10 Common Intermittent Fasting Mistakes

An Overview of Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting , also called alternate-day fasting, allows you to lose weight healthily and thus differs significantly from longer fasts or crash diets. In addition, alternate fasting is easy to integrate into everyday life once you have found the right intermittent fasting method for you. But what is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is about abstaining from food and caloric drinks for certain periods of time (days or hours). There are different methods of intermittent fasting, where various fasting intervals are observed, such as the 16:8 method, the 5:2 method, alternate-day fasting, and the 2-day diet.

16:8 Intermittent Fasting

In the 16:8 method, you fast for 16 hours and have 8 hours to eat. You can do this by simply skipping a meal, either breakfast or dinner.

With 5:2 fasting, you eat normally for 5 days and fast on 2 non-consecutive days. Alternate fasting describes the alternation of fasting and eating days (e.g., fasting on Monday, eating on Tuesday, fasting on Wednesday, etc.). The 2-day diet is similar to the 5:2 diet , but here the two fasting days follow directly one after the other.

If you want to live a healthy life and prevent long-term consequences that often arise from unhealthy diets, then intermittent fasting may be just right for you. In addition, a few extra pounds may drop off.

Intermittent fasting enables permanent and healthy weight loss. It has been proven that during fasting, a recycling program for cells occurs. This process is called "autophagy." Among other things, this process is also extremely beneficial for the intestinal flora. If you have complaints such as low blood pressure, chronic diseases, excessively high insulin levels, or metabolic diseases such as type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you should consult your doctor before starting intermittent fasting.

As intermittent fasting already suggests, regular food breaks are observed. During these breaks, you should not consume solid food. There are different methods and timings for this.

Intermittent Fasting – What Can Go Wrong with Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is actually simple and also means healing fasting. You don't have to count your calorie intake. However, there are certain rules to be observed in order to lose weight. After all, we all want to lose some belly fat. The most common mistakes during the fasting period include:

1. Impatience When Losing Weight or Setting Too High Goals with Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is not a crash diet! It can take up to three weeks for the first visible effects to appear. The body needs time to adjust to the new diet.

Intermittent fasting is a gentle and healthy way to lose weight.

In contrast to diets that promise weight loss success in the shortest possible time, weight loss with intermittent fasting is of long-term duration.

Often we make the mistake of demanding more from our body than it can actually give.

How Long Does It Take to Lose Weight During Intermittent Fasting?

The time it takes to lose weight with intermittent fasting varies from person to person.

The body usually needs two to three weeks to get accustomed to the new diet. Only then do the first visual successes become apparent.

2. Too Little Exercise or Sports

In order to lose weight successfully, it is not only diet that is important. You should also exercise for 30 to 40 minutes two to three times a week. (Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health – WHO ^​1 ). What kind of sport you do is less important. The only important thing is that you find a sport that you enjoy.

Effective fat burning starts faster with endurance sports such as swimming, jogging, or cycling. The gained muscle mass requires more energy and helps you lose weight effectively.

Weight Loss – Why Am I Not Losing Weight Despite Intermittent Fasting?

There can be several reasons why you are not losing weight despite intermittent fasting.

Unhealthy food, too little exercise, and low fluid intake make weight loss difficult. Likewise, a balanced diet must not be forgotten.

Even if you do not eat for 16 hours, you can gain weight with the wrong meals instead of losing weight.

3. Too Few or Too Many Calories During the Fasting Break

Many make the mistake of continuing to eat normally during the eating phase without paying attention to what they eat. Fast food or sweets are not taboo, but if you want to lose weight, they should be consumed infrequently.

Therefore, make sure to eat as healthily as possible during intermittent fasting.

In addition to consuming too many calories, too little calorie intake can also be the reason for a lack of success. Your body then retains fat reserves for protection. Digestion is slowed down by abstaining from food and fat burning is stopped.

The calorie calculator can help you determine your daily calorie requirements to avoid the aforementioned error in intermittent fasting.

4. Unhealthy Food and Nutrition

Health and diets are closely linked. To achieve the greatest success with intermittent fasting, it is advisable to refrain from unhealthy foods.

Make sure to moderate the following foods in your diet:

Instead, utilize whole grains, complex carbohydrates, and protein foods. They provide the body with sufficient energy for successful intermittent fasting. Allowed liquids are calorie-free drinks and black coffee.

5. Lack of Sleep During Intermittent Fasting

Getting enough sleep is important for metabolism and promotes the breakdown of body fat. While we sleep, the body goes without food for a long time.

This is due to the hormone leptin, which triggers satiety. In contrast, ghrelin ³ provides the feeling of hunger.

