The BEST TIME to eat during “intermittent fasting” is related to our metabolism speed, here an explanation of all 5 methods: 16:8, 5:2, Eat-stop-eat, alternate day fasting, and the warrior diet method.
Why is timing so important in intermittent fasting?
Have you ever heard of cortisol?
Choosing the right time to eat during intermittent fasting directly affects our metabolism because of cortisol which is the hormone responsible for our body's metabolism. Cortisol hormone regulates metabolism. So to maintain it, we must focus on this hormone responsible for weight gain or weight loss. It is important to know that cortisol has a schedule. It is very high in the morning ( between 6 and 9 am) and low in the evening ( from 3.30 pm). Therefore, we must follow this schedule in our diet as well, to have a healthy diet.
1- 16: 8 method
This is the most common method of intermittent fasting, not because it is the best, but because it helps most people, especially those who work in the day and prefer to skip breakfast.
This method allows you to eat for 8 hours a day and then fast for the remaining 16 hours.
What are 16:8 time windows?
people choose their schedules according to their occupation, or everything depends on their choice:
- 6am – 2pm
- 7am – 3pm
- 9am – 5pm
- 12pm – 8pm
- 2pm-10pm
The first three methods are the best times to eat during intermittent fasting according to the 16:8 method.
What’s the best time to eat when doing the 16:8 method of intermittent fasting?
The best hours to eat during intermittent fasting 16:8 method is :
- 6 am – 2 pm
- 7 am – 3pm
- 8 am – 4pm
- 9 am – 5pm ( max).
Some people know that our metabolism including cortisol works very well in the morning, so they prefer not to eat anything at that time to burn the stored fat and lose weight very quickly.
This is a completely wrong idea! You should certainly not skip breakfast for several reasons:
To eat twice as much in the next meal
By skipping breakfast which is the most essential meal, our body which works very well in the morning will burn the fat stored to have energy.
So you will be too hungry at the next meal and you will eat more than your body needs. Remember that the heavier the meal, the slower the digestion and the more storage there will be.
Craving for sweet food!
By skipping breakfast after a long night of hunger, your body will go for the stored fat, and THE FAT BREAKDOWN will be associated with a release of substances called “ketone bodies”, these molecules will drive the urge to eat sweet all day.
We need energy throughout the day!
When you eat a balanced breakfast in the morning when the cortisol level is high and therefore the metabolism is well regulated, your body will directly burn what you have eaten to meet your body’s needs.
The rest will be used throughout the day because we need the energy to do our activities, so there will be no storage if we move well. We must always think about the parts and cells in our body that are waiting for their needs to handle a long day.
When should I stop eating when doing the 16:8 method of intermittent fasting?
When doing intermittent fasting 16:8, it’s better if you stop eating at a max of 6 pm. Starting from 6 pm, our metabolism is going to slow down. This means a part of what we eat is going to be stored.
What If you work overnight?
The best time to eat during intermittent fasting 16:8 method if you work overnight is all about the hour when you start working.
If you start working from 9 am, the best time to eat is from 10 am – 6 pm.
Why?
First of all, it is always better to start in the morning when the cortisol level is high. The second point is that after 3 hours of a well-balanced meal the body will start to burn what we have eaten. So from 9 pm when you start working your meal will be burned to get energy so there will be less storage. Even if you work in an office, using a microcomputer and intelligence jobs also requires a lot of energy.
For a job that requires computer intelligence, it’ll be better if you take a small serving of fast sugar that must be combined with slow sugar such as white bread for example to avoid intense hunger at night. because the brain’s primary fuel is sugar and it uses it too much.
If you work from midnight, it is really difficult to follow the cortisol schedule during intermittent fasting. So it is recommended to eat from 1 pm – 9 am provided that you do a sports activity 2 hours after the last meal.
What exercise to do during intermittent fasting if I work overnight?
It should not be a strong physical activity, preferably choose jogging, brisk walking, or running. It should be a moderate activity that lasts at least 35 minutes.
Conclusion: After finishing your work, have breakfast, do a sports activity 2 hours after, take a shower and sleep.
Best time to exercise when doing 16:8 method of intermittent fasting
It must be 2 hours after breakfast. But it’s also possible to do it after lunch about 2 hours after noon. The morning remains the ideal time to do physical activity following the best time to eat during the intermittent fasting 6h-2 pm.
After 2 hours of breakfast which means 8 am, you start to do a physical activity to burn what you took in breakfast, wake up your mind, and your organs and get rid of the negative energy to spend a pleasant day in a good mood. If you work overnight, follow the recommendations in the previous paragraph.
2- Alternate-day fasting method
What’s the best time to eat when doing the Alternate day method of intermittent fasting?
It’s an intermittent fasting approach where you fast today and eat what you want tomorrow. The best time to eat during the alternate day fasting method is between 6 am – 7 pm. Like a normal day when you can take 3 meals a day with a snack at 4 pm.
It’s better to choose the new version of the alternate-day fasting method that consists of eating about 500 calories on the next day when you should fast, to avoid starving.
