The 8/16 diet allows you to eat everything, but only within a certain time frame. The 8-hour diet is based on eating normally for 8 hours and nothing for 16 hours, so it ensures effective weight loss.
Intermittent fasting diet also called diet 8/16, and its main principle is that you eat normally for 8 hours and then not eat anything for 16 hours. It is one of the most popular in the world precisely because of its simplicity, but also its effectiveness.
A big supporter of this diet is Jennifer Aniston, who says yes he never eats breakfast precisely because he adheres to intermittent fasting or the 8/16 diet.
What is the 8/16 Diet?
The 8/16 diet is a very simple diet based on the following two principles:
- For 8 hours you eat normally, all kinds of food.
- You don't eat anything for 16 hours, you are only allowed to drink water, coffee, tea and unsweetened drinks.
This diet burns fat, regenerates cells and promotes faster brain function.
How does the 8/16 diet work?
Experts say that this type of diet gives our body the ability to process nutrients from food. And most importantly: you are never hungry with this diet!
When can I eat if I'm on the 8/16 diet?
You actually sleep through most of the 8/16 diet. When you get up, you should not have breakfast immediately, but you can drink water, tea, coffee, lemonade, but without sugar. You choose the 8 hours when you will eat. It can be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. or from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Most people have their first meal at 12 noon, followed by lunch around 6 p.m. A snack is also allowed.
What can I eat during this diet?
This diet does not allow you to cram all possible food into you in those 8 hours. Neither when starving nor when overeating, it is not good to overdo it. Experts suggest that you eat a balanced diet every day, eating lean meat, eggs, dairy products, vegetables, nuts and legumes. If you can, reduce your sugar intake.
Recommended diet foods 8/16
- Whole grains: rice, oats, barley, quinoa...
- Proteins: meat (beef and chicken), fish, eggs, nuts and seeds...
- Fruits: apples, bananas, berries, oranges and pears...
- Vegetables: broccoli and leafy greens (chard, lettuce, spinach, kale)
- Healthy fats: olive oil, coconut oil, avocado.
The aim of this diet is to reduce calorie intake and improve metabolic health, as restricting eating time is said to encourage the body to use stored fat as an energy source and improve insulin sensitivity. However, there is not enough evidence to confirm that this diet is effective or safe in the long term, so I recommend that you consult a health professional before starting this diet.
