Figure 4. Forest plots showing changes between two groups in A weight, B body mass index BMI , C total calorie intake; SD, standard deviation; IV, inverse variance; CI, confidence interval; df, degrees of freedom. Four RCTs involving participants contained meaningful data on BMI 82 in the ADF group and 54 in the control group.

The result proved that the ADF group showed statistical differences in BMI compared with the control group Figure 4.

Four RCTs involving participants contained meaningful data on total calorie intake 72 in the ADF group and 66 in the control group. It demonstrated that the ADF group showed statistically significant reductions in total calorie intake compared with the control group Figure 4.

Five RCTs involving participants contained meaningful data on TC in the ADF group and 71 in the control group. We found significant differences between the ADF group and the control group in the TC Figure 5. Figure 5. Forest plots showing changes between two groups in A total cholesterol TC , B triglycerides TG , C low-density lipoprotein LDL , D high-density lipoprotein HDL , E fasting blood sugar FBS , F homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance HOMA-IR ; SD, standard deviation; IV, inverse variance; CI, confidence interval; df, degrees of freedom.

Five RCTs involving participants contained meaningful data on TG in the ADF group and 90 in the control group. The result proved that the ADF group showed significant differences in TG compared with the control group Figure 5.

Four RCTs involving participants contained meaningful data on LDL 90 in the ADF group and 61 in the control group.

The result proved that the ADF group showed significant differences in LDL compared with the control group Figure 5.

Five RCTs involving participants contained meaningful data on HDL in the ADF group and 71 in the control group. The result showed that it was no statistical difference in terms of HDL between the two groups Figure 5. Four RCTs involving participants contained meaningful data on FBS 88 in the ADF group and 56 in the control group.

The model showed no marked differences between the ADF group and the control group in the change of FBS Figure 5. Three RCTs involving participants contained meaningful data on HOMA-IR 55 in the ADF group and 46 in the control group.

Compared with the control group, the ADF group showed no meaningful difference in HOMA-IR Figure 5. Six RCTs involving participants contained meaningful data on fat mass in the ADF group and in the control group.

In terms of lean mass, five RCTs had an appropriate sample size of patients 89 in the ADF group and 73 in the control group.

Figure 6. Forest plots showing changes between two groups in A fat mass, B lean mass, C systolic blood pressure SBP , D diastolic blood pressure DBP ; total calorie intake; SD, standard deviation; IV, inverse variance; CI, confidence interval; df, degrees of freedom.

Four RCTs involving participants contained meaningful data on SBP and DBP 90 in the ADF group and 85 in the control group.

A random-effects model was chosen to estimate changes between the two groups. Recently, the most commonly used diet strategy for weight loss is calorie restriction.

In many parts of the world, ADF is an age-old way that includes many forms. For example, Ramadan is a form of ADF and abided by Muslims all around the world If someone wants to lose weight, it is generally recommended to restrict diets and exercises in clinical practice guidelines 39 , The traditional methods of losing weight such as the daily calorie restriction , although the effect is affirmative, the control and compliance are poor Based on this foundation, intermittent fasting regimens, especially ADF protocols, are being proposed in many pieces of literature 9 , 19 , 33 — The important unsolved issue is whether the effects of ADF can play a role for people who want to lose weight.

This quantitative meta-analysis summarized the evidence from RCTs. We performed this meta-analysis from seven studies, including participants, to evaluate the effect of ADF on weight loss for at least 1 month. In this case, we selected some meaningful indexes of many diverse indicators to illustrate this difference between the two groups.

Based on our results, ADF was the positive influential method on the physiology, body composition, and parameters for obesity or a normal human. For the first time, this meta-analysis suggested that ADF is a potentially superior alternative to daily calorie restriction in normal-weight and overweight subjects.

Just the way we assumed, the ADF strategy was effectively reduced body-related biomarkers, such as weight, BMI, and so on. Compared with the complete calorie restriction method, ADF had a lower capacity for weight management. In animal experiments, weight loss can redistribute fat in the ADF group without losing lean mass New research showed that exercise plus ADF would experience the largest reductions in cardiometabolic risk factors, with the least decrease in lean mass compared with ADF alone Also, it could be suggested as an alternative option for daily calorie restriction CR in treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease On the one hand, the decrease of liver enzymes might be explained by an improvement in visceral fat or steatosis of the liver in animal and human experiments.

