What is 16/8 intermittent fasting?

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1. What is 16/8 intermittent fasting?

16/8 Intermittent Fasting (August 16 Intermittent Fasting) is a weight loss measure by limiting the consumption of foods and beverages containing calories for 8 hours/day and fasting for 16 hours rest. Intermittent fasting cycles can vary from 1-2 times/week to daily depending on personal preference.
16/8 intermittent fasting is increasingly used, especially on subjects who want to lose weight and burn fat. The advantage of the diet is that it is less restrictive in foods and more flexible in timing than other diets, which can easily be adapted to any lifestyle.
In addition to promoting weight loss, 16/8 intermittent fasting also helps control blood sugar, enhance brain function and increase longevity. Thereby helping to improve disease conditions and improve general health, especially in the elderly.

2. How is 16/8 intermittent fasting done?

16/8 Intermittent Fasting is an easy and safe diet to follow. First, you need to determine a time frame of 8 hours of eating and 16 hours of fasting. You can experiment on many different time frames to choose the time frame that best suits your work and rest schedule.
If you choose the 8 hour eating frame from noon to 8 pm, the remaining 16 hours fast overnight and skip breakfast. Many others choose to eat between the 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. slots, which allows for a healthy breakfast, an early lunch and dinner, or a snack around 4 p.m.
To optimize health benefits, you need to choose to eat nutritious foods and drinks during the eating period. A nutritionally complete diet will increase endurance with 16 hours of fasting and enhance other health benefits.
During 8 hours of eating, you should balance your meals with the following healthy foods:
Fruits: Apples, bananas, berries, oranges, peaches, pears, etc. Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, greens, tomatoes, etc. Whole grains: Quinoa, rice, oats, barley, buckwheat, etc. Healthy fats: Olive oil, avocado, and coconut oil Protein sources: Meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs, nuts, seeds, and more. Drinking calorie-free beverages like water, tea, and unsweetened coffee, even when fasting, can help control cravings. However, overdoing it with junk food can reduce the benefits of 16/8 intermittent fasting. In the end it does more harm than good.

3. What are the effects of 16/8 intermittent fasting?

16/8 Intermittent Fasting is a commonly used diet because it's easy to follow, flexible, and sustainable in the long run. It also cuts down on time and money spent on cooking and preparing food each week.
In terms of health, 16/8 intermittent fasting can bring many health benefits such as:
Enhance weight loss: Intermittent fasting not only helps to reduce the amount of calories provided to the body, but also helps to increase metabolism. metabolism, thereby helping to lose weight quickly. Blood sugar control: Intermittent fasting reduces insulin levels by up to 31% and lowers blood sugar by more than 3-6%, potentially reducing the risk of diabetes. Increases longevity: Although studies in human subjects are limited, animal studies have found that intermittent fasting can prolong life.

4. What are the limitations of 8/16 intermittent fasting?

The 16/8 intermittent fasting regime has limited eating time to only 8 hours/day. This may cause increased eating to compensate for the amount of food not eaten during the 16-hour fast. From there, it can lead to weight gain, digestive problems, and the development of unhealthy eating habits.
16/8 intermittent fasting can also cause negative side effects in the beginning. It can be a feeling of hunger, weakness, or fatigue. These symptoms usually go away as the body forms a habit.

Intermittent fasting can affect the health of men and women differently. Animal studies have shown that it may have a negative effect on female fertility. However, more human studies are still needed to evaluate the effects of intermittent fasting on reproductive health.
To minimize the negative effects, you need to start slowly and gradually get used to maintaining the habit, if any negative symptoms appear, you need to stop. You should also consult your doctor if you have any concerns.

5. Subjects should not apply 16/8 . intermittent fasting

16/8 Intermittent Fasting is a sustainable, safe and easy way to improve health when combined with a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle. However, it is no substitute for a balanced daily diet.
Although 16/8 intermittent fasting is generally safe for most healthy people, you should still seek medical advice before starting the test. Especially on subjects who are using drugs, have diabetes, low blood pressure or have a history of eating disorder.
Intermittent fasting is also not recommended for women intending to become pregnant, who are pregnant and breastfeeding. If you experience any side effects or health concerns, you should consult your doctor.

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Reference source: healthline.com