Intermittent Fasting Schedule
My secret to successfully incorporating intermittent fasting without feeling restricted has been to establish an intermittent fasting schedule.
In my experience, having a schedule of fasting meals is the easiest way to reap the health benefits of intermittent fasting and achieve greater well-being.
I would like to tell you that before starting an intermittent fasting plan, it is advisable to consult a doctor . Intermittent fasting is not for everyone, so you need to tell your personal doctor.
The purpose of this post is to give you an idea of what intermittent fasting schedules are like, not to give you medical or professional advice.
That said, I’m assuming if you’re reading this you’re considering starting intermittent fasting for its benefits or you already do, but want to find a way to be more consistent so you can incorporate it into your routine long-term.
HOW DOES INTERMITTENT FASTING WORK?
The good thing about intermittent fasting is that you don’t have to skip meals, but concentrate all meals in fewer hours. Then, during the hours when you’re not eating, your body goes into a “fasting state” where it burns fat for energy.
HOW TO DO INTERMITTENT FASTING?
To start doing intermittent fasting it is recommended to establish a schedule of meals and fasting. For me, who is always on the go and in the kitchen (even for my work), and for many women, intermittent fasting with schedules that involve spending too many hours without eating is difficult.
The important thing is to choose the intermittent fasting schedule that works best for you . Once that is done, all you have to do is establish what hours you will eat and what hours you will fast.
WHAT ARE THE BEST TIMES TO DO INTERMITTENT FASTING?
The most important thing to establish an intermittent fasting schedule is that it can be easily adapted to your lifestyle and not so much at what exact time you start fasting and eating.
I always recommend starting with a 12 hour fast ; at least the first week, to establish a routine. Afterwards, you can add more hours of fasting and practice the 16-hour fast.
INTERMITTENT FASTING SCHEDULES: HOW MANY DAYS IS IT DONE?
Practicing intermittent fasting does not limit how many days you can do it; You just have to follow a schedule of fasting and meals. The exception is when you fast for a full 24 hours and start a normal eating schedule the next day.
Intermittent fasting schedules may vary. These are the most common fasting routines:
- Daily fast from 12 to 16 hours
- 24-hour fast, once or twice a week
- 5:2 fasting: consists of eating as usual for 5 days and fasting 2 days in a row (48h), reducing calories twice a week
To choose the best intermittent fasting schedule, consider when it will be easiest and most beneficial for you to abstain from food.
Some things to keep in mind:
- What time do you get up
- your family routine
- When do you start to feel hungry?
- Your training routine, schedule and duration
I think it’s easier for women to fast in the morning, when we’re in a hurry preparing breakfast, taking the little ones to school (if you have them), working, and taking care of things around the house.
A very popular way to break the fast is by drinking coffee with butter since it is very energetic. Of course this depends on each person.
INTERMITTENT FASTING SCHEDULE EXAMPLES
Depending on the intermittent fasting schedule that best suits your routine, it will be the times and the duration that you fast.
12-hour daily fast:
- From 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.: fasting
- From 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.: meals
16-hour daily fast:
- From 8 pm (8 pm) to 12 pm (12 pm) noon: fasting
- From 12h (12 pm) (noon) to 20h (8 pm): meals
24 hour fast:
- Choose one day a week and fast for 24 hours
- From 8 a.m. one day to 8 a.m. the next day: I fast for a full day, the rest of the week follows a normal schedule
Fast 5:2:
- Choose two days of the week and fast for 24 hours
- They can be consecutive (two days in a row) or not (with eating days in between), based on what works best with your routine.
- From 8 a.m. one day to 8 a.m. the next: fast for a full day
Fasting alternating days:
The schedules of this intermittent fasting alternate days and weeks. The best way to remember it is to think that eat-fast-eat-fast-eat-fast works… and so on.
- Week 1:
Fasting: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Meals: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. - Week 2:
Fasting: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Meals: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
HOW MANY TIMES A WEEK DO YOU FAST?
It all depends on what time is best for you to do intermittent fasting; since you can do it daily, one day a week or two.
The most common is to do intermittent fasting daily. In my opinion, fasting every day allows us to be consistent, which is crucial to the success of any plan to improve our health.
Sticking to a routine makes incorporating an intermittent fasting schedule not such an intense change.
In addition, the routine helps to be better prepared in advance, especially with meals, and trains the body to burn fat without lacking energy to meet your daily obligations.
BENEFITS OF FASTING
I have a whole article explaining the benefits of intermittent fasting . What makes this routine unique is that it helps you maintain a healthy weight and gain other benefits without having to restrict the number of calories you consume.
HOW MANY KILOS ARE LOST WITH INTERMITTENT FASTING?
This depends on each person. One of the benefits of intermittent fasting is that it helps you lose weight. On the one hand, by concentrating meals in a shorter period, you will feel more satisfied with meals and this prevents snacking. And, in addition, the “fasted state” helps the body to burn body fat.
That said, to get optimal results and benefit from intermittent fasting, it’s important to eat a healthy and varied diet. If you need ideas for your menu, you can review all my recipes . You will see that I do not deprive myself of anything!
Following a schedule helps intermittent fasting fit into our routine and supports us to improve our health without having to go on drastic diets.
