16:8 intermittent fasting is when one abstains from eating for 16 hours and eats calories for the remaining 8 hours of the day. It is a modern technique that helps shed weight and fat from the body. It helps in toning up the body.
Benefits of 16:8
As other research shows, eating for 8 hours and fasting for 16 hours is an effective means for better sleep and immunity. It also helps rejuvenate the skin and reduces inflammation in the body. This method is a modern tool for an effective weight loss regimen. It is mostly preferred by people with a busy schedule who can eat in a limited time window.
The major protocol of it is to avoid drinking calories. one is allowed only to drink coffee and water for 16 hours to suppress appetite. It is challenging in real life, but its beneficial effects on the body are more appreciable than crash diets like one-meal-a-day (OMAD). It helps in excessive fat loss and controls blood sugar levels by reducing insulin sensitivity.
Diet Plan and Schedule
There are various procedures for following this technique per one’s needs and schedule. Some people are more comfortable eating early in the day, while some can skip breakfast and eat lunch and dinner with snacks. It solely depends on a person’s body’s response to food-eating patterns throughout the day.
Breakfast (Noon)
This meal is usually high in complex carbohydrates like oats or wheat sourced with healthy protein foods, e.g., Eggs. One can eat these foods per their eating requirement and daily calories goal. These foods are complex with many antioxidants and minerals, a major source of kick-starting the body’s metabolism.
Lunch (3 pm)
Dieticians recommend eating lunch high in protein sources like Lean meat, or if you are vegetarian, Cheese, Soybean, and Tofu can be great sources. Vegetables and fruit intake should be enhanced during this time of day because they have better absorption and assimilation following a circadian rhythm.
Dinner (6 pm)
You might have heard that you must avoid carbohydrates at night if your goal is fat loss or weight loss. It is the common myth your overall fat loss occurs once you are in a caloric deficit, So these superstitions are of no scientific basis. A great source of absorption of food after sunset is vegetable soup. It makes your stomach fuller for a long time and has plenty of benefits. It helps in improving gut health and treating mild ulcers and constipation.
Most Common 16:8 Schedules:
- 12 pm to 8 pm
- 2 pm to 10 pm
- 7 am to 3 am
- 9 am to 5 pm
Eating lots of vegetables with appropriate protein content is usually recommended in these diets because they are helpful in replenishes energy reserves in the body. Intermittent fasting can start from 12 hours fast to 16 hours gradually and must be under a competent dietitian and physician, especially in cases like diabetes and hypertension.
Side Effects of 16:8 Intermittent Fasting
Many studies show no potential side effects of the 16:8 eating pattern. It may be challenging for some people with a frequent eating schedule, and adherence to it is quite difficult for newbies. It may cause severe hunger and cravings, but different drinks can easily solve it; they are usually recommended during 16 hours of fasting.
One of the studies explains that intermittent fasting in this modern era is a time-efficient and well-response form of food intake that not only decreases the occurrence of potential diseases like type 2 diabetes but is also helpful in reducing inflammation, increasing heart health, and repairing damaged skin.
What to Eat during 16 hours of Fasting?
One can drink coffee, water, and other drinks which have calories not more than 5-10Kcal. It helps regulate the concentration of salts in the body, which freshens the mood and reduces lethargic feelings during the diet.
Other Names of 16:8
It is also known as
- Time-Restricted Eating
- Time-Restricted Feeding
Time-restricted eating is an eating regimen in which solid food, or high-caloric foods, are avoided for certain hours of the day, and a specific tenure is selected for eating per day. This food intake is also known as intermittent fasting and is very helpful in fat loss, especially in dealing with complications like fatty liver.
