Intermittent fasting 14/10 is a beginner-friendly version of intermittent fasting. It is quite similar to a normal eating schedule. You eat within a ten-hour window and ideally consume 2-3 meals within this time.
Intermittent fasting 14/10 is one of several intermittent fasting methods. When you’re new to intermittent fasting, this version is great to get started.
In this article, you learn how to practice intermittent fasting 14/10, the pros and cons, and how long it takes to see results.
When practicing 14/10 intermittent fasting, you eat every day within a ten-hour window and fast for 14 hours. Not eating for 14 hours may sound challenging, but you have to consider that this includes sleep time. In fact, 14/10 intermittent fasting is not that much different from a normal eating schedule. You can eat three meals per day with 14/10 intermittent fasting, but you may have to move them a bit closer together.
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Intermittent fasting 14/10 is a very beginner-friendly version of intermittent fasting. You can easily practice this intermittent fasting method without any intermittent fasting experience.
If you’re already used to eating three meals per day, you simply have to move your meal times a bit so that you eat all three meals within a ten-hour window. You may have breakfast at 8 am, have lunch at 1 pm, and finish dinner by 6 pm.
However, one crucial point might take some time to get used to: Try to stick to three meals without having any snacks in between. Most importantly, you should refrain from snacking and avoid caloric drinks such as soda, fruit juice, or alcohol after dinner.
This is just one example, you can choose the exact timing of your meals as you wish.
You can also decide to eat only two meals within the ten-hour window, e.g., a late breakfast at 10 am and dinner by 7 pm, which you finish by 8 pm.
You should avoid, however, constant snacking within the eating time. Try not to eat more than three meals per day.
Many people practice intermittent fasting because they want to lose weight, but this way of eating provides many health benefits beyond weight loss.
Intermittent fasting
Moreover, compared to other intermittent fasting methods, 14/10 intermittent fasting provides many practical benefits:
How much time it takes before you see results depends on many factors: What and how much you eat, how active you are, age, sex, and comorbidities.
For this reason, it’s impossible to predict how long it will take to reach your goals with 14/10 intermittent fasting.
In one study, participants with metabolic syndrome (a condition characterized by insulin resistance, which increases the risk of developing many diseases) lost on average 275 g per week with 14/10 intermittent fasting. After 12 weeks, they had lost ~3.3 kg body weight (2).
At the same time, they improved their blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar. This demonstrates that weight loss is not the only thing you can achieve with intermittent fasting. With this way of eating, you may celebrate many non-scale victories–you are healthier and feel much better.
In another study, healthy adults with a BMI>25 lost ~3.27 Kg after 16 weeks of eating with a daily window of 10-11 hours (8).
It’s important to mention that in both studies the probands did not restrict calories. They could eat whatever they wanted as long as it was within the eating window.
The health benefits of 14/10 intermittent fasting are comparable to other intermittent fasting methods. However, other methods with longer fasting times may be more efficient to reach your weight loss and health goals.
Fasting promotes ketosis and autophagy–two physiological processes responsible for many health benefits of intermittent fasting (9, 10). However, longer fasting times are more effective at inducing these processes.
Nevertheless, many people achieve excellent results with intermittent fasting 14/10. If you’re new to intermittent fasting, it’s a great method to get started. If you experience a weight-loss stall after a while, it may be worth trying an intermittent fasting method with longer fasting periods, such as 18/6 intermittent fasting, One-Meal-A-Day (OMAD), or Alternate-Day-Fasting (ADF).
Intermittent fasting 14/10 is a very beginner-friendly version of intermittent fasting. Its health benefits are comparable to other intermittent fasting methods, although it may take a bit longer to achieve your goals.
If you would like to learn more about intermittent fasting, we invite you to join our intermittent fasting community for women only.
1. Dong TA, Sandesara PB, Dhindsa DS, et al. Intermittent Fasting: A Heart Healthy Dietary Pattern? Am J Med. Aug 2020;133(8):901-907. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.03.030
2. Wilkinson MJ, Manoogian ENC, Zadourian A, et al. Ten-Hour Time-Restricted Eating Reduces Weight, Blood Pressure, and Atherogenic Lipids in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome. Cell Metab. Jan 7 2020;31(1):92-104 e5. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.004
3. Sutton EF, Beyl R, Early KS, Cefalu WT, Ravussin E, Peterson CM. Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress Even without Weight Loss in Men with Prediabetes. Cell Metab. Jun 5 2018;27(6):1212-1221 e3. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2018.04.010
4. Wegman MP, Guo MH, Bennion DM, et al. Practicality of intermittent fasting in humans and its effect on oxidative stress and genes related to aging and metabolism. Rejuvenation Res. Apr 2015;18(2):162-72. doi:10.1089/rej.2014.1624
5. Li L, Su Y, Li F, et al. The effects of daily fasting hours on shaping gut microbiota in mice. BMC Microbiol. Mar 24 2020;20(1):65. doi:10.1186/s12866-020-01754-2
6. Phillips MCL. Fasting as a Therapy in Neurological Disease. Nutrients. Oct 17 2019;11(10)doi:10.3390/nu11102501
7. Faris MA, Kacimi S, Al-Kurd RA, et al. Intermittent fasting during Ramadan attenuates proinflammatory cytokines and immune cells in healthy subjects. Nutr Res. Dec 2012;32(12):947-55. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2012.06.021
8. Gill S, Panda S. A Smartphone App Reveals Erratic Diurnal Eating Patterns in Humans that Can Be Modulated for Health Benefits. Cell Metab. Nov 3 2015;22(5):789-98. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.09.005
9. Jamshed H, Beyl RA, Della Manna DL, Yang ES, Ravussin E, Peterson CM. Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves 24-Hour Glucose Levels and Affects Markers of the Circadian Clock, Aging, and Autophagy in Humans. Nutrients. May 30 2019;11(6)doi:10.3390/nu11061234
10. Foster DW. Studies in the ketosis of fasting. J Clin Invest. Aug 1967;46(8):1283-96. doi:10.1172/JCI105621