The phenomenon showed that ADF could promote hepatocyte restorative process when transient autophagy occurred to liver cells However, the exact molecular mechanisms that underlie fasting and liver autophagy need to be further studied and established The research suggested that ADF had effects on cardiovascular improvements.

As is known to all, alterations in cholesterol metabolism were known to be powerful predictors of developing cardiovascular events, even in the early stages of atherosclerosis For instance, abnormal cholesterol metabolism, including low intestinal cholesterol absorption and elevated cholesterol biosynthesis, played an important role in metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes This diet strategy may also have cardioprotective effects in participants by reducing triacylglycerol and increasing LDL particle size and adiponectin concentration.

To our knowledge, the Mediterranean and certain low carbohydrate diets help maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risks of coronary heart disease. If ADF were combined with a Mediterranean diet or a low-carbohydrate diet, it would be meaningful to observe how it affects weight loss and cardiovascular outcomes in future studies 48 , To improve lipid, the combination of diet and exercise is more effective than diet or exercise alone Previous research has already demonstrated that glucose and insulin have been associated with obesity.

Thus, it is important to manage and control glucose levels and insulin resistance At the same time, the significant decrease in fasting insulin may potentially be attributed in part to the decline in body weight and the reduction in total body fat We found a significant reduction in lean mass in the ADF group.

This serves as a caution for patient populations at risk for sarcopenia because ADF could exacerbate muscle loss. Some studies indicated that ADF is the most beneficial diet strategy for lowering fasting insulin, glucose, and HOMA-IR.

However, there was no significant difference in insulin resistance between the two groups. It suggested that ADF plus exercise might reduce insulin resistance, which needs to be further elucidated Meanwhile, ADF did not result in a decline in bone mineral density or white blood cell count.

It might even have a trend to increase bone mineral density values for a long period 54 — In a recent study we founded, ADF likely makes little differences compared with continuous energy restriction, but ADF probably slightly reduces body weight and fat mass. In additional analyses, no important differences were detected when comparing different types of ADF vs.

nonconsecutive days Randomized control trials suggested that ADF is effective for weight loss, weight maintenance, and improving certain metabolic disease risk factors such as LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting insulin after 6 months ADF had some physiological benefits with similar daily calorie restriction ADF might lead to fat redistribution from visceral to subcutaneous depots in female mice Evidence suggested that plasma adiponectin was inversely proportional to visceral fat accumulation 65 , Thus, the redistribution in body fat by ADF may be linked to increases in plasma adiponectin observed.

All in all, ADF may improve body fat distribution and circulating adiponectin; conversely, the diet strategy may take precautions against the development of obesity-related diseases whether these effects can be reproduced in clinical trials.

Several adverse events were reported in the study. Its incidences were significantly low and slight. A small number of participants experienced mild headaches or light-headedness in the early days of the trial. Others reported constipation during weeks 1 and 2 of the trial This phenomenon may or may not be linked with dietary therapy.

The participants were proposed to be consuming more fruits and vegetables on feed days. Those clinical manifestations would gradually disappear in the course of the experiment.

This meta-analysis included seven RCTs and concentrating on the efficacy of ADF in participants. Compared with previous studies, our study had some advantages; the data were derived from randomized, double-blind, controlled trials. However, this study also has some limitations, which reflect the common limitations of other systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

First of all, this article did not include numerous RCTs such as unpublished studies, which limit evidence to affect study quality. Second, RCTs had low methodological rigor and short intervention; more appropriate high-quality trials are needed to improve the accuracy of results.

In summary, this meta-analysis suggests that ADF is a viable diet strategy for weight loss, and it has a substantial improvement in risk indicators for diseases in obese or normal people. Therefore, adults, whether healthy or not, should perform ADF with recommendations of clinical physicians to prevent adverse effects.

YL: literature search. ZG: study design and data collection. TC: data interpretation. JW and YZ: writing. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version. This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China nos.

tsqn , Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals' Ascent Plan, code: DFL, and Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals Clinical Medicine Development of Special Funding Support, code: ZYLX The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

ADF, alternate day fasting; RCTs, randomized controlled trials; TC, total cholesterol; BMI, body mass index; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; TG, triglycerides; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; HOMA-IR, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance; FBS, fasting blood sugar; MD, mean difference; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence intervals; CR, calorie restriction.