It’s better to consume 500 calories the next day by fasting in the morning as a breakfast to get some energy for the whole day.
When should I stop eating when doing the Alternate day method of intermittent fasting?
The best time to stop eating while doing the fasting alternate day is about 6 pm. But if you work overnight, and you’re following the new version that consists of consuming about 500 calories in the fasting day, it will be better if you stop eating at 6 pm, and take a snack at 3.30 am.
Those who follow the alternate day fasting generally are those who fast the day and not overnight workers. So it’s easy for them to follow the cortisol diagram.
The best time to exercise when doing the alternate-day method of intermittent fasting
The best time to exercise when doing the alternate day fasting depends on the exercise level.
- If you do an intense sport, it should be after 2 hours of a rich meal.
- If you want to do a moderate physical activity the best time to do it is the first half day.
Avoid doing intense sports on a fasting day, otherwise, you will experience uncomfortable ketosis.
Can I get a snack at the Alternate day fasting method?
Yes, on the first day you are allowed to snack in the morning and in the evening, you can eat as much as you want, the main thing is to fast the next day.
However, the new version of the fasting alternate day method encourages you to have a small snack or no more than 500 calories on the fasting day.
3- The 5:2 method
Another method of intermittent fasting consists of fasting an executive 48 hours ( when eating a max of 800 calories/day) and eating normally in the remaining 5 days.
The best days to fast when doing the 5:2 method of intermittent fasting
Weekend days or non-working days, so you won’t disturb your sleep or your usual eating habits.
What’s the best time to eat when doing 5:2 intermittent fasting?
The 5 days you can normally eat by taking 3 meals a day. On the two days when you have to fast, it is recommended to have a good breakfast at 6 am which should contain a max of 400 calories/ day ( you take them from the 800 calories /48 hours of fasting).
Conclusion :
- Day 1 (Nonfasting day) : 3 principal meals a day
- Day 2 ( fasting day ): 400 calories at breakfast
- Day 3 ( fasting day): 400 calories at breakfast
- Day 4 (Nonfasting day) : 3 meals a day
- Day 5 (Nonfasting day) : 3 meals a day
- Day 6 (Nonfasting day) : 3 meals a day
- Day 7 (Nonfasting day) : 3 meals a day
- Day 8: Repeat
When should I stop eating when doing the 5:2 method of intermittent fasting?
The day before, you stop at 8 pm. For the next 2 days when you have to fast, You take breakfast containing 400 calories each day. You can go until 9.30 am. Then you fast the rest of the days.
Conclusion :
- Day 1 ( No fasting day): eating normally 3 meals a day from 6 am – 8 pm
- Day 2 ( fasting day) : Breakfast, then fasting until 6 am of the next day
- Day 3 ( fasting day 2): Breakfast at 6 am. Then fasting until 6 am of the next day
- Day 4,5,6,7 ( no fasting days) : 3 meals a day
- Day 8: Repeat.
What If you Work Overnight?
If you work at night, you will need to eat 200 calories/ day at dinner and not at breakfast. then have a small snack of about 200 calories at 3.30 am – 4 am, as the total should be 600 calories/day. You do the same thing for the 2nd day.
Don’t worry the cortisol level is also high at this time so the metabolism works very well and there will be no storage of your snack. It can be plain yogurt with a banana.
Best time to exercise when doing the 5:2 method of intermittent fasting
The ideal time to exercise during the 5:2 intermittent fasting method is on a nonfasting day in the morning, preferably 2 hours after breakfast.
If you work at night and have to change your eating schedule, it is important to have your last meal around 3.30 to 4.30 am. This way you can exercise at 6 am.
Do you have trouble eating in the early morning?
Some people can’t eat in the morning, they develop feelings of nausea, or they just don’t feel like eating in the morning.
If you work every day at night, just ignore the 800 calories you can take at 4 am on the fasting day. ( Before it was 600 cal/2 days) But now it’s 800 cal/2 days).
If you work the night shift, you have the chance to follow your intermittent fasting as normally as possible.
So you should choose the fasting days and not fasting days according to your work schedule, i.e. if you have night work on Wednesday, you fast on Monday & Tuesday. And the exercise will always be 2 hours after breakfast on a nonfasting day. You don’t have to exercise every day!
4- Eat – Stop – Eat
It is a method that helps a lot of people who work at night, like nurses and doctors on night shifts for example. But it is more strict. You must fast for a full 24 hours once or twice a week! and eat the remaining days normally. This method affects belly fat very perfect for people who want to have a flat belly.
The best days to fast when doing Eat -Stop- eat method of intermittent fasting
It is preferable to separate the fasting days when following the eat stop eat method. Fasting two days in a row leads to an imbalance in the intestinal flora (several bacteria that reside in our gut responsible for our physical and moral well-being).
Conclusion: Fasting to detoxify – eating to feed our intestinal flora so that it can regenerate – fasting to detoxify-repeat.
