Intermittent fasting: what it is and who it's not for
Intermittent fasting means cycling between eating and not eating on a schedule. It is optional in StepFast. It isn't right for everyone, and it isn't necessary for walking and weight tracking.
Not medical advice. Fasting is not right for everyone. If you are under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding, have a history of disordered eating, or have a medical condition (especially diabetes or anything involving medication), talk to a doctor before fasting. Read the full safety page.
Common ways people do it
- Daily time-restricted eating. Eating only within a window of about six to eight hours a day. 16/8 is the usual example: an eight-hour eating window and a 16-hour fast.
- 5:2. Eating normally five days a week and eating one small meal on the other two.
Johns Hopkins Medicine describes these patterns, and notes that fasts of 24 hours or longer are "not necessarily better for you, and may be dangerous."
Ready to plan a daily window? Use the fasting schedule planner.
What research suggests
Mayo Clinic says alternate-day fasting is about as effective as a typical low-calorie diet for weight loss, and that eating fewer calories than you burn remains the basis of losing weight. Short-term benefits are possible, but little long-term research exists, so long-term benefits and risks are unknown. Common side effects include hunger, fatigue and headaches. See fasting and weight loss for more.
How StepFast treats fasting
It is a choice, not the plan. StepFast leads with walking. If you're short on steps and can't walk, and fasting is on for you, it can suggest a later first meal. A safety check comes first, and total fasting never goes past 18 hours in a day. Read about walking while fasting.
Keep reading
- Intermittent fasting schedule and planner
- Intermittent fasting for weight loss
- Walking while fasting
- How to choose a fasting app