Different Fasting Methods Explained

In addition to being a popular weight loss method, intermittent fasting has gained popularity as a lifestyle choice that may have several health advantages. The flexibility of intermittent fasting is its greatest asset; there are multiple approaches to pick from, each with its own intensity and rhythm.

Popular Fasting Techniques

16:8 Method

This approach involves fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window. For most people, this means skipping breakfast and eating between noon and 8 PM. It's particularly beginner-friendly because a large portion of the fasting time occurs during sleep. Research shows this approach may reduce inflammation and improve metabolic health while being sustainable in the long run.

5:2 Method

In this method, you typically eat five days a week and limit calories significantly (around 500-600 calories) two non-consecutive days a week. This plan gives you more flexibility in your weekly schedule and may be easier socially to adhere to, as you're only limiting yourself two days a week.

Eat-Stop-Eat

This is a total 24-hour fast once or twice a week. For instance, you would fast from dinner one evening until dinner the following evening. Although effective for many, this regimen can be difficult for new people to sustain at first.

The Warrior Diet

This entails consuming small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day and consuming a single large meal in the evening within a 4-hour window. It is a bit more limiting than other protocols and conforms to the ancient warriors' eating habits.

Alternate-Day Fasting

As the name implies, this is alternating between regular and fast eating days. During fast days, you consume around 25% of your usual caloric intake.

Selecting What is Best For You

The ideal fasting technique is something you can maintain and is compatible with your lifestyle. Take into account your daily routine, social obligations, and personal preferences. The majority start with the 16:8 approach with great success and then try other techniques as their body adapts.

Remember, consistency is more vital than perfection. It is better to follow a moderate strategy consistently than adopting a more extreme strategy that you cannot maintain.

Setting Up Your Custom Schedule in FastZen

Once you've decided on your preferred fasting method, you can easily set it up in the FastZen app:

1. Navigate to Timer Open the Timer tab by tapping on the Timer icon in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Access Schedule Settings Tap the 'Edit Fasting Schedule' button below the timer circle.
3. Choose Schedule Type Select one of three options: • Daily: Same fasting window every day • Weekly: Different fasting schedules for each day • Ad-hoc: One-time custom fast
4. Configure Schedule Details For Daily: Set duration and start time For Weekly: Set duration for each day of the week For Ad-hoc: Set a custom duration
5. Save Your Schedule Tap the 'Save' button to apply your new fasting schedule.

Tip: For beginners, we recommend starting with a 16:8 daily schedule (16 hours fasting, 8 hours eating) and gradually adjusting based on your comfort level.