In a world where health consciousness is rising, weight loss has become a pivotal goal for many. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is not just about looking good — it’s crucial for overall and well-being. The method that I’m going to introduce in this blog is called 16+8. The 16+8 Interval Diet is a popular method of weight loss in China, the basic principle of which is to eat the foods of entire day within 8 hours, and then not eat anything for the remaining 16 hours. For example, if you started consume calories at 9 in the morning, then you need stop eating at 5 p.m. After 5 p.m., you can’t eat anything but only drinking water or beverages with zero calories. This is the basic principle of 16+8, the following points are the key:

8-Hour Eating: Eat a variety of foods, including staples (roughage and fines), high-quality proteins, and vegetables as much as possible during the 8 hours of the day. And schedule meals with the right amount of calories.
16-hour Fasting: For the remaining 16 hours, do not eat any calorie-rich food, including food and drinks, but you can drink water or sugar-free beverages to ease your hunger.

• Thing to note: If you begin 16+8 Interval Diet, you have to control the hours within a specific time frame. Let me give you an example to clarify the meaning, for example, if you choose to eat at 9 a.m. and end eating at 5 p.m., stay to this time frame all the time. You can’t eat from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. one day and then move to 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. the next day. Irregular time periods are not good for the body, especially the spleen and stomach.
• What is the principle of the 16+8 method to achieve weight loss? Give the digestive system a good rest. It takes 10 hours for the digestive system to fully digest food, and if new food is consumed during this time, the stomach and intestines are in a constant state of work. Only after 10 hours of fasting can the glycogen in the liver be consumed, and then the sugar in the blood and fat will begin to be digested, thus achieving fat loss.

Food choices: Choose nutritionally balanced foods and avoid foods with high sugar, high fat and high salt during the eight-hour feeding period.

Stay Hydrated: For this method, make sure you drink enough water at least 2000ml.

Adaptation period: If you find an 8-hour meal too difficult, you can gradually transition from a longer feeding phase (e.g., 12 hours, 10 hours).
Frequency of intervals: If you are trying this method for the first time, you can do the 16+8 Interval Diet three days a week, or schedule it consistently for 2 to 3 weeks, and then choose whether to continue or not based on your body’s adaptation.

Multiple meals option: In the eating state, I recommend to divide into 3 to 4 meals, such as 2 main meals and 1 or 2 small additional meals.

It’s important to note that the 16+8 Interval Diet isn’t suitable for everyone, especially those who need to keep their blood sugar and insulin levels under tight control, such as diabetics. In addition, if you are planning to go on the 16+8 Interval Diet, it is recommended that you consult your doctor or dietitian first to make sure that it is suitable for your health condition and weight loss goals!

For next blog, I’ll provide detailed recipes for 16+8 Interval Diet method.