Fasting has been practiced around the world for centuries and is now popular for weight loss and fat burning. There are many new varieties and twists on fasting including the 16/8 intermittent fasting method.
16/8 intermittent fasting permits eating within a period of eight hours and the fasting begins for the next 16 hours. Some people decide to eat between noon and 8 p.m. which allows you to fast overnight and skip eating breakfast. If skipping breakfast is not for you, then you can choose to eat at 8 or 9 a.m. and eat your last meal around 4 or 5p.m.
It is recommended to eat small meals and snacks throughout your eight hour time period to maintain healthy levels of blood sugar and keep your appetite in check.
So, what are some of the benefits of 16/8 intermittent fasting?
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Easy to Follow
Since 16/8 intermittent fasting only requires you to eat during an eight hour timeframe and refrain from eating during the remaining 16 hours during the day, it’s a very simple method to follow. You can easily fast once, twice, or every day of the week without having to count calories.
Boost Metabolism
By lowering your intake of calories, you will reduce your insulin levels, promote healthy hormone growth, and increase breakdown of body fat which increases your metabolic rate. Your body will begin to tap into your fat reserves to bring on the fat burn!
Lowering Blood Pressure
For those with high blood pressure complications, this diet can help you to lower your blood pressure through weight loss.
Reduce Risk of Diabetes
This diet is recommended for its benefit of reducing your insulin levels by up to 31% and reducing your blood sugar by at least 3%. This is extremely important for those with diabetes or on the borderline of being diabetic who need to lower and help control their blood sugar and insulin levels.
Delay Onset of Alzheimer’s
Especially popular with the anti-aging crowd, the 16/8 intermittent fasting diet can help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s as it helps improve mental clarity and levels of concentration. In fact, for those who already suffer with Alzheimer’s, a 16/8 fasting diet may help prevent further onset and improve their cognitive function and quality of life.
Improved Brain Function
Besides an increased growth of hormones, a 16/8 intermittent fasting diet can help the growth of new nerve cells and a brain hormone known as the brain derived neurotrophic factor which is vital for continued and even improved brain function. This brain hormone is also linked to deficiencies which cause depression and other brain related issues.
Increased Longevity
Since intermittent fasting is known for its benefits regarding metabolism, blood sugar, and insulin, it is no surprise that 16/8 intermittent fasting can help with elongating your lifespan and life expectancy.
Reduce Inflammation
Just practicing the 16/8 intermittent fasting diet every other day has shown to reduce levels of inflammation and oxidative stress.
I love intermittent fasting for the fact that it’s so much easier to do than other diet plans. So try this one out and let us know what you think!
Chasing Foxes was started in 2016 as a way for Grace and her husband, Silas, to start traveling. However, they started to realize that they had a passion for improving themselves, and wanted to help others level up their lives as well. So whether it's with cooking, travel, or staying healthy, they want to help you better your life bit by bit, as they do the same.
on the 16/8 plan does having 1 cup of coffee with a little milk during the 16 time ruin the benefit?
I think I can do this.Need to lose a few pounds.
My fiancee and I have been intermittent fasting but I would like to add this comment so people know that you MUST be in a caloric deficit in order to lose weight. One pound of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories, so the recommended amount of food to cut in order to lose a pound a week is 500 calories a day to add to that 3500 calories. Yes, you can lose weight eating whatever you want and ketosis does help speed this up, but I’ve noticed most people who do not clean their diet tend to slip because while the caloric deficit is all you need it’s going to be hard to keep on track when unhealthy food has more calories for less of a portion than healthier food. Keep a bullet journal or some food calorie journal and buy a cheap food scale. Tracking, in the beginning, will keep you accountable and will help your journey to weight loss.