Intermittent fasting has become really popular for weight loss recently. If you’re thinking about starting, it might seem confusing at first, especially if you don’t know which method suits you best. There are eight different ways you can try intermittent fasting to lose weight.
The 16:8 method is probably the most common. You fast for 16 hours and then eat during an 8-hour window. You can do this every day or just on certain days. For example, you might stop eating at 8 p.m. and then eat again at noon the next day. It’s a good starting point because it’s not too strict.
With the 12:12 method, you fast for 12 hours and eat during a 12-hour window. This is considered an easy beginner option because you spend most of the fasting time sleeping. Start slowly, maybe skip one meal at a time, so your body can get used to it.
The Eat-Stop-Eat method involves fasting for 24 hours once a week. For example, you might fast from dinner one day until dinner the next day. This can be tough for beginners but doing it on weekends can help.
The 5:2 diet means you eat normally for five days a week, then cut your calorie intake to 500-600 calories on two days. These two fasting days can be back-to-back or spread throughout the week. This is easier for some people because they only need to focus on dieting two days a week.
Alternate day fasting means you fast every other day, either by skipping meals or eating very little, like 500 calories. This is more advanced and not recommended for beginners, pregnant women, or breastfeeding mothers. But if you have experience with fasting, you might give it a try.
The 20:4 diet, or Warrior Diet, involves eating one large meal at night and fasting during the day. This isn’t recommended for beginners since it can be tough to stick to. You can start by trying it three times a week for three weeks to see if it works for you.
The 18:6 method is like the 16:8 method but with a longer fasting period. You fast for 18 hours and eat during a 6-hour window. Begin by trying it once or twice a week and gradually increase.
The 14:10 diet involves fasting for 14 hours and eating during a 10-hour window. It’s a more moderate approach and might be better if you find the 16:8 method too restrictive.
If you’re aiming to break a weight loss plateau, intermittent fasting might be worth a shot. There’s no harm in trying it with so many different methods available. Stick with it for a few weeks to see if it works for you.
