Intermittent fasting is not something that anyone wants to do; it’s just another tool that can be helpful to some people who want to enhance their overall well-being.
There are many effects of fasting, such as weight loss, improving metabolic health, and extending the lifespan.
There are many effective intermittent fasting methods that have been developed.
These methods can be efficient, but it depends on the person which one suits best. These are the five most effective intermittent fasting methods.
Table of Contents
1. The 16/8 Method
The 16/8 method is the most famous and effective method of intermittent fasting, which includes fasting for 16 hours every day and limiting your eating time to 8 hours.
You can have 3 or more meals within the 8-hour window. For instance, if you’re finishing your last meal at 8 pm and then you’re not eating until 12 noon the next day, you’re technically fasting between meals for 16 hours.
During your eating window, eating nutritious food is very crucial. If you consume loads of junk food or excessive quantities of calories, this will not work.
2. The Warrior Diet
The warrior diet is another effective intermittent fasting method. You can eat an enormous meal in a 4-hour eating window at night and fast throughout the day.
Fitness specialist Ori Hofmekler popularized the Warrior Diet. During the day, it includes eating small quantities of raw vegetables and fruits, then eating one enormous meal at night.
Food options in this diet are like those in the Paleo diet: organic, unprocessed foods.
3. The 5:2 Diet
The 5:2 diet usually includes eating five days a week while limiting calories to 500–600 on two days a week.
Known as the Fast Diet, British journalist and doctor Michael Mosley has popularized this diet.
Females consume 500 calories in the days of fasting and that males consume 600 calories.
You could eat normally on all days, for instance, except on Mondays and Thursdays, where you eat two small meals of 250 calories for women and 300 for males.
However, there are no studies about the 5:2 diet itself, but there is enough research on the effects of intermittent fasting on human health (1, 2, 3, 4).
4. Eat-Stop-Eat Method
Eat-Stop-Eat is another effective intermittent fasting method that includes fasting for 24 hours, either once or twice a week.
Fitness specialist Brad Pilon has popularized this method. The 24 hours of fasting from lunch one day to lunch the next.
For instance, if you’re finishing lunch at 7 p.m. on Monday and you’re not eating until lunch at 7 p.m. the next day, you’ve performed a complete 24-hour fast.
During the fast, water, coffee, and other non-caloric drinks are allowed, but no strong food. If you do this to lose weight, then eating during the eating periods is very essential.
Like, eat the same amount of food as if you weren’t fasting at all. The problem with this method for many people is that 24-hour fasting can be very hard.
5. Fasting Every Other Day
Fasting every other day suggests alternating-day fasting. Different variations of this fasting method are available.
For example, some of these variants allow about 500 calories during the fasting days. Many of the studies that show fasting health benefits used alternate-day fasting methods.
It seems rather extreme to have a full fast every other day, so we don’t suggest this for beginners.
With this method, several times a week you will go to bed starving, which is not sustainable in the long run.
Conclusion
Many people get excellent results with some of these effective intermittent fasting methods.
That said, if you’re already happy with your current health status and you see a small space for enhancement, then look at these methods carefully.
However, calories still count, and eating nutritious food is crucial.