What’s the difference between doing intermittent fasting by only eating between noon to 8pm versus skipping lunch

Intermittent fasting can be structured in different ways, such as eating between noon and 8 PM or skipping lunch. Here's how these approaches differ:

1. Eating between noon and 8 PM: This approach, known as a time-restricted eating schedule, aligns with social rhythms and allows you to have lunch and dinner, which are common shared meals. It involves starting to eat around noon and stopping by 8 PM to ensure a transition into a fasted state overnight, capitalizing on the natural fasting period during sleep 1 2. This schedule may be easier to maintain socially and can lead to health benefits associated with fasting.

2. Skipping lunch: If you skip lunch but still eat other meals, such as breakfast and dinner, you are limiting your fasting period to a shorter duration. This approach doesn't extend the fasting period during sleep and might not maximize fasting-related health benefits as effectively as the noon to 8 PM window. Skipping lunch might fit better for those who prefer a breakfast-to-dinner eating pattern, but it leads to a shorter fast between meals 3.

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     1

     Optimal Intermittent Fasting

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     2

     Fasting and Eating Window

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     3

     Intermittent Fasting Variations

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Ultimately, Andrew Huberman emphasizes that the best intermittent fasting schedule varies based on individual lifestyle, social commitments, and personal preferences for meal timing 3.