Fasting, the reduction of or abstinence from consuming food, is a practice that has been used since ancient times for various religious and health purposes. 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. A study in 10 people with type 2 diabetes found that a fasting goal of 18—20 hours a day lead to a considerable decrease in body weight and significantly improved fasting and post-meal blood sugar control 9.

However, another recent study showed that intermittent fasting increased the chances of hypoglycemia low blood sugar , even when taking lower doses of blood-sugar-reducing medications Though lowering blood sugar levels in a safe way is beneficial, hypoglycemia can be dangerous and lead to serious complications For this reason, people with diabetes who are interested in trying out intermittent fasting should consult with their doctor first.

Methods of intermittent fasting like the Warrior Diet may help reduce weight, improve brain health, lower blood sugar and reduce inflammation.

Despite potential health benefits of the Warrior Diet, there are some downfalls to this way of eating. One of the most obvious limitations of the Warrior Diet is that it restricts the time during which you may eat substantial meals to a four-hour period.

This can be difficult to stick to, especially when participating in normal social activities like going out to breakfast or lunch. While some people may feel great when consuming very small amounts of calories over a hour period, others may find that this way of eating is not ideal for their lifestyle.

Some women may be able to fast intermittently without negative effects. However, some may experience unpleasant side effects like insomnia, anxiety, missed periods and reproductive health disturbances.

The Warrior Diet could lead to binging and purging behaviors, especially in those at risk of developing disordered eating.

Binging on large quantities of food may also lead to feelings of regret and shame, which can negatively impact mental health and body image. Potential side effects include 14 :. In addition, many health professionals argue that dieters will not get enough nutrients when following an intermittent fasting plan like the Warrior Diet.

Nutritionists have long warned us about skipping meals and starving ourselves. How can you succeed by committing diet heresy? Over time, however, something interesting happened:.

Created by Ori Hofmekler, it introduced fasting and under-eating as method of fitness by itself and demanded the discipline to treat your nutrition like training. We need stress. The good kind, that is.

Stressing the body, for example, builds muscle: stimulate your muscle fibers, ligaments, and nervous system and your body will respond and grow. The Warrior Diet introduced nutritional stress, not by restricting total calories, but by cycling periods of fasting or under-eating for over 12 hours—or sometimes 16—a day.

Following a regular schedule and avoiding hunger is the opposite. For the Warrior Diet, I concluded that humans are programmed especially to thrive under stress, not the other way. The Warrior Diet requires 20 hours of underfeeding which includes your sleep followed by 4 hours of overfeeding at night.

During the day, food choices shift from light-and-fluid to dense. For example, start the day with water, vegetable juices, coffee, or tea. Anything watery and thin. As the day continues, have light snacks like whey protein, berries, yogurts, etc. Finally, avoid certain food combinations. Everything else needs to be restricted: avoid combinations like nuts and sugar, nuts and fruits, grain and sugar, grain and fruits, alcohol with sugar, and alcohol with starch.

You can, however, combine alcohol with protein. Thus, we all descended from ancestors who overcame hostile conditions without hot running water or toilet paper. Hooray us. Our modern age, however, removed that stress.

The hunt for food was replaced by a line at the grocery store, going hungry was replaced by vending machines, and staying warm during brutal winters was replaced by hot cocoa.

Because early humans proliferated on diets of underfeeding and overfeeding, it suggests that we are meant to thrive on intermittent fasting. But while food activates mTOR, a lack of food inhibits it.

Insulin is the most important hormone in your body for muscle growth and fat loss. Higher insulin sensitivity boosts your carb tolerance and nutrition partitioning by favorably distributing nutrients between your fat and muscle cells , increases protein synthesis within your muscle cells, and improves fat loss.

Bad insulin sensitivity, however, creates health problems like obesity and Type II diabetes. The Warrior Diet also requires you to exercise during your under-eating phase, which further improves your insulin sensitivity.

Also, the Warrior Diet rejects the myth that late-night eating will make you fat—instead, feasting at night can help you build more muscle. Growth hormone GH , a powerful stimulator of muscle and bone growth and fat loss, peaks at night during your sleep; eating a big meal before bedtime provides your body the nutrients to capitalize on maximal GH activities.

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.

A study in 10 people with type 2 diabetes found that a fasting goal of 18—20 hours a day lead to a considerable decrease in body weight and significantly improved fasting and post-meal blood sugar control 9. However, another recent study showed that intermittent fasting increased the chances of hypoglycemia low blood sugar , even when taking lower doses of blood-sugar-reducing medications Though lowering blood sugar levels in a safe way is beneficial, hypoglycemia can be dangerous and lead to serious complications For this reason, people with diabetes who are interested in trying out intermittent fasting should consult with their doctor first.

Methods of intermittent fasting like the Warrior Diet may help reduce weight, improve brain health, lower blood sugar and reduce inflammation.

Despite potential health benefits of the Warrior Diet, there are some downfalls to this way of eating. One of the most obvious limitations of the Warrior Diet is that it restricts the time during which you may eat substantial meals to a four-hour period. This can be difficult to stick to, especially when participating in normal social activities like going out to breakfast or lunch.

