Intermittent Fasting 101: A Beginner's Guide to Fat Loss

Intermittent Fasting (IF) has become one of the world's most popular health and fitness trends. People are using it to lose weight, improve their health and simplify their lifestyles.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

It is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesn't specify which foods you should eat but rather when you should eat them.

The 16/8 Method

The 16/8 method involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, such as 1–9 p.m. Then you fast for 16 hours in between.

Key Benefits

Fasting changes fuel availability during the fasting window, but this does not establish superior long-term fat loss or a universal improvement in hormones. A trial comparing calorie restriction with and without a time-restricted window found no significant additional weight-loss benefit from adding the window. Choose a pattern you can sustain while meeting nutritional needs.

To ensure success, make sure you stay within your daily calorie needs. You can calculate your baseline at our BMR & TDEE Calculator and track your meals in our Meal Planner.

Don't forget to prioritize protein to prevent muscle loss during your fasting window. Check your required intake at our Protein Calculator.

Who needs individual advice first?

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, childhood, a history of disordered eating and glucose-lowering medication require particular caution and individual advice. Stop and reassess if fasting causes dizziness, fainting or difficult compensatory eating. A regular meal pattern can also support your goals; completing 16 hours is not a health requirement.