How many meals are usually in a 16/8 diet? A full lunch and full dinner with no breakfast? Does that mean that 16/8 just means no snacking at night? So if I just skip breakfast and eat lunch and dinner and I am doing a 16/8? I am already doing that. What is the big deal? Is IF restrictions just for big snackers? Not trying to be rude just asking questions
How someone utilizes their 8 hour eating window is going to come down to personal preference and goals.
That could be three smaller meals, two normal size meals, a small and larger meal, a bunch of snacks spread throughout, etc. Whether or not someone is trying to lose weight, fasts for a specific health reason, or otherwise just likes the structure and general wellness.
Generally, yes 16:8 means eating a normal lunch and dinner along with no snacking after.
One of the main goals of IF is to lower insulin levels, and have long periods of low insulin (fasting windows) to allow your body to burn fat.
With 16/8, say eating 12-8pm, a small lunch at midday then no snacks until a larger dinner, with no snacks after, should fetch good results! It is personal preference but keeping insulin lower for longer is a good philosophy. Eating more frequently during the 8hr window would cause multiple spikes in insulin levels. Best of luck.
I’m very new at this, but this is what I’m doing.. I’m essentially not eating breakfast. (I am weaning off creamer in my morning coffee) I eat my “lunch” at 10:45 because that’s my break at work. Have a nearly meal size snack at around 3 when I get home from work and finish dinner by 6:45. I could probably make my lunch larger and skip the “snack” but I don’t get much time for lunch and don’t want to spend all of that time eating.
This is why 16 just doesn’t work for me. Once I break my fast, I just keep eating. I like the restriction of a single meal per day. I get to eat as much as I want (as long as it’s not something like an entire pizza).