Wilson PW, D'Agostino RB, Sullivan L, Parise H, Kannel WB. Overweight and obesity as determinants of cardiovascular risk: the Framingham experience. Arch Intern Med. doi: PubMed Abstract CrossRef Full Text Google Scholar.

Popkin BM, Gordon-Larsen P. The nutrition transition: worldwide obesity dynamics and their determinants. Int J Obes Relat Metab Dis. Kroemer G, López-Otín C, Madeo F, De Cabo R. Carbotoxicity—noxious effects of carbohydrates. Curioni CC, LourenO PM. Long-term weight loss after diet and exercise: a systematic review.

Int J Obes. Villareal DT, Chode S, Parimi N, Sinacore DR, Hilton T, Armamento-Villareal R, et al. Weight loss, exercise, or both and physical function in obese older adults.

N Engl J Med. CrossRef Full Text Google Scholar. Miller WC, Koceja DM, Hamilton EJ. A meta-analysis of the past 25 years of weight loss research using diet, exercise or diet plus exercise intervention. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. Wu T, Gao X, Chen M, Dam RMV. Long-term effectiveness of diet-plus-exercise interventions vs.

diet-only interventions for weight loss: a meta-analysis. Obes Rev. Wood PD, Stefanick ML, Williams PT, Haskell WL. The effects on plasma lipoproteins of a prudent weight-reducing diet, with or without exercise, in overweight men and women.

J Cardiopulm Rehabil. Trepanowski JF, Kroeger CM, Barnosky A, Klempel MC, Bhutani S, Hoddy KK, et al. Effect of alternate-day fasting on weight loss, weight maintenance, and cardioprotection among metabolically healthy obese adults.

JAMA Intern Med. Hansen D, Dendale P, Berger J, van Loon LJC. The effects of exercise training on fat-mass loss in obese patients during energy intake restriction.

Sports Med. Ross R, Rissanen J, Pedwell H, Clifford J, Shragge P. Influence of diet and exercise on skeletal muscle, and visceral adipose tissue in men. J Appl Physiol. Fock KM, Khoo J. Diet and exercise in management of obesity and overweight.

J Gastroenterol Hepatol. Jensen MD, Ryan DH, Apovian CM, Ard JD, Comuzzie AG, Donato KA, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. Moreira EAM, Most M, Howard J, Ravussin E. Dietary adherence to long-term controlled feeding in a calorie-restriction study in overweight men and women.

Nutr Clin Pract. Moroshko I, Brennan L, O"Brien P. Predictors of dropout in weight loss interventions: a systematic review of the literature.

Antoni R, Johnston KL, Collins AL, Robertson MD. Intermittent v. Br J Nutr. Mattison JA, Colman RJ, Beasley TM, Allison DB, Kemnitz JW, Roth GS, et al. Caloric restriction improves health and survival of rhesus monkeys.

Nat Commun. Redman LM, Heilbronn LK, Martin CK, de Jonge L, Williamson DA, Delany JP, et al. Metabolic and behavioral compensations in response to caloric restriction: implicationsfor the maintenance of weight loss. PLoS ONE. Varady KA, Klempel MC, Kroeger CM, Trepanowski JF, et al.

Alternate day fasting for weight loss in normal weight and overweight subjects: a randomized controlled trial. Nutr J. Varady KA, Church EC, Klempel MC. Short-term modified alternate-day fasting: a novel dietary strategy for weight loss and cardioprotection in obese adults.

Am J Clin Nutr. Klempel MC, Kroeger CM, Trepanowski JF, Varady KA. Intermittent fasting combined with calorie restriction is effective for weight loss and cardio-protection in obese women. Varady KA, Hellerstein MK. Alternate-day fasting and chronic disease prevention: a review of human and animal trials.

Luigi F. Aging, adiposity, and calorie restriction. Tinsley GM, La BPM. Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans. Nutr Rev. PubMed Abstract Google Scholar.

