16/8 Intermittent Fasting – 8 Hour Diet For Fast Weight Loss
If you want to try intermittent fasting to lose weight, we can help. Try the 8-hour diet. Here, you will fast for 16 hours and feast for 8 hours. This intermittent fasting (IF) strategy aids in faster weight loss than any other diet. Also known as the 16/8 diet or 16/8 intermittent fasting, research shows that the 8-hour diet reduces cholesterol and high blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity (1). Read on to get all the details about the 8-hour diet, including the foods to eat and avoid and the 8-hour diet menu plan, and understand if this diet is for you.
In This Article
What Is The 8 Hour Diet?
The 8 hour diet is highly effective for weight loss. And you don’t even have to compromise on your hunger or health. The 8 hour diet is a type of intermittent fasting (IF) where you can eat anything you want within the 8 hour window and fast for 16 hours. This diet was popularized by the authors, David Zinczenko and Peter Moore in the book, The 8 Hour Diet, and it is also known as 16/8 intermittent fasting.
Stylecraze TriviaPopular diets like time-restricted eating, the 5:2 diet, the Eat-Stop-Eat method, alternate-day fasting, and the Warrior Diet are all variations of intermittent fasting.
How Does The 8 Hour Diet Work?
The 8 hour diet works in the following ways:
- Stimulates The Function Of The Mitochondria – Mitochondria are cell organelles that convert glucose to usable energy (ATP). Fasting for 16 hours helps stimulate the mitochondria and reduces the level of intracellular damage caused by a poor diet (2), (3)
- Uses Up Glycogen And Fat Stores – Glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in your muscles and liver. In a fasted state, your body first uses up glycogen for fuel and then gains access to fat stores (4).
The 8 hour diet teaches you how to trigger the “furnace” in your body that burns fat while you sleep so that the flab can get stripped away right from the moment you wake up.
- Burns The Calories You Consume – According to David Zinczenko and Peter Moore, the authors of The 8 Hour Diet, modern lifestyles involve grazing or eating around the clock, which does not give your body sufficient time to burn all the calories that it is required to.
While you are fasting, your body gets the chance to reset itself and digest food. This allows your body to process nutrients and eliminates toxins effectively.
- Keeps You Satiated – Most diets are restrictive. From portion control to caloric restriction, there are various terms and conditions that the dieter needs to follow. The 8 hour diet takes the pressure off a traditional “diet”.
Having the freedom to eat everything within an 8 hour window keeps your taste buds alive and prevents boredom. That’s why it is sustainable.
Main Idea – The 8 hour diet stimulates your metabolism, burns the glycogen and fat stores, and gives your body enough time to digest food and eliminate toxins. It keeps your interest in the diet alive by allowing you to eat anything you want.
Considering all of that, is the 8 hour diet safe? Here’s what science says:
Is The 8 Hour Diet Safe?
Yes, the 8 hour diet is safe. In fact, fasting has various health benefits.
Research shows that people who fast intermittently shed fat without affecting their muscle mass. Their blood cholesterol levels improve, they become more insulin sensitive, and the risk of diabetes and metabolic diseases reduces (5), (6), (7).
However, you must follow the schedule as mentioned in the next section.
8 Hour Diet Or 16/8 Intermittent Fasting Schedule
Follow the 8 hour diet every alternate day initially. Later, you can follow it every day or once every two days, depending on how long can you survive without food and also if you are losing weight and feeling good.
Design your schedule according to your lifestyle. Observe when you feel hungry the most (is it during breakfast or lunch?). How many hours do you work or are in school? Do you work out?
If your day starts at 8 am, you can eat from 8 am to 4 pm. Well, if that’s too early, use the 10 am – 6 pm window. Fast until 10 am the next day.
Stylecraze SaysYou can be flexible with your schedule and change up your timings to accommodate sudden changes in your daily routine on weekends or holidays. Simply count 16 hours from your last meal the previous day to your first meal of the present day.
Note: You may follow this diet every alternate day or just once or twice a week depending on your convenience and schedule.
Here’s a sample diet plan for the 8 hour diet or 16/8 intermittent fasting:
Sample 8 Hour Diet Plan
Meal | What To Eat |
---|---|
When You Wake Up | Green tea or coffee or any detox drink |
Breakfast
(10 a.m.) |
Options
● Wheat flakes and milk ● Banana smoothie or kale smoothie ● Scrambled or hard-boiled eggs with toast |
Pre-Lunch Snack
(11:30 a.m.) |
Options
● Cucumber and watermelon salad ● 4 almonds |
Lunch
(12:30-1:00 p.m.) |
Options
● Baked fish and veggies + low-fat yogurt ● Tortilla wrap+ low-fat yogurt ● Tuna/vegetable sandwich + fresh fruit juice |
Post-Lunch Snack
(2:30 p.m.) |
Options
● 1 medium-sized dark chocolate brownie ● 1 orange or apple |
Evening Snack
(4:00 p.m.) |
Options
● A small bowl of potato wafers ● A small bowl of popcorn ● A small bowl of nachos with low-fat mayonnaise dip |
Dinner
(6:00 p.m.) |
Options
● Grilled vegetable/chicken kebab + bread pudding ● Asian-style chicken soup/Indian lentil soup+ fruit custard ● Vegetable lasagne + cucumber juice ● Kidney beans chili + 2-3 chapatis + glass of warm milk |
Apart from the foods mentioned in the chart, here’s a list of foods you may eat and avoid to lose weight.
