16:8 THE NOT-SO-FRIGHTENING FASTING DIET

Going UP TO without food 5LB IN A for 16 hours MONTH! might sound daunting. But, for those in the know, this is the go-to diet. Nutritionist Angela Dowden explains why…

Cycling between periods of eating and fasting – known as intermittent fasting – might sound tough but, thanks to a new method, it’s easier than ever. In fact, even actor Jennifer Aniston is a fan!

This is the 16:8 diet, and the only restriction is that you eat all your food within an eight-hour time frame. Then, for 16 hours, you go without food.

In a recent interview with Radio Times, Jennifer revealed she’s on the 16:8 plan and says she has noticed ‘a big difference in going without solid food for 16 hours.’ But it’s not just Jen who can vouch for it – the 16:8 diet has some good research to back it. In a study by the University of Illinois, 23 obese volunteers were allowed to eat anything they wanted between 10am and 6pm, but could only drink water or calorie-free drinks for the remaining 16 hours. Compared with standard dieters, they consumed about 350 fewer calories and, over 12 weeks, they also lost about 3% of their body weight and saw their blood pressure drop.

Another US study – this time from the University of Alabama – compared regimens in which pre-diabetic men ate all their meals either between 7am and 3pm or spread out between 7am and 7pm. It found that the participants who ate during the restricted hours had much lower insulin levels, which significantly reduced their risk of going on to develop actual diabetes.

The exclusive 16:8 diet we offer here combines the science of a time-window approach with modest calorie restriction, helping you to shed around five pounds in a month. (You may lose a little bit more or less, depending on your starting weight.)

So, if you’ve tried other restricted eating regimes, you may find you achieve success with this one!

WHAT TO DO...

Follow these simple rules to lose at least a pound a week.