This process prevents the effects of aging, and loose skin, and can even reverse neurodegenerative diseases. Bear in mind that y ou need to fast for at least 14 hours to get the benefits of autophagy, but fully-fledged autophagy starts after a hour fasting period.

Intermittent fasting may have a positive impact on various metabolic markers, including cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and blood pressure, potentially reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

It may lower oxidative stress by temporarily decreasing the production of harmful molecules like reactive oxygen species ROS and free radicals. Improved gut health and weight management associated with this fasting method can also help lower inflammation, as a balanced gut microbiome and reduced body fat are linked to reduced inflammation levels.

Some people report improved mental clarity and focus during fasting periods, as the absence of food-related energy fluctuations can lead to more stable energy levels throughout the day.

With fewer meals to prepare and consume, some people find that intermittent fasting saves them time and makes their daily routines more efficient. Before starting any kind of intermittent fasting plan, you should consult a medical professional to check if your metabolism is suitable for fasting.

Increase your fasting window over time. Both the warrior diet and the OMAD diet are extreme versions of intermittent fasting and are not suitable for everyone.

You need to have some fasting experience before switching to any of these diet plans. The warrior diet has a 4-hour eating and a hour fasting period.

During the 4-hour period where you can eat, most people prefer having one large meal and an additional snacking meal. Both of them have a great impact on reducing inflammation levels and increasing fat burning. People who should not follow the warrior diet, or any other intermittent fasting plan include:.

The warrior diet offers many health benefits with its hour fasting and 4-hour eating period. However, it may not be ideal for everybody and can result in some side effects, but these side effects can also be experienced with other fasting and diet plans. Fasting Kompanion can help you along the way to find the most suitable intermittent fasting plan for you and offer health and nutrition tips to inform and motivate you on your unique fasting journey.

Every physiology and every journey is unique. We give you the best intermittent fasting plan for your needs and goals. Peanut Butter for Workout and Weight Loss: Benefits and Nutrition Facts. Radishes for Weight Loss and Health Boosting Benefits. Read on to get the answers.

Index 1 What is the warrior diet? Improved insulin sensitivity Intermittent fasting may enhance insulin sensitivity, which can help regulate blood sugar levels. Metabolic health Intermittent fasting may have a positive impact on various metabolic markers, including cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and blood pressure, potentially reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Increases mental clarity and focus Some people report improved mental clarity and focus during fasting periods, as the absence of food-related energy fluctuations can lead to more stable energy levels throughout the day.

Time-saving With fewer meals to prepare and consume, some people find that intermittent fasting saves them time and makes their daily routines more efficient.

Healthy fats: Incorporate healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. While there are heaps of papers discussing, theorizing, and studying the acute effects of intermittent fasting protocols like the Warrior Diet, the scientific community has yet to reach a consensus on the matter.

That said, a large portion of the conversation in the scientific community involves studying the effects of intermittent fasting on weight loss.

Thus far, little credible evidence exists backing the idea that eating once per day works any better for weight loss than eating thrice or five times, provided caloric intake is consistent between both styles.

As such, the purported body composition-related benefits of a fasting protocol such as the Warrior Diet are theorized to be the result of better adherence to the schedule of the diet, rather than anything strictly physiological. Everyone responds to nutritional protocols in their own way, and what works for you might be intolerable for your gym partner , coach, or spouse.

Some studies have noted that fasting protocols like the Warrior Diet lead to strong acute increases in blood cholesterol and blood pressure, 1 which you may want to avoid depending on your overall health status.

Depending on when you like to hit the gym , this might make the Warrior Diet incompatible for you. Energy requirements vary by sport, but whether you prefer weightlifting , powerlifting , CrossFit , or something else, you probably understand the importance of eating before and after your training session.

One of the smaller but nonetheless important benefits of a balanced meal plan is that it allows you to include a large variety of foods into your daily diet.

This may encourage you to turn to nutritionally vacant alternatives instead, since they often taste better and are more quickly eaten. In such cases, it would be wise to keep a multivitamin at the ready.

Bodybuilding devotees sometimes have to put down inordinate amounts of calories to add muscle mass. In the event that a fourth or fifth daily meal makes your stomach churn, you might be able to stomach your bulking needs better if you pack all your meals into one extended sitting.

A meal plan is meant to improve your quality of life so you can focus on what matters — your workouts. The Warrior Diet might come in clutch in such cases as a no-nonsense way of getting your daily required calories in.

If you only need to eat once, you only need to cook once. Dieting — particularly if your personal goal is losing weight — is a mental battle, and no warrior wins every single battle.

Recreational lifters and pro bodybuilders alike are prone to lapses in willpower. Fortunately, a structured time-based dietary plan like the Warrior Diet could serve as a band-aid fix if you find yourself snacking uncontrollably. Strictly speaking, it depends. Since the diet is less of a diet and more of a philosophical approach to eating, it could technically work for just about anyone — provided they can adhere to the somewhat extreme and-four protocol.