Hoddy KK, Kroeger CM, Trepanowski JF, Barnosky A, Bhutani S, Varady KA. Meal timing during alternate day fasting: impact on body weight and cardiovascular disease risk in obese adults. Ganesan K, Habboush Y, Sultan S. Intermittent fasting: the choice for a healthier lifestyle.

Mosley M, Spencer M. The Fastdiet: Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Live Longer With the Simple Secret of Intermittent Fasting. Atria Books. Britain Google Scholar. The Fast Diet For Beginners. Berkeley, CA: Rockridge Press Moher D.

Corrigendum to: preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Int J Surg. Vader JP. Randomised controlled trials: a user's guide. DerSimonian R, Laird N. Meta-analysis in clinical trials.

Control Clin Trials. Johari MI, Yusoff K, Haron J, Nadarajan C, Ibrahim KN, Wong MS, et al. A randomised controlled trial on the effectiveness and adherence of modified alternate-day calorie restriction in improving activity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Sci Rep. 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. Am J Clin Nutr [Internet]. Am J Clin Nutr; [cited Jun 24];— Cui Y, Cai T, Zhou Z, Mu Y, Lu Y, Gao Z, Wu J, Zhang Y.

Health Effects of Alternate-Day Fasting in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [Internet]. Frontiers in Nutrition. Frontiers Media S. Park J, Seo YG, Paek YJ, Song HJ, Park KH, Noh HM. Effect of alternate-day fasting on obesity and cardiometabolic risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis [Internet].

Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental. Saunders; [cited Jun 24]. Fujikake N, Shin M, Shimizu S. Association between autophagy and neurodegenerative diseases [Internet]. Frontiers in Neuroscience. Gao F, Chen J, Zhu H.

A potential strategy for treating atherosclerosis: Improving endothelial function via amp-activated protein kinase. Science China Life Sciences.

Science in China Press; Martinez-Lopez N, Tarabra E, Toledo M, Garcia-Macia M, Sahu S, Coletto L, Batista-Gonzalez A, Barzilai N, Pessin JE, Schwartz GJ, et al.

System-wide Benefits of Intermeal Fasting by Autophagy. Cell Metab [Internet]. Cell Press; [cited Jun 9]; Barnosky AR, Hoddy KK, Unterman TG, Varady KA. Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction for type 2 diabetes prevention: A review of human findings [Internet].

Translational Research. Mosby Inc. Gabel K, Kroeger CM, Trepanowski JF, Hoddy KK, Cienfuegos S, Kalam F, Varady KA. Differential Effects of Alternate-Day Fasting Versus Daily Calorie Restriction on Insulin Resistance. Obesity [Internet]. Blackwell Publishing Inc.

Zouhal H, Saeidi A, Salhi A, Li H, Essop MF, Laher I, Rhibi F, Amani-Shalamzari S, Ben Abderrahman A. Open Access J Sport Med [Internet]. Informa UK Limited; [cited Jun 24];Volume — You can hit a plateau at some point when applying intermittent fasting for weight loss.

Read our article about reasons for a plateau and what you can do about that. Combining intermittent fasting and diet gives better and faster results. There are a few main bullet points, read in our article about them.

Articles Tips. Alternate day fasting is a popular intermittent fasting method. Read on to learn how it works and what the pros and cons are. Include trusted sources.

Written by. Benefits of Alternate Day Fasting. Join s of women getting in better shape with intermittent fasting. Cons to Alternate Day Fasting The most obvious drawback to this type of diet is how difficult it may be.

Going a full day without any food may cause you to be grumpy and tired. Other people report feelings of nausea or headaches when they go too long without eating.

This was a very small study to begin with, and, more importantly, there was a fairly significant dropout rate. Twelve people quit the alternate-day fasting group, with almost half citing dissatisfaction with the diet.

By comparison, 10 people quit the daily calorie restriction group, and none cited dissatisfaction with diet, only personal reasons and scheduling conflicts eight quit the control group for the same reasons.

It's not surprising that people disliked alternate-day fasting. Previous studies have reported that people felt uncomfortably hungry and irritable on fasting days, and that they didn't get accustomed to these discomforts. Interestingly, in this study, over time people in the fasting group ate more on fasting days and less on feasting days.

