Intermittent fasting (IF) is a popular weight-loss diet that generally describes a straightforward concept: You can consume whatever you want, but only during a specific time frame “When it comes to weight loss, the research on traditional intermittent fasting is compelling,” says Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., registered dietitian and assistant nutrition director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. “Indeed, fasting can potentially reprogram your metabolism, but it’s more likely that fasting contributes to weight loss because restricting your eating to specific periods causes you to consume fewer calories overall.”
According to Sassos, one of the reasons intermittent fasting is so appealing to a large number of people is that it typically does not require counting calories or monitoring macros, but rather setting a convenient eating window. And there are numerous IF window variations to choose from, including the standard 16:8 schedule, the 5:2 diet, and the One Meal a Day (OMAD) regimen. “If you decide to try intermittent fasting, ensure that the foods you consume during your feeding window are nutritious and provide your body with all the nutrients it needs,” advises Sassos.
Regardless of the intermittent fasting schedule you may be considering, an app can help you remain on track. Depending on your objectives, you may prefer an intermittent fasting app that includes hydration tracking, healthful recipes, or other extras.
Top 5 Best Intermittent Fasting Apps for Weight Loss in 2023
1. The 5:2 Diet
Another prevalent intermittent fasting method is the Fast Diet or the 5:2 Diet. In this variation, you may eat ordinarily for five days of the week, but on the other two days, you must consume a calorie-restricted diet.
No more or less than 500 to 600 calories may be consumed on these days. This is insufficient, as a regular bagel with cream cheese would consume your entire daily allowance.
However, you can spread out the calories so that they are not consumed in one sitting. This can be accomplished by consuming chicken salads for lunch, fruit for breakfast, and high-protein, low-carbohydrate dinners. Check over other articles like Outpost Alternatives
Many individuals reserve the two days for the weekend when they have additional time to prepare meals. Others sandwich it during the week so that they do not have to limit themselves on their days off.
2. Eat Stop Eat
Eat Stop Eat is comparable to 5:2 in that it follows a “5 days off, 2 days on” pattern. The difference between the two days is what you consume. In this technique, no food is consumed.
Some people prefer to consume normally for six days and then fast on the seventh, while others can only eat for two days (either consecutively or throughout the week). In any case, you should not fast for longer than two days. Remember that you can still consume low-calorie beverages such as coffee, water, and tea during the fasting period.
3. Alternate-Day Fasting
Alternate fasting entails abstaining from consuming one day and then eating normally the following day. Some individuals prefer to have a low-calorie day instead of fasting, and those who adhere to this modified version will limit their daily caloric intake to 500 calories.
This method is extremely challenging because it requires more fasting days than the alternatives. Due to the “one day on, one day off” nature of this method, it can be simpler to fall into a rhythm.
If you are new to fasting and want to attempt this method, we suggest limiting the fasting day to 500 calories rather than abstaining from food entirely.
4. The Warrior Diet
This diet is intended to resemble what armies ate before food became ubiquitous. A person would consume nothing or a reduced diet for 20 hours per day. For the remaining four hours of the day, dieters could consume whatever they desired. Here you can also check instead of Windows
During the period of fasting, you may consume hard-boiled eggs, vegetables, fruits, and calorie-free beverages like water. The intention is to nibble on these low-calorie foods throughout the day without overindulging.
Then, in the final four hours of the day, you can consume a substantial meal to sustain you for the next day. This form of fasting is not intended to last for an extended period. You may instead adhere to this diet for up to a year.
5. Time-Restricted Eating
Do Fasting: This is the most common method and apps like Do Fasting can help you remain on track. The plan is to refrain from consuming for 12 hours per day. Within the remaining 12 hours, you may consume food. The 12 hours is merely a recommendation, as the most common time frame for this method is 16 hours of fasting followed by 8 hours of dining.
In the apps, a reminder alarm will sound when it is time to consume, and they frequently provide recipes for healthy meal options. We recommend perusing Do Fasting supplement reviews because the app provides a variety of options to help you get started.