While some people may feel great when consuming very small amounts of calories over a hour period, others may find that this way of eating is not ideal for their lifestyle. Some women may be able to fast intermittently without negative effects.

However, some may experience unpleasant side effects like insomnia, anxiety, missed periods and reproductive health disturbances. The Warrior Diet could lead to binging and purging behaviors, especially in those at risk of developing disordered eating. Binging on large quantities of food may also lead to feelings of regret and shame, which can negatively impact mental health and body image.

Potential side effects include 14 :. In addition, many health professionals argue that dieters will not get enough nutrients when following an intermittent fasting plan like the Warrior Diet. However, as long as healthy, nutrient-dense foods are chosen and calorie needs are met, nutrient needs can be covered by carefully planning your food choices when following the Warrior Diet.

The Warrior Diet is inappropriate for many people, can be hard to stick to and may lead to negative side effects such as fatigue, insomnia and hormonal imbalance. Hofmekler recommends that once dieters have completed the three phases, they should start them over from the beginning.

However, instead of going through the entire cycle again, you may also forgo the initial phases and simply follow the guidelines of undereating for 20 hours on low-calorie foods, followed by eating healthy, protein-rich meals to satisfaction during the overeating phase.

Hofmekler recommends taking a daily multivitamin along with other supplements like probiotics and amino acids as part of this diet plan. Dieters are also encouraged to incorporate exercise, including strength and speed training, into their routines to promote fat loss and to hydrate with plenty of water throughout the day.

When beginning the Warrior Diet, dieters are encouraged to follow three distinct phases separated into weeks that include fasting during the day and overeating at night.

Although dieters are allowed to consume any food they like, whole, nutritious, organic foods are encouraged, whereas processed foods, preservatives, added sugars and artificial sweeteners should be avoided. When following the Warrior Diet, nutritious foods like vegetables, fruits and lean proteins are encouraged.

Processed foods and added sweeteners should be avoided. The Warrior Diet is a type of intermittent fasting program that cycles hour periods of little food intake with four-hour periods of overeating.

Though there is little research supporting the benefits of this particular type of fasting, intermittent fasting in general has been linked to a number of health benefits from weight loss to improved brain health.

While some people may thrive on the Warrior Diet, others may find its rules too difficult to follow. Although the Warrior Diet may benefit certain individuals, the tried and true method of eating healthy, increasing activity and limiting overall calories is something everyone can follow.

For exercise, the diet encourages short workouts that emphasize strength training , especially for your joints and back, and high-velocity exercises such as jumps, kicks, and sprints.

During the day, raw vegetables and fruit, small amounts of protein, and beverages including water, natural juices, coffee, and tea are permitted.

The book states that this period should not last more than 16 to 18 hours, but many newer variations of the diet encourage undereating or not eating at all for 20 hours. Then in the evening, you eat one large meal. There are no restrictions on how much or what kind of food you eat, so you can include any protein, fat, and carbs you want.

The diet claims that fasting produces fat-burning hormones, allows your body to use protein more efficiently, stabilizes your blood sugar levels, increases testosterone and growth hormone levels, and allows amino acids to act favorably on the brain.

Consequently, at the end of the undereating phase, your body is positioned to eat a lot of food without gaining body fat. Diets that are centered around intermittent fasting, like the warrior diet, may also put your body into ketosis , according to research published in October in Ageing Research Reviews.

Ketosis, the basis of the keto diet , is a metabolic state in which your body gets its fuel from fat rather than sugar. But experts are skeptical about the benefits of the warrior diet. No research has specifically studied the warrior diet.

But scientists have identified some potential health benefits of intermittent fasting :. And even if it does, this trendy version of the diet might not be your best choice. In general, the diet does not restrict foods or food groups, although it does emphasize whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible.

During your daytime undereating phase, if you feel you need to eat something, you can have:. Include a variety of tastes, textures, aromas, colors, and temperatures. You can eat:.

On the warrior diet, you might eat raw vegetables and fruits and a little bit of protein during the day, then a green salad and one of these larger meals at night. Egg white omelet with black beans and berries with maple syrup and red wine.

The small window of eating time may make it difficult to get the nutrients you need. Cassetty pointed to protein, which ideally you want to eat throughout the day to help rebuild your muscle tissue.

It might be hard to time your exercise with your eating. Warrior Lifestyle. The Warrior Di et Episode on 'The Intermittent Fasting Podcast'. The warrior diet is a type of intermittent fasting that mimics the eating patterns of our warrior ancestors, who ate little or nothing during the day and filled up in the evenings.

It features a daily cycle of undereating and overeating. Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

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What Is the Warrior Diet? In general, experts recommend plans in which you fast once or twice a week and eat normally on the other days, or in which you eat in at least an eight-hour window and fast for 16 hours, to give you enough time to nourish yourself properly.

Are the warrior diet and OMAD the same? The warrior diet is similar to OMAD, or one meal a day, which is a more extreme version in which you eat all your calories for the day in a single two-hour period, usually around dinnertime. Can you lose weight on the warrior diet? Studies have found that intermittent fasting can help some people lose weight, however, it was no more effective than reducing calories overall, regardless of when you eat.

What can you eat on the warrior diet? In the daytime undereating phase, you can eat fresh fruits and vegetables and small amounts of protein.