So basically by the end of the study they were eating similarly to the calorie restriction group. The authors note more limitations.

The control group did not receive food, counseling, or the same attention from the study personnel, potential factors that could affect their results, besides how they ate.

And this study can't tell us about the potential benefits for people who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes because the study didn't include individuals with those conditions.

Usually at this point we say something like "more studies of this approach are needed," but I won't. There's already plenty of evidence supporting a common-sense lifestyle approach to weight loss: ample intake of fruits and veggies, healthy fats, lean proteins, and plenty of exercise.

From apples to zucchini, there are over a hundred "real" foods you can eat endlessly, enjoy, and yes, still lose weight. I would advise against spending any more money on fad diet books.

Or processed carbs, for that matter. Rather, hit the fresh or frozen produce aisle, or farmer's market, and go crazy. Then go exercise. Do that, say, for the rest of your life, and you will be fine. No one got fat eating broccoli, folks. That said, if you tend to binge or stress-eat sugary or starchy foods, and you feel like you can't control your habit, talk to your doctor, because that is a separate issue to be addressed.

Effect of Alternate-Day Fasting on Weight Loss, Weight Maintenance, and Cardioprotection Among Metabolically Healthy Obese Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Internal Medicine, Published online May 1, Alternate-day fasting in nonobese subjects: effects on body weight, body composition, and energy metabolism.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January While the concept sounds easy, actually practicing this might be challenging for some because you do go a full day without eating.

Some people choose to practice a modified version of alternate day fasting where they eat one meal that usually consists of about calories on their fasting days.

Studies have shown that modified alternate day fasting can also facilitate weight loss and improvements in health 1 , 2. This means that taking the modified approach is nothing to be ashamed of.

This modified approach is also a good strategy to implement if you are new to alternate day fasting and find it difficult to not eat for an entire day. Try a modified approach for a couple weeks and then transition to fully fasted days.

One thing to make note of is that if you decide to try alternate day fasting, make sure you are eating enough on your non-fasting days. Determine how many calories you should eat based on your sex, height, weight, age, and activity level and aim to consume that as a minimum.

You do not want your overall caloric intake to decrease too much. While more studies are needed, it appears that alternate day fasting, or the modified version, may be a superior alternative to caloric restriction for decreasing blood sugar levels 9.

While most people report that these feelings will eventually go away after your body adapts, the first few weeks may be a struggle. This is why starting out with a modified alternate day fasting approach may be a good strategy. Another idea is to find a buddy or a group that are doing alternate day fasting too.

Having a support system is always an effective strategy for cultivating long-term habits. Alternate day fasting is an extreme and potentially difficult version of intermittent fasting. However, if done correctly, it can be a very effective strategy for losing weight and optimizing your health.

Hesitating with OMAD? Check out our article comparing alternate day fasting and OMAD. Eshghinia S, Mohammadzadeh F. The effects of modified alternate-day fasting diet on weight loss and CAD risk factors in overweight and obese women.

J Diabetes Metab Disord [Internet]. Springer; [cited Jun 24]; 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.

Am J Clin Nutr [Internet]. Am J Clin Nutr; [cited Jun 24];— Cui Y, Cai T, Zhou Z, Mu Y, Lu Y, Gao Z, Wu J, Zhang Y. Health Effects of Alternate-Day Fasting in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [Internet].

Frontiers in Nutrition. Frontiers Media S. Park J, Seo YG, Paek YJ, Song HJ, Park KH, Noh HM. Effect of alternate-day fasting on obesity and cardiometabolic risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis [Internet].

Emerging research shows that alternate-day fasting can be a useful tool for improving metabolic markers, boosting heart health, lowering chronic inflammation, and promoting cell repair, says Madiha Saeed, M.

However, most people will find fasting every alternate day challenging. Furthermore, this diet may not be safe for everyone and should only be undertaken under medical supervision, says Bindiya Gandhi, M.

People who follow strict alternate-day fasting 3 routines don't eat anything at all on their fasting days, leading to an approximately hour period without any calorie intake. On fasting days, someone who is following a strict fast would limit themselves to calorie-free beverages such as water, green tea, or black coffee.

