Intermittent Fasting 2 days a week will probably give you some weight loss and gut health results. Here’s what you need to know.
Intermittent Fasting 2 Days A Week [Does It Work?]
There are multiple ways to go about Intermittent Fasting 2 days a week. One method is to use time restricted eating (TRE). This is where you incorporate fasting for part of the day and eat during the rest of the day. A popular method of TRE is 16:8 fasting where you fast for 16 hours and eat during an 8 hour eating window.
Another method of Intermittent Fasting 2 days a week is to use an alternate day fasting (ADF) approach. This is where you fast for a full 24 hours, then you eat “normally” the next day. So with this approach, you would be incorporating 2 full days of fasting for 24 hours each week.
Although ADF can be beneficial for weight loss, there are a few drawbacks.
First, it doesn’t match normal life. Fasting for a full 24 hours a day 2 days a week means you’re missing out on many important social factors ~ dinners with family and lunch meetings to name a few.
Second, you’re not getting all of your nutrient needs. By fasting for 24 hours 2 days a week, you’re missing out on a full 2 days worth of nutrients, specifically protein. Protein is the most important macronutrient when it comes to achieving a body recomposition goal (where you’re losing body fat, but not losing muscle).(1) It’s hard to make up for those 2 days of no protein on your “feeding” days. Not getting adequate protein 2 days a week can therefore lead to muscle loss and ultimately decrease the body’s metabolism and insulin sensitivity.(2) You can get more of a deep dive on why I as a nutritionist never recommend ADF with the video below.
This leaves us with using TRE 2 days per week. Can you actually see benefits with Intermittent Fasting just two days a week?
One study found that the benefits you receive with Intermittent Fasting is “dose dependent”.(3) This means the more often you use it, the more results you an expect to see.
On the days you’re using TRE, the benefits will include:
- Increased gut cleaning by stimulating the MMC (migrating motor complex)
- Reduced insulin during the fast (3)
- Increased fat burning (lipolysis) during the fast
So there are certainly benefits to using Intermittent Fasting, even if it’s just two days a week. However, the more often you use Intermittent Fasting, the more consistently you can expect to receive the benefits of the Intermittent Fast.
Pssst – wondering what type of fasting is best for your goals? Try my free Intermittent Fasting Schedule quiz HERE!
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The 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program
The 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program provides step-by-step strategies to help you use Intermittent Fasting with delicious, protein-packed meals to support fat loss, reduce hunger, and boost gut health.
