Since you are here, you prioritize your mind and body health and wellness. It’s a myth that successful diet plans focus on a calorie deficit and weight loss.
As a result, people worldwide opt for Intermittent fasting (IF), which offers several health benefits, such as enhanced fat burning, better brain function, increased energy, and improved gut health.
Furthermore, Intermittent fasting was one of the most searched dieting plans in 2019.
Keep reading to learn about the five most effective ways to do intermittent fasting.Â
5 Successful Ways to Do Intermittent Fasting
As the name suggests, Intermittent fasting is a combination of alternate eating and fasting cycles. Hence, you can schedule your meals during the eating cycle only while you observe fast for the rest of the day.
One of the most significant advantages of opting for Intermittent fasting is that you don’t starve yourself.
You can choose any of the five methods discussed shortly according to your health and eating preference. Furthermore, it offers several health benefits, including:
- Reduction in excess fat
- Body detoxification
- Improved mood and energy
- Removal of cellular waste
Keep reading the guide about the best methods of fasting 101 to reap its maximum health benefits.
16/8 Daily Intermittent Fasting Method
Also known as the Leangains protocol, the 16/8 fasting method works on the simple principle of fasting for 16 hours while restricting eating for eight hours.
Usually, men fast for 16 hours while women can fast for 14 hours.
For instance, you can eat from 12 PM to 8 PM while fasting for the rest of the day or adjust the time according to your daily routine.
Generally speaking, you can skip breakfast and don’t eat anything after dinner to follow the 16/8 fasting method.
Don’t worry; you can eat fruit and vegetable salads if you feel hungry during the fasting cycle. Similarly, you can drink water, sugar-free beverages, coffee, and tea, so you don’t feel hungry.
On the downside, the above method won’t be effective if you eat junk and oily food during the eating cycle. So instead, it’s better to limit the calorie intake by eating healthy and wholesome meals.
5:2 Weekly Intermittent Fasting Plan
It’s essentially a weekly plan to restrict your calories from 500 to 600 for two days while eating normally for the rest of the week.
You should know that the intermittent fasting method doesn’t facilitate weight loss. Instead, it helps you maintain your desired weight after the actual weight loss.
Furthermore, the calorie intake differs for men and women. For instance, men can have 600 calories while women should control the calories to 500.
You can eat normally on the first day and restrict yourself to 500 calories on the second day during a week. Furthermore, you don’t need to count the calories on the third and fourth days.
Lastly, you can take 500 calories on the fifth day while eating normally on the sixth and seventh days.
24-Hour Fasting
It’s undoubtedly one of the most challenging yet most effective intermittent fasting methods in which you don’t have to eat anything except drinking water for an entire day.
People who opt for this method usually select any two days during the week with two regular eating days in between to recover their energy levels.
Many people don’t feel extremely hungry after a 24-hour fast. So, they begin with small portions and eat vegetable salad and fruits.
Later, you can go for steamed chicken and fish; however, it’s better to avoid junk and fried food.
Alternate Day Fasting
As the name suggests, in this method you don’t eat anything or keep the calorie intake to 25 percent on alternate days.
Furthermore, while eating 25 percent of the calories on fast days, your diet plan shouldn’t include starch or sugar.
Hence, if you eat dinner on Sunday night, you’ll have your proper meal on Monday night. Next, you can eat normally on Tuesday and fast again on Wednesday.
A pro tip: If you are a beginner, it’s better to consult your doctor before fasting on alternate days.
The Warrior Diet
Developed by health and fitness author Ori Hofmekler, The Warrior Diet requires you to control the calories of two of your daily meals.
In other words, you can have one hearty meal daily. You should make your breakfast the big meal for the best weight loss results.
For example, you can schedule your big healthy meal anywhere between 8 AM and 12 PM, consisting of eggs, steamed chicken, beans, tuna, and boiled potatoes.
A pro tip: It’s recommended to avoid calories for dinner since your metabolism is slow in the evening.
Final Thoughts
Intermittent fasting doesn’t require you to create a plan and buy specific ingredients to cook healthy meals for a week.
Instead, you can simplify your routine and lifestyle by opting for any five ways to do intermittent fasting.
We can’t emphasize the importance of eating healthy meals during the eating cycles of Intermittent fasting to restrict calories.
You can download fasting apps, the best ones to schedule your meals and track your weight loss progress.
Sandra is a health blogger based in San Diego, California. She is passionate about living a healthy lifestyle. She loves being outdoors and exploring new places with her husband. She is a mom of two awesome kids and a dog named Luna!