On the other hand, someone who is practicing a modified version of the alternate-day fast can opt for nutritious but low-calorie meals or snacks during fasting days, such as:. If you decide to practice alternate-day fasting, Gandhi also recommends taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement every day, even on fasting days, to help meet your nutritional needs.

While the research on alternate-day fasting is still preliminary, emerging results show that it may be able to improve cardiometabolic health, encourage cell repair, reduce inflammation, and improve longevity.

Here's a look at the science behind each of these benefits:. Research shows that most forms of intermittent fasting, including alternate-day fasting, fasting , and time-restricted eating can help improve cardiometabolic health 5.

In fact, a review that analyzed seven randomized controlled trials of alternate-day fasting with a total of participants concluded that it can benefit cardiometabolic health 6 by reducing participants' weight, body mass index BMI , cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, and blood pressure.

Improved cardiometabolic health can help reduce the risk of developing heart disease, heart attack, and stroke 7. A review published in Nutrients notes that alternate-day fasting enables autophagy 8 , which is an internal housekeeping process that your body uses to repair or dispose of damaged cells and molecules.

For instance, the body might patch up or recycle damaged or miscopied proteins or DNA molecules, Steve Hendricks , a health journalist, previously told mindbodygreen. By increasing autophagy 9 , fasting essentially helps clean and reboot your cells, Chris Palmer, M.

Your body's ability to repair itself declines with age 10 , but by promoting autophagy, alternate-day fasting may help prevent age-related health conditions. Inflammation is your body's natural defense against injury or illness.

However, inflammation can be harmful if it persists for too long. Chronic inflammation has the opposite effect on your system, and it increases your risk of developing chronic diseases. Inflammation can be measured by checking your levels of C-reactive protein CRP , via a hs-CRP blood test.

A randomized control trial with 80 participants found that alternate-day fasting helped reduce hs-CRP levels 11 in patients with metabolic syndrome. A review notes that the various types of intermittent fasting may be able to prevent or improve inflammatory and autoimmune conditions 12 such as diabetes, arthritis, psoriasis, spondylitis, multiple sclerosis, and asthma.

Alternate-day fasting can help improve molecular and physiological markers of aging, according to Saeed. For instance, a randomized controlled trial with healthy adult participants found that within four weeks of practicing alternate-day fasting, participants had higher levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate 13 in their blood.

This compound delays aging and promotes longevity, Saeed explains. The study also found that alternate-day fasting helped reduce methionine, an amino acid associated with aging 14 , and sICAM-1, an age-associated inflammatory marker. It's worth noting that improved cardiometabolic markers, increased autophagy, and reduced inflammation also contribute to improved longevity.

Alternate-day fasting can be an effective way to achieve weight loss , says Saeed. A review notes that in addition to reducing body weight, it can also be an effective way to reduce 11 body mass index BMI , fat mass, waist circumference WC , and waist-hip ratio WHR. However, Saeed explains that weight loss depends on various factors.

For instance, she says making sure you exercise while you're following this fasting regimen can help you preserve muscle mass while losing fat. On the other hand, she cautions that eating excess calories on feeding days will derail weight loss goals Therefore, it's important to eat a balanced and nutritious diet on feeding days and maintain an active lifestyle while you follow this fasting regimen.

If you've tried alternate-day fasting for weight loss and found it too restrictive, it may be helpful to try other forms of fasting that are easier to sustain, such as fasting.

The healthiest weight management strategy is the one you can stick with in the long term. While alternate-day fasting can be helpful to some people, it may not be safe or appropriate for everyone. Gandhi recommends avoiding this fasting regimen if you are under 18 years old, breastfeeding, pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant , underweight, or have a history of eating disorders.

If you do plan on trying alternate-day fasting, Gandhi recommends working with a health care provider such as a doctor or dietitian who can determine whether it's safe for you and tailor it to your needs.

It's important to practice fasting under medical supervision. Otherwise, you can easily become fatigued or dehydrated, or experience vitamin, mineral, and electrolyte deficiencies, says Gandhi.

Other side effects of fasting 17 include fatigue, hunger, low mood, irritability, difficulty concentrating, food-related thoughts, and fear of losing control and overeating on non-fasting days. Fasting can also lead to orthorexia 18 , an obsession with healthy eating, and contribute to the development of other eating disorders, Gandhi adds.