Intermittent fasting (IF) is a type of eating that involves timed periods of both fasting and food intake.
Intermittent fasting may have some health benefits, including weight loss and muscle growth, but it is not suitable for everyone. If you are considering intermittent fasting, make sure to discuss it with your healthcare provider. Skipping meals and limiting caloric intake can be dangerous for people with certain conditions.

The Different Types

The first type of IF is known as “Eat, Stop, Eat” and was developed by Brad Pilon. This method involves fasting for a 24-hour period two times each week, non-consecutively. Another version of intermittent fasting is called the “Warrior Diet” which was created by Ori Hofmekler. This style of IF includes restricting food intake for 20 hours during the day and consuming your daily calories within a 4-hour eating window. These are the least common styles of IF.

The 5:2 diet is a slightly more popular approach to intermittent fasting and entails eating 500-600 calories on two non-consecutive days each week. On the other days of the week, a person eats only the number of calories they burn during the day. Over time, this creates a calorie deficit that allows the person to lose weight.

The Most Common Approach

The 16:8 plan, also known as Leangains, was originally created by Martin Berkhan for weightlifters. However, it has gained notoriety among other people who are interested in fasting. This is the most used approach for intermittent fasting and the most widely known.

Individuals who choose the 16:8 plan will fast for 16 hours and then eat their daily allotment of calories during the remaining 8 hours of the day. During the fast, a person must avoid eating any food but can drink as many no-calorie beverages as they like. This includes black coffee (sorry, frou-frou creamer-lovers!), sparkling water (enjoy, La Croix enthusiasts!), and even zero-calorie soft drinks (although they may not be the healthiest choice). Once the fasting timeframe is over, try out some of these delicious healthy recipes!

“Be Patient and Work Hard. The Results Will Come.”

Losing or Gaining Weight

The ideal way to lose weight or gain weight (depending on your personal goals) while partaking in intermittent fasting is to know how many calories you should eat a day and follow this. The best way to know this is to speak with a licensed healthcare professional with the training and know-how to help you set up a nutrition and wellness plan. However, in the meantime, check out this calorie calculator from the Mayo Clinic to find out your recommended daily calorie consumption at home. You may be surprised by the results!

Knowing your recommended caloric intake is essential to meeting your weight loss or weight gain goals! People who are looking to lose weight need to create a calorie deficit for themselves — this means that they must consume less energy than they use. People who are looking to gain weight need to consume more calories than they use.