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.

If you're trying out intermittent fasting in the hope that it'll yield a positive result in your body, you may be curious about what's going on under the hood. What happens in your body during the various stages of intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting involves a repeated cycle of eating windows (where you consume the calories and nutrients you need for the day) and fasting windows (where you take a break from consuming calories). There are many different ways to fast — from time-restricted approaches like intermittent fasting 16:8 to off / on approaches like the 5:2 diet, alternate day fasting, and eat stop eat — but how does an intermittent fasting timeline actually play out in your body?

Whether you're part of the intermittent fasting for beginners cohort or you've been fasting for years, there's always room to learn more fasting tips and tricks for getting started, maintaining momentum, and steering toward your goals.

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Intermittent fasting gets a lot of credit for being a great tool for weight loss and unlocking health-promoting benefits like reduced inflammation, lower systolic blood pressure, and reduced body fat. But when it comes to shredding and bulking, does it stack up to better gains, or could it stop your deadlift goal in its tracks?

How much weight can you lose with intermittent fasting? Traditional nutrition advice would say — it depends. And it does. But on what? And even with those it depends factors, is it possible to give even a ballpark answer to this question? Why yes, it is! Let's check it out.

If you've been trying to lose weight and struggling because you keep falling off the wagon … you get stuck for ideas on how to eat or exercise in an enjoyable way … your motivation keeps landing in the trash … help is at hand! Your best allies for winning at weight loss might be closer than you think.