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.

Rizzello F, Spisni E, Giovanardi E, et al. Implications of the westernized diet in the onset and progression of IBD. Fuhrman J. The hidden dangers of fast and processed food. Am J Lifestyle Med. Breda J, Jewell J, Keller A.

The importance of the World Health Organization sugar guidelines for dental health and obesity prevention. Caries Res. Stote KS, Baer DJ, Spears K, et al. A controlled trial of reduced meal frequency without caloric restriction in healthy, normal-weight, middle-aged adults. Am J Clin Nutr.

Furmli S, Elmasry R, Ramos M, Fung J. Therapeutic use of intermittent fasting for people with type 2 diabetes as an alternative to insulin. BMJ Case Rep. Cherif A, Roelands B, Meeusen R, Chamari K. Effects of intermittent fasting, caloric restriction, and Ramadan intermittent fasting on cognitive performance at rest and during exercise in adults.

Sports Med. Department of Health and Human Services and U. Department of Agriculture. Ninth Edition. December Aly SM.

Role of intermittent fasting on improving health and reducing diseases. Int J Health Sci Qassim. Varady KA, Bhutani S, Church EC, Klempel MC.

Short-term modified alternate-day fasting: a novel dietary strategy for weight loss and cardioprotection in obese adults. Tardy A-L, Pouteau E, Marquez D, Yilmaz C, Scholey A. Vitamins and minerals for energy, fatigue and cognition: a narrative review of the biochemical and clinical evidence.

Grajower MM, Horne BD. Clinical management of intermittent fasting in patients with diabetes mellitus. Rashid F, Abdelgadir E, Bashier A. A systematic review on the safety of Ramadan fasting in high-risk patients with Diabetes.

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. Razavi R, Parvaresh A, Abbasi B, et al. The alternate-day fasting diet is a more effective approach than a calorie restriction diet on weight loss and hs-CRP levels. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. Moro T, Tinsley G, Bianco A, et al.

J Transl Med. Scholtens EL, Krebs JD, Corley BT, Hall RM. Intermittent fasting diet: What is the macronutrient and micronutrient intake and composition? Clin Nutr. Collier R.

Intermittent fasting: the next big weight loss fad. By Amanda Capritto, ACE-CPT, INHC Amanda Capritto, ACE-CPT, INHC, is an advocate for simple health and wellness. She writes about nutrition, exercise and overall well-being.

Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content.

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.

Health Conditions A-Z. Best Oils for Skin Complementary Approaches Emotional Wellness Fitness and Exercise Healthy Skin Online Therapy Reiki Healing Resilience Sleep Sexual Health Self Care Yoga Poses See All. Atkins Diet DASH Diet Golo Diet Green Tea Healthy Recipes Intermittent Fasting Intuitive Eating Jackfruit Ketogenic Diet Low-Carb Diet Mediterranean Diet MIND Diet Paleo Diet Plant-Based Diet See All.

Consumer's Guides: Understand Your Treatments Albuterol Inhalation Ventolin Amoxicillin Amoxil Azithromycin Zithromax CoQ10 Coenzyme Q Ibuprofen Advil Levothyroxine Synthroid Lexapro Escitalopram Lipitor Atorvastatin Lisinopril Zestril Norvasc Amlodipine Prilosec Omeprazole Vitamin D3 Xanax Alprazolam Zoloft Sertraline Drug Reviews See All.

Health Tools. Body Type Quiz Find a Doctor - EverydayHealth Care Hydration Calculator Menopause Age Calculator Symptom Checker Weight Loss Calculator.

See All. DailyOM Courses. About DailyOM Most Popular Courses New Releases Trending Courses See All. By Stephanie Thurrott. Medically Reviewed.

Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES. How It Works Health Benefits Jump to More Topics. 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. During the evening eating window, you can eat what you like, although refined sugar and refined, processed pastries are not allowed.

How long is it safe to follow the warrior diet? But scientists have identified some potential health benefits of intermittent fasting : Better Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels A review published in October in the Annual Review of Nutrition found that intermittent fasting may lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Improved Insulin Resistance The same study also reported a link between intermittent fasting and decreased insulin resistance. Reduced Inflammation A study published in Nutrition Research examined people who fasted for Ramadan and found that fasting lowered inflammation levels.

Better Brain Health A study published in December in Aging and Disease found that intermittent fasting might delay age-related brain impairments and improve recovery from stroke. Lower Cancer Risk A study published in November in Nature Reviews: Cancer found that fasting might reduce your risk of developing cancer.

You can eat: Vegetables Fruits Eggs Milk, cheese, and other dairy products, preferably low fat or nonfat Butter Lean meat and poultry Fish Beans Nuts and seeds Legumes Cheese Oils, except hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils and margarine Whole-food carbohydrates, such as carrots, beets, pumpkin, and squash Grains such as rice, oats, quinoa , barley, and millet Fermented foods One glass of wine Refined sugar and refined, processed pastries are not allowed on the warrior diet.

