What Intermittent Fasting Results Can You Expect? (2023)

FAQs

How long does it take to see results with intermittent fasting? ›

That's how long it takes your body to switch from using glucose for energy to using fat for energy. Additionally, it will take your body a while to get used to this new eating schedule. So don't expect results right away. You may need to wait between 2 and 4 weeks to see or feel any results.

This is how much weight you can lose with intermittent fasting. In doing the fast correctly and ensuring that it is aligning with your mind, body and soul–you can expect a good weight loss of anywhere between 2 to 6 kgs a month with excellent inch loss and increase in energy levels and brain function.

Another study found that participants consumed 35% fewer calories and lost an average of 7.7 pounds (3.5 kg) after alternating between 36 hours of fasting and 12 hours of unlimited eating over 4 weeks (12). If you really want to maximize weight loss, adding an exercise regime to your life can help.

Most people start to see a difference in their bodies in the first few weeks while practicing 14/10 intermittent fasting plan. Excess body fat starts to get burned off for energy, and you start to gradually lose weight.

After the first week of intermittent fasting, you'll probably notice less bloating and a tighter, slimmer look and feel to your midsection. Some people will enjoy some weight loss by week two, but don't be discouraged if your weight scale hasn't budged. Continue for another 4-6 weeks, and you should see changes.

In the first week, you may also find it difficult to get proper sleep at night. At night you may feel famished or thirsty. You may even wake up frequently just to drink water and may find it difficult to fall asleep again. It happens due to calorie restriction and changes in lifestyle patterns.

5:2 Intermittent Fasting. Weight loss studies surrounding intermittent fasting have typically investigated the 5:2 diet or alternate-day fasting interventions lasting three to six months. The research revealed that it takes four to six months to lose 20 pounds with no change in diet.

Can intermittent fasting alone improve visceral fat loss? Unfortunately, no. While you do lose weight when you consume fewer calories than you burn, losing fat, especially visceral fat, requires a combination of diet and exercise, particularly muscle-strengthening exercises.

In total, I lost about 60 pounds in 24 weeks. I feel amazing; I find it so much easier to move and run around and play with my kid.

You're eating too much during your eating window.

“If you end up consuming the same number of calories (or more) during your eating windows as before you started intermittent fasting, then you won't lose weight.”

Can I do intermittent fasting 9am to 5pm? ›

The daily intermittent fasting approach restricts daily eating to one 6-8 hour period each day. You can begin losing weight with intermittent fasting gradually by consuming all your meals between 9am and 5pm. It usually takes two to four weeks to create an intermittent fasting habit.

Try intermittent fasting

Another consists of fasting every day for 16 hours and eating all your food within an 8-hour period. In a review of studies on intermittent fasting and alternate-day fasting, people experienced a 4–7% decrease in abdominal fat within 6–24 weeks (70).

If you don't eat for 10–16 hours, your body will go to its fat stores for energy, and fatty acids called ketones will be released into the bloodstream. This has been shown to protect memory and learning functionality, says Mattson, as well as slow disease processes in the brain.

The short answer is yes, you can drink coffee while intermittent fasting. But, this answer comes with a big caveat: You can drink black coffee while intermittent fasting, but coffee drinks with cream, sugar, or other forms of calories technically break your fast.

A 14-to-18-hour fast has been shown to provide more significant weight loss benefits than a 12-hour fast. Ketosis can also occur during this range.

You can repeat this cycle as frequently as you'd like — from just once or twice per week to every day, depending on your preference. The popularity of this fasting method has grown widely among those looking to lose weight and burn fat.

You can pick a daily approach, which restricts daily eating to one six- to eight-hour period each day. For instance, you may choose to try 16/8 fasting: eating for eight hours and fasting for 16. Williams is a fan of the daily regimen: She says most people find it easy to stick with this pattern over the long term.

How often should you do 16:8 intermittent fasting? You can do anywhere from one day of intermittent 16:8 fasting to seven days a week, because, unlike other intermittent fasting diets, each day of the 16:8 works independently to the rest.

When trying to lose weight you must start exercising studies show that even walking a few times a week can help burn the extra calories that you want to burn. 30 + minutes a day is the best way to lose 7 lb in 2 weeks. If you can't find 30 minutes try splitting it up into two 15-minute periods of exercise per day.

What is 'fasting' and how does it work? A good rule of thumb for those wanting to fast to improve their metabolic and overall health is to leave at least 12 hours between meals – ideally more – on a regular basis, according to Dr Adam Collins, Principal Teaching Fellow in Nutrition at the University of Surrey.

What are the results of 16 8 fasting? ›

Potential benefits include weight loss, fat loss, and a reduction in the risk of some diseases. This diet plan may also be easier to follow than other types of fasting. People doing 16:8 intermittent fasting should focus on eating high fiber whole foods, and they should stay hydrated throughout the day.

People who do alternate-day fasting usually lose about 10 to 30 pounds over a three-to-six-month period, says Varady.

Once you have completed the three-phase diet, it is recommended you start it again before following the 20:4 guidelines. Depending on your goals, you may only adopt the 20:4 fasting method three times per week rather than making it a daily habit.

A person needs to decide on and adhere to a 12-hour fasting window every day. According to some researchers, fasting for 10–16 hours can cause the body to turn its fat stores into energy, which releases ketones into the bloodstream. This should encourage weight loss.

