16 / 8 - what does that mean? Intermittent fasting in focus

Veröffentlicht am: October 09, 2024

Nutritionist and dietician

Do you want two things at the same time? Do you want to be healthy and lose weight at the same time?

Then intermittent fasting might be just the thing for you! And the best thing is - you can start at any time and need practically nothing.

Fasting is in our genes

Fasting has been part of normal human life since time immemorial. There have always been periods of fasting that the body has had to endure. This is not a problem for our body, as it is a miracle in itself.

In order to survive a period of fasting, it stores everything important in its body cells - from nutrients to energy reserves - and uses them when needed. This is how we have always been able to survive for long periods without food.

Why should you fast nowadays when there is an abundance of food?

Controlled fasting brings about many beneficial biochemical changes in the body. One of the most significant is an improved sugar and fat metabolism. This is because people who eat constantly have permanently high insulin levels.

Nevertheless, fasting is not easy! After all, we are used to having food available to us everywhere and at all times. That's why we need something we can stick to.

Intermittent fasting provides an optimal framework for this.

What does intermittent fasting mean?

Intermittent fasting is also known as cyclical fasting. This means that food intake is restricted to certain times. In recent years, this type of fasting has become increasingly popular - and rightly so.

➤ Positive effects can be seen after just a few weeks!

What makes intermittent fasting better than a diet?

The key difference between interval fasting and crash diets is that the metabolism is not slowed down and muscle mass is not reduced. Because these two points often lead to the yo-yo effect and all the discipline was for nothing.

➤ No yo-yo effect thanks to intermittent fasting!

The benefits of intermittent fasting for our health:

Easier weight loss and burning of fat reserves
Improved blood sugar levels and therefore benefits for diabetics
Inflammation is reduced
Promoting a healthy heart and brain
Reduced feeling of hunger thanks to lower leptime levels

Experts believe that intermittent fasting increases general life expectancy. This has already been observed, at least in animal experiments.

The three most popular methods at a glance

16-8 method

The 16-8 method is probably the best-known type of intermittent fasting and also the easiest to get started with. It involves fasting according to a fixed schedule.

The 16-8 method involves abstaining from food for 16 hours a day. By using the night as a break from eating, many people find it easy to stick to this type of fasting. During the remaining 8 hours, you are allowed to eat normally.

5-2 method

This method involves eating normally 5 days a week. The remaining two days are spent fasting and no more than 500-600 calories should be consumed.

Fast every other day

This involves fasting every other day. On the fasting day, you either completely abstain from food or only consume up to 500 kcal. This method is probably the most difficult to implement and is not suitable for beginners.

What should you look out for during intermittent fasting?

Drink a lot! But only calorie-free drinks such as water, vegetable broth, unsweetened tea and black coffee in moderation.
Maintain portion sizes. Even if you now eat fewer meals, you should not automatically double the portion size.
A balanced diet. It is important that you feel full when you eat. Vegetables, healthy fats and proteins are very important for this.

Sources (in English):

Longo, V. D. & Panda, S. (2016, June). Fasting, circadian rhythms, and time restricted feeding in healthy lifespan. Cell Metabolism, 23(6): 1048–1059, doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.06.001

Moro, T., Tinsley, G., Bianco, A., Marcolin, G., Pacelli, Q. F., Battaglia, G., et al. (2016, October). Effects of eight weeks of time-restricted feeding (16/8) on basal metabolism, maximal strength, body composition, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk factors in resistance-trained males. Journal of Translational Medicine, 14(1):290, doi: 10.1186/s12967-016-1044-0

Arnason, T. G., Bowen, M. W. & MAnsell, K. D. (2017, April). Effects of intermittent fasting on health markers in those with type 2 diabetes: A pilot study. World Journal of Diabetes, 8(4): 154–164, doi: 10.4239/wjd.v8.i4.154