Daily intermittent fasting regimen consists of a fasting window when you resist eating calorie-containing foods and beverages and an eating window when you are allowed to eat normally. The length of each interval depends on the chosen method.
The 14:10 method is a good option for beginners. It involves limiting the consumption of foods and calorie-containing beverages to a set window of 14 hours per day and eating regularly for the remaining 10 hours. One common approach to following this method is to eat normally in the hours between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
The 14:10 regimen is very close to the usual eating pattern. The fasting window is relatively small, much of the fasting occurs during sleep. This makes the transition into a new eating regimen very doable and fairly easy.
The 16:8 method involves fasting every day for 16 hours and restricting your daily eating window to 8 hours. You can schedule your 8-hour eating window in a way that works best with your lifestyle. Many people find skipping breakfast and restricting their daily eating period to 8 hours from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. very manageable. Others choose to eat between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. This time frame allows plenty of time for a healthy breakfast in the morning, a normal lunch around noon, and an early dinner before 5 p.m. when the fast starts.
During the times when you’re not eating, water and zero-calorie beverages such as black coffee and tea are permitted while practicing both regimens.