Ready to give IF a try but not sure where to start? There are plenty of different methods to suit different lifestyles and preferences. Here are 3 of the most popular.
Before you get started…
Fasting can be challenging, and it’s important to look after your body in both the fasting and eating windows. Make sure you…
- Stay hydrated: drink lots of water and/or herbal tea in fasting periods
- Fuel your body with nutrient-dense foods in eating windows: this is not an excuse to eat exclusively pizza
- Don’t overdo the exercise in fasting periods: stick to low intensity activity like walking or yoga
The 16:8 method
16:8 sees you fasting for 16 hours a day and eating in an 8-hour window. It’s particularly good for beginners, because you can do the majority of the fast when you're asleep and just skip breakfast (so, fasting between 7pm and 11am or 8pm and 12pm).
The 5:2 method
This method sees you eat normally for 5 days a week and reduce your calories (to around 600 for men and 500 for women) on 2 days. You should also have at least one day in between fasting days. This can be a good method for those who have a fluctuating schedule.
Make the calories count on fasting days by opting for veggie packed dishes, whole fresh fruit, and small portions of lean meat or fish.
The Eat-Stop-Eat method
Eat-Stop-Eat sees you forgo food for a full 24 hours, once or twice a week. This is probably the most challenging of the popular methods and might be something to work up to rather than trying off the bat.
A final note: it’s always best to chat to your doc or a registered dietician before making any major changes to your diet or eating patterns, especially if you live with a health condition.