Intermittent fasting is popular with celebrities from Davina McCall to Jennifer Aniston and current research suggests it’s more effective for weight loss than regular dieting
Celebrity fad diets come and go, from Atkins to Keto, but one weight loss method seems to be sticking around for the long haul: intermittent fasting. There are several ways to utilise this technique, whether it’s on a day-to-day basis – the 16:8 method – or structured around your week – the 5:2 method.
Proponents of intermittent fasting are varied, with the likes of Davina McCall, Chris Moyles, Jennifer Aniston, Kourtney Kardashian, Scarlett Johansson and Wolverine himself Hugh Jackman all using this method at one point in their careers. But does it work? And what should you look out for?
While fasting can seem scary, research on the topic seems to indicate it’s more useful than regular dieting for weight loss. There are also a multitude of different ways to help people on their weight loss journey, including intermittent fasting tracking app Simple.
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Utilising the 16:8 method, it allows people to track their food intake, build meal and exercise plans, and also get help from their AI assistant, Avo. Here’s everything you need to know about intermittent fasting.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
There are two major ways to use intermittent fasting to help with weight loss. One of the most popular ways is the 5:2 diet, which was popularised by the late Dr Michael Mosley in his book The Fast Diet.
The Simple App
The Simple App offers daily workouts, advice, dietary assessments and an AI assistant.
This includes picking two non-consecutive days to eat 500 calories (for women) or 600 calories (for men), while hitting your regular calorie count on the other days (2,000 recommended for women; 2,500 recommended for men).
Otherwise there’s the 16:8 method, where you fast for 16 hours – which means only having water, black coffee or plain tea – then eating in the other eight hours of your day. This is the technique promoted by Simple, but can be tracked using other apps like MyFitnessPal and Hevy.
Does the 16:8 method work?
There are multiple studies indicating 16:8 works better than regular dieting, as well as linking it to other health benefits like reducing obesity and promoting a healthier gut microbiome. One advantage of 16:8 is the ease of which people can do it.
Speaking to Harvard Health Publishing, Dr Frank Hu – professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – said: “The 16:8 schedule is often easier to follow, since you sleep for about half of the fasting period. You just don’t eat after dinner — no nighttime snacking — and either skip or postpone breakfast.”
Dr Hu also mentions the fasting schedule can help kickstart ketosis – the process where the body burns stored fat after running out of glucose. He adds: “Sixteen hours of not eating is sufficient for some people to start producing ketones or go into ketosis.”
Meanwhile, a study published on the USA’s National Library of Medicine showed intermittent fasting is equally as effective for weight loss in those who are overweight and obese. Combined with the ease of which 16:8 can fit into your schedule, this makes a strong case for the method.
However, long-term effects still need to be studied. One study did suggest your weight loss can plateau after six months, with the researchers suggesting this can be down to how well your body adapts to eating patterns.
Also, intermittent fasting is not suitable for the elderly, those under the age of 18, people on certain medications and those with disordered or unhealthy eating patterns.
Success stories
One proponent of intermittent fasting is Davina McCall, who told Women’s Health UK: “I used to snack all evening and didn’t see anything wrong with it as I was reaching for healthy foods, such as carrots and hummus… Since putting a cut-off point on my eating, I crave (snacks) so much less and wake up feeling better.”
Simple has a multitude of success stories on their site. One woman named Debi dropped from a size 20 to a size 12 and lost 76lbs (or 5.4 stone) using the app. She said: “I went from a size 20 to a size 12, which is amazing. I still have 24lbs to go until I get to my goal of 140. But more importantly, I feel fabulous.”
Meanwhile, mum-of-two Laci Gilbert dropped 115lbs with the app by tracking her food and using wall Pilates via Simple. Available on Apple and Android, the app requests an extensive survey of users’ lifestyle in order to create a tailored regime for them.
She said: “It has changed my life and I’m so grateful for it. As working mums, wives, mothers, life takes over and sometimes we don’t have time in the evenings to get to the gym or just don’t feel like moving. The Simple App gives you a no-excuse reason to get up and move, especially when you can do it at home with no equipment.” Real Simple users are featured who have been compensated for their honest testimonials. Results may vary.
Shoppers can read The Mirror’s review of the Simple app here with writer Tom Capon losing 43lbs in eight months using intermittent fasting.
Simple app reviews
The app boasts a 4.3 out of five stars on Trustpilot from over 29,000 reviews. One person shared: “This is the only plan that has worked for me. Tried several in the past and nothing has worked for me. Easy meal plans based on the foods I like. Workouts are designed for me based on my limitations. If I have a question about serving size or help with my workouts it gets answered immediately.”
A second wrote: “Love the app, easy to use. Positive helpful AI support. Doesn’t over complicate things, eg counting calories or worrying about portion size. If you are dishonest it is only with yourself.”
Not everyone found it useful, as one user found the Simple App to be a bit tricky: “Not the easiest to navigate to log food or activity from the day before.” Another agreed, simply stating: “It’s too complicated.”
However, someone else said: “This app is amazing. It has kept me way more engaged than any other dieting app I’ve tried. It is super helpful and I love the feature of chatting with coach Avo, who always has the answers and suggestions I need to keep going.”