However, it's important to keep in mind that fasting is not a miracle solution. Whether you lose weight, and how much weight you lose, will depend on what you eat on fasting and non-fasting days.

Eating a lot of high-calorie junk food during your fasting window or on non-fasting days may even cause you to gain weight. Other factors like your initial body weight, exercise, and stress levels can also play a role in how much weight you are able to lose, Laura DeCesaris, IFMCP, M.

While the original Warrior Diet recommends eating your primary meal at night, other interpretations of the fast give you the freedom to choose your feeding window. Depending on your lifestyle and personal preferences, you could choose to schedule it in the morning, afternoon, or evening.

For instance, if you wake up early and work out in the morning, you may choose to schedule your eating window to begin a little before your workout so you can fuel up before you exercise and refuel for the rest of the day. However, not being able to eat in the evening may put a damper on your social life.

On the other hand, if you're not a breakfast person and prefer to prolong your fasted state for as long as possible, you can schedule your feeding window in the afternoon or evening.

However, research shows that scheduling your eating window for earlier in the day tends to be a healthier choice. Doing so helps align your internal clock with the external cues of daylight, Humaira Jamshed, Ph.

This is the best option for metabolic health 10 , weight loss 11 , blood glucose management 7 , and sleep 12 , according to Jamshed. If you've never fasted before, it can be difficult to suddenly fast for 20 hours at a time.

Work your way up to it slowly, by starting with hour, hour, and hour fasts before you get to a hour fast. You can increase your fasting window gradually every week or every other week.

Here's a starter guide to different types of fasts to help you find the best one for your needs. Try different meal combinations and timing options to see what works best for you. Within the four-hour feeding window, you can choose to eat one big meal or a couple of smaller meals with some snacks.

You can also experiment with the frequency of your fasts. For instance, instead of fasting every day, you can fast once or twice a week, says Saeed. This may be a more sustainable option in the long run. In order to maximize your benefits from fasting, it's important to focus on healthy, nutritious whole foods.

Opt for fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts , seeds, legumes, and healthy fats. Avoid processed foods, sugary foods and drinks, and trans fats. Planning your meals ahead of time can help ensure that you don't impulsively eat junk food during your feeding window simply because it's convenient and nothing else is available.

Get creative with nutritious and delicious foods. Make sure you drink plenty of water during the day to stay hydrated. You can also drink other calorie-free beverages such as green tea, black tea, black coffee , seltzer, or water flavored with lemon or cucumber.

It can be helpful to take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement every day to help meet your nutritional needs while you're fasting and reduce the risk of developing a nutrition deficiency, Bindiya Gandhi, M.

Wondering how to load up on healthy food in such a short amount of time? Here are sample meal plans for different feeding windows:. One major downside of a fasting regimen is the risk of nutritional deficiencies. The less you eat, the fewer essential vitamins, minerals, and protein you get into your system.

This fasting regimen may work for some people, but it's not safe for everyone. Children, pregnant or breastfeeding people, people with eating disorders, and people who are underweight should avoid this fasting protocol, Saeed states.

Saeed recommends that women and people who menstruate undertake this fasting regimen cautiously, since it can place considerable stress on the body and may affect fertility. It also may be too much for women who are postmenopausal. Some of the other potential side effects of fasting 13 include fatigue, hunger, irritability, low mood, difficulty concentrating, and obsessive food-related thoughts.

You should consult with a health care provider before you begin the fasting protocol to determine whether it's appropriate for you and how you can practice it safely. Because of its restrictive nature, this fasting protocol may not be ideal for the long term.

Shorter feeding windows are generally linked to poorer adherence rates 3. How long you can practice this fast can vary from person to person, says Saeed.

So, listen to your body. The Warrior Diet is a way of eating that cycles extended periods of little food intake with short windows of overeating. It has been promoted as an effective way to lose weight and improve energy levels and mental clarity.

BOTTOM LINE:The Warrior Diet is a type of intermittent fasting involving long periods of undereating followed by short bursts of overeating. This pattern is inappropriate for many people and may lead to disordered eating. Plus, very few studies support it.

