Intermittent fasting has grown exponentially in popularity over recent years. And it’s no wonder, it works! When searching how to lose postpartum weight fast, mothers find intermittent fasting. Many moms have looked to intermittent fasting to lose the baby weight; for most, it melts right off.
When researching the best intermittent fasting books there are key things to keep in mind: safety, longevity, benefits, and negatives. I read over 30 intermittent fasting books to find the best books for intermittent fasting in 2022 for you!
Here are the top intermittent fasting books to read based on your journey:
Best Intermittent Fasting for Beginners Book
The Complete Guide to Fasting
The best intermittent fasting for beginners book is The Complete Guide to Fasting by Jason Fung, MD with Jimmy Moore. I have a paperback copy of this book and I also listened to it on Audible. That’s how much I enjoyed this intermittent fasting for beginners book.
Dr. Jason Fung is not only the author but he’s one of the top-rated doctors in the world who has used fasting to heal over 1,000 patients. Veteran health podcaster Jimmy Moore narrates the book on Audible. Together, they both explain what fasting is, why it’s important and how to fast in a way that not only helps you lose weight but also become healthier.
In The Complete Guide to Fasting, you will learn what to expect when starting to fast, how to track your fasting progress, and all about the weight loss effects of fasting. My favorite part of the book is the section that teaches you how to avoid the potential negative effects from fasting.
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Best Intermittent Fasting For Women Book
Intermittent Fasting Transformation: The 45-Day Program for Women to Lose Stubborn Weight, Improve Hormonal Health, and Slow Aging
I had to find the best intermittent fasting book for women since our bodies are different. There were so many women’s guides to intermittent fasting but this specific fasting book was definitely a stand-out. Written by Nurse Practitioner, Cynthia Thurlow, this was my favorite IF book designed specifically for women.
It’s designed specifically for women and it gives a 6-week intermittent fasting plan as a sustainable solution for weight loss. It’s based on the 16:8 fasting model which is the most popular. This book is unique in that it is targeted toward your hormonal needs at each stage of life.
When reading this intermittent fasting book for women and following their plan, I lost 25 pounds! It helped me to lose weight without cravings, balance my hormones and I had so much energy! Not only that but my brain fog was gone and I slept better than I have in years!
I highly recommend the Intermittent Fasting Transformation book for any woman, at any stage of her life.
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Best Selling Book on Intermittent Fasting
Fast. Feast. Repeat.: The Comprehensive Guide to Delay, Don’t Deny® Intermittent Fasting – Including the 28-Day FAST Start
Authored by New York Times Bestselling author, Gin Stephens, this is one of the top-rated intermittent fasting books on the market. It is not only a NY Times Bestseller but also a USA Today bestseller!
In this book, you will learn how to work the intermittent fasting approach into your life successfully, no matter what your circumstances or schedule. You are taught how to change your lifestyle so that IF is a part of your everyday.
If you are a beginner, use their 28-Day FAST start program to jumpstart your weight loss and health goals. If you are experienced, this book will strengthen your IF practice and help you work on your mindset. There’s an exhaustive FAQ section that will answer any and all questions you have about intermittent fasting.
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Best Intermittent Fasting Cookbook
Intermittent Fasting Diet Guide and Cookbook: A Complete Guide to 16:8, OMAD, 5:2, Alternate-Day, and More
I love easy and this book makes intermittent fasting easy. Written by fasting coach, Dr. Becky Gillaspy, the IF Diet Guide & Cookbook lets you jump in and go. Ready for weight loss? This guide has you covered.
In this IF book there are several fasting strategies so that you can choose the best one for you. You’ll learn about the best foods to eat for weight loss and also decide which diet plan is right for you. The meal plans are already fine-tuned to include your suggested macronutrient intake.
This intermittent fasting cookbook has over 50 wonderfully delicious recipes that are not only rich in flavor but also high in nutrients. If you need a do-it-all solution to help on your intermittent fasting journey, I recommend this book!
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What is THE best book on intermittent fasting?
I don’t think there is one and only best book on intermittent fasting. It really depends on your journey and your goals. That’s why I separated each book into its own category so you can decide which intermittent fasting book is right for you.
If you are a beginner, you need to get a beginner’s guide to intermittent fasting. Dr. Jason Fung not only tells you how to fast safely, he also gives you the reason we need to fast and the science behind it. That’s why I chose that book as the best one for the beginner, not just because it’s an easy read but because it helps you understand fasting from a biological standpoint.
Different Types of Intermittent Fasting
There are five main types of intermittent fasting: Time-restricted eating or the 16/8 or 14/10 method, the twice-a-week method or the 5:2 method, the one meal a day method or OMAD, alternative day fasting or ADF, and the 24 hour fast or eat: stop: eat method.
Time-Restricted Eating – 16/8 or 14/10 Intermittent Fasting Method
When practicing the time-restricted eating IF plan, you have dedicated fasting and eating windows. In the 16/8 plan, you fast for 16 hours and your eating window is 8 hours. This doesn’t mean you eat for 8 hours straight, just that you restrict when you eat to be within those 8 hours.
