Learning centre · Fasting basics
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting means eating within a daily time window. Here is what it is, what research shows so far, and how to begin gently.
5 min read · 24 Oct 2026 · தமிழில் படிக்க
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a way of timing your meals rather than a list of foods. The most common style is time-restricted eating: you eat within a window of, say, 8 to 12 hours and drink only water, black coffee or plain tea for the rest of the day.
Common patterns
- 12:12 — twelve hours overnight, e.g. 8 pm to 8 am. Most of it happens while you sleep.
- 14:10 — a ten-hour eating window, e.g. 9 am to 7 pm.
- 16:8 — the most studied pattern, e.g. eating between 12 noon and 8 pm.
- 18:6 and 20:4 — longer fasts that are not needed for most people. In this app they unlock only after you have completed shorter fasts.
What does research show?
Studies in people show that time-restricted eating can help some adults eat fewer calories without counting them, and may modestly improve weight, blood pressure and blood sugar markers. When total calories are the same, however, several trials found results similar to ordinary calorie reduction. In other words, the quality and amount of food still matter; the clock is a tool that makes healthy eating easier for some people.
Starting gently
- Begin with 12:12 for a week. Finish dinner a little earlier.
- Move to 14:10 if you feel well. Keep breakfast or lunch nourishing — idli with sambar, a millet pongal, or eggs with vegetables.
- Drink water through the day. Hunger usually settles after the first week.
- Skip fasting on days you are unwell, travelling or very active.
Intermittent fasting is not right for everyone. Read Who should not fast — and when to stop before you begin.
References
- de Cabo R, Mattson MP. Effects of intermittent fasting on health, aging, and disease. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(26):2541–2551.
- Lowe DA, et al. Effects of time-restricted eating on weight loss and other metabolic parameters in women and men with overweight and obesity: the TREAT randomized clinical trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2020;180(11):1491–1499.
- Liu D, et al. Calorie restriction with or without time-restricted eating in weight loss. N Engl J Med. 2022;386(16):1495–1504.
For education only. It does not replace advice from your doctor.