The Warrior Diet was created in by Ori Hofmekler, a former member of the Israeli Special Forces, who transitioned into the field of fitness and nutrition.

This diet is considered a type of intermittent fasting , an umbrella term for eating patterns that include periods of reduced calorie intake over a defined period.

The Warrior Diet is based on the eating patterns of ancient warriors, who consumed little during the day and then feasted at night. It should be noted that Ori Hofmekler himself acknowledges that the Warrior Diet is based on his own beliefs and observations — not strictly on science.

People following this diet undereat for 20 hours per day, then consume as much food as desired at night. During the hour fasting period, dieters are encouraged to consume small amounts of dairy products, hard-boiled eggs and raw fruits and vegetables, as well as plenty of non-calorie fluids.

After 20 hours, people can essentially binge on any foods they want within a four-hour overeating window. To get started, dieters are urged to follow an initial three-week plan divided into phases that will be covered in detail later in this article.

Followers of the Warrior Diet claim that this method of eating burns fat, improves concentration, boosts energy levels and stimulates cellular repair. The Warrior Diet is a type of intermittent fasting that revolves around hour periods of undereating, followed by four-hour periods of overeating.

The Warrior Diet does not have any research to back up its exact methods, but intermittent fasting does. For this reason, one could argue that the benefits linked to intermittent fasting also apply to the Warrior Diet. Various methods of intermittent fasting, including hour fasting cycles, have been linked to weight loss.

One study, which closely mimicked the Warrior Diet fasting for 20 hours , found that people who consumed meals over four hours in the evening experienced more weight loss than those who consumed the same amount of calories in meals throughout the day.

A recent review of six studies concluded that various types of intermittent fasting, ranging from 3 to 12 months, were more effective at promoting weight loss than no dietary intervention.

However, the review found that there were no significant weight loss differences between dieters using intermittent fasting or continuous calorie restriction normal dieting , meaning that calorie restriction without fasting was equally effective 2. Additionally, although reducing calorie intake is the most common outcome of the Warrior Diet, some people following this eating pattern could technically consume too many calories during the four-hour overeating period and experience weight gain.

Intermittent fasting has been found to benefit the regulation of inflammatory pathways that affect your brain function. For example, animal studies have shown that intermittent fasting reduced inflammatory markers like interleukin 6 IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha TNF-α , which may negatively impact memory and learning 3.

However, research in this area is ongoing and more human studies are needed to determine the benefits of intermittent fasting on brain health. Inflammation caused by oxidative stress is thought to be the cause of many diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers 6. Studies have demonstrated that intermittent fasting may be an effective way to reduce inflammation in your body.

One study in 34 healthy men found that the intermittent fasting method decreased levels of TNF-α and interleukin 1 beta IL-1β , substances that promote inflammation 7. Another study in 50 people found that those fasting for the Muslim holiday of Ramadan had significantly lower levels of the inflammatory markers IL-6, C-reactive protein CRP and homocysteine, compared to non-fasting individuals 8.

Some studies have found that intermittent fasting can improve blood sugar control in those with type 2 diabetes. During the hour fasting period, you should consume only minimal calories. You can determine your feeding window based on a timeframe that works well for you, but most people save their feast for the evening hours.

When it's time to feast, Hofmekler suggests centering your meals on healthy fats and large portions of protein, specifically dairy protein sources such as cheese and yogurt.

The key component of this protocol is timing. The plan is based on the idea that long periods of fasting and short windows of overeating lead to optimal health, fitness, and body composition. However, there are other intermittent fasting protocols that may be more beneficial and have more research behind them.

Here's how they compare:. Keep this in mind when deciding whether or not to try this plan. Those who follow the Warrior Diet are urged to consume large amounts of protein.

Protein is essential for maintaining and building muscle mass , a key goal of the Warrior Diet. Packaged sugary foods are one of the main culprits behind many chronic diseases, including diabetes and inflammatory bowel disorders.

The Warrior Diet recommends keeping added sugar to a minimum. Even though they might seem healthier than sugary foods, salty snacks can be just as problematic for your blood sugar and other health markers. You can also make your own savory snacks at home to avoid processed options.

