Just 2 days until the Intermittent Fasting challenge begins! Today, we’re going to give you a few more details about the challenge and what you can expect.

The Fasting Protocol

Your fasting protocol is the intermittent fasting schedule you choose to do.

For the sake of the challenge and so we are all on the same page, you will be doing the 16:8 Intermittent Fasting protocol. This is a great schedule for people just starting out or coming back to intermittent fasting after some time away. This means every day, you will fast for 16 hours and eat for 8 hours. Don’t forget that the fasting time includes when you are sleeping, so it’s not as bad it sounds, I promise!

Your 16:8 Intermittent Fasting Weekly Schedule

Your weekly 16:8 eating schedule will vary depending on which eating window you choose. Here are three samples to suit different schedules:

Early Eating Meal Plan

Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
8 a.m. – breakfast	8 a.m. – breakfast	8 a.m. – breakfast	8 a.m. – breakfast	8 a.m. – breakfast	8 a.m. – breakfast	8 a.m. – breakfast
10 a.m. snack	10 a.m. snack	10 a.m. snack	10 a.m. snack	10 a.m. snack	10 a.m. snack	10 a.m. snack
12 noon – lunch	12 noon – lunch	12 noon – lunch	12 noon – lunch	12 noon – lunch	12 noon – lunch	12 noon – lunch
Evening – calorie-free beverages	Evening – calorie-free beverages	Evening – calorie-free beverages	Evening – calorie-free beverages	Evening – calorie-free beverages	Evening – calorie-free beverages	Evening – calorie-free beverages

Average Eating Meal Plan

Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
9 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	9 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	9 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	9 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	9 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	9 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	9 a.m. – calorie-free beverage
11 a.m.  – breakfast	11 a.m. – breakfast	11 a.m. – breakfast	11 a.m. – breakfast	11 a.m. – breakfast	11 a.m. – breakfast	11 a.m. – breakfast
2 p.m. lunch	2 p.m. lunch	2 p.m. lunch	2 p.m. lunch	2 p.m. lunch	2 p.m. lunch	2 p.m. lunch
4 p.m. snack	4 p.m. snack	4 p.m. snack	4 p.m. snack	4 p.m. snack	4 p.m. snack	4 p.m. snack
6 p.m. dinner	6 p.m. dinner	6 p.m. dinner	6 p.m. dinner	6 p.m. dinner	6 p.m. dinner	6 p.m. dinner

Late Eating Meal Plan

Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
11 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	11 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	11 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	11 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	11 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	11 a.m. – calorie-free beverage	11 a.m. – calorie-free beverage
1 p.m. snack	1 p.m. snack	1 p.m. snack	1 p.m. snack	1 p.m. snack	1 p.m. snack	1 p.m. snack
4 p.m. lunch	4 p.m. lunch	4 p.m. lunch	4 p.m. lunch	4 p.m. lunch	4 p.m. lunch	4 p.m. lunch
6 p.m. snack	6 p.m. snack	6 p.m. snack	6 p.m. snack	6 p.m. snack	6 p.m. snack	6 p.m. snack
9 p.m. dinner	9 p.m. dinner	9 p.m. dinner	9 p.m. dinner	9 p.m. dinner	9 p.m. dinner	9 p.m. dinner

What to Eat

Before you ask the question, we’re going to read your mind and answer it for you. During the intermittent fasting challenge, you are not told a specific diet or way of eating to follow. Right now, all we want to encourage you to do is stick to your fasting schedule.

This doesn’t mean you should binge on all the cakes and cookies and chips and fast food as you can get in during those 8 hours every day. It means balancing your meals and snacks, following your body’s cues, and paying attention to how you feel.

If you need some ideas for some healthy and delicious meals and snacks like what you see below, you can grab them here: Get Fit and Have Fun with Mutiara. The FREE package gives you access to these recipes. Each recipe comes with its nutrition information so that you don’t have to do your own nutrition research.

What Breaks Your Fast

During the fasting window, you want to be careful and only have water, black coffee, or unsweetened tea. After the challenge, you can try other beverages with artificial sweeteners, but for now, it’s best to be safe with these beverages.

And don’t forget to drink lots of water to stay hydrated!