Intermittent Fasting for Beginners: Start Gently

Intermittent fasting simply means choosing when you eat. Most people do best starting with a 12-hour overnight fast (for example, 8 pm to 8 am) and gradually extending toward 14:10 or 16:8 only if it feels good.\n\nSigns to slow down: dizziness, poor sleep, irritability or obsessive thoughts about food. Fasting should feel calm, not heroic.\n\nIf you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, have a history of disordered eating, take glucose-lowering medication or manage a medical condition, speak with a qualified healthcare professional before fasting.