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How To Get the Best Intermittent Fasting Results

Intermittent fasting is one of the most effective diet plans for many people who try it, leading to losing weight, health benefits, and an overall increase in healthy lifestyle habits. So, how do you harness the power of an eating window and burn body fat, and get the best intermittent fasting results? We have all the information here, so read on for the inside scoop on the best intermittent fasting for weight loss.
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The Best Fasting Methods That Guarantee Weight Loss Results

Intermittent fasting works— that’s something that dieters and healthcare professionals can agree on. It’s a method that can really speed up your weight loss journey and promote fat burning, while still allowing healthy foods when not on a fasting period and a myriad of other benefits.

The best intermittent fasting for weight loss relies on reducing your food consumption and calorie intake to help lower your weight through direct and targeted fat loss.

By reducing calories consumed, your body goes into a fasting window that causes a metabolic switch to ketosis, or the stage where you go from burning the glucose in your system to burning fat cells for energy.

And how effectively you can burn fat depends on the calorie deficit or length of the fast versus the eating window that you embark on, including 16:8, 5:2, OMAD, and 24-hour fasting diets— which are arguably the most effective methods for weight loss.

But what makes these diet types the best for intermittent fasting results? The key lies in how many hours you fast for until your metabolism enters ketosis, the best state for latent fat cell burning.

Research shows that to make intermittent fasting work at the highest level of ketosis, you need to fast for around 12 hours.

This is great news for your health journey because an intermittent fast and eating pattern of that length is fairly easy to do— including the 16:8, OMAD, and 24-hour methods, as well as the 5:2 diet plan.

But let’s look closer at intermittent fasting to lose weight and why these specific methods seem to work the best for burning fat and ultimately the amount of weight lost.

  • 16:8— By fasting for 16 hours of your day and restricting daily calories to a window of eight hours, your body is able to enter ketosis easily. More research reveals that when combined with resistance training for improved muscle mass, fat levels decrease significantly.
  • OMAD— OMAD, or one-meal-a-day, is a method that involves fasting for 23 hours and eating once during the remaining hour. It’s a more intensive style of intermittent fasting and should be worked up to, but the results can be incredible. By forcing your body into maximum fat loss, ketosis lasts longer and works better.
  • 24-Hour Fast— Essentially one step beyond OMAD, this diet requires you to spend an entire 24-hour period without eating. While this can be difficult, the effects of kick-starting your metabolism are great for a healthy weight and an improved cardiovascular system.
  • 5:2— A type of alternate-day fasting, the 5:2 method involves two non-consecutive days per week of fasting under 500-600 calories, and eating normally for the rest of it. While this doesn’t push your body into ketosis as fast, you are still going for long periods with fewer calories, so it’s still effective for some weight loss.

And while intermittent fasting results are achievable, picking the right plan might be daunting, particularly if you are a beginner in the world of fasting. In that case, it’s wise to select an intermittent fasting application for your smartphone to help you out.

For example, the DoFasting app is a great way to introduce yourself to different fasting types, including schedules and overviews, that will help you choose the right plan for your lifestyle and weight loss goals!

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How Much Weight Can You Lose Within a Month?

Despite their success rate in burning fat and overall health benefits, intermittent fast diets are not a quick weight loss fix. Which begs the question, how long should you fast to lose weight?

Well, that depends. Dieters can certainly expect weight loss results from fasting plans— particularly the ones that allow you the longest fasting period for an extended metabolic switch.

That being said, losing weight fast is still not the healthiest option, nor is it generally sustainable. It’s much safer to lose weight slowly and steadily, with the results being easier to maintain. But intermittent fasting is still a great way to achieve this, as it promotes healthy weight loss by naturally boosting your body’s metabolism.

So, you might be wondering— how much weight can I lose in a month? Studies have shown that intermittent fasting results are seen between 4 and 10 weeks, depending on the intensity of the fasting regimen, with up to 13 pounds in the first month.

For example, an alternate day fasting study revealed participants lost nearly 8 pounds over 4 weeks, or a decrease of 4.5% in body weight. Other intermittent fasters using a variety of DoFasting methods experienced even better results, including 16 pounds lost within 4 weeks.

In general, the longer you fast, the better your metabolism functions, and the more weight you lose. That sounds simple, but it’s very important to balance your intermittent fasting schedule within a healthy lifestyle, without letting it hinder you!

7 Weight Loss Stories: Complete Before and After Photos

For anyone who has asked themselves, how much weight can I lose in a month healthily— you are not alone! These dieters asked themselves the same question and were thrilled with their intermittent fasting before and after results, as you can see.

Dezarae: “I started gaining confidence in myself when the pounds began to fall off.”

When Dezarae started with DoFasting, she was not sure what to expect after struggling with overeating and a fluctuating weight for years.

But as the results began to show after only a few months of healthier habits and fasting for 18 to 20 hours a day, her overall outlook, chronic pain, and waistline continued improving!

Kimberly and Anthony: “Having a partner who fasts together with you makes the process easier.”

