Intermittent fasting for weight loss can be a great way to try calorie restriction and lose weight more quickly. It’s low commitment; no hour long workout sessions or expensive meal plans.
It’s just a lifestyle change that can have a big impact. And while it can be helpful for reaching your goals, there are different types of intermittent fasting to consider before starting.
So before you start going on a calorie deficit, here are the intermittent fasting types you can try. Just make sure to talk to your doctor before starting (it’s not always right for everyone) and test and see which one works best for your body and life.
16/8 Method (Leangains Protocol)
This fasting schedule means you’ll be eating within an 8 hour window of your choosing (example: between 8 AM and 4 PM) and fast for the remaining 16 hours.
Pros: Great for beginners and easy to follow.
Why it works: It’s a great way to start healthy habits like limiting your daily calorie intake or stop eating right before bed.
12/12
This fasting schedule is pretty common and is similar to the 16/8 schedule since you’ll be choosing a 12-hour eating window, and stop eating for the 12 hours after that.
Pros: It’s the easiest fasting type to follow.
Why it works: There are very few rules or restrictions which makes this the perfect plan for beginners.
The 5:2 Diet
This schedule is a great way to up your fasting habit and weight loss if you feel that you’ve plateaued on the 16/8 or 12/12 diet. On this schedule, you’ll pick two days of the week to fast and reduce caloric intake.
Pros: Great for those with fasting experience and simple to follow.
Why it works: The 5:2 fasting schedule has been shown to reduce insulin levels. Also, you get to plan fewer meals each week.
Alternate-Day Fasting
When it comes to the different types of fasting on this list, this is definitely one of the most difficult weight loss diets to follow.
It’s a much more extreme form of fasting, and good for the short term. This fasting schedule is on an every other day basis, and can be great for upping the ante when needing to lose weight.
Also, there are two ways you can do this. For both ways, you can eat whatever you want on non-fasting days, but either you’re eating nothing on the fasting days, or your only eating 500 calories on the fasting days (which makes it less intense).
Pros: Great for short term weight loss.
Cons: Can be hard to sustain.
Why it works: Alternate day fasting has been shown to aid in weight loss and boost heart health in normal and overweight adults.
Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.