Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained attention as a flexible and potentially effective approach to improve health and manage weight (1). At its core, it’s not about what you eat, but when you eat, giving your body planned periods of rest from food.
For some, this can lead to benefits such as better energy, improved digestion, or managing certain health markers (1). But here’s the thing – not all fasting schedules work the same way for everyone. And the term “best” can be tricky in nutrition as what’s ideal for one person may not suit someone else at all.
Choosing the right fasting schedule requires understanding your goals, lifestyle, and your body’s response.
Here’s what you need to know to use IF as a tool to support wellness.
How Many Hours of Fasting Is Good for Beginners?
If you’re new to fasting, starting with manageable fasting windows can make the experience smoother and more sustainable. You don’t want to jump into long fasting periods that leave you overly hungry, sluggish, or irritable. Here are some beginner-friendly fasting options:
- The 12-hour fast is perfect for easing into fasting and requires minimal adjustment for most people.
- The 14/10 schedule builds on this by gently extending the fast while still allowing time for breakfast or early meals.
- The 16/8 schedule offers a longer fasting window with potential metabolic benefits but requires more significant changes to eating habits.
1. 12-Hour Fast
This is often the easiest place to start for beginners. With this schedule, you fast overnight for 12 hours and can eat during the remaining 12.
- Example: Finish dinner at 7pm and have breakfast at 7am.
- Why it works: It mirrors the natural overnight fasting period, making it feel less like a new routine and more like a slight extension of what you already do.
Potential Challenges:
- Late-night snacking can disrupt your fasting period.
- Some people may wake up feeling extra hungry if they’re used to eating late at night or early in the morning.
How to manage these challenges:
- Establish a consistent dinner time to develop a routine.
- If late-night hunger strikes, opt for hydrating beverages such as water or herbal tea.
- Keep breakfast simple but balanced, including a mix of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs to start your day on the right note.
The 12-hour fast is gentle on the body and offers a great introduction to IF. It’s ideal for those who want a simple, approachable schedule.
2. 14/10 Schedule
Here, you fast for 14 hours and eat during a 10-hour window. This expands on the 12-hour fast, extending the fasting period slightly while still allowing time for breakfast or a late-morning meal.
- Example: Stop eating by 8pm and resume eating at 10am the next day.
- Why it works: This gradual step helps your body adapt to longer fasting periods without skipping meals entirely. It also aligns well with individuals who want to push breakfast back a bit without eliminating it.
Potential Challenges:
- You may feel lightheaded or tired in the mornings, particularly if you overexert yourself on an empty stomach.
- Hunger can feel more pronounced as the fasting period extends.
How to manage these challenges:
- Start slowly by delaying breakfast by 15-30 minutes daily to ease the transition into a 14-hour fast.
- Prioritize hydration. Sometimes, thirst can amplify feelings of hunger.
- Plan your morning activities to avoid intense physical exertion until after your first meal.
The 14/10 schedule is a great middle-ground for beginners who are ready to progress but not quite committed to skipping breakfast completely.
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3. 16/8 Schedule
This is a popular IF approach where you fast for 16 hours and eat within an 8-hour window. This usually means delaying your first meal until midday and finishing your eating window in the evening.
- Example: Fast from 8pm to 12pm, then eat from 12pm to 8 pm.
- Why it works: This schedule provides a longer fasting window, which allows more time for metabolic shifts such as fat-burning or lower insulin levels.
Potential Challenges:
- Skipping breakfast can be a significant adjustment, particularly for those who are accustomed to eating immediately after waking up.
- Morning hunger or energy dips may initially feel difficult to manage.
- Social settings such as breakfast meetings may be harder to accommodate on this schedule.
How to manage these challenges:
- Be strategic about your meal timing. Plan nutrient-dense meals during your eating window to remain energized and satisfied.
- Use beverages such as black coffee, tea, or water in the morning to help manage your hunger.
- Remind yourself that hunger comes in waves. Practice patience and it will often subside after 10-20 minutes.
- If social breakfast events arise, you should consider modifying your schedule occasionally so your fasting routine remains flexible.
The 16/8 schedule may take longer to get used to than shorter durations, but it offers a substantial fasting window that many people find effective for their health goals.
Read more: What Are Prolific Keto Fasting Hours?
How Should a Beginner Start Fasting?
- Before the Fast
Preparation is the key when starting intermittent fasting (IF). Before you jump in, it’s essential to understand how fasting works in your body. When you go without food, your body shifts from using primarily glucose (sugar) for energy to using stored fat (2). This process doesn’t happen instantly, and the adjustment can leave you feeling tired or hungry at first. This is why starting with a clear plan is important.
