Intermittent fasting is gaining some serious momentum. 24% of Americans say they've tried it for weight loss and other potential health benefits. Research shows a link between intermittent fasting and weight loss, heart health, and insulin sensitivity. However, as with any new eating pattern, consider the big picture before deciding if it's right for you.

Intermittent fasting is a food routine that can unlock a range of health benefits, like improved energy levels and metabolic changes such as enhanced insulin sensitivity and improved blood lipids, as well as things like weight loss and fat burning, especially in people who are overweight or living with obesity. However, if you're eating less or less often, you might run into some sticking points around hitting the nutrient levels you need each day.

Intermittent fasting isn't a diet. Instead, it's a way of eating that involves alternating fasting and eating windows. Sometimes you eat, and sometimes you don't. And ideally, when you do eat, you make healthy choices.

Whether it's the best part of waking up, a cozy afternoon refresher, or an after-dinner digestif, coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages around the world — and its potent brew of caffeine, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds makes a pretty compelling case for a range of health benefits, too.

Your BMI, or body mass index, gives you a quick insight into one aspect of your health: how heavy you are compared to how tall you are. It's used as a rough way to assess body fat levels. While it's a simple, fast method that has some 'back of the napkin calculation' value, it also has some key flaws.

No doubt you've heard of and maybe even tried intermittent fasting since it has numerous scientifically proven benefits. But during your fasting journey, have you come across terms like clean vs. dirty fasting and been left wondering what they mean? Don't worry, we're here to clear up any confusion!

Since intermittent fasting is about when you eat rather than what you eat — and you get to customize the experience according to your needs, goals, lifestyle, and preferences — it can be an ideal food routine for people who don't love complicated shopping lists and micromanaging calories, nutrients, and ingredients.

You're just minding your business, ticking things off your to-do list (is it us, or does that thing get longer every day?), and quietly making progress. Then BAM — along comes the monthly gift from your reproductive cycle to make life that much more … interesting.

One of the biggest selling points of intermittent fasting is that it's all about when you eat rather than what you eat. And it's totally flexible and customizable to your body, goals, and preferences. That's right: if you're a cake lover, rejoice.

If you've been thinking about starting a new diet, maybe doing a little research on the best ways to drop a few pounds, chances are you've come across intermittent fasting.