The Warrior Diet guidelines suggest limiting intake of soda , energy drinks, and juice with added sugars.

Sugary beverages are a leading cause of weight gain , tooth decay, and chronic diseases. Fasting for 20 hours every day can be difficult and lead to severe cravings and extreme hunger. Some people may experience obsessive thoughts about food during the fast. As a result, it could be easy to consume too many calories during the 4-hour feasting window.

It may also be a challenge to consume enough servings of fruits and vegetables, since carb-heavy and protein-dense foods could seem more appealing. Still, preliminary evidence links intermittent fasting, including hour cycles, to weight loss.

Fasting, in general, is strongly associated with improvements in blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity. Emerging research suggests that intermittent fasting may help fight inflammation and improve cognitive function, but more human studies are still needed to confirm whether this effect may also protect against cognitive decline.

Also, this research was not conducted using the Warrior Diet protocol. There is insufficient evidence-based scientific research legitimatizing the Warrior Diet beyond the extrapolated concept of intermittent fasting.

The U. Department of Agriculture's — Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming a variety of nutrient-dense foods including:. On the surface, the Warrior Diet adheres to federal guidelines since it encourages the consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, dairy products, whole grains, and protein.

You may also find it difficult to get the right balance of different food groups within the 4-hour feasting window. In fact, Hofmekler discourages calorie counting and instead says you should just stay focused on maintaining the fasting ratio.

But for many people, it's important to have a sense of how many calories should be consumed each day whether the goal is to lose, maintain, or gain weight. Most people need an average of 2, calories per day for weight maintenance and around 1, per day for weight loss but these numbers vary based on age, sex, height, weight, and activity level.

Use this calculator to determine your own daily calorie needs. It may not be realistic for everyone to try to consume the recommended amount of nutrient-dense foods in just four hours.

While some aspects of the Warrior Diet are considered healthy, it is not a balanced eating plan. Inflammation is a leading cause of disease, including heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, bowel disorders, and more.

Research suggests that some types of intermittent fasting could help fight chronic inflammation, but there is no evidence directly linking the Warrior Diet or the fasting protocol to these benefits.

Consistent alternate-day fasting has also been shown to help overweight people lose a substantial amount of body fat and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.

But long-term studies in large diverse groups are still needed to better understand the link between intermittent fasting and weight loss. And while intermittent fasting may improve blood sugar, there is no evidence directly linking fasting to these benefits.

Fasting for 20 hours straight may cause severe cravings and intense hunger, which could lead to overeating and contribute to weight gain. Depriving your body of substantial calories can also cause fatigue, brain fog or difficulty focusing, " hanger ," mood swings, stress, anxiety, dizziness or lightheadedness, hormonal disruptions, and more.

Certain groups of people should not follow the Warrior Diet, including anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding. People with diabetes should avoid this protocol since research on the safety of intermittent fasting for this population is still lacking.

Additionally, those who take medications that must be accompanied by food should also avoid this diet.

Most research about intermittent fasting focuses on Ramadan, alternate days of caloric restriction, the protocol, and the protocol.

More evidence is still needed to know if the Warrior Diet protocol is effective and to understand any potential side effects or drawbacks. Intermittent fasting can help you reach your health goals if done properly, but so can any other diet or lifestyle that encourages whole, nutritious foods. If you want to try intermittent fasting, the Warrior Diet may not the best place to start.

Instead, explore evidence-based plans like the protocol or method. The Warrior Diet is tough to stick to, especially for beginners, and it lacks scientific evidence. While we do not endorse fad diet trends or unsustainable weight loss methods, we present the facts so you can make an informed decision that works best for your nutritional needs, genetic blueprint, budget, and goals.

Exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle factors also play a major role in your overall health. The best diet is always the one that is balanced and fits your lifestyle. Intermittent fasting and weight loss: Systematic review.

Can Fam Physician. Stratton MT, Tinsley GM, Alesi MG, et al. Four weeks of time-restricted feeding combined with resistance training does not differentially influence measures of body composition, muscle performance, resting energy expenditure, and blood biomarkers.

