight and body image is often on my mind, and has been for years.

Meal planning cheat sheet