So you've heard about intermittent fasting. The magic eating routine that might give you all the same health benefits of a calorie restriction diet — like improving heart and brain health while reducing inflammation and the risk of type 2 diabetes — without the whole watch what you eat and hands off the cookie jar thing.

For an effective method of losing weight and improving your health, intermittent fasting is refreshingly light on rules (ironic, given the title of this article). And, because we know that change happens more easily when people control their own path, we're not here to start laying down the intermittent fasting law.

In a world where miracle remedies and magic solutions are showcased everywhere, from billboards to nightly news to your social media feed, it can be tricky to sort through all the hyperbole, exceptions, and twisted truths to distinguish fact from fiction. This filtering process can be incredibly convoluted when it comes to health and nutrition, especially because everyone's body is different, and everyone has different needs and goals.

Intermittent fasting is an approach to eating that involves daily or weekly fasts (periods of time when you don't eat) and has been linked to benefits like weight loss, supporting our immune function, reducing inflammation, and even supporting gut health. You may have heard that you can determine your best intermittent fasting schedule by using your age.

Science tells us that intermittent fasting can help us shed pounds and improve our health in the process. But let's be real. To unlock the full benefits, we need more than just fasting. We need guidance on what to eat and the ability to hit those high-quality food choices more often than not. With that in mind, let's talk about how to kick butt at 16:8 intermittent fasting with a well-constructed, goal-aligned, health-promoting, 7-day meal plan.

Are you searching for a healthier lifestyle but not sure where to find it? It may sound pretty retro, but the answer may lie in a low-fat diet plan. Yes, this diet was popular in the day of dayglo leg warmers and acid wash jeans, but the basic foundation — ditching high-fat foods like cakes and pastries in favor of more health-promoting options like veggies and chicken — can work really well for some people.

If you want to lose weight, make better food choices, and feel empowered in the bargain, why not give 12-hour intermittent fasting a shot?! Don't worry — this is no fad diet. It's actually pretty simple and straightforward: Each day, you eat over a 12-hour period and fast for the remaining 12. If you're thinking, But won't I be super hungry if I don't eat for 12 hours??? no worries.

If you're dieting but rarely feel full or satisfied with what you're eating, it can feel like hunger is constantly on your tail as you try to lose weight. It's a common struggle and maybe one you know firsthand.

No matter how long or for whatever reasons you're trying intermittent fasting, there's one golden rule to follow during your fasting windows: don't eat anything. But that one rule can be confusing when it comes to what you drink. You want to keep your body in a fasted state — which means no carbs, protein, or fat — but you also need to stay hydrated.

When you're intermittent fasting, drinking plain old water can get pretty boring, pretty fast. As a human with taste buds, you naturally want to bring a little flavor to your day. You spy a lemon on the kitchen counter. Could you add a few drops of that to your water, you wonder??