During phase three , the third week, the hour foods remain the same; for the 4-hour window, people alternate between higher and lower carb days over the course of the week. But those on the Warrior Diet often just follow a pattern eating very little or nothing, except during the 4-hour window after completing the three phases, focusing on high protein and low carb foods and sticking with a low-processed diet.

In this version, the breakdown stays the same — but during the hours, people fast completely, and then eat whatever they want during the 4-hour window.

As should be obvious, this is super-unhealthy: It encourages calorie restriction as well as binging on foods that may well have no nutritional value. In other words, people could end up eating too many calories and still not get the nutrients they optimally need. The biggest caveat with this approach, in my opinion, is that it can lead to a binge-restrict cycle and a negative relationship with food.

When it comes to intermittent fasting specifically, there have been a lot of reported upsides, including weight loss and improved blood pressure , blood sugar, and cholesterol, as well as reduced inflammation and improved brain health—but most of the research has been done on rats.

Experts agree that more research on these benefits is needed on humans. Some studies on humans have found that as a weight-loss method, certain types of intermittent fasting are safe and effective, but not any more effective than other diets.

Other studies that are often cited to boost the supposed benefits of intermittent fasting were tiny with too few participants, were conducted on specific groups like trained athletes, or were conducted over a decade ago.

Again, experts cite the need for additional research. For one thing, a healthy diet includes a variety of nutrients, and it can be hard to achieve that during the limited time frame when one is allowed to eat.

And try your best to get a wide variety of nutritious foods from all food groups during feeding time. You may end up constipated ; and if your blood sugar is knocked askew, it can bring on brain fog and irritability, among other things.

In the original book, Ori Hofmekler included workout recommendations — specifically, both strength and speed training. And your body needs time to digest food and absorb nutrients, so cramming everything into a short feeding window may take a toll.

The Warrior Diet is certainly not for women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, people with a history of disordered eating, children, or people with a history of diabetes or hypoglycemia low blood sugar. Lisa is a writer and editor who specializes in producing investigative health reports and other stories that help people live their healthiest possible lives.

She has won many editing awards, including the National Magazine Award. The Best Multivitamins for Women. Good Housekeeping Dietary Supplements Methodology. Top Health Benefits of Coconut Water. Get Cooking With Celebrity Chef Jason Roberts.

The Surprising Health Benefits of Black Rice. Popeye: Our Newest GH Nutritionist Approved Member. Can Late-Night Eating Affect Your Heart Health?

Fasting for 20 hours a day is quite a task, and might not be right for everyone. Think about your lifestyle carefully before you choose to start this diet plan. It might not be all that easy to maintain either. This has particular foods to eat on a daily and weekly basis while following the intermittent fasting schedule.

Whole, unprocessed and organic food choices are usually your go-to for the eating window. At the same time, light snacks are permitted during the fast. After that, the plan usually suggests you repeat the phases. This could include dairy products, nuts, seeds, grains, meat, vegetables and fruit.

You should avoid: fried or fatty food very processed products artificial chemicals or sweeteners alcohol although one glass of wine is allowed at dinnertime If you follow the more modern take on the diet, you can eat whatever you like during the fueling window.

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While your body is fasting, your cells start to break down fat and glucose for energy. Breaking down fat into glucose helps your body burn more calories, which can lead to weight loss. The Warrior Diet also encourages followers to consume nutrient-dense whole foods that provide the body with essential vitamins and minerals.

The Warrior Diet is about more than nutrition. It is about lifestyle. It also includes an exercise routine to maximize results and lifestyle habits that promote well-being, such as getting enough sleep and reducing stress levels.

There are a wide variety of health benefits of the Warrior Diet such as weight loss, improved digestion, increased energy levels, mental clarity, improved immunity, and lower blood sugar.

Despite the advantages of the Warrior Diet, there are also some significant health concerns such as fatigue, irritability, and fainting. The Warrior Diet consists of three week-long phases. After completing these three phases, you can continue to cycle through the three phases for as long as you like.

At a minimum, you should complete one complete cycle of three phases of the Warrior Diet for maximum results. While on the Warrior Diet, you consume around calories daily.

