Have you been thinking of intermittent fasting 12 hours, you’re not alone. Being hailed as the easy way to start fasting, intermittent fasting for 12 hours is yet another way people wanting to lose weight have begun to try. Is 12 hours enough time to be in a fasting state? Is 12/12 intermittent fasting effective?

In this article we will dive into the thinking behind 12 hour fasting, some of its benefits, and is it right for you. Obviously you will want to consult your physician before starting any new diet plan.

This is especially true if you have underlying conditions that could impact your health by starting a new meal plan.

I am sure you have heard about intermittent fasting. Celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, famous television host, to your neighbor next door, want to get the health benefits including weight loss using intermittent fasting.

Intermittent fasting is restricting your caloric intake to specific time periods within the day. There are different variations of intermittent fasting such as the 5:2 fast, where you fast on certain days that you plan for, and certain days you eat as you normally would.

However all intermittent fasting methods at their core restrict eating to certain windows of time.

Just to be clear this article is not intended to offer any professional or medical advice; rather, it is meant to provide you with common sense and a useful explanation of the 12-hour fasting approach.

Is 12 Hours Enough For Intermittent Fasting?

1. 12 Hours Of Intermittent Fasting, What Is That?

The amount of hours a person should fast exactly has not been verified through a study done ( which was a great point I read ) . It’s because the right amount of time to fast to achieve your goal is different for everyone. Why an individual chooses intermittent fasting to live healthier is largely based on their own wants, needs and desires.

Health concerns are generally a big motivator for those seeking a healthier way of living. My motivation was born from a health related concern which in my case was heart health.

Dad and grandpa died from heart disease. So when I was diagnosed with elevated blood pressure, the doctor said I could help myself by losing weight.

I follow 16/8 intermittent fasting using exercise, and healthy eating as often as I can. The 12/12 fast is different because you only fast for 12 hours, being allowed to eat the other 12 hours a day. You will need to keep a strict schedule in order for this fasting method to yield good results I promise.

My reason for saying that is because according to science our waking hours only amount to roughly 12 to 14 per day. Leaving you eating for most of the day. So you want to be smart about the way you fast.

2. Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting 12 Hour A Day

Some of the main reasons I got into intermittent fasting as a lifestyle was to get some of the health benefits. I was hoping to lose weight mostly then I begin to feel better, my skin got clearer.

I lost 55lbs personally, thus 12 hour fasting benefits you will experience are weight loss, you won’t feel tired all day, you will have mental clarity and focus, plus confidence about losing weight

Energy and Lack of Energy

Early into my fasting journey I found that I had extreme bursts of energy throughout the day. I found that the tiredness I usually was experiencing was gone. Diet is one reason why so many people need to consume energy drinks, lacking energy even after sleeping through the night.

Researching my sudden rise in energy led me to discovering that I was unknowingly getting the benefit of a cellular level cleansing called autophagy.

Sure you see people talk, write about the subject of autophagy which is valuable. However you have to be fasting to understand the real effect on your body.

Mental Clarity and Focus

I find when in a fasted state you have a heightened level of mental sharpness. That’s the best way I can explain it. My concentration gets really dialed in, very focused. I become super productive when in this process of fasting.

Hunger pangs seem to vanish while you become more connected to your surroundings. During this time your body begins using its own fat stores as fuel.

Weight Loss

A randomized study concluded that intermittent fasting was indeed effective for weight loss showing great promise. Though it was talking about intermittent fasting in general, it applies to our discussion today.

Intermittent fasting coupled with a healthy diet chocked full of natural foods from the earth, with exercise, helped me lose 55 lbs in a very short amount of time.

The weight was coming off in bunches. You will have the same results once you get the habit of eating less installed.

4. Choosing Intermittent Fasting 12/12 Schedule

Real intermittent fasters know that less is not always more. That applies in this instance.

The goal you want to accomplish with intermittent fasting should guide your decision whether you pick the intermittent fasting for 12 hour approach, or maybe another fasting schedule will be better for you.

Honestly, if losing weight or correcting health problems is what you desire, then I recommend fasting for a longer period of time. Simply because the longer you fast the more intense the healthy stress on your body. Leading to the big changes you want.

5. How To Start Intermittent Fasting 12 Hours

Don’t linger on getting started with the 12 hour intermittent fasting approach if that’s what you feel is best for you. Just start. Pick an eating schedule and stick to it faithfully.

Yes, intermittent fasting on the night shift for 12 hours is a little tricky but I have done it. As you get more comfortable with having fat on your body as a fuel source you will eat less just naturally.

Once you see positive results from practicing good habits that alone will push you forward. I got to a point where I had lost 20lbs. I was hooked then. I had the confirmation that “this is really working” for me.

The beautiful part about intermittent fasting whichever method you choose is freedom to eat what you want. Because fasting is based on time restriction not food restriction. That being said. There is a best way to do everything. Make sure you weigh yourself often in the beginning.

How else will you know if what you’re doing is getting closer to your goal?

I know for a fact eating healthier makes weight come off better, so while losing weight or trying to correct a health problem like diabetes. Stick to god made food as much as you can.

Conclusion

Personally I would have struggled if i had started out intermittent fasting for 12 hours only. I was too fat, and health concerns were already surfacing. I chose a more aggressive fasting approach.

Using the 16/8 fasting schedule I was able to keep my body in ketosis much longer. I also followed up with exercise at the gym 3 times a week for an hour. I can say today I lost 55lbs in about 5 months.

What I will say is definitely get rid of the mindset that fasting will be easy, or try to make intermittent fasting to get healthier, something easy. You will be disappointed. Just telling you like it is. Fall in love with the process, and that you are achieving the goal then you will succeed.