Intermittent fasting (aka time-restricted feeding, or IF) is an eating pattern that switches between periods of fasting and eating on a regular schedule. Research suggests this practice can help you lose weight (1, 2).
Diet experts also suggest that IF can:
The intermittent fasting diet plan 16:8 is one of the more popular patterns of IF.
This article covers:
An intermittent fasting diet plan 16:8 is a fasting and feeding plan that requires you to fast for 16 hours a day, leaving you with an 8-hour feeding window to consume all your allocated calories.
No one’s best 16:8 fasting schedule will be perfect for everyone.
The best schedule is one that best fits your lifestyle and preferences.
Here are 5 of the most common daily 16:8 IF schedules:
If you are looking for a beginner intermittent fasting meal plan schedule, choose from any of these plans or make a schedule that works for you.
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Some things to consider when choosing an IF 16:8 fasting plan:
The earlier you wake up, the earlier you are likely to feel hungry, so adjust your schedule to fit this need. However, some people can wake up early and not need to eat till several hours later.
Take note of when you generally feel hungry after waking up, then find a schedule that works best.
Find a schedule that doesn’t leave too much time between your last meal and bedtime to avoid going hungry. This extended “waiting period” may increase your chances of breaking the fast and late-night eating. Commonly eaten foods late in the evening tend to be high in calories.
Data shows that eating later in the night can increase the risk of obesity and cardiometabolic risks while impairing weight loss (3, 4, 5).
Would you prefer to fast before workouts or eat something before exercising?
Pick a schedule that matches your preferences.
Would you prefer to start the day off with a workout?
Then, a schedule whose eating window is earlier in the day might be the best for you.
Do you like fasted workouts?
Adjust the feeding or IF schedule to one that lets you have a meal within an hour after exercising.
For optimal muscle recovery, the research suggests eating within 30-60 minutes after exercising (6).
Most work or social gatherings have food, snacks, appetizers, and drinks.
If you work in such environments, find a schedule that best accommodates this to reduce the risk of breaking your routine.
Generally, time-restricted feeding has no rules on what you should or shouldn’t eat during the feeding window.
However, if following a 30-day weight loss intermittent fasting plan, you should pay extra attention to your food. Doing this can help increase your chances of success.
Here are some foods to include in a 16:8 intermittent fasting diet plan:
Research shows that the increased consumption of both fruits and vegetables can reduce:
If you are hoping for good 16:8 fasting results 1 month down the line, we suggest adding various vegetables – especially non-starchy veggies and fruits to your weekly grocery shop.
To keep the budget low, shop seasonally. It doesn’t matter whether you buy fresh or frozen produce -just make sure you buy lots of it and consume it all to avoid food waste.
Like the increased intake of fruits and vegetables, research also shows that a higher intake of whole-grain foods benefits your:
Examples of whole grains that you should consider adding to your intermittent fasting 16:8 schedule include:
If you use this diet plan for weight loss, you should not skimp on the protein.
According to research, this macronutrient facilitates weight loss through (11):
Combining intermittent fasting with exercise, especially strength training, can help you increase or at least maintain your muscle mass. Having more muscle increases metabolic rate and calorie burning while resting.
Please Note
If you have an intermittent fasting muscle gain meal plan, your protein intake can make or break your success rate.
The general recommended daily protein intake is 0.8g per kg of body weight, which is insufficient for muscle growth.
To increase your muscle mass, increase your daily protein intake to around 1.6g per kg of body weight for optimal results (12, 13).
Good protein sources for both weight loss and muscle gain include:
Sustainable weight loss demands good health.
Research and experts state that healthy fats are great for your health as they:
A few sources of healthy fats include:
Read more: Hourly Benefits Fasting Chart: A Guide To How The Body Works As You Go Without Food
As previously stated, time-restricted feeding does not come with set-in-stone guidelines of what you can and cannot eat. However, for the best results, be it for better health, weight loss/maintenance, or muscle gain, here are some foods that you should avoid:
When creating a menu for your intermittent fasting meal ideas, limit or avoid these foods and fill your list with the foods and ingredients from the section above this one.
Usually, after long fasts – not time-restricted feeding – experts advise an individual to refrain from breaking a fast with heavy high-fat or high-fiber foods as they could be too much for their digestive systems.
Instead, experts advise starting with small portions of light and easily digestible meals like:
However, intermittent fasting, especially patterns like the 16:8 method, will not have strict guidelines on specific things to eat when an eating period begins.
Intermittent fasting periods can be long, but usually not too long that it compromises your digestive system.
You may choose light and easily digestible foods as your first meal for an eating period or any regular healthy and filling meal.
It is impossible to determine how much weight every individual will lose after a 30 day weight loss intermittent fasting trial.
There isn’t one answer because weight loss is determined by more than diet and exercise.
Weight loss progress involves these factors, too:
The average healthy weight loss you should expect in a month is 4-8 pounds.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines state that healthy and sustainable weight loss means losing 1-2 pounds weekly (18).
Not watching your calorie intake could put you in a calorie surplus even while intermittent fasting, which will not only stagnate the weight loss but could also lead to weight gain.
A calorie deficit is essential for weight loss, but too much of it can be detrimental not only to your weight loss goals but also to your weight.
Ensure you only reduce your daily calorie intake by 500-750 calories, or perhaps fewer, depending on your needs and how your body responds.
A diet high in added sugar, salts, and unhealthy fats will likely contribute to weight gain.
To avoid this while intermittent fasting, pay attention to the section on which foods to avoid. Take note and ensure that you remove said foods from your pantry/refrigerator and do not repurchase them (when you do indulge, eat the serving size).
Changing your diet alone can help kickstart your weight loss goals, but it’s sometimes not enough to get you where you want to be.
Try incorporating some exercise into your daily routine by doing simple workouts such as walking, running, swimming, cycling, or jumping rope for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
Also, add strength training on 2 of these 5 days.
Do simple bodyweight training workouts like squats, hip thrusts, knee pushups, tricep dips, and leg and calf raises.
Allow your body and muscles to rest the remaining 2 days of the week.
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Eating or consuming any calories through drinks during the 16-hour fasting window is not allowed.
However, this restriction does not mean you cannot drink something to help contain the hunger.
During fasting windows, you can drink:
Once the eating window opens, here are some examples of meals:
Meal 1
Meal 2
Meal 3
Snack Options In Between Meals
If you stick to your healthy intermittent fasting plan – and add exercise to the routine – you may notice that you’ve lost some weight, maintained muscle mass, or improved your blood lipid profile or insulin sensitivity (1). Yes, it does, since you are not eating while asleep. Your last meal just before the fasting window should be high in complex carbohydrates and protein to promote satiety and keep you fuller for longer. Beware of simple carbs, as they will make you hungry soon after the eating window closes. According to a study published in The Physician and Sportsmedicine Journal in 2017, researchers suggested that men may tend to lose more fat/weight in their belly area while women lose it first in their hips (19). However, genetics play a large part in body fat distribution and weight loss, so we cannot say that the above statement will be factual for everyone (20, 21).Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after 1 month of intermittent fasting?
Does sleeping count as fasting?
What is the last meal before fasting?
Where do you lose weight first?
The intermittent fasting diet plan 16:8 can help you lose weight and maintain muscle – but only if you do it correctly.
Once you have figured out the schedule that best suits your lifestyle, ensure that you eat primarily whole, nutrient-dense foods within your recommended calorie intake and exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. This balance will increase your chances of seeing the results that you desire.
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