This amount may change depending on how much you snack during the day and what your caloric needs are for your exercise regime. There are some best practices to follow while on the Warrior Diet.

They include the following tips. The foods you can eat while on the Warrior Diet are fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, and proteins. These foods are important because they will provide your body with clean energy and keep you satiated throughout your fast.

While completing the warrior diet, you should avoid certain meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, meat-based ingredients, eggs and dairy products. In addition to these foods, you should also avoid deep-fried foods, processed sugar, and other highly processed foods. These unhealthy foods can make it harder to stay on track with your Warrior Diet.

The Warrior Diet is not for everyone. The Warrior Diet is best suited to individuals looking for an efficient and effective way to stay in shape or improve their health. The Warrior bodybuilding diet is an ideal diet for individuals who are bodybuilding.

Intermittent fasting can help you learn and look your best for a competition, and you can still get enough protein in your diet to support your exercises.

If you are pregnant, nursing, or have a medical condition, consult your doctor before beginning this diet. The Warrior Program is not easy to follow.

It requires discipline, consistency, and dedication to get the most out of it. The most challenging part of the diet is not eating for 20 hours a day.

However, getting used to the fasting period and learning how your body responds can become more accessible. The Warrior Diet also requires nutrition knowledge and an understanding of properly fueling your body with the right foods. You should also know what exercise will complement and benefit your diet.

This diet plan is an example of what you can eat in a week on the Warrior Diet. While this is only a sample, it will provide you with an effective overview of what to expect.

Since the Warrior Diet is not restrictive regarding food or calories, you can make many great recipes. These are some crucial facts about the Warrior Diet, including what happens to your body during the first week, the weight loss you can achieve, the hours of intermittent dating, the sweets you can eat, and the health benefits.

The Warrior Program is free. It does not cost anything to fast or follow the exercise guidelines. The alternatives to the Warrior Diet are the Mediterranean Diet, Paleo Diet, Keto Diet, and Intermittent Fasting.

A Warrior Diet PDF includes all the information about the Warrior Diet, including what it is, why you should follow it, how to implement it, and recipes. It also includes information about intermittent fasting and how it can help your diet. This article covers how to get started on the Warrior Diet, its health benefits, and some tips for success.

There is a whole plethora of intermittent fasting types to follow. The warrior diet can be considered an intermediate-level fasting type due to how long you have to fast on a given day.

Although the most popular method of this diet is to have an eating window in the evening, it is a flexible intermittent fasting style that can be adjusted to your own needs. The Warrior Diet, or diet, comes with many health benefits, including helping you to lose weight by reducing calorie intake, supporting blood sugar control, and reducing body fat.

The Warrior Diet or the diet is a style of intermittent fasting that requires you to fast for 20 hours and then feast for 4 hours. There are different ways of following this plan but the most popular is to follow the eating pattern, fasting for 20 hours, and eating for the remaining 4 hours.

This diet is thought to help people with weight loss but must be followed carefully to avoid overeating during the eating period, leading to weight gain. The diet is a popular intermittent fasting style and there are a few ways to follow the Warrior Diet for the best results.

We have summarized a few of them below. When it comes to intermittent fasting, there is a tonne of different styles to try out but it is recommended that you begin with less challenging options. You may begin intermittent fasting with the diet or the fast to allow your body to get used to the fast and build up a resistance to any of the side effects of intermittent fasting.

Jumping straight into the diet may mean having to deal with some negative side effects and it is more likely you will have a negative experience. During the eating window of the diet, it is important that you eat lots of high-protein meals. Protein is essential for the body and can make you feel more energized.

Eating high-protein meals can ensure that your body keeps burning fat as fuel to help reduce body weight and encourage the building of muscle mass when coupled with strength training. A hour fasting period is a long time to go without food, which means you will likely get hunger pangs and cravings during this time.

Appetite suppressants, such as our DoFasting Appetite Suppressant , to help you to overcome these feelings. An appetite suppressant can help to keep hunger at bay and fills your stomach with fiber.

