What is dirty fasting? It's a “lazy” way to practice intermittent fasting that involves consuming about 50 to 100 calories outside of your eating window. This method is more flexible that clean fasting (which involves consuming zero calories), so it might make it easier to follow and stick with.
A popular version of this is the 16:8 method, where a 16-hour fast is followed by an 8-hour eating window. Modified fasting, also known as the 5:2 method involves eating normally for 5 days of the week and then limiting calories to 20-25% of energy needs for 2 consecutive days of the week.
A cup of black coffee has roughly 2.5 calories per cup. Some experts feel it best not to consume coffee during a clean fast due to these calories. When it comes to dirty fasting, however, it is completely allowed.
Technically speaking, eating or drinking any calories breaks a fast.
Potential Drawbacks of Intermittent Fasting
If you're not already used to skipping meals or not eating for an extended period of time, the hunger and fatigue that can occur when starting IF can be difficult to handle. Other side effects can include insomnia, irritability, headaches, and nausea.
For those aiming to lose belly fat, the 16/8 method is often recommended as the best intermittent fasting window to lose belly fat. By fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window, you give your body enough time to burn stored fat while still allowing for a manageable eating period.
A clean diet is also alkalizing, which means it not only helps with weight loss, but also tackles other health concerns too. Foods to eat while dirty fasting when you're in your eating window include: Lots of non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, leafy greens, green beans, cauliflower, mushrooms, peppers, etc.
Chewing gum with sugar can break your fast, especially if you chew multiples of it. Sugar-free gum has no sugar, so you can chew it while fasting. Gum may help control hunger while fasting and freshen your breath.
You may have difficulty losing weight with intermittent fasting if you're eating too many calories, too few calories, or don't have a balanced diet.
Yes, You Can Consume Some Vitamins When Fasting
Some supplements, including water soluble vitamins, collagen, electrolytes and probiotics won't break your fast. However, any food that contains calories — such as gummy vitamins, bone broth or protein powder — will break your fast.
In 1965, Angus Barbieri from Scotland completed an incredible 392-day fast, consuming only vitamins, yeast, and zero-calorie beverages. He lost 276 pounds, reducing his weight from 456 to 180 pounds, and set a Guinness World Record for the longest recorded fast without solid food.
Early fasting reduces amount of abdominal fat
The results demonstrate that time-restricted eating can be an effective strategy for reducing body weight, regardless of the timing of the eating window, offering flexibility for individuals to choose an approach that fits their lifestyle,” Ruiz said.
So, yes you can eat zero-calorie foods while fasting, but it is not recommended as it can break a fast. You should only eat them during the eating window.
Fasting for 16 hours a day, leaving an 8-hour eating window, is called the 16:8 method or the Leangains diet. Some experts may recommend females fast for 14 hours and slowly build their way up to 16 hours, while males can start fasting for 16 hours straight away.
While fasting, you can burn around 50-100 calories per hour.
To avoid weight gain: Remember the 200-calorie rule
The number of calories you need each day drops slightly as you age, yet most people keep eating the same amount of food. The government's dietary guidelines advise that you burn approximately 200 fewer daily calories after age 50.
Foods to Avoid While Fasting
As with any healthy, nutritious diet, it's best to avoid highly processed foods loaded with added sugars, heart-unhealthy saturated fat or salt. "They won't fill you up after a fast and can even make you hungrier," Maciel says. "They also provide little to no nutrients."
One of the most common questions is whether apple cider vinegar (ACV) will interrupt your fasting state. The short answer is a comforting no. ACV is low in calories and doesn't contain a significant amount of carbohydrates, which means it won't cause an insulin spike that could potentially disrupt your fast.
Digestion – Fasting is a great way to give your digestive system a break from over-eating or binge-eating as digesting large volumes of food can become stressful for the organs involved in digestion; fasting also shrinks the size of your stomach, so fasting more than once in a week isn't too healthy.
18/6 intermittent fasting results: month 1
As the weeks go on, you may experience desirable benefits like noticeable weight loss and changes in body composition. You may notice a boost in mental clarity too.
Most people find the 16/8 method, which entails fasting every day for 14-16 hours and restricting your daily eating window to 8-10 hours, to be the most sustainable.