Since you are in a fasting state already due to sleeping, time-restricted eating IF is the most popular plan. You simply extend your fast from sleeping the night before to skipping breakfast and not eating until lunchtime. You can repeat this style of fasting as often as you’d like. The books above go over this style of fasting in more detail.
The Twice a Week Method or the 5:2 Plan
In this method, you cap your daily calorie intake at 500 calories for 2 days per week. On the other days, you eat a healthy diet at your normal caloric intake amount. Many people will eat a 200 calorie meal and a 300 calorie meal on their fasting days, focusing on high fbier and high protein rich foods to keep you feeling full.
You can pick whatever days you like as your fasting days as long as you have non-fasting days in between them. So, you can’t have Monday and Tuesday as your fasting days but you can have Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday.
The One Meal a Day Method or OMAD
OMAD is pretty straightforward, you eat one meal a day. Typically you will fast for 23 hours and have a 1-hour eating window. You eat all of your daily calories in your one meal.
Most people choose to have their one meal in the evening so they can eat with their family. But, you can choose any time to have your one meal, whichever works best for you. I find that I lose the most weight when my one meal is eaten at supper time.
Alternative Day Fasting or ADF
This variation is similar to the 5:2 plan but instead of eating a limit of 500 calories twice a week, you do this every other day. On the days you aren’t fasting, you eat your normal caloric intake. There are some variations that are more strict and limit your calories to 0 on fasting days but it’s really up to you. I advise talking to your doctor and reading one of the books above before deciding if ADF is right for you.
Research has shown that hunger is decreased on week 2 of ADF and participants felt more satisfied on the diet at the end of the fourth week.
The 24 Hour Fast or Eat: Stop: Eat Method
In the 24 hour fast method, you don’t eat for a full 24 hours. Most people do this only once or twice a week and fast from breakfast to breakfast or dinner to dinner. All non-fasting days you should eat a healthy, regular calorie diet.
This is a bit on the extreme end of intermittent fasting and can come with some unpleasant side effects like headaches and nausea at first. Again, make sure to speak to your doctor before beginning any fasting regimen.
Which Type of Intermittent Fasting is Best for Me?
I hate to sound like a broken record but deciding on the best type of intermittent fasting method should begin with a visit to your doctor. Beware, many doctors don’t agree with intermittent fasting because it’s been shown to heal a person from the inside out. Make sure you have a doctor you trust or you see a functional medicine doctor – a medical professional who works proactively versus reactively.
After speaking with a medical professional, you should read a book that goes over all of the different types of IF and which ones work for your hormones, body type and age. All of the books above detail this so choose one that speaks more to you.
After reading the best intermittent fasting book for you, sit down with a pen and paper (yes I like to do things the old fashioned way) and set a schedule. Start with your current daily schedule and include everything from waking up, getting dressed, current meals to going to bed. Decide which type works best in your life based on your activity and not when you are hungry.
For me, I tried all intermittent fasting methods until I decided that OMAD was best for my schedule. I cook the evening meal (we call it supper in the South) and it was hard for me to cook for my family and not eat with them. You may find that the 16:8 method works better because you work out in the morning. Whichever intermittent fasting plan you choose, make sure to stick with it to see results.
How Long Before Seeing Intermittent Fasting Results?
You will probably begin to notice a difference in your body in about 8 to 10 days from the start of your intermittent fasting journey. It could take anywhere from 12 days to 9 or 10 weeks for you to lose a significant amount of weight. Most people doing intermittent fasting lose about a pound a week if not more. At around the 2nd week is when most people drop their first pounds.
The first sign that intermittent fasting is a success is that you will experience less bloating. My waist and tummy looked smaller after my very first week of IF because of the reduction in bloating.
The first week of fasting you may feel a bit lethargic as your body gets used to your new routine. That’s why it’s important to do some exercise, starting off light, to get your energy up.
Remember, everyone is different and will respond differently to fasting. Don’t get upset or discouraged if results aren’t happening as fast as you’d like. Stick with it!
How Intermittent Fasting Changed My Life
I found intermittent fasting in 2019 and I haven’t looked back since. It was a year after I had given birth to my fourth and last child. I was struggling to lose the baby weight from my third child when I got pregnant and then gained too much weight during my fourth pregnancy. Then, right after I started reading about intermittent fasting, the pandemic hit. I didn’t want to be one of the millions that gained weight from the stress of the unknown so I created a plan.
I tried all of the variations of intermittent fasting for at least 2 weeks each to find the one that was right for me. Once I did, I stuck with it by joining fasting groups for motivation. I shared my before and after pictures to keep myself honest. And I’m seriously a different person now than I was when I started. I lost over 80 pounds in 6 months.
Not only did I reach my goal weight through intermittent fasting, I also feel better than I have in years. My mental health was not in a good place when I started. And now, I run successful online businesses and spend time with my family. I’m literally a new woman.
Whenever anyone asks me how I lost weight, I am so excited to share intermittent fasting. I also used meal replacement shakes for breastfeeding moms to help shed the pounds but only during my eating windows!
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