Day 1 Curry chicken in tomato broth, steamed vegetables, and low-carb pumpkin cheesecake Day 2 Baked red snapper, zucchini fries, and crepe blintzes Day 3 Pepper beef and broccoli and warm raspberries with yogurt Day 4 Egg white omelet with black beans and berries with maple syrup and red wine Day 5 Angel hair rice pasta with tomato sauce and eggs and papaya gelatin Day 6 Turkey-stuffed peppers and a green citrus smoothie Day 7 Chicken chipotle flatbread and low-carb pecan pie.

Favorite Book 'The Warrior Diet: Switch on Your Biological Powerhouse for High Energy, Explosive Strength, and a Leaner, Harder Body' This is the original book that launched the warrior diet Favorite App Window Use this app to track your intermittent fasting meal windows.

Favorite Podcast The Warrior Di et Episode on 'The Intermittent Fasting Podcast' Take an hourlong dive into the ins and outs of the warrior diet. Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking. Resources Harris L, Hamilton S, Azevedo LB, et al. Intermittent Fasting Interventions for Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports. February Many people who practice intermittent fasting do report additional positive effects such as feeling more energized, more alert, and many even report a reduction in hunger over time.

Most intermittent fasting plans, like the diet, focus on when to eat, rather than what to eat. During this fasting phase of the Warrior Diet, Hofmekler suggests consuming only a small amount of:.

In his book, Hofmekler emphasizes the importance of only consuming a small amount of protein, fruits, and vegetables during the undereating and fasting phase so your digestive system can rest, and so you can reap the Warrior Diet results.

According to Hofmekler, it is important to avoid carbohydrates other than fresh fruits and vegetables during your undereating phase. Carbohydrates to avoid include:.

Some may choose to fully abstain from all food during the undereating phase, but being able to consume small amounts of protein, fruits, and vegetables may make the Warrior Diet easier to adhere to and more appealing than stricter fasting practices.

According to Hofmekler, the goal of this phase is to repair tissues and muscle, boost metabolism, replenish energy stores, nourish your body and mind, experience guilt-free freedom while eating, and finally, retrain yourself to eat instinctively. Since you are fasting most of the day and only have a short window to nourish your body while on the Warrior Diet, it is recommended to focus on nutrient-dense foods that provide plenty of important macro and micronutrients to the body.

For example, consuming fats from avocados rather than potato chips would be recommended so your body can also get the benefits of the fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals that come with the avocado.

This phase of the Warrior Diet is slightly different in that it cycles between high-protein days and high-carbohydrate days until the week is complete. Once you have completed the 3 phases, Hofmekler recommends beginning again at phase 1 and cycling through each phase of the intermittent fasting plan again.

As mentioned before, there are no studies that look at the long-term effects of the Warrior Diet, therefore, more research is needed to fully understand how the Warrior Diet affects humans over time. While there are many potential benefits of the fasting method, there are some potential downfalls as well.

With many social activities revolving around food — it would be difficult to join friends to lunch or have a business breakfast when fasting during the daytime. Also, with the prolonged fasting period, many may feel tired, hungry, or irritable during the day and choose to revert to a more regular eating pattern before their body fully adjusts to the fasting model.

There are certain populations of people that may benefit from the Warrior Diet, however, there are other populations that this type of fasting is not recommended for such as:. As always, be sure to consult with your doctor before starting any new diet, especially one that may vary greatly from your current eating regimen.

You could also consult a registered dietitian to help you with a intermittent fasting meal plan to ensure that you are getting adequate nutrition while reaping the potential Warrior Diet results you are seeking.

Start your fasting journey! Start a quiz. Intermittent fasting. Time to read: 9min. This lifestyle of our ancient ancestors is the basis for the Warrior Diet. What is the Warrior Diet? Hofmekler also says that during the undereating phase you can drink: Coffee without sugar and only small amounts of milk Tea without sugar or sugar substitutes Water According to Hofmekler, it is important to avoid carbohydrates other than fresh fruits and vegetables during your undereating phase.

Carbohydrates to avoid include: Breads Cereals Muffins Pastas Corn Potatoes RiceBarley Any sweets or foods with refined sugar i. candy, pastries, cookies, ice cream, and other sweets Some may choose to fully abstain from all food during the undereating phase, but being able to consume small amounts of protein, fruits, and vegetables may make the Warrior Diet easier to adhere to and more appealing than stricter fasting practices.

Hofmekler clearly outlines his suggestions on how to eat during this phase: First: Start with subtle-tasting foods then more to more aggressive foods. For example, start with a salad of raw veggies before moving to cooked foods like vegetables, proteins, and carbohydrates. Second: Include a wide variety of tastes, textures, colors, and aromas into your main meal.

Third: Stop eating when you feel more thirsty than hungry.