What Is The 8 Hour Diet?
The 8 hour diet is highly effective for weight loss. And you don’t even have to compromise on your hunger or health. The 8 hour diet is a type of intermittent fasting (IF) where you can eat anything you want within the 8 hour window and fast for 16 hours. This diet was popularized by the authors, David Zinczenko and Peter Moore in the book, The 8 Hour Diet, and it is also known as 16/8 intermittent fasting.
How Does The 8 Hour Diet Work?
The 8 hour diet works in the following ways:
Stimulates The Function Of The Mitochondria – Mitochondria are cell organelles that convert glucose to usable energy (ATP). Fasting for 16 hours helps stimulate the mitochondria and reduces the level of intracellular damage caused by a poor diet (2), (3) Uses Up Glycogen And Fat Stores – Glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in your muscles and liver. In a fasted state, your body first uses up glycogen for fuel and then gains access to fat stores (4).
The 8 hour diet teaches you how to trigger the “furnace” in your body that burns fat while you sleep so that the flab can get stripped away right from the moment you wake up.
Burns The Calories You Consume – According to David Zinczenko and Peter Moore, the authors of The 8 Hour Diet, modern lifestyles involve grazing or eating around the clock, which does not give your body sufficient time to burn all the calories that it is required to.
While you are fasting, your body gets the chance to reset itself and digest food. This allows your body to process nutrients and eliminates toxins effectively.
Keeps You Satiated – Most diets are restrictive. From portion control to caloric restriction, there are various terms and conditions that the dieter needs to follow. The 8 hour diet takes the pressure off a traditional “diet”.
Having the freedom to eat everything within an 8 hour window keeps your taste buds alive and prevents boredom. That’s why it is sustainable. Main Idea – The 8 hour diet stimulates your metabolism, burns the glycogen and fat stores, and gives your body enough time to digest food and eliminate toxins. It keeps your interest in the diet alive by allowing you to eat anything you want. Considering all of that, is the 8 hour diet safe? Here’s what science says:
Is The 8 Hour Diet Safe?
Yes, the 8 hour diet is safe. In fact, fasting has various health benefits. Research shows that people who fast intermittently shed fat without affecting their muscle mass. Their blood cholesterol levels improve, they become more insulin sensitive, and the risk of diabetes and metabolic diseases reduces (5), (6), (7). However, you must follow the schedule as mentioned in the next section.
8 Hour Diet Or 16/8 Intermittent Fasting Schedule
Follow the 8 hour diet every alternate day initially. Later, you can follow it every day or once every two days, depending on how long can you survive without food and also if you are losing weight and feeling good. Design your schedule according to your lifestyle. Observe when you feel hungry the most (is it during breakfast or lunch?). How many hours do you work or are in school? Do you work out? If your day starts at 8 am, you can eat from 8 am to 4 pm. Well, if that’s too early, use the 10 am – 6 pm window. Fast until 10 am the next day. Note: You may follow this diet every alternate day or just once or twice a week depending on your convenience and schedule. Here’s a sample diet plan for the 8 hour diet or 16/8 intermittent fasting:
Sample 8 Hour Diet Plan
Apart from the foods mentioned in the chart, here’s a list of foods you may eat and avoid to lose weight. ● Banana smoothie or kale smoothie ● Scrambled or hard-boiled eggs with toast ● 4 almonds ● Tortilla wrap+ low-fat yogurt ● Tuna/vegetable sandwich + fresh fruit juice ● 1 orange or apple ● A small bowl of popcorn ● A small bowl of nachos with low-fat mayonnaise dip ● Asian-style chicken soup/Indian lentil soup+ fruit custard ● Vegetable lasagne + cucumber juice ● Kidney beans chili + 2-3 chapatis + glass of warm milk
16/8 Intermittent Fasting Foods To Eat
Vegetables And Fruits – Any vegetable or fruit. Proteins – Beans, soy, tofu, lentils, eggs, fish, chicken breast, turkey, lean cuts of beef and pork, protein bars (limited amount), and protein shakes. Grains – Brown rice, black rice, white rice, broken wheat, wheat, barley, amaranth, quinoa, and sorghum. Dairy – Any dairy product (unless you are lactose intolerant). Fats And Oils – Olive oil, rice bran oil, canola oil, butter, ghee, mayonnaise, and margarine (all in limited amounts). Desserts – Chocolate pudding, bread pudding, banana muffins, cupcakes, homemade cakes, ice cream, custard, chocolate, etc. (all in limited amounts). Herbs And Spices – Any herb or spice, unless you are allergic to any of them. Beverages – Fresh fruit or vegetable juices, tender coconut water, detox drinks, green tea, black tea, and coffee.