If you sleep too little, the body produces less leptin and you may experience cravings.

This makes you hungry, even though the body doesn't need any energy right now. Therefore, ensure to sleep between six and eight hours a night.

6. The Wrong Fasting Method for Your Lifestyle

Intermittent fasting can be easily integrated into everyday life, provided it fits your lifestyle. The 16:8 intermittent fasting method consists of 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating.

You can divide the 8 hours in which you can eat yourself. Depending on how easy it is for you, you can skip either breakfast or dinner. For example, some find it easier to skip dinner, allowing them to start the next day with a healthy breakfast right away. You can also enjoy your first meal at 10 AM and your last meal at 6 PM.

Besides the 16:8 method, there is also the 5:2 method as another form of intermittent fasting. This involves eating normally for five days and fasting almost completely for two days. On those two days, your caloric intake can range from 1000 kilocalories to just 500 kilocalories. In other words, it’s 5 days of normal eating and 2 days of fasting.

Some find it easier to skip breakfast instead of dinner. You can achieve the best results with the method that suits you best.

7. Counterproductive Stress

Stress puts our bodies into a state of emergency. The body produces large amounts of the stress hormone cortisol.

This hormone increases blood sugar levels and promotes the formation of fat cells on one hand and the breakdown of muscles on the other. It can also lead to the unwanted yo-yo effect.

Your body needs quickly available energy in stressful situations, which is why it resorts to the muscles that are needed for weight loss.

8. Water – Lack of Fluids as a Common Weight Loss Mistake

As with other fasting methods and diets, drinking plenty of water is key to successful weight loss. It is best to consume two to three liters of water or unsweetened tea throughout the day.

Drinking during the meal break reduces the feeling of hunger and promotes the elimination of toxins.

Your body needs fluid to function optimally. If you find it challenging to monitor your fluid intake, a fitness tracker can help.

9. Inconsistency During Fasting

Intermittent fasting requires discipline. If you reach for sweets or chips after a few hours, you reduce your chances of losing weight with the fasting method.

Especially at the beginning, when the biorhythm is out of sync and hunger pains torment you in the evening, it can be challenging to persevere.

Generally, the body quickly adapts to the new diet, and the feeling of hunger subsides.

10. Thinking of Intermittent Fasting as a Diet

A common misconception about intermittent fasting is to view it as a diet and to expect corresponding success.

Any dietary change takes time to observe the effects of fasting and to achieve positive results. It is also important to understand how intermittent fasting works .

Intermittent Fasting and Coffee – What to Keep in Mind

Important to Know: Coffee is allowed during intermittent fasting. Some fasting methods completely avoid all stimulants, including coffee. However, coffee is generally permitted for intermittent fasting as it contains no sugar and effectively no calories, just like tea. This means that you can also enjoy your breakfast coffee as usual during intermittent fasting – but, of course, without milk and sugar!

Intermittent Fasting Experiences

Intermittent fasting is a relatively new concept that has the potential to change our relationship with food.

By taking occasional food breaks and allowing our bodies time to recover, we can increase our energy, promote fat loss, and reduce headaches and feelings of deprivation that often occur when calorie intake is reduced.

"This is an approach I have integrated into my life – under the supervision of my doctor – and it has proven effective. A break from the hustle and bustle of eating has allowed me to reflect on what I’m really hungry for – both emotionally and physically."

Another personal experience from someone who has tried intermittent fasting:

"Intermittent fasting has made a significant difference in my life! For years I doubted my eating habits and struggled with my weight without lasting success. However, since I started intermittent fasting, I feel more energized than ever and have seen fantastic results in my weight loss. I do this by splitting my day into an 8-hour eating window and a 16-hour ‘fasting’ window from 3 PM to 7 AM the next day (fasting simply means I don’t eat anything during this time). What truly motivated me is realizing that this system makes it much easier for me to stick to healthy eating habits without feeling restricted or having to give up delicious foods. Intermittent fasting has proven to be easy to follow and an unexpectedly enjoyable way to achieve my goals – it’s definitely worth trying!"

Everyday Fasting with VERIVAL - This is How Intermittent Fasting Works

At VERIVAL, we offer you an energetic start to the day with our porridge and muesli variations. It provides you with important vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

The advantage: Porridges are excellent for fasting individuals as a delicious and quickly prepared lunch. As an energy-rich and protein-rich food source, the oatmeal ensures that you stay fuller longer after the meal, helping you manage intermittent fasting and fasting more disciplinely.

There are also extensive studies on intermittent fasting methods . The DGE ( German Nutrition Society ) even mentions the life-prolonging effects of alternating fasting.