Start by choosing a fasting schedule that feels manageable. A 12-hour fast is a great starting point for most people as it aligns with your natural overnight fasting period. Gradually extending this time, rather than making drastic changes, can help your body adapt more smoothly.
Think about your current diet, too. Eating balanced meals that include protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs with fiber before fasting begins can help you stay full longer (3, 4). For example, a dinner with grilled salmon, steamed vegetables, and quinoa provides slow-digesting nutrients that sustain your energy during the fasting window.
You must also make sure you’re well-hydrated. Dehydration can amplify feelings of fatigue (5), so drinking plenty of water before and during your fast is essential. Our previous article covers everything you need to know about how to prepare for a fast.
- During Fasting Hours
Once your fasting window starts, it’s normal to notice changes in how your body feels. Some people experience hunger pangs, which are caused by the hormone ghrelin. Ghrelin rises when your stomach is empty, signaling your brain that it’s time to eat (6). These feelings often come in waves and typically pass within 15-20 minutes.
Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to manage these moments (7). Drinking water, herbal teas, or even black coffee can help keep hunger at bay.
Activity levels also make a difference. Intense physical activity during fasting hours can lead to fatigue or lightheadedness, particularly if you’re new to fasting (8). Instead, opt for lighter activities such as walking or stretching, which can keep you energized without placing too much strain on your body. If you’re curious about best fasting schedule, check out our earlier article.
Pay attention to how your body responds. Fatigue, mood swings, or dizziness are potential side effects (9) that could signal that your fasting window is too long for your current adaptation level. If this happens, it’s okay to adjust your fasting duration. Starting small and building up is far more sustainable than pushing through discomfort.
- After Your Fast Ends
Breaking your fast is just as important as the fasting itself. When your eating window begins, aim to start with a nutrient-dense meal rather than reaching for highly processed or sugary foods. After fasting, your body is primed to absorb nutrients quickly, so the meal you choose can have a significant impact on the way you feel.
Start with something light, such as a bowl of Greek yogurt with fresh berries and almonds. This provides protein, healthy fats, and fiber, which support steady energy levels. You should avoid heavy, high-fat meals immediately after fasting as they can overwhelm your digestive system and lead to sluggishness.
Hydration remains important, so continue drinking water throughout the eating period. Dehydration can sometimes mask itself as hunger, so remaining hydrated can help you tune into your actual hunger cues.
Reflect on how your day felt overall. Did the fasting period suit your schedule? Did you feel energized or overly hungry? These observations can help you fine-tune your fasting approach.
What Should I Eat Before Starting Fasting?
What you eat before fasting can set the tone for how your body feels during the fasting window. Choosing the right foods will help maintain energy levels, keep you satisfied, and support overall well-being. Your focus should be on nutrient-dense meals that are slow to digest and keep you feeling full for longer.
- High-Quality Protein
- Healthy Fats
- Avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil for long-lasting energy and satiety (12).
- Fiber-Rich Foods
- Vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and legumes to slow digestion and prevent hunger pangs (13).
- Complex Carbohydrates
- Oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, or whole-grain bread for steady energy without sugar crashes (14).
- Hydration
- Water, herbal teas, or water-rich foods such as cucumber and watermelon to prevent dehydration.
- Avoid Sugary or Ultra Processed Foods
- Skip sugary snacks, fried foods, and refined carbs to avoid energy spikes and crashes (14).
Example Meal: A salmon filet with quinoa, roasted broccoli, and avocado covers all these bases for a balanced pre-fasting meal. Dive deeper into the beginner intermittent fasting meal plan with our dedicated article.
Which Meal Is Best to Skip for Intermittent Fasting?
Deciding which meal to skip during intermittent fasting (IF) is a personal choice. It depends on your routine, preferences, and how your body responds to fasting. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are some factors you should consider:
Morning vs. Evening Fasting
Many people find skipping breakfast easier as they’re not naturally hungry in the morning. During the early hours, your body releases cortisol, a hormone that boosts energy (15). This can naturally suppress hunger and make it easier to delay your first meal.
However, skipping breakfast may not suit everyone. If you’re someone who wakes up feeling ravenous or needs energy early for a physically demanding job, keeping breakfast a part of your day may be a better option.
On the other hand, skipping dinner works for those who prefer lighter evenings or want to avoid eating late at night. Eating close to bedtime may disturb sleep for some people as it can lead to indigestion or heartburn when you lay down after eating (16). If your evenings are less active or you don’t feel as hungry after lunch, skipping dinner can feel natural.
Pay Attention to Your Energy Levels
The meal you skip shouldn’t interfere with your energy or focus. If skipping breakfast leaves you feeling sluggish at work or skipping dinner causes late-night hunger pains, you may need to rethink your plan. Your fasting schedule should fit seamlessly into your life and support your daily needs.
