What is intermittent fasting 16/8?
The 16/8 fasting diet formally known as time restricted feeding (TRF) is a form of intermittent fasting that allows you to divide your daily caloric intake pattern into intervals. Your feeding pattern is defined within a window of time, and the remaining time of the day is considered the fasting window. Within the 24 hours in a day, you consume your caloric intake in an 8-hour period span, the remaining 16 hours of the day is made up of fasting period. During the 8-hour feeding window, there is no restriction on the types or quantities of foods consumed, essentially you can eat whatever you want. During the 16-hour fasting period, you are encouraged to drink plenty of water or calorie free beverages i.e tea or coffee.
What are the benefits of 16/8 intermittent fasting?
The health benefits of the 16/8 fasting can largely be contributed to prolonged periods of fasting and overall reduction in caloric intake. By going through extended period of fasting phase, dieters will limit the number of meals and behaviours such as regular snacking, this will create an overall calorie deficit. The prolonged period of fasting will also send the body into fat burning mode, the body will turn into internal storage of energy such as fat and glycogen in order to sustain regular bodily functions, in turn blood sugar spikes are limited, and weight loss is observed.
In recent clinical studies, the 16/8 fasting diet participants have shown decreased body weight and energy intake in the time restricted feeding group, their systolic blood pressure decreased as well, the study concluded that the 8h restricted feeding may produce mild caloric restriction and weight loss without having to calorie count, and may also offer clinical benefit by reducing blood pressure.(2) Other studies demonstrated the benefit of 5-week time restricted feeding in improved insulin levels, insulin sensitivity, β cell responsiveness and oxidative stress, which indicates TRF(time restricted fasting) as a potential efficacious strategy for treating prediabetes and also prehypertension.(3) General conclusion on time restricted feeding in human studies have shown that TRF is associated with reduction of body weight, lower concentration of triglycerides, glucose and low-density lipoprotein cholesterols and increased concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.(4) Not only has 16/8 restricted feeding fasting demonstrated metabolic disease related benefits, it has also been shown to be beneficial in resistance training healthy individuals. Study result indicated the 16/8 fasting diet can be beneficial to resistance trained individuals to decrease fat mass and maintain muscle mass. This kind of regime is applied by athletes in the maintenance phases of training which the goal is to reduce fat mass and maintain muscle mass. (5)
Which 16/8 protocols are there?
The 16/8 fasting diet unique in its approach compared to the conventical diet in that generally calorie intake is not controlled, but the feeding times are. The biggest appeal is that there is no calorie restriction, you can eat whatever you want. The 16/8 fasting diet is usually the most popular type, since it is generally accepted as easy to incorporate into your daily routine. Though you can choose various time where you determine your 8-hour feeding period vs the 16-hour fasting phase, most dieters keep their feeding/fasting pattern in sync with their natural circadian rhythms. However due to the time restricted nature, for some, stop eating by 6 p.m. can have a negative impact on their social lives- dinner parties, drink with friends or family dinner might be trickier. It is best advised to choose the time frame that best suits your lifestyle.
You can get creative with your feeding vs fasting timing; however, the most popular intervals are a 7am-3pm feeding window. The biggest advantage of the 16/8 fasting diet is that you don’t need to worry about the meal planning and calories counting. The idea of having one simple rule is a lot easier for people to follow, and stick to than other conventional diet, the time restrictive nature will also address mindless eating. Though you are not limited to what you eat, it is best to always be mindful to make conscious and smart choices of eating more whole food such as lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and plenty of fruits and vegetables for optimal health.
How to Integrate Koso into 16/8 procedure
R's KOSO is a japanese fermented juice made with over 100 different fruits, vegetables and herbs which have been fermented through a traditional Japanese fermentation process. It is a 100% natural, nutritious product, containing probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, and phytochemicals. R’s KOSO can be consumed on a regular basis, each serving size is around 2 tablespoons (30ml or 1 oz). You can dilute 30 ml of R's KOSO in 1/2 cup of flat or sparkling water around 1~ 5 times a day. You can gradually integrate R's KOSO into your time restricted feeding protocol for enhanced health benefits. It is recommended to use R’s KOSO onto your 16:8 intermediate fasting during the breakfast cleanse phase. 1-2 serving (2-4 tablespoons) per day.
R's KOSO is rich in probiotics and contains prebiotics, enzymes and nutrients which help to support the gut and digestive processes, improve skin health, strengthen the immune system and to promote an overall good health.
More detail about them below in the blog. How to intermittent fasting with R’s Koso.
Resource
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Chaix, Amandine, et al. “Time-Restricted Feeding Is a Preventative and Therapeutic Intervention against Diverse Nutritional Challenges.” Cell Metabolism\i0, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2 Dec. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4255155/.
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Gabel, Kelsey, et al. “Effects of 8-Hour Time Restricted Feeding on Body Weight and Metabolic Disease Risk Factors in Obese Adults: A Pilot Study.” Nutrition and Healthy Aging\i0, IOS Press, 15 June 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6004924/.
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Sutton, Elizabeth F., et al. “Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress Even without Weight Loss in Men with Prediabetes.” Cell Metabolism\i0, Cell Press, 10 May 2018, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550413118302535.
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Rothschild, Jeff, et al. “Time-Restricted Feeding and Risk of Metabolic Disease: a Review of Human and Animal Studies.” Nutrition Reviews\i0, U.S. National Library
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Moro, Tatiana, et al. “Effects of Eight Weeks of Time-Restricted Feeding (16/8) on Basal Metabolism, Maximal Strength, Body Composition, Inflammation, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Resistance-Trained Males.” Journal of Translational Medicine\i0, BioMed Central, 13 Oct. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5064803/.