For weight loss without drugs, surgery or non-stop calorie counting, intermittent fasting has become a trendy option to try. Even Elon Musk says he’s been fasting periodically and some members of our Start TODAY group credit the eating style with helping them lose weight.
There are several ways to do it, but the 16:8 plan is a popular option. It’s a version of time-restricted eating, which divides the day into periods of fasting and eating.
Here is what you need to know about the plan:
What is 16:8 intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting means only eating during a certain window of time each day or fasting on a regular weekly schedule. The 16:8 intermittent fasting plan means you fast for 16 hours of the day and eat for eight.
It’s not a diet, so unless you have individual dietary restrictions, you can eat whatever you want within the 8-hour time frame. But the plan will work best for weight loss if you are already making smart, nutrient-rich choices, says NBC News health and nutrition editor Madelyn Fernstrom.
For some people, restricting the amount of time they eat in a day naturally limits the number of calories they consume and therefore contributes to weight loss.
It might be better referred to as “intermittent eating,” because it’s not about deprivation, but rather about “boosting mindful eating and a new relationship with food,” Fernstrom adds.
Is 16:8 fasting good for weight loss?
The results are mixed.
A small 2018 study found people with obesity who followed the 16:8 fasting regimen for three months lost almost 3% of their body weight and lowered their blood pressure without feeling hungry or deprived.
The participants ended up eating 350 fewer calories a day compared to a control group simply because they couldn’t squeeze in their normal food intake between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the prescribed eating window in the study, co-author Krista Varady, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, Chicago, tells TODAY.com. She has been studying fasting for 15…
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