Everything You Should Know About 16:8 Fasting

What Is 16:8 Fasting?

Proponents claim that intermittent fasting is one of the best ways to change your life for the better, lose weight, and gain a variety of other well-being advantages.

And the 16:8 form of intermittent fasting leads to some great results. There are several types of intermittent fasting, from alternate-day fasting to random meal skipping, but many people favor the process of a time-restricted fasting window for 16 hours, followed by an 8-hour window of eating.

One of the reasons it’s so effective is the effect of fasting on metabolic switching. 16:8 fasting benefits are great because of the prolonged state of ketosis that your body enters, where your metabolism begins burning fat instead of blood sugar stores, helping you lose weight.

16:8 fasting is perfectly safe and very good for your body, as going that long in calorie restriction raises your human growth hormone (HGH) levels, regulates your circadian rhythm, and decreases risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular issues.

What Does the 16:8 Intermittent Fasting Schedule Look Like?

To get a better understanding of what 16:8 intermittent fasting looks like, let’s take a moment to discuss how the schedule for intermittent fasting works. As mentioned, you restrict your food intake to 8-hours a day, fasting for the remainder.

Practitioners can pursue this intermittent fasting type about two days a week if desired, but we recommend that you work up to the 16:8 fast, starting smaller with 12:12 or the 5:2 method first.

As an example of what your day of fasting and eating could look like, you might restrict calories from 7 p.m. the night before and into the morning, then break the fast at 11 a.m. for a late breakfast and be able to continue eating until 7 p.m. once again.

This schedule also allows for socializing, such as lunch with a friend or co-worker, and dinner with a family member. You might still be counting calories, but intermittent fasting can still allow for outings and occasions!

What Are 6 Tips To Succeed When Following 16:8 Fasting Types?

16:8 intermittent fasting is not easy— we’re not going to lie! It’s a process that takes commitment and the drive to lose pounds through restricting your food intake and overall calorie intake.

However, during the course of fasting, people can transform their lives and become healthy adults, especially when employing these top six tips and tricks for success in 16:8 fasting results.

1. Decide What Kind of Goals You Wish To Achieve When Following the 16:8 Type of Fast

Setting goals for yourself is essential in any kind of diet, and it’s no different when it comes to intermittent fasting for weight loss.

Before starting your intermittent fasting journey, it’s worth taking a moment to think about the results that you would like to see, and how you will achieve them— beyond simply reducing your calorie intake.

However, it’s also essential that you are honest with yourself and transparent in your goals. While you might want to lose over ten pounds, it’s not likely to happen in just one week. That’s just not sustainable or healthy!

Instead, look at your weight loss journey as an entire lifestyle change to a balanced diet and healthier habits, and set achievable goals accordingly, which will help you to not give up should issues arise.

2. Research What Kind of Diet Changes 16:8 Diet Requires Before Starting Fasting

As with anything else, it’s a wise decision to research the 16:8 fasting schedule and what it entails before jumping right in.

In this instance, you should familiarize yourself with the beverages that are allowed during a fasting period and which will not break your fast and prevent weight loss. It’s best to be aware of this before any hours spent fasting.

Only water, black coffee, and black tea are allowed during intermittent fasting periods, without the addition of any sugar. This is to ensure your body stays in ketosis to lose weight and help you reach your intermittent fasting goals.

3. Download an App to Track Your Progress

When it comes to dieting, support is essential for weight loss and staying on track. A fasting app like our DoFasting app can give you all the help you need.

You can log hours spent fasting as well as eating periods, how much water you consume, count calories consumed, and track your overall progress from week to week to watch your weight loss in real-time.

Why not make it easier for yourself by using the DoFasting app to save time and keep track of your results. P.S. The app is rated as a number one pick by FastingApps.com

4. Join a Fasting Community To Find Similar-Minded People To Get Inspired

Most things are better with friends, including weight loss. Whether an online friend or someone you can meet up with in real life, the importance of having the support and motivation of a weight loss buddy cannot be overstated.

Check out the DoFasting Facebook group or Reddit community to make some fasting friends, share your experiences, and get support through any weight loss struggles that you might be experiencing.

You can also get motivation for your progress and find answers to many common (and uncommon) questions regarding intermittent fasting.

5. Understand the Basic Principles of a Healthy Diet to Fully Nourish the Body When Doing the 16:8 Type of Fast

When you are not completing a fasting period, it’s important to nourish yourself with a healthy and balanced diet.

During the eating period, we recommend that you stick to healthy fats like olive oil and avocado, fibrous vegetables like leafy greens, lean protein, and whole grains. Not only will these menu choices contribute to healthy weight loss, but they will help keep you feeling satisfied for longer, even during 16-hour fasting periods.

However, like many other diets, intermittent fasting is a lifestyle change that pushes you from eating three meals to time-restricted eating. And as such, it’s important to stay away from processed foods or too much sugar even during the eight-hour window for eating.

If you keep your calorie intake low and full of healthy foods, your wellness journey will be much easier and the 16:8 fasting results will come quicker!