Lifestyle and Social Activities
Your routine also plays a big role. Skipping dinner may not work if you often have social or family meals in the evening. Similarly, skipping breakfast could be a challenge for people with early-morning obligations that require immediate energy. Think about when and how you eat with others and choose a schedule that is aligned with your daily life.
Is the First Day of Fasting the Hardest?
For many people, the first day of fasting does feel the hardest. This is because your body is adjusting to a new routine, and it’s not yet accustomed to extended periods without food.
If you’re used to eating frequently, the sudden break in that routine triggers certain responses. Hunger hormones, particularly ghrelin, play a significant role. Ghrelin is produced when your stomach is empty, sending signals to your brain that it’s time to eat (17). On the first day, these signals may feel stronger as your body expects food at its usual times.
Another reason the first day feels tough is your energy source. Your body typically uses glucose from food for energy, but in fasting, as stored glucose (known as glycogen) starts to deplete, your body begins to transition to using fat for energy instead (2).
This metabolic shift, sometimes called “fat adaptation”, doesn’t happen immediately. During this adjustment period, you may feel tired, irritable, or lightheaded. These feelings are often temporary.
There’s also a psychological aspect to fasting. Whether you’re new to it or you’ve fasted before, depriving yourself of food can trigger a sense of deprivation or punishment. This can be particularly challenging if you typically use food as a coping mechanism for stress or emotional issues.
However, despite these challenges, many people find that after the first day or two, fasting becomes easier and they start feeling better overall. Some even report increased mental clarity and improved focus during their fasts.
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What Stage of Fasting Burns the Most Fat?
Around the 12-hour mark, your body shifts more heavily into fat burning. This happens because glycogen, the stored form of glucose in your liver and muscles, starts to run out. Glycogen depletion pushes your body to rely more on fat for energy. During this phase, your metabolism favors breaking down fat stores into molecules called ketones, which provide energy for your brain and body (18).
If you’re following an intermittent fasting schedule such as 16/8, this stage is when fat-burning peaks, particularly toward the end of your fast. The body is highly efficient at using fat as a fuel source during this period.
Fat burning peaks later in the fasting process as your body prioritizes more accessible energy sources first. It uses glucose from food, then glycogen, and only then turns to fat (18). This gradual transition ensures your body maintains stable energy levels, even without food.
Read more: Best Foods to Break a 3-Day Fast: What to Eat to Break a Fast
What Is the Best Age to Start Fasting?
There’s no universal “best” age to start fasting. What works for one person may not suit another. Fasting is dependent on factors such as physical development, health, and daily routines. However, certain groups of people should approach fasting with caution or shouldn’t fast at all, as their bodies may have different nutritional needs.
Fasting isn’t recommended for children and adolescents. This is because their bodies are going through rapid changes and require a steady supply of nutrients to support growth and development. Skipping meals or restricting certain foods may deprive them of essential vitamins, minerals, and calories they need for proper physical and cognitive development. Similarly, pregnant and breastfeeding people shouldn’t fast or restrict their diets as they have increased nutrient requirements for fetal growth and lactation.
However, adults over 50 have unique dietary needs too. Muscle mass naturally declines with age, which makes protein intake critical (19). If fasting interferes with eating enough protein or calories, this could accelerate muscle loss. Older adults may want to try shorter fasting schedules, such as the 12/12 method, to avoid disrupting their nutritional needs.
Yes, you can chew sugar-free gum while fasting as it contains minimal calories and is unlikely to break your fast. Fasting can be healthy for many people when it’s done correctly. It may help with weight management, improve insulin sensitivity, and support cellular repair (18, 20). However, it may not be suitable for everyone, particularly individuals with certain medical conditions or those who are pregnant or underweight. You should always talk to your healthcare provider before you start any fasting regimen or make major dietary changes. No, lemon water doesn’t break a fast as long as you only use a small amount of lemon juice (a few drops) and avoid added sweeteners. The calorie content is negligible and won’t disrupt the fasting process. Yes, you can brush your teeth while fasting. Toothpaste and mouthwash have minimal to no calories and won’t break your fast. Just avoid swallowing the toothpaste.Frequently Asked Questions
Can you chew gum while fasting?
Is fasting actually healthy?
Does lemon water break a fast?
Can you brush your teeth while fasting?
The Bottom Line
Starting a fasting schedule doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. The key is to choose a method that suits your lifestyle and feels manageable. Intermittent fasting offers flexibility, whether you prefer to skip breakfast or eat within a set window. The best approach is to start slow, listen to your body, and find what works best for you. And remember, fasting doesn’t need to be all or nothing – incorporating small changes into your routine can still provide health benefits.