16/8 Intermittent Fasting Foods To Avoid
Fats And Oils – Lard, coconut oil, butter or mayonnaise in excess.
Beverages – Alcohol (consume limited amounts), aerated and sweetened beverages, packaged fruit juices.
Main Idea – You can eat anything you want. But make sure that you avoid consuming too many foods with saturated fats, refined sugar, and artificial additives. The 8 hour diet has many health benefits apart from weight loss. They are listed below.
8 Hour Diet Health Benefits
Helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol (1) May reduce blood pressure (1) Improves metabolic markers to some extent (8) Helps flush out toxins (8) Has been found to increase energy expenditure and browning of fat in mice (9) Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disorders (10) Lowers the chances of type 2 diabetes (1) Balances hormones (1) Mice studies show that fasting can increase longevity (11), (12).
Like any other diet plan, the 8 hour diet also has a few side effects. Check them out.
Side Effects Of The 8 Hour Intermittent Fasting
If you are trying the 8 hour diet for the first time, you may experience the following:
Nausea and mood swings in the initial days After dinner, you may feel like snacking. People may end up eating more after fasting for 16 hours. This may lead to weight gain. Fatigue and weakness Low blood pressure According to a rat study, when done in excess, intermittent fasting may shut down the reproductive system and cognitive abilities in females (13).
Main Idea – The 8 hour diet plan is perfect for weight loss and improving your health. But do not go overboard. Consult a doctor and get expert advice to make this diet successful. Hence, you should be absolutely sure if the 8 hour diet or 16/8 intermittent fasting is for you. Here’s a checklist to help you. Should You Try The 8 Hour Diet or 16/8 Intermittent Fasting? Try it if:
your doctor approves of this diet. you are supervised by your doctor. you feel comfortable fasting for 16 hours. you do not have hypoglycemia or any other medical issue.
If your doctor has given you the green signal to try the 16/8 intermittent fasting, here’s a list of what to do and avoid while on this diet:
Dos & Don’ts Of The 8 Hour Diet
Can you drink alcohol on the 16/8 diet? Yes. One or two glasses of wine during the weekend is fine. However, do not exceed the limit. How often should you do the 16/8 fasting? Start with every alternate day. Increase or decrease the frequency depending on the weight loss goals, how much weight you lose, and how it is making you feel. Can you do 16/8 fast every day? Yes, you can. Do it only if it feels natural to you. Do not push yourself. In case you experience emotional craving, deprivation, gastric distress, or sleep issues, do not follow this diet every day. How much weight can you lose on the 16-8 hour diet? You may lose between 7 to 11 pounds in ten weeks on a 16-8 hour diet (14). However, the actual weight loss will depend largely on your body weight, existing metabolism, and calorie intake. How long does it take to see results from 16-8 intermittent fasting? Anecdotal evidence suggests that you may start noticing a difference within 10 days of being on intermittent fasting, including changes such as less bloating, tightness, clothes fitting better, etc. However, it may take between 2 to 10 weeks to see a difference on the weighing scale. How do I stop hunger during intermittent fasting? Eat proteins and healthy fats when you close your eating window to keep yourself fuller for longer. Also, keep sipping on water throughout the duration of your fast. Does intermittent fasting get rid of loose skin? The 16-8 hour intermittent fasting diet has not been linked with tightening of loose skin.
