What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is when you alternate between periods of eating and fasting. This type of eating is often described as “patterns” or “cycles” of fasting.
Intermittent fasting isn’t about starving yourself — it’s about cutting way back on calories for short time periods. The belief is that your body becomes satisfied with smaller portions while also reducing cravings for unhealthy snack foods. That is, as long as you maintain a healthy diet while trying it all out.
How does it work?
There are several effective approaches, but it all comes down to personal preference. If you want to give intermittent fasting a try, be prepared to figure out what works best for you. It might take some trial and error first.
Some people find it easy to fast for 16 hours and confine meals to just eight hours of the day, such as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while others have a hard time and need to shorten their fasting window.