This signals to the brain that it is time to stop eating, helping to eliminate cravings. Additionally, appetite suppressants tend to have added nutrition to help your body function during fasting periods. During the fasting period, there might be some issues with low blood sugar. Due to not eating for a long while, you could start to feel tired and dizzy.

You can reduce these side effects by eating small portions of food. You can consume small portions of things like hard-boiled eggs and cottage cheese to get you through the tough fasting period, however, eating even small portions of food will break most prolonged fasting benefits such as autophagy.

When it comes to what to eat when on this diet, there are three phases you can follow to ensure you get the most out of the diet and ensure you get all the nutrition you need. During phase one of the Warrior Diet meal plan, you should fast during the hour fasting window.

You should only consume unprocessed foods including vegetable juices, clear broth, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and raw vegetables and fruit. When it comes time to eat, start out with a salad and dressing the dressing should be oil, and vinegar-based , then follow it up with lots of plant proteins, wheat-free grains, and some cooked vegetables.

During phase two, you should follow the same pattern of undereating, with clear broth, raw fruits, and vegetables, etc.

You should then consume lots of lean animal proteins, cooked veg, and at least one handful of nuts. You may not eat any grains or starches during this phase. For phase three, you would cycle between high carbs and high protein meals. This means 1 - 2 days of high carbs and then 1 - 2 days of high protein and low carbs.

For the high carb days, you should undereat as normal, eating raw fruits and vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, etc. You should then consume only small amounts of animal protein and one main carbohydrate food, like corn, potatoes, or pasta accompanied by cooked veg.

For the high protein and low carb days, undereat as normal and begin with the same salad, then eat between 8 - 16 ounces of animal protein with cooked, non-starchy veg. You cannot eat grains or starches during the high protein period but you may consume tropical fruit as a dessert.

It is recommended that once you have completed this cycle, you go back to the beginning and start again, though some people choose to stay in phase three.

This diet is so popular because of its many health and weight benefits. Compared to more beginner-friendly IF plans, the warrior diet can provide more noticeable results, and much faster. The popularity of the diet comes from its incredible ability to help you lose weight in a healthy way.

There are a few ways it aids people in losing weight. To begin with, the fast imposes a calorie restriction which is one of the best ways to promote weight loss. The 4-hour eating window is a short space of time to consume food, meaning that overeating is unlikely. Indeed, though binge eating is a possible negative of this diet, most people find that eating nutrient-dense foods in the four-hour eating window can encourage weight loss.

It is imperative that you eat as much natural, non-processed food in the 4-hour period as possible. Another way that the diet may help people with weight maintenance is that it can help to boost metabolism.

Fasting also may induce a metabolic switch in the body that forces it to utilize fat instead of blood sugar as fuel. This state is called ketosis. Some research suggests that intermittent fasting may help to boost cognitive health.

The Warrior Diet is thought to be a good way to boost brain function. The main way this diet is thought to boost brain health is by regulating inflammatory pathways in the brain. There is also some evidence to suggest that intermittent fasting could protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease.

Inflammation from oxidative stress is thought to wreak havoc on the body. It has been linked to a number of chronic conditions, including diabetes and heart disease. Intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body and help to protect against these kinds of diseases.

The Warrior Diet is thought to improve blood sugar control which could help those with type 2 diabetes. It is also thought that more blood sugar control can help to reduce insulin resistance, which can protect against the development of type 2 diabetes.

Though considered a good method of controlling blood sugar, there is a risk of hypoglycemia during fasting phases. Along with improved brian function comes improved productivity. It is thought that the improvement in cognitive ability can boost productivity in users of intermittent fasting.

Additionally, fasting has been shown to increase physical energy levels, helping people to feel more energized when using fasting methods.

All kinds of intermittent fasting are thought to be good for heart health and this includes the Warrior Diet. Fasting reduces risk factors of poor heart health and cardiovascular disease.

These markers are usually high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and increased triglyceride numbers. Fasting is thought to reduce LDL cholesterol levels, which are known as the bad kind of cholesterol, as well as reduce blood pressure and lower triglyceride numbers.

Fasting may help to protect against the development of cardiovascular disease.