Having a partner on the same journey can make intermittent fasting easier, so as Kimberly and Anthony progressed together, they stuck to the DoFasting regimen and cut out carbs for maximum results, while still allowing themselves to have fun, with great results.

Dierdre: “Since starting intermittent fasting, my energy levels, blood pressure, and my pulse is great!”

Dierdre was able to use the DoFasting app for calorie counting and tracking water intake, paired with intermittent fasting, and achieved a lower weight than her goal even was!

Among other aspects, she credits finding an enjoyable exercise and only eating when hungry with her intermittent fasting before and after success.

Betsy: “I have wanted desperately to lose weight for 50 years and have tried every possible method to no avail.”

Throughout her life, Betsy struggled with weight fluctuations and never found a diet plan that worked. Until she discovered intermittent fasting, and the DoFasting app ultimately helped her see changes rapidly and get closer to her goals than ever before!

Sandra: “I plateaued for about 2 months before I saw any significant changes.”

After trying several diets, Sandra found the DoFasting app that introduced her to fasting plans, but she still wasn’t seeing the results she craved.

So, after switching to 16:8 and then 18:6, with a variety of daily exercises, Sandra has achieved massive steps towards her goals and is smashing her weight loss progress.

Annie: “I tried 28-day intermittent fasting challenge for 5 weeks and lost 21 pounds.”

Annie decided to transform her body with DoFasting in order to help with her mental health, and maintains that it was one of her best decisions.

This includes training herself to stop binge eating, as she was able to overcome her desire for seconds or a midnight snack. Then, the results started pouring in within just over a month, and she hasn’t looked back since!

Krystal: “I have lost 16 pounds within a month by doing intermittent fasting.”

By completing a 28-day intermittent fasting challenge, Krystal knew she’d get great benefits to her health, but the weight loss results were just as good! She persevered through rough patches, including a stomach bug, and still shed pounds in under a month with DoFasting.

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7 Tips for You To Get the Best Results While Doing Intermittent Fasting

As you progress on your weight loss journey with intermittent fasting, it will undoubtedly be a challenge. However, by implementing some handy tips and tricks, you will find the process easier to stick with and the results faster to see!

Read on for our top suggestions for smashing your weight loss and getting the intermittent fasting results you want.

  1. Increase Your Activity Level

Exercise is a great way to boost your weight loss by burning extra calories. Try going for walks or jogs, or hit the gym for some strength training or pilates. The more active you are, the more calories and fat get burned for ultimate weight loss— plus, you can significantly increase your muscle mass!

  1. Try Various Fasting Types

It’s important to go slowly when beginning your fasting journey. Though it can be tempting to jump right into a more stringent plan, make sure to ease into the transition when increasing your fasting window.

When fasting windows are extended too suddenly, it can be too large of a shock for the mind and body, and you might end up quitting the diet altogether.

  1. Avoid Alcohol— Too Many Empty Calories

Given that you are consuming fewer calories per week, don’t waste the ones you can consume on empty calories like alcohol. With the amount of sugar and calories contained in it, it’s essential to avoid alcohol entirely during a fasting window and limit it otherwise.

  1. Limit Sugary Drinks

Because ketosis is based on the body burning fat cells instead of glucose, it’s essential to avoid sugary drinks as much as possible to prevent your blood sugar from affecting the metabolic switch.

Plus, by drinking water instead, you can avoid a common error where you mistake thirst for hunger, which could lead to breaking your fast early.

  1. Increase Fiber Intake

Make sure your eating plan includes enough fiber to keep you feeling full for longer, which decreases calorie intake in the long run. Additionally, include certain foods like whole grains, healthy fats and lean protein to help you get enough calories on non-fasting days.

  1. Don’t Rely on Scales Alone

The number on a scale can be misleading for many dieters. Instead, you should pick up a simple measuring tape to track inches lost and invest in a smart scale that actively shows you more than basic weight, including body water, visceral fat, and body type.

As such, the DoFasting smart scale is a great choice for any dieter, as you can better track your journey by understanding BMI levels, body fat percentages, and visualizing the exact steps necessary to reach your goals.

Additionally, taking pictures alongside tracking your progress in measurements is a great way to visually monitor your success and motivate yourself!

  1. Cut Back on Sodium

Healthy eating on non-fasting days not only requires a balanced diet, but also the right minerals.

And having excessive sodium in your diet actually contributes to retaining water weight, which alters your weight loss progress— so ditch high-sodium dishes in favor of fresh and unprocessed meals and prevent water retention.

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting is good for you— end of story!

With benefits to calorie counting, fasting, and healthy eating that can include a longer life span, better relationships with food, more energy, and weight loss, intermittent fasting is one of the best lifestyle decisions you can make.

From a 16:8 plan to alternate day eating or even one meal per day, intermittent fasting is surprisingly simple to work into your everyday schedule.

And by following some handy tips like adding exercise and increasing fiber, you too can see some of the great results that other DoFasting users have experienced.

Take a
1-minute quiz

and discover how much weight you can lose with DoFasting!

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This is an evidence-based article that includes scientific citations. DoFasting's professional writers and editors prepared the content, which a team of medical experts verified to be accurate.
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