6. Plan Your 8-Hour Eating Window Around the Time When You Are Most Social

Scheduling your diet for success is essential, particularly when 16:8 intermittent fasting.

That means you should set up your 8-hour eating window during the portion of the day when you are the most social. This allows you to still be sociable with friends, co-workers, and family members while reducing body weight and burning fat.

Plus, it makes the 16:8 fasting schedule much easier to have the majority of it take place while you sleep.

Additionally, you might find that the process of watching cooking shows or programs on TV actually triggers and stimulates the hunger you feel, so keep that in mind when planning your day.

What Are the Most Common Health Benefits of 16:8 Intermittent Fasting?

When it comes to 16:8 fasting benefits, there are many advantages you can experience even after the first few weeks. Flipping the metabolic switch is good for your entire body, from better blood sugar levels to cellular rejuvenation, among others.

You May Experience Better Cardiovascular Health

Not only does intermittent fasting help you achieve low blood pressure, easing the strain on your heart health, but it also reduces cholesterol levels that are risk factors for heart disease and strokes.

In addition, reducing your eating to an eight-hour window even lowers inflammation throughout the body, which can lead to chronic diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s if not managed.

Improved Cognitive Health Could Be Linked to 16:8 Fast Benefits Too

Among the overall health benefits, fasting for 16 hours has a positive impact on your neurological functions.

Fasters note better mental clarity, cognitive function, and brain health— with some people even using fasting as a therapeutic method to recover from neurodegenerative diseases.

16:8 Intermittent Fasting Type Also Aids Weight and Fat Loss

As we have mentioned, one of the primary 16:8 fasting benefits includes your body’s ability to burn fat mass for fuel. This eliminates fat stores in the body, helping you permanently lose pounds through calorie restriction and eating periods, as well as preventing future weight gain.

Instead of just losing water weight, intermittent fasting and ketosis directly target fat build-ups in your body for lasting results.

Fasting for 16 Hours May Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a common problem for many people, and fasting has been effective in preventing diabetes and even treating it.

Not only does switching your metabolism to target fat instead of glucose help with low blood sugar levels, but 16:8 intermittent fasting has also been proven to change insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance by regulating hormone secretion.

And the combination of these benefits lowers your risk of diabetes, pre-diabetes, and other insulin-based illnesses significantly.

Induced Autophagy May Be Also Linked With the 16:8 Intermittent Fasting Type

Autophagy is the stage of fasting and ketosis in which the body can essentially repair itself. While in autophagy, your body detoxes itself, purging excessive stress hormone levels, damaged cells, and unhealthy tissue, rejuvenating your entire system on a molecular level.

After being in a calorie deficit for many hours, your metabolism has the opportunity to start the autophagy process and heal itself from the inside out.

3 Amazing Success Stories of DoFasting Fasters Who Tried 16:8 Fast

If you are not convinced of how effective the 16:8 intermittent fasting plan truly is, we have rounded up some spectacular success stories from DoFasting advocates who were able to change their lives for the better. Read on for some weight loss inspiration.

Kimberly and Anthony’s Success Story on How They Lost 38 Lbs With the Help of 16:8 Fast

For Kimberly and Anthony, having a partner was an essential part of their weight loss journey. By keeping each other accountable and using the DoFasting app, this couple discovered the 16:8 method and have lost nearly forty pounds each!

Sandra’s Story on How She Switched Between 16:8, 20:4, and 24-Hour Fasts To See the Best Weight Loss Results

Once Sandra found the world of intermittent fasting, things changed for the better. But after trying several plan types, she found the 16:8 method was right for her.

And by using the DoFasting app for workouts and keeping her fasting window on track, she is 32 pounds down.

Dezarae Who Lost 26 Lbs When Completely Changing Her Diet and How She Sees Food

Dezarae found herself struggling with her relationship with food, but through intermittent fasting, everything turned around.

Now that her lifestyle and diet are changed for the better, she has a healthy connection to the foods that fuel her body and has successfully lost 26 pounds.

Are There Any Drawbacks When Following a 16:8 Fast?

Fasting for 16 hours has many advantages, but you also might experience some drawbacks. And while these side effects are not dangerous and are only temporary, they can still affect how closely you stick to a fasting plan. Downsides include:

• Dehydration.
• Dizziness.
• Headaches.
• Irritability.
• Nausea.
• Trouble sleeping.

Should You Start Fasting Now?

For the most part, intermittent fasting is perfectly safe for a variety of people. However, if you fit into any of the following groups, you should not start fasting without medical advice:

• A history of eating disorders.
• Below the age of 18.
• Breastfeeding or pregnant.
• Current eating disorders or a history of disordered eating.
• Diabetic.
• Insomniac.
• Struggling with underlying health conditions.
• Taking prescription medication.

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting is a great option for many people to lose weight and enjoy a host of other well-being benefits, including lowered blood pressure, better cognition, and being at less risk of chronic diseases.

And when you choose the 16:8 method, these benefits are even more enhanced and the results are apparent. 16:8 intermittent fasting helps you burn fat and change your lifestyle for the better— so, why wait? Try downloading the DoFasting app today!