Tim Börner is a dedicated intermittent fasting advocate and user engagement specialist with a deep passion for promoting a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Based in Germany, Tim has been an integral part of the Fastic team for several years, where he combines his expertise in user engagement with his personal commitment to intermittent fasting. His approach is rooted in the belief that a harmonious blend of disciplined eating habits and mindful living is key to overall well-being.
Weight loss options are everywhere, from herbal teas to intensive workout plans. But, what if there was a single method to lose weight and simultaneously improve your overall health? Unlike other weight loss approaches, intermittent fasting (IF) attributes its popularity to its effective results in a conveniently short time.
Continue reading to learn how and why the 16:8 fast can help you achieve weight loss in just one week.
The 16:8 fast is a type of time-restricted eating (TRE) that consists of fasting for 16 hours and eating for the remaining 8. Restricting food intake to 4 to 12 hours per day (without reducing calorie intake) has been associated with improved body weight homeostasis and is a proposed weight reduction strategy.
Diverse variations of TRE to choose from are 20:4, 18:6, 14:10, and 12:12, depending on what level of intensity you are looking for. Fasting apps such as Fastic offer preset plans so you can easily choose and start fasting right away. An 8-week study found that participants following a 16:8 fasting regimen experienced a higher rate of fat loss compared to participants doing a normal diet.
Even though fasting requires no food intake for extended periods, as counterproductive as it may sound, the body can actually benefit from a 16-hour fast, or any type of fast for that matter. Pre-clinical and clinical studies have proved that IF benefits many diseases, such as obesity, T2DM, and hypertension. The 16:8 fasting method is one of the many fasting methods women opt for to deal with menopause symptoms, owing it to the positive effects it has on hormonal imbalance and weight gain.
Besides weight loss, the potential benefits a 16:8 fast can offer include:
Boost metabolism rate
Promote cellular health
Reduce the risk of heart disease
Improve insulin sensitivity
Enhance mental health
When the body enters a fasting state various physiological mechanisms occur. With no source of fuel coming in, the body has to resort to other sources, meaning that various bodily mechanisms are automatically switched on as a survival mechanism. The body breaks down stored glycogen for fuel and once it’s finished, the body will undergo ketogenesis and enter a state of ketosis (the process by which fat is burnt for energy). Insulin levels drop, promoting fat breakdown and autophagy (cellular renewal and cleaning).
To take advantage of the all-around benefits a 16:8 fast can bring by approaching it with the right mentality, tools, and professional advice. Following a strict fasting regimen can boost your weight loss results in just one week. Here are some tips for you to make your 16:8 fasting experience fruitful and smooth sailing.
Since the time you have to eat is shorter, planning your meals is crucial. Prioritize giving your body nutritious, whole foods so you feel full and simultaneously provide the nutrients coming in. Foods rich in protein, healthy fat, and fiber are essential.
Water is fundamental during fasting. Since you are limiting your food intake (also a water source), you must compensate with more liquids. Fortunately, there are other beverages you can drink besides water. Due to their zero to low-calorie content, herbal teas and black coffee won’t break a fast. Another positive thing about drinking zero to low-calorie drinks during fasting is that they can help control hunger during fasting hours.
If you are new to the intermittent fasting world it is recommended you initiate with shorter fasting hours and gradually increase the hours over a few weeks. Gradually increasing your fasting time will allow your body to transition smoothly and lessen probable discomfort.
Sleeping for at least 7 or more hours per night is ideal to encourage energy levels, hormonal balance, and appetite regulation. While it is not vital, maintaining a strict sleep schedule can be beneficial because it helps your body set a predictable routine, easing the fasting regime.
The food and beverages you ingest during the eating period are key to successfully achieving weight loss in one week. Ensure your body obtains nutrients through an adequate and plentiful diet.
Prioritize foods with the following nutrients:
Complex carbohydrates
Fiber
Essential vitamins and minerals
Healthy fats and proteins
The Fastic app has a variety of recipes that adapt to any fast. Its features allow you to choose from a variety of nutrient-rich meals and monitor your calorie intake to ensure you don’t surpass your daily calorie limit or maximum.
Optimize your efforts by incorporating exercise into your 16:8 fasting regimen. A recent study showed that low to medium-intensity exercise during fasting consumed more fat than in a non-fasted state. Maximize your weight loss results in one week with exercises such as walking, yoga, gentle cardio, and stretching.
A recent study demonstrated that doing moderate-intensity exercise one hour after a meal can reduce the fat oxidation rate to about 50% of the fasting exercise. This means that ideally, the best time to exercise during a 16:8 fast is early in the day after your first meal. Doing so will maximize fat burning.
Keeping track of your weight loss results is the best way to know if your efforts are bearing fruit. A practical and effective way to monitor your weight loss progress is through the Fastic app. With it, you can profit from a customized fasting regimen along with an easy-to-follow projection of when you will reach your goal weight.
Always listen to your body and make adjustments if necessary. Assess whether the 16:8 fast is too intense for you, and lessen the intensity if necessary by reducing the fasting hours. Needless to say, before embarking on any type of fast, you should seek professional medical guidance for a safe and effective fasting experience.
Are you not losing weight? It could be that you’ve been following the guidelines by the book but aren’t seeing any progress. There are various reasons as to why this could be, including:
Overeating during eating windows
Insufficient or poor-quality sleep
Eating high-calorie foods
Improper hydration habits
Extending eating hours
Underlying health conditions
If you still can’t quite figure out what the cause could be, seek medical advice. The reason you aren’t losing weight might be due to a medical condition you aren’t aware of.
Resetting your body’s physiological processes can help you lose weight and improve your body’s overall health. To obtain the weight loss results the 16:8 fast offers in one week you must rigorously follow the fasting schedule and complement it with the right foods and appropriate exercises. Give the 16:8 fast a try and lose weight in one week. Simplify your 16:8 fast and allow Fastic to accompany you throughout your weight loss journey.
Disclaimer: It is advised to speak with a health professional before beginning intermittent fasting or a diet program. There may be side effects for people with certain medical conditions.
With Fastic, millions of people have achieved their desired weight, overcome disease and regained their quality of life.
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