Intermittent fasting sounds fancy, but the idea is simple. You pick a window of time when you eat, and a stretch of time when you don't. That's it. It's about when you eat, not about a special menu.
Here's a secret: you already fast every night. If you finish dinner at seven in the evening and have breakfast at eight the next morning, that's 13 hours without food. Fasting plans just stretch that gap a little, on purpose.
Styles are named with two numbers: hours fasting, then hours eating. 13:11 means 13 hours off and an 11-hour eating window. 16:8 means 16 hours off and an 8-hour window. Many people find 13:11 a friendly place to start, and 16:8 a popular next step. Some skip a late dinner, others push breakfast back. Either way works.
Now the honest bit. Fasting isn't magic, and it isn't a diet on its own. For many people it simply makes eating tidier, with clearer mealtimes and fewer late-night snacks. What you eat inside your window still matters, and plenty of people find it isn't for them. That's completely fine.
In Step Step, tap the fast type at the top of the timer to pick one, and the timer counts it for you. If you stop early or have an off day, just start fresh tomorrow.
What is intermittent fasting, in plain English?
Intermittent fasting means choosing set hours for eating and set hours for not eating, then repeating that pattern. It says nothing about which foods to buy. The only rule is the clock.
That makes it different from most diets. There are no banned ingredients and no points to count. You are simply tidying up the timing of your meals, and for some people that is easier to stick to than a long list of rules.
It also helps to know what it is not. It is not a medical treatment, and it is not a guaranteed route to anything. Research on time-restricted eating is still developing, and results vary a lot from person to person.
Which intermittent fasting schedule should you try first?
Most beginners meet three main styles. The first is a daily eating window, such as 12:12, 14:10 or 16:8. You eat inside the window every day and fast for the rest. This is the style most people mean when they say intermittent fasting, and it is the easiest to fit around normal life.
The second is a 5:2 pattern, where you eat normally on five days and eat much less on two non-consecutive days. The third is alternate-day fasting, which is more demanding and is usually better discussed with a doctor first. For a first try, a daily window is the gentlest choice.
If you are new, start with 12:12 or 13:11. Close the kitchen after dinner, keep breakfast at its usual time, and see how a week feels. If that is comfortable, you can nudge the window shorter by half an hour at a time. Going from 12 hours to 16 overnight is a big jump, and there is no rush.
A few mistakes are worth avoiding. Do not compare your window with anyone else's, since the best schedule is the one that fits your sleep, work and family. Do not treat the eating window as a free-for-all either. And do not change three things at once: pick a window, keep it steady for a couple of weeks, and only then adjust. Most people who give up do so because they began too hard, not because fasting failed them.
You can also mix and match. Some people fast on weekdays and relax at weekends, or keep a longer window on social days. Flexibility is not cheating. It is what makes a routine last.
How do you start intermittent fasting without feeling awful?
Begin by working out your usual pattern. When do you normally eat your last bite of the evening, and when do you eat first the next day? The gap between the two is your current fast. Pushing it by an hour is a very small change.
Eat properly inside your window. Meals with some protein, fibre and a bit of fat keep you fuller than a quick snack, and a window spent grazing on biscuits will feel harder than one built around real meals. Drink water through the day, and keep tea or black coffee as your friends if you like them.
Choose a quiet week to begin, not one with a wedding, a night shift or a hard training block in it. Tell the people you eat with, so a family dinner does not become a negotiation. And if you have a bad day, carry on the next morning as if nothing happened.
Who should not try intermittent fasting?
Fasting is not for everyone, and it is fine to decide it is not for you. Please speak to a doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have diabetes or take medication that affects blood sugar, have a history of disordered eating, are underweight, or are under 18.
The same goes for anyone who feels preoccupied with food or guilty after eating. If counting hours starts to feel stressful rather than calming, that is a good reason to stop. Regular, relaxed meals are a perfectly good way to eat.
Common questions
Is intermittent fasting safe for beginners?
For many healthy adults a gentle overnight fast is fine, but it is not suitable for everyone. Check with your doctor first if you are pregnant, have diabetes, take regular medication or have ever had an eating disorder.
What is the easiest intermittent fasting schedule?
A 12:12 or 13:11 pattern is the easiest, because most of the fast happens while you sleep. Once that feels comfortable you can try 14:10 or 16:8.
Can you drink water during intermittent fasting?
Yes, and you should. Water, fizzy water and unsweetened tea or black coffee are generally fine during the fasting hours.
Does intermittent fasting work for weight loss?
Some people find a shorter eating window helps them eat a little less overall, but studies show mixed results and it is not guaranteed. What you eat and how much still matter.
Updated October 25, 2026
This is general information, not medical advice. Check with your doctor before you start fasting, especially if you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication.
