18/6 intermittent fasting: The concept, benefits, and tips for optimal results

18/6 intermittent fasting is one of the most popular fasting approaches. It implies having an 18-hour fasting window, during which you are only allowed to consume zero- and low-calorie drinks, and a 6-hour eating window, during which you can eat whatever you want (though it’s recommended to opt for nutrient-dense foods for optimal results). The key benefits of this IF approach include:

• Weight loss
• Insulin regulation
• Metabolic reset
• Autophagy
• Heart health

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an approach to eating that involves switching between periods of fasting and eating for the sake of weight loss and added health benefits. One of the biggest benefits of this dietary approach is that it’s less restrictive in terms of what you can eat compared to other diets and can be effective for women of all body types or ages, including 50+. The only key to success is to choose an IF protocol that suits your needs best. In this guide, we’ll take you through one of the most popular approaches–18/6 intermittent fasting.

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18*6 Intermittent Fasting: The Definition and Core Principles

The 18/6 IF approach implies having an 18-hour fasting period followed by a 6-hour eating window each day. You can select the specific hours based on your lifestyle and daily schedule but most people prefer having their eating window somewhere between 12 pm and 6 pm or 2 pm and 8 pm. Having your eating window in the late afternoon usually implies skipping breakfast, which is okay for most people. At the same time, such a schedule is typically easier to combine with social eating and family dinners.

18 6 intermittent fasting isn’t the easiest IF approach. It might be harder to sustain compared to schedules like 12:12 or 14:10 which give you a rather long eating window. At the same time, the 18-6 pattern often fits people’s lifestyles more easily compared to more restrictive protocols, such as 20:4 or OMAD (one meal a day) which require skipping meals except for one.

What Can You Eat on 18:6 Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is mostly about when you eat rather than what you eat. Nevertheless, in order to lose weight and receive all the benefits of IF, you need to make sure that you maintain your state of fasting and don’t break it. Also, it’s important to have more nutritious and healthy meals during your eating windows to fuel your body well and stimulate effective weight loss.

Let’s look at the core rules of 18:6 intermittent fasting to help you get started:

Fasting Windows

During the 18 hour fast, you have to abstain from any food or drinks that contain calories or can undermine fasting-related processes, such as insulin regulation, autophagy, and digestive rest. Typically, you are only allowed to consume water (including electrolyte-infused water and lemon water) and tea or coffee. Notice that you shouldn’t add any extras to your tea or coffee, such as milk or sugar because it will break your fast.

Eating Windows

As was mentioned earlier, IF isn’t that much about controlling what you eat but rather about sticking to the chosen schedule. Nevertheless, if you are fasting 18 hours a day and then make up for all the lost calories and eat lots of unhealthy, processed foods, chances are that your weight loss progress will be not visible or very slow.

To maximize the benefits and results of your IF, you should focus on choosing nutrient-rich foods. You need to have balanced meals that include:

• Whole grains, such as rice, oats, quinoa, and barley.
• Lean proteins, such as fish, seafood, eggs, lean meat, poultry, and legumes.
• Healthy fats, such as olive oil and avocados.
• Fruits and vegetables.

The Benefits of 18 Hour Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is generally considered rather beneficial. When your body gets into the fasting state, it experiences a deep change in metabolism and cellular physiology, which is why fasting is broadly used in medical practice.

Here is a quick overview of the core 18 hour fast benefits that you can get:

• Weight loss - Although IF itself doesn’t cause weight loss, it can be a handy tool on your weight loss journey. The thing is that when you stick to 18 hour fasting, you can reduce the overall amount of calories you consume per day, which can lead to calorie deficit and help you lose weight. However, to ensure the best results, it’s important to opt for healthy, balanced, and whole foods and restrict junk food and sugars.
• Insulin regulation - When you are fasting, you don’t experience insulin spikes for a specific amount of time, which helps regulate overall insulin sensitivity. Studies show that only 5 weeks on an IF diet can significantly improve insulin sensitivity.
• Metabolic reset - When you are in the state of fasting, your digestive system gets more time to rest, which can help reset and speed up your basal metabolism.
• Heart health - Following an 18 hour fasting diet can improve your insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, improve metabolic syndrome indicators, and enhance the lipid profile. Thanks to a combination of these effects, IF can help support your heart health and lower the cardiovascular risk in the long run.
• Autophagy - The growing body of evidence suggests that intermittent fasting (just like calorie restriction) can trigger the process of adaptive autophagy. In a nutshell, this is the process of restoration of damaged cells, which promotes better health and longevity.
• Heart health - Following an 18 hour fasting diet can improve your insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, improve metabolic syndrome indicators, and enhance the lipid profile. Thanks to a combination of these effects, IF can help support your heart health and lower the cardiovascular risk in the long run.

