Not just any ratio, 16:8 is a diet that involves consuming any quantity and type of food between an 8 hours time frame every day with water only allowed outside of the timings. Similar to other diet plans such as 5:2 diet plans etc, it involves “restricting” your diet for periods of time. In fact, it can also be referred to as fasting, a practice that has been around for thousands of years and is a norm amongst different religions and cultures around the globe. While there are other diets that have strict regulations and rules, the 16/8 diet can be easily followed and allows you to see real results without all that extra effort. Considered more flexible and less restrictive compared to other diet plans, it fits into any lifestyle with ease. Furthermore, a 16/8 diet improves blood sugar control, enhances longevity and increase brain function apart from losing weight.
Belly fat has become a major issue for many individuals as it does not look great when you wear clothes, poses health concerns etc causing us to look for various weight loss methods such as dieting, exercising etc. For individuals with an expanding midsection due to modern day lifestyle is so hectic that we look for quick instant weight loss treatments either targeted at specific body parts or diet restrictions etc. However, this may not necessarily keep weight off entirely in the long run as successful weight loss requires an individual to eat healthily and exercise at the same time.
With the 16:8 diet plan, individuals can eat any food they want during these 8 hours. Following this diet plan, your body essentially takes energy from the body’s fat stores as it runs out of calories to burn. It is perhaps not as physically torturing compared to its other diet plan, 5:2 as it involves normal eating for 5 days per week and restricting yourself to approximately 500 – 600 calories for the rest of the 2 days. Essentially, weight loss is achievable through calorie deficit which is by burning more calories than you consume.
Want to achieve a slim waistline without having to resort to a simple, safe and sustainable way? Get started on your weight loss plans as we will be sharing with you tips and benefits of the 16:8 diet plan so that you can achieve a slim waistline in no time!
Understanding 16:8 Diet
To get yourself started, pick an 8 hour period where you can limit the amount of food you intake within that time span. As the majority of the people prefer eating between noon and 8 pm, this essentially means fasting through the night and skipping breakfast but continue eating a balanced lunch and dinner coupled with some snacks throughout the day. Others opt for meal timing between 9 am – 5 pm that allows you to have breakfast around 9 am, lunch around noon and early dinner or snack just before 5 pm. You can experiment and choose an 8-hour time frame that is best suited for your schedule.
During the 16:8 diet, consider eating several small snacks and meals spread throughout the day in order to regulate blood sugar level and keep your hunger pangs in control. Furthermore, sticking to nutritious whole foods and beverages during your meals to maximize the potential health benefits. Some healthy whole foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains etc and drinking low-calorie beverages such as water, unsweetened tea or coffee, even after the 8-hour diet to keep your appetite in control and hydrate yourself.
Benefits Of 16:8 Diet
1. Increase In Weight Loss
Adopting a 16:8 diet is convenient as it shortens the amount of time and money required for you to spend on preparing and cooking food every week. With this diet plan, it essentially means that you will eat fewer meals and you will end up consuming fewer calories at the same time. Furthermore, it enhances hormone function as it facilitates the loss of weight. A 16:8 diet plan will also result in lower insulin levels, increase in hormone growth levels and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) causing an increase in the breakdown of body fat and aid in the use of energy. Besides this, restricting your diet to a few hours per day aids in calories reduction throughout the day and “fasting” boosts metabolism and increases weight loss.
2. Improvements To Blood Sugar Level
As diabetes has increased in recent years due to obesity, having too much glucose in your liver etc, it will lead to high blood sugar with regards to insulin resistance. During the “fasting” period where you do not eat any food after the 8 hours time frame, you will experience a reduction in insulin levels and lower blood sugar which will decrease the risks of developing diabetes. By reducing your insulin resistance, it will help in lower blood sugar levels and protection against diabetes.
3. Living Longer
One of the most interesting applications about “fasting” is that it may help to extend your lifespan. The 16:8 diet program limits the amount of food which reduces the amount of food consumed thus benefiting your heart health, prevents health complications such as cancer, increases your metabolism and ensures longevity and a healthier lifestyle.