16/8 Intermittent Fasting Foods To Eat
- Vegetables And Fruits – Any vegetable or fruit.
- Proteins – Beans, soy, tofu, lentils, eggs, fish, chicken breast, turkey, lean cuts of beef and pork, protein bars (limited amount), and protein shakes.
- Grains – Brown rice, black rice, white rice, broken wheat, wheat, barley, amaranth, quinoa, and sorghum.
- Dairy – Any dairy product (unless you are lactose intolerant).
- Fats And Oils – Olive oil, rice bran oil, canola oil, butter, ghee, mayonnaise, and margarine (all in limited amounts).
- Desserts – Chocolate pudding, bread pudding, banana muffins, cupcakes, homemade cakes, ice cream, custard, chocolate, etc. (all in limited amounts).
- Herbs And Spices – Any herb or spice, unless you are allergic to any of them.
- Beverages – Fresh fruit or vegetable juices, tender coconut water, detox drinks, green tea, black tea, and coffee.
16/8 Intermittent Fasting Foods To Avoid
- Fats And Oils – Lard, coconut oil, butter or mayonnaise in excess.
- Beverages – Alcohol (consume limited amounts), aerated and sweetened beverages, packaged fruit juices.
Main Idea – You can eat anything you want. But make sure that you avoid consuming too many foods with saturated fats, refined sugar, and artificial additives.
The 8 hour diet has many health benefits apart from weight loss. They are listed below.
Related: 15 Best Remedies To Lose Weight Naturally In 2 Weeks
8 Hour Diet Health Benefits
- Helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol (1)
- May reduce blood pressure (1)
- Improves metabolic markers to some extent (8)
- Helps flush out toxins (8)
- Has been found to increase energy expenditure and browning of fat in mice (9)
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disordersi XA group of disorders related to the heart and blood vessels, such as heart attack, heart failure, and heart muscle disease. (10)
- Lowers the chances of type 2 diabetes (1)
- Balances hormones (1)
- Mice studies show that fasting can increase longevity (11), (12).
Like any other diet plan, the 8 hour diet also has a few side effects. Check them out.
Side Effects Of The 8 Hour Intermittent Fasting
If you are trying the 8 hour diet for the first time, you may experience the following:
- Nausea and mood swings in the initial days
- After dinner, you may feel like snacking.
- People may end up eating more after fasting for 16 hours. This may lead to weight gain.
- Fatigue and weakness
- Low blood pressure
- According to a rat study, when done in excess, intermittent fasting may shut down the reproductive system and cognitive abilities in females (13).
Related: 8 Home Remedies To Treat Low Blood Pressure & Prevention Tips
Main Idea – The 8 hour diet plan is perfect for weight loss and improving your health. But do not go overboard. Consult a doctor and get expert advice to make this diet successful.
Hence, you should be absolutely sure if the 8 hour diet or 16/8 intermittent fasting is for you. Here’s a checklist to help you.
Should You Try The 8 Hour Diet or 16/8 Intermittent Fasting?
Try it if:
- your doctor approves of this diet.
- you are supervised by your doctor.
- you feel comfortable fasting for 16 hours.
- you do not have hypoglycemiai X A condition in which blood sugar level is lower than the standard range. Can be caused by diabetes and other health conditions. or any other medical issue.
If your doctor has given you the green signal to try the 16/8 intermittent fasting, here’s a list of what to do and avoid while on this diet:
Dos & Don’ts Of The 8 Hour Diet
Dos | Don’ts |
---|---|
Go to sleep 3 hours after dinner. | Do not snack after dinner. |
Work out regularly. | Do not sit in one place for long. |
Eat fattening foods in limited amounts. | Don’t eat carb-loaded foods in excess. |
Include lots of veggies and fruits in your diet. | Don’t snack for at least an hour after a meal. |
Drink enough water. | Limit alcohol consumption. |
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The 8-hour diet, also known as 16/8 intermittent fasting, is one of the fastest ways to lose weight without compromising your favorite delicacies. The 16-hour fasting helps prevent intracellular damage, lower blood pressure, and reduce cholesterol levels besides letting the body use up fat and glycogen reserves, leading to weight loss. This 16-hour window after eight-hour feasting also helps give the body enough time to process food. Moreover, intermittent fasting is completely safe and helps reduce the risk of diabetes and other metabolic diseases. However, it may have mild side effects like nausea, fatigue, and weakness in some individuals. Therefore, it is better to follow this diet under the supervision of a doctor or dietitian.