18/6 Fasting Weight Loss Results

Now that you know about the core principles of fasting 18/6, you might also be wondering about the results that you can get from this IF approach. 

Here’s a quick overview of intermittent fasting results 1 month 18:6 to help you understand what to expect:

Week 1

When you get started with IF, you will likely experience greater hunger and cravings during the first few days. This is a natural response of your body as it adapts its metabolic processes. It's also common to experience energy crashes.

Don’t expect to see very notable 18 hour fast weight loss results during the first week. You may lose some water as your body depletes its glycogen stores but the real progress is still ahead.

Weeks 2-3

After the first week, your body will adapt to fasting and calorie restriction, leading to decreased appetite and higher energy levels. During weeks 2-3, you will gradually start noticing positive improvements, such as optimized blood sugar, better exercise performance and endurance, and reduced inflammation, which can improve the symptoms of some chronic conditions, such as PCOS.

Week 4

If you stick to an 18 6 fasting schedule for 4 weeks, you can finally notice the desired results, such as noticeable weight loss and improved body composition. The biggest 18 6 intermittent fasting results not visible to the eye will include enhanced mental clarity, more energy, faster metabolism, and overall better well-being. Also, by week 4, you will likely find it easier to stick to your schedule. 

Practical Intermittent Fasting 18/6 Tips

Now that you have a better understanding of 18/6 intermittent fasting, let us give you a few quick but effective tips for optimizing your efforts and securing optimal results:

• Don’t rush into it. If you have never tried intermittent fasting before, it can be wise to start with easier, beginner-friendly schedules before you begin to fast for 18 hours. For example, try the 14/10 or 16/8 protocols first.
• Set realistic expectations. Remember that it’s not healthy to lose weight drastically, in no time so don’t aim for it. Besides, unrealistic expectations add more stress, which can negatively impact your progress. Instead, prepare to see gradual 18 6 fasting results, and don’t be too harsh on yourself.
• Develop your 18 6 fasting meal plan in advance. Getting started with any diet can be rather hard. However, when you plan your weekly menus and write grocery shopping lists, you should find it easier to get on the right track and sustain your new diet.
• Opt for healthy foods. Remember that eating refined sugars and processed foods can slow your progress and negatively affect the quality of your body. Instead, embrace healthy and nutrient-dense foods.
• Integrate physical activity. Whether it’s morning yoga or running–any form of physical activity will have a positive effect on your weight loss journey. Besides, being active has a positive impact on your mental health, which can help you withstand your dietary changes more easily and reduce stress.

FAQ

What is 18/6 intermittent fasting?

It’s one of the many intermittent fasting protocols existing out there, and, in fact, one of the most popular ones. It implies fasting for 18 hours and having a 6-hour eating schedule afterward.

Who should choose the 18/6 IF approach?

This protocol is considered an optimal solution for people looking to lose weight and gain fasting benefits without setting too tough restrictions. This protocol is rather easy to fit into your daily schedule and sustain for a long time. However, if you are a complete beginner, it might be hard to start fasting for 18 hours right away so consider starting slowly.

How to get the best 18 6 fasting results?

The secret is simple. Intermittent fasting takes discipline and planning. To get the most out of it, educate yourself on the principles of fasting so that you know what can break a fast and hinder your progress. Then, implement meal planning to make sure you get on the right track. Also, consider measuring how many calories you consume per day to ensure that you are on a sufficient deficit to start losing weight.

Conclusion

18/6 intermittent fasting is an optimal approach that’s not too hard to follow or fit into your daily schedule. Although it implies fasting for 18 hours in a row, adhering to this IF protocol tends to be rather easy for many people, whereas the benefits are quite notable. After reading this article, you should have a better understanding of this IF schedule and the rules that apply to it. Use this information to make your weight-loss journey stress-free and receive the desired results!

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