Intermittent Fasting has been studied as a useful weight loss tool. But even more specifically, today we're diving into the best type of Intermittent Fasting if your goal is to lose belly fat.
Scroll down for the deets!
The Best Intermittent Fasting Window To Lose Belly Fat
When it comes to belly fat, there are two main hormones that can drive (or help reduce) belly fat. Those two hormones are cortisol and insulin. High levels of both cortisol and insulin have been tied to weight gain around the belly. (1,2) So when figuring out the ideal fasting window to help address belly fat, we need to consider its effect on these key hormones.
The two main methods of Intermittent Fasting include Alternate Day Fasting (ADF) and Time Restricted Eating (TRE).
ADF is where you fast for 24 hours and then you eat "normally" (meaning that you don't fast) for the next 24 hours. In other words, you're totally skipping a day of eating... every other day.
TRE is where you fast for shorter periods of time and then break your fast to eat every single day. This is the method that we use to help thousands of men and women around the world achieve their goals with the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle.
A very common example of this includes the 16 hour fast with an 8 hour daily eating window. However, you can also fast for only 12 hours a day and eat for the remaining 12 hours and this would still be considered TRE.
At first glance, it might seem like the longer fast (ADF) should be the better option for losing belly fat. However, ADF has been under fire with quite a few recent studies and might not be the best option. Granted these are rat studies, so it's important to take them with a grain of salt.
For example, a recent 2021 study on ADF found that this type of fasting decreased lipolysis (fat burning) specifically around the belly!(3)
This is likely because longer fasts can result in increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. And as we mentioned earlier, higher levels of cortisol are tied to weight gain around the belly. Plus, higher cortisol levels can cause the body to become more insulin resistant, therefore making the body worse at burning fat as fuel.
Pssst - new to Intermittent Fasting and not sure where to start? Checkout my Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle that has helped THOUSANDS of men and women around the world!
Find it HERE.
On the flip side, a study performed in humans found that a daily 16 hour fast (TRE) resulted in increased fat loss, specifically around the belly.(4)
There has even been research on specific TRE windows for even better results. Recent research has found improvements in cortisol levels with "eTRF" (early time restricted feeding). (5)
If looking to better optimize an Intermittent Fast for belly fat loss, an eTRF window might be your best option. Studies are still a little unclear on how early this fast needs to start in order to see best results. However, the studies on eTRF do consistently show that starting the fast before 8pm (and therefore having your last meal before 8pm) is ideal.
An example of eTRF could be a 16 hour daily fast with an eating window of 10am-6pm.
However, when specifically looking to lose belly fat, it's crucial to not only address when you eat, but also what you're eating. As mentioned earlier in this article, higher levels of insulin are tied to weight gain around the belly. Certain foods are direct drivers of insulin and therefore can work against a belly fat loss goal. Make sure to optimize your meals for your Intermittent Fast by checking out the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle HERE.
Psssst... curious how long YOUR Intermittent Fast should be? Take my FREE Intermittent Fasting Schedule Quiz by clicking the button below!
Unlock the Intermittent Fasting tips, meal plans and recipes that have helped thousands of men and women around the world with the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle!
100+ recipes, 8 weeks of meal planning, science-backed Intermittent Fasting tips and so much more!
Head over HERE to get started!
❤️ Autumn
Autumn Elle Nutrition