What’s the best time to eat when doing Eat-stop-eat method of intermittent fasting
From 4am – 7pm. You have 24 hours, but you don’t have to eat until the last hour unless you are a special case, malnourished, thin, etc., where you can continue to have small snacks according to your appetite.
What If you work at night?
You take your 3 main meals from 4 am to 7 pm. Then you take with you some drinks like fruit juices, fruit-milk smoothies, to have energy during the night and also to hydrate well. So you stop drinking at 4 am and you start fasting until 4 am the next day and repeat.
When should I stop eating when doing the eat-stop-eat method of intermittent fasting?
During this method, you stop eating according to your goal and your conditions. If you really want to lose weight and have a flat belly, you don’t have to spend all 24 hours eating. You just have to eat from breakfast until 8 pm maximum.
Unless you work at night, for example, you can continue to take milk, a natural fruit juice until midnight or 4 am depending on your work schedule.
Can I get a snack at the eat-stop-eat method of intermittent fasting?
No, in this case, you should fast for a full 24 hours. If not, it will seem like you’re following the 5:2 method.
Eat stop eat VS 5:2 method of intermittent fasting
In the 5:2 method, you have two consecutive days of fasting with a snack containing 800 calories. In the stop eating method, you should fast for a full 24 hours, once or twice a week, whenever you want.
5- The Warrior diet method
The warrior diet method. This is another method of intermittent fasting. generally followed by Koreans, and Japanese.
It is a method that consists of fasting for 20 hours or eating small amounts of some food like ( dairy, hard-boiled eggs and raw veggies), and eating as much as you want for the remaining 4 hours.
This method also focuses on the quality of food, you must eat too much protein (not to lose muscle), good fat, whole grains, raw veggies and fruits.
What’s the best time to eat when doing a warrior diet
- In the 4 hours of overeating: When doing the warrior diet, in your overeating 4 hours, it’s recommended to take a well-balanced breakfast, you can eat as much as you want ( No caloric limits) as long as it should be unprocessed, healthy food.
- In the undereating 20 hours: You can take green salad in lunch at midday with a dairy product, then fast for the remaining day.
Best time to exercise when doing the warrior diet method
During the 4 hours of overeating. This means that after 2 hours of your breakfast it is better to either go for a brisk walking, skipping rope, running, etc.
If you are a bodybuilder it is better to change the intermittent fasting method because the warrior diet limits the consumption of proteins.It can also make you feel some side effects like nausea, ketosis etc., and muscle fatigue.
When should I stop eating when doing the warrior diet
- During the 4 hours of overeating: Stop at 9:30. That is, after breakfast.
- During the 20 hours of undereating: It is better to have only a light lunch at midday and to fast the remaining part of the day.
Conclusion: In 24 hours you have to
- Take a well-balanced breakfast
- Stop eating at 9:30 max.
- Taking a light lunch at midday
- Fast the remaining hours.
- Repeat
When Should I drink Water in the Warrior Diet?
Water is allowed all along the warrior diet, however, avoid drinking water during meals. It should be drunk 30 minutes before and 2 hours after a meal. As I have explained below.
Can I get a snack at the Warrior Diet?
During the warrior diet, you can take snacks during the 20 hours of undereating. One snack in the morning at 10 am, another in the afternoon. It should be really light. But preferably follow the method I mentioned above. To let your gut relax, and avoid digestive problems.
Can I change eating times When I Have Digestive Issues during intermittent fasting?
Digestive problems such as reflux, constipation, and bloating are due much more to lifestyle, i.e. you should not lie down directly after eating than after 2 hours.
Then there is the type of dietary fiber that must be changed if you have constipation or diarrhea. You have to keep yourself well hydrated during intermittent fasting because the fasting will dry you up a bit.
conclusion: do not change the time of eating. You just need to have a good lifestyle, do not lie on your stomach, drink a lot of water, pay attention to your diet and dietary fiber, practice moderate physical activity, respect your sleeping times and avoid stress.
When Should I drink Water during intermittent fasting?
30 minutes before a meal and 2 hours after and during exercise.
It is necessary to avoid drinking water during meals, it has 3 disadvantages.
- Swelling and gas
- Constipation
- Stimulates snacking: When we eat and drink at the same time, our stomach will be quickly full, while our body has not had all its needs.
About 30 minutes to 1 hour later we will feel hungry because we did not eat enough during your meal and water replaced the food in it, which will make your fast difficult, the goal is to fast without cravings.
Are you skipping meals randomly?
Skipping meals in an uncontrolled manner can be harmful to your health. Scheduling is very essential for those who want to lose weight while maintaining good health.
Skipping meals in an uncontrolled manner will disrupt people’s biorhythm and then stimulate the yo-yo effect and it can affect certain hormones such as insulin levels released.
Bottom Line
Finally, intermittent fasting has been confirmed and studied several times as a very effective way of eating to decrease inflammation, as well as its antioxidant effect, boosting immunity and it also helping to lose weight.
Choosing the best time to eat during intermittent fasting is very important. Finding the right method is also essential.
