What Are the Best Hours for Intermittent Fasting? (2024)

FAQs

What are the most beneficial hours for intermittent fasting? ›

Time-Restricted (16:8 or 14:10) Intermittent Fasting. Time-restricted fasting is one of the most commonly used methods of IF, especially for beginners. This method follows a 16:8 or 14:10 schedule, in which you fast for 16 or 14 hours a day and have an 8- or 10-hour eating window, respectively.

Fasting for either 12 hours or 16 hours can promote fat burning. During a fast, the body depletes its stored glycogen and begins to rely on stored fat for energy. While both 12-hour and 16-hour fasting can promote fat burning, it's possible that a 16-hour fast may be more effective.

The 14/10 method is where you fast for 14 hours and eat for 10 hours, which can be eating your first meal at 10 a.m. and your last meal at 8 p.m. This might be easiest to follow for those who have fixed working hours.

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.

First, if it doesn't have calories, it won't break a fast. That means coffee, tea, and non-caloric sweeteners are fair game. Also, calories aren't the “kryptonite” of fasting. Intermittent calorie restriction, or even just a significant calorie restriction, is a perfectly acceptable form of fasting.

However, like most diets, intermittent fasting can reduce your energy, could lead to disordered eating, and may be hard to sustain in the long term. There is evidence that intermittent fasting may help to improve risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Significant Weight Loss: Many individuals report substantial weight loss within the first month, attributing their success to the strict fasting protocol facilitating a natural calorie deficit.

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.

This type of intermittent fast may be helpful for someone who has already tried the 12-hour fast but did not see any benefits. On this fast, people usually finish their evening meal by 8 p.m. and then skip breakfast the next day, not eating again until noon.

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.

How long before intermittent fasting starts burning fat? ›

Fat burning typically begins after approximately 12 hours of fasting and escalates between 16 and 24 hours of fasting.

A 16/8 fast means fasting for 16 hours and eating for 8 hours, while an 8/16 fast means fasting for 8 hours and eating at night. The general rule here is that if your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is between 2,000-2,200 calories per day, then 100% of this should be consumed during an intermittent fast.

Yes, intermittent fasting may help you lose 20 pounds in 2 months. This involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting. This can be an effective approach as it allows you to reduce your overall calorie intake while eating satisfying meals (5).

Additionally, it will take your body a while to get used to this new eating schedule. So don't expect results right away. You may need to wait between 2 and 4 weeks to see or feel any results.

According to some researchers, fasting for 10–16 hours can cause the body to turn its fat stores into energy, which releases ketones into the bloodstream. This should encourage weight loss. This type of intermittent fasting plan may be a good option for beginners.

Is a 24 or 36-hour fast better? Fasting for 36 instead of 24 hours extends the time your body has to rely on stored body fat as an energy source. This enhances fat burning and allows for longer periods of autophagy.

It is also referred to as the 22:2 diet which means that you break your 22-hour fast by eating within 1-2 hours. This limits how many calories you can eat throughout the day. As a result, your digestion gets better, you lose weight, and you don't feel as fatigued.

To get the benefits of intermittent fasting, you need to fast for at least 12 hours. That's how long it takes your body to switch from using glucose for energy to using fat for energy. Additionally, it will take your body a while to get used to this new eating schedule.