The 15:9 fasting, also called 15-hour fasting, is an intermittent fasting technique where you fast for 15 hours and eat within a 9-hour window, and it can help with weight loss, insulin sensitivity, and mental clarity, among other benefits. It is very similar to 16:8 fasting. It can be easily integrated and adapted to the busiest of lifestyles.
What is 15:9 Intermittent Fasting?
This plan has clear guidelines. You must follow a 15-hour fasting window and a 9-hour eating window each day. During the eating window, you can have anything for your meal, but for your own health and rapid achievement on weight loss, healthy food will be largely recommended like nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, and milk.
📚📖See Also: Ultimate Guide to Popular Intermittent Fasting Plans
How to Do 15:9 Fasting?
Based on the rules of 15-hour fasting, you can choose any time every day to start fasting. For example, you can get up at about 8 am for your first meal and finish your last meal at 5 pm. During this time, you can have three meals as normal. If you have difficulty figuring out the specific time to start and end fasting, an intermittent fasting app should be used to track your fasting schedule and log your diet so as to rigorously follow your fasting plan.
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Is 15-Hour Fasting Enough for Weight Loss?
Fasting for 15 hours falls within the range of intermittent fasting methods such as the 16/8 method. Many people find success with a 16-hour fasting window. Fasting for 10-16 hours may cause the body to utilize fat stores for energy, leading to weight loss and the release of ketones into the bloodstream. Additionally, fasting for 15 hours can provide some metabolic benefits, including increased human growth hormone levels and improved body tissue health. While 15 hours of fasting can provide some benefits, it may not be sufficient for everyone.
What are 15:9 Fasting Results?
The results may vary depending on factors such as diet, exercise, and body composition, but you can expect to see physical positive changes after around three weeks of strictly adhering to the routine.
The director of analytics at Facebook in 2014, Dan Zigmond, shed more than 20 pounds in under a year. He did not monitor his steps or calories. Instead, Zigmond turned to intermittent fasting and stuck to 15-hour fasting each day.
📚📖See Also: How Long Does Intermittent Fasting Take to Work?
15:9 Fasting Meal Plan
When you are eating, you should concentrate on whole-food sources of carbohydrates, clean protein, and healthy fats.
The first meal of Dan Zigmond is at 9 am. In the cafeteria at Facebook, Zigmond orders a bowl of oatmeal with Greek yogurt on top. He occasionally tops it with granola, blueberries, or bananas. “I’m very flexible about what I eat at lunch – there’s no rule at all,” Zigmond said. “Yesterday I had pizza. My favorite is Indian food, but I have to bike over to the other campus for that, so only do that maybe once a week.” Zigmond orders dinner at 5:30 from the large company cafeteria. Given how much he consumes at lunch, he often eats the smallest meal at dinner. “Often I’ll just make a sandwich, which is what I did yesterday. Other times I’ll grab a bowl of rice and curry from the cafeteria,” he said.
Is 15:9 Fasting Effective?
Yes! It is effective. You might opt for the 15/9 fast instead of the conventional 16/8 fast since it works better for your schedule or your blood sugar needs. You will see changes in your weight, blood sugar levels, and even your cholesterol over time. You might have reduced fatigue and a general sense of well-being except for losing weight as your cells have begun to rejuvenate.
Take a 1-minute quiz and get a tailored fasting plan!
Who are Fit for 15:9 Fasting?
Compared with the 16:8 intermittent fasting plan, 15:9 requires more fasting time. But it still can fit better with your life and work schedule or your blood sugar needs as it can simply include three meals in its meal plan.
Intermittent Fasting 15:9 vs 16:8
In fact, these two intermittent fasting methods have no big difference. Both methods have been shown to have health benefits, such as weight loss and improved blood sugar control. The 15:9 plan has an hour more to eat than the 16:8 method. Generally speaking, you must fast for at least 15 hours in order for it to be called intermittent fasting. According to functional practitioner B.J. Hardick, D.C., a range of 14 to 18 hours of fasting each day is suitable for many people and offers more significant weight loss advantages than a 12-hour fast while still being feasible. Therefore, if you want to try the IF, starting from the 15:9 or 16:8 method is a good choice. While the differences between them are relatively minor, it’s important to find a fasting routine that works for your schedule and lifestyle to ensure long-term success. If you are unable to do 16/8, you can opt for a variation on the hours from anywhere between 15:9 to 20:4.
📚📖See Also: All You Need to Know about 16:8 Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting Apps: Streamlining Your Journey
When you begin your intermittent fasting adventure, keeping track of your IF is a major difficulty. Thankfully, a variety of useful mobile apps enable you to keep tabs on everything at your fingertips with a smartphone or tablet. You can easily schedule and keep track of your fasts using these apps for intermittent fasting. Many of the top fasting apps, such as SoonFasting, allow you to monitor your weight and provide you with graphs and journaling tools. This aids you in achieving your goals. All you have to do is to choose the intermittent fasting tool that best suits your objectives.
It’s crucial to add features that support users in maintaining consistency and motivation throughout their trip if you’re intending to set up intermittent fasting monitoring software. One-of-a-kind Intermittent Fasting Schedules, Fasting and Eating Window Timers, Progress Tracking and Visualization, Smart Reminders, Meal Planning and Recipe Suggestions, and other features are all the main features you should take into consideration. Now, here are various intermittent fasting apps on offer as IF has gained more and more attention. Some of the most popular apps include Fastic, Zero, BodyFast, Do Fasting, and SoonFasting, which can enable you to find the right one customized for you. Stephanie, a SoonFasting user, says that she has dropped 36 pounds with intermittent fasting and the SoonFasting app and is so regretful that she has not discovered the intermittent fasting app sooner. So, if you want to start a journey of IF, start slowly and try to use those helpful apps if necessary.
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- Charles L. Goodrick; Donald K. Ingram; Mark A. Reynolds; John R. Freeman; Nancy L. Cider. Effects of Intermittent Feeding Upon Growth and Life Span in Rats. Gerontology. April 28, 1982: 233–241. doi: 10.1159/000212538.
- Kim S Stote, David J Baer, Karen Spears, David R Paul, G Keith Harris, William V Rumpler, Pilar Strycula, Samer S Najjar, Luigi Ferrucci, Donald K Ingram, Dan L Longo, and Mark P Mattson. A controlled trial of reduced meal frequency without caloric restriction in healthy, normal-weight, middle-aged adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007 Apr; 85(4): 981–988. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/85.4.981.
- Stephanie Welton, Robert Minty, Teresa O’Driscoll, Hannah Willms, Denise Poirier, Sharen Madden, Len Kelly. Intermittent fasting and weight loss: Systematic review. Canadian Family Physician. 2020 Feb;66(2):117-125.