What Is Intermittent Fasting (IF)? The 16:8 Guide
Intermittent Fasting (IF) is an eating approach that regulates not what you eat, but when you eat. By splitting the day into an eating window and a fasting window, it lets your body use the time outside of digestion for repair, cleanup, and fat burning.
The Most Popular IF Protocols
- 16:8 (Recommended): 16 hours fasting, 8-hour eating window. Example: eat between 12:30 PM and 8:00 PM.
- 18:6: 18 hours fasting, 6 hours eating. Faster results, slightly harder to adapt to.
- 5:2: Eat normally 5 days a week, very low calorie (500 cal) on 2 days. An alternative method.
Why Is the IF + Keto Combination So Powerful?
Keto already primes your body to burn fat, and IF deepens ketosis throughout the fast. If you drink black coffee in the morning and wait until 12:30, your body also burns through the ketones stored overnight. Result: double fat burning.
What Can You Have During Fasting Hours?
- Water — unlimited, you can add electrolytes
- Black coffee — keeps the fast going, suppresses hunger for 3–4 hours
- Unsweetened herbal tea — fine
- Coffee with milk, fruit juice, gum — breaks the fast ❌
Your First Week Starting IF
Headaches and hunger in the first 2–3 days are normal. From day 4–5 onward, your body adapts and 16 hours starts to feel easy. Electrolyte supplementation (sodium, magnesium, potassium) is very important during this period.
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