Put simply, when people practice intermittent fasting without exercising, they are losing weight, but much of it often comes from the muscle in the lean mass.

Technically speaking, eating or drinking any calories breaks a fast. That means it's generally considered OK to drink black, unsweetened coffee or tea, as well as water.

Fat burning typically begins after approximately 12 hours of fasting and escalates between 16 and 24 hours of fasting.

The Research So Far. A systematic review of 40 studies found that intermittent fasting was effective for weight loss, with a typical loss of 7-11 pounds over 10 weeks.

As part of a 2019 study, researchers followed 19 adults with metabolic syndrome whose meals were spread over a 14-hour window and found limiting meals to a 10-hour window (followed by 14 hours of fasting) was associated with weight loss, smaller waist circumference, lower blood pressure and LDL “bad” cholesterol.

The truth about lemon water and intermittent fasting

Long story short - the answer to the question “Does lemon water break a fast?” is no, lemon water does not break a fast. Lemon water contains almost no calories and zero sugars, it doesn't raise insulin levels, which means it will not break your fast (1).

Why am I gaining weight when I am doing intermittent fasting? ›

YOU'RE EATING TOO MUCH DURING YOUR WINDOW

Paying attention to what you eat is just as important, or even more so, than when you eat. You see, if you eat a lot of carbs and high-calorie foods full of sugar, you will, no doubt, gain weight as opposed to losing it.

Do Protein Shakes Break Your Fast? You can have protein shakes while you are on intermittent fasting, but if you drink one outside of your eating window, it will break your fast. Protein shakes is a caloric beverage, and if you eat or drink anything containing calories, you are, by definition, no longer fasting.

Limit the hours of the day when you eat, and for best effect, make it earlier in the day (between 7 am to 3 pm, or even 10 am to 6 pm, but definitely not in the evening before bed). Avoid snacking or eating at nighttime, all the time.

One of the most common ways to do this is by skipping breakfast and only eating from midday-8pm, so you are fasting for 16 hours per day (between 8pm and midday the next day). Other variations of the diet involve 6-hour eating periods or shorter.

Having a decent overnight fast may be a great place to start to give your gut bacteria a helping hand. Having a 10-12-hour overnight period, say 7pm-7am where no food is consumed, is a very traditional way of eating. After all, that's why breakfast is called 'breakfast': break fast.

Fat burning typically begins after approximately 12 hours of fasting and escalates between 16 and 24 hours of fasting.

A fasting window of 16 hours and an eating window of 8 hours. This is the most popular method of intermittent fasting. An 8-hour eating window seems to be the perfect amount of time to get a good number of calories in. Even if you are particularly active.

What foods should I avoid while intermittent fasting? ›

You should stay away from foods that are calorie-dense and contain high amounts of sugar, fat and salt. “They won't fill you up after a fast, and can even make you hungrier,” Maciel says. “They also provide little to no nutrients.”

Gum contains calories

For stricter forms of fasting like water fasts, consuming any calories technically breaks your fast. This is especially true if you're chewing multiple sticks of gum per day or choosing a type of gum that's high in sugar.

After the first week of intermittent fasting, you'll probably notice less bloating and a tighter, slimmer look and feel to your midsection. Some people will enjoy some weight loss by week two, but don't be discouraged if your weight scale hasn't budged. Continue for another 4-6 weeks, and you should see changes.

That's how long it takes your body to switch from using glucose for energy to using fat for energy. Additionally, it will take your body a while to get used to this new eating schedule. So don't expect results right away. You may need to wait between 2 and 4 weeks to see or feel any results.

Does sleeping count as fasting? A. Yes, while following intermittent fasting, sleeping is considered a fasting period. Therefore, one does not consume food or drinks during this state.

How Often Should You Use It? In other words - do you need to use Intermittent Fasting every day to reap the benefits? In short, yes and no. By using Intermittent Fasting even a couple of days per week, you're allowing your body to get some amount of gut rest and lower insulin levels in order to achieve your goal.

If you don't eat for 10–16 hours, your body will go to its fat stores for energy, and fatty acids called ketones will be released into the bloodstream. This has been shown to protect memory and learning functionality, says Mattson, as well as slow disease processes in the brain.

The Research So Far. A systematic review of 40 studies found that intermittent fasting was effective for weight loss, with a typical loss of 7-11 pounds over 10 weeks.

Fat burning typically begins after approximately 12 hours of fasting and escalates between 16 and 24 hours of fasting.

Though 16/8 intermittent fasting is generally considered safe for healthy adults, you should talk with your doctor if you have any underlying health conditions. This is key if you're taking any medications or have diabetes, low blood pressure, or a history of disordered eating.

Does intermittent fasting work for belly fat? ›

As part of a 2019 study, researchers followed 19 adults with metabolic syndrome whose meals were spread over a 14-hour window and found limiting meals to a 10-hour window (followed by 14 hours of fasting) was associated with weight loss, smaller waist circumference, lower blood pressure and LDL “bad” cholesterol.

So, can you have a cheat day while intermittent fasting? Yes, absolutely. An occasional cheat day will not hinder your weight-loss progress if you do it right. In fact, it's scientifically proven that intentional cheat days can even enhance your metabolism [1].

Mostly, losing weight is an internal process. You will first lose hard fat that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and then you will start to lose soft fat like waistline and thigh fat. The fat loss from around the organs makes you leaner and stronger.