7 Types of Intermittent Fasting

Types of Intermittent Fasting – Overview

Fasting is one of the proven techniques to keep our bodies healthy. It is the most effective way to reboot our body’s functions.

Fasting has different methods from which Intermittent Fasting is the talk of the town nowadays.

Starting from fitness freaks to celebrities, everyone’s talking about this technique of fasting. Today, we will learn about the different types of Intermittent Fasting.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Unlike other diets, Intermittent Fasting is to keep your body without food for a certain period. It doesn’t mean you have to eat this and that, but it means to change your daily eating habits.

Types of Intermittent Fasting

In simple words, intermittent fasting means you have to eat at a scheduled time rather than following an uncertain diet plan. This gives your body enough time to repair and boost the metabolism.

What makes Intermittent Fasting so much popular among fitness freaks and celebrities is it doesn’t ask you to leave your favorite foods. All you have to do is just follow the strict timetable for consuming your food. Intermittent Fasting helps your body consume nutrients and minerals regularly which ultimately keeps your body healthy and fit.

Here are the 7 Types of Intermittent Fasting

1. The 16:8 Method

The 16:8 Method is the most common and popular method of Intermittent Fasting.

The reason why most people like to follow this method of Intermittent fasting is it is easy to follow and can be incorporated by anyone. This method requires you to fast for 16 hours.

Types of Intermittent Fasting – The 16:8 Method

In 24 hours, your body will be fasting for 16 hours which you have to decide as per your routine. You can take 2-3 meals within the 8 hours interval when you choose to follow the “The 16:8 Method of Intermittent Fasting.”

For example, you can start fasting after taking your dinner around 7 pm. You can consume water or tea or coffee during the fasting period. You have to keep on fasting until 11 am of the next day.

2. The 20:4 Method

Just like the 16:8 Method, the 20:4 Method requires you to keep your body fasting for 20 hours.

This method has four hours eating window in which you can take 2 meals as per your capacity. Since there is only four hours window for eating, you should not take many calories in such a short period.

The four-hour eating window can be decided by the person himself as per his eating habits or capacity.

However, experts recommend keeping this window during the evening so that your body can have enough calories to function properly during the fasting period of full night and the next day.

The 20:4 Method is not recommended for all types of people as not all people can keep fasting for 20 long hours.

This could invite other problems as your body is not ready for fasting for such a long period.

3. The 5:2 Method – Modified Calorie

The 5:2 method requires your body to keep fasting for at least two days a week.

A week has seven days from which you have to fast for two days which is why this method is called the 5:2 Method. It is also known as a different name i.e. Modified Calorie.

In this diet, calorie intake for both men and women is restricted to only 600 calories.

For the other five days, you can follow the routine and can eat whatever you eat. You only have to follow the strict diet and calorie intake for two days of fasting.

4. The 24 Hours Fast Method

This is yet another popular and easy-to-follow type of intermittent fasting technique.

In this method, you have to maintain a fasting period of 24 hours. You have to follow a strict diet of taking a meal only once a day to keep the 24 hours fasting period.

Types of Intermittent Fasting – 24 Hours Fast Method

If you take your meal at 7 pm today, you can take the next meals on the next day at 7 pm. This means your body will be fasting for 24 hour period. You can consume water, tea, and coffee between fasting to keep your body hydrated.

The 24 hours fast method can be done every once or twice a week. However, one can follow it more frequently as per his capacity of fasting. It is not advisable for everyone!

5. The 36 Hours Fast Method

The 36 Hours Fasting Method is an improved technique of the previous method i.e. The 24 Hours Fasting. In this method, you will have to keep your body fasting for 36 hours.

This means when you take your dinner at 7 pm, then you have to keep fasting for the entire day on the next day and can take your breakfast in the morning on the third day.

This method is not recommended for everyone as it can affect your body’s organs if you have not practiced fasting ever in your life. You can follow this method of intermittent fasting every once a month.

6. The Alternate Day Fasting Method

The Alternate Day Fasting Method means you have to fast every other day. This technique is advisable to everyone as it is an easy method to follow by all types of people.

In this method, you are allowed to consume 500 calories on a fasting day and can follow a regular diet on other days. However, for best results, you are advised to fast for the entire day by consuming only water, tea, or coffee.

7. The Meal Skipping Method

The Meal Skipping Method is also known as The Spontaneous Fasting Method. This is yet another highly recommended method by experts to all types of people.

Following a strict diet plan might be too confusing for beginners. So, this method is a good way to start with!

This method asks you to keep your body fasting when you don’t feel hungry. Most of us tend to eat something even when we are not hungry.

To follow this method, you just need to restrict eating when you don’t feel hungry. This is quite easy and can be followed by everyone.

What are the Key Benefits of Intermittent Fasting?

As per the recent studies, people who have followed any of the above-given methods have shared good and positive feedback on Intermittent Fasting.

Here’s a list of benefits that you can get from Intermittent Fasting’s methods.

Replaces your skin’s damaged cells, restricts your aging.
Makes your mind super sharp and improves your mind power.
Helps you lose extra body weight by limiting the calorie intake and encouraging you to live a healthy life.

Are there any drawbacks/ restrictions?

Intermittent Fasting is not recommended for pregnant women as they need enough amount of calories for a healthy baby.
This fasting method is not good for those with a history of eating disorders.
If you are underweight, then this method is not a good move for you.
Limit your workout routine while following this fasting as your body needs proper rest to repair.

The Bottom Line

We have included all types of intermittent methods in the above article. No matter what type you decide to follow, you will get to see positive results from it as they are proven to be the most effective techniques for a healthy body.

However, the same methods are not advisable to certain people mentioned in the drawbacks section.

If you want to start living a healthy life and want to help your family members and friends to stay with you for a longer period, then ask them to join you and start following Intermittent Fasting.

Reference Links:-

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-ways-to-do-intermittent-fasting

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/types-intermittent-fasting-which-best-you/

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/intermittent-fasting-4-different-types-explained/

https://www.span.health/blog/7-types-of-intermittent-fasting-explained

https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/intermittent-fasting