Updated October 30, 2023
Intermittent fasting has become an increasingly popular lifestyle choice, and for good reason. When done correctly, intermittent fasting can lead to weight loss, improved health, increased focus, and longevity. With so many options available, narrowing down the best intermittent fasting book for your needs is hard. This article is designed to help! First, a quick intro:
Introduction to Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It focuses on when you eat, not what you eat. The most common methods of intermittent fasting include:
- The 16/8 method: Limit your eating window to 8 hours, such as from 12pm to 8pm. Fast for 16 hours in between.
- The 5:2 diet: Eat normally five days a week and fast for two non-consecutive days. On the fasting days, limit your intake to 500-600 calories.
- Alternate day fasting: Fast every other day. On fasting days, limit your intake to 500 calories. On feeding days, eat normally.
The benefits of intermittent fasting include:
- Weight loss: By reducing your calorie intake, intermittent fasting leads to fat loss and weight reduction.
- Improved health: Intermittent fasting may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. It can also enhance brain function and increase longevity.
- Increased focus: Some people experience improved concentration and mental clarity during fasting.
The best intermittent fasting book for you depends on your goals and the fasting method you want to follow. This guide reviews the top 8 intermittent fasting books to help you start on the right foot.
If you’re new to intermittent fasting, we recommend starting with The Complete Guide to Fasting by Dr. Jason Fung. The guide will teach you everything you need to know about the science and benefits of fasting giving you a solid bedrock of information on which to build.
"The ultimate resource on intermittent fasting, the incredibly effective therapeutic approach to feeling better and losing weight that produces life-changing results."
- The benefits of fasting for weight loss, diabetes, heart disease and longevity
- How fasting affects your hormones, metabolism and brain
- Different types of fasts including 16/8, 5:2, alternate day and extended fasts
- Tips for starting a fast and how to break a fast safely
- Answers to common questions about intermittent fasting
- 7-day meal plans to support intermittent fasting
By Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore, this book provides a comprehensive overview of intermittent, alternate-day, and extended fasting. Dr. Fung is a world-leading expert on intermittent fasting and uses fasting in his medical practice to treat patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
If you want an all-in-one resource on intermittent fasting from a medical expert, The Complete Guide to Fasting is the best intermittent fasting book to start with. It provides a comprehensive overview of the different types of fasts and practical guidance to help you get started.
Eat Stop Eat
By Brad Pilon, Eat Stop Eat focuses on intermittent fasting for fat loss and muscle gain. The method follows a simple principle: fast for 24 hours, 1-2 times per week while eating normally the rest of the week.
This book covers:
- How short-term fasting leads to fat loss without slowing your metabolism
- The science behind how intermittent fasting causes fat loss
- How to maintain muscle mass while losing fat through intermittent fasting
- Common myths about fasting and muscle loss
- A step-by-step plan to get started with the Eat Stop Eat method of intermittent fasting
If you want to lose fat and gain muscle through intermittent fasting, Eat Stop Eat provides a simple and practical plan to achieve your goals. Focusing on short-term 24-hour fasts 1-2 times a week is easy to follow and sustainable long-term.
The Obesity Code
By Dr. Jason Fung, The Obesity Code focuses on intermittent fasting and insulin control for sustainable weight loss. Dr. Fung argues that obesity is a hormonal imbalance, not a calorie imbalance, and provides strategies to reverse it.
This book covers:
- The role of insulin in weight gain and how to lower insulin through diet and fasting
- Why calorie-restricted diets fail and how to lose weight in a sustainable way
- The benefits of intermittent fasting for weight loss and health
- Practical tips for controlling insulin and implementing an intermittent fasting plan
- Case studies from Dr. Fung’s medical practice showing the effectiveness of intermittent fasting for weight loss
If you want to understand the hormonal basis of weight gain and how to lose weight sustainably, The Obesity Code is an essential read. Dr. Fung’s approach focuses on intermittent fasting to control insulin and create an optimal hormonal environment for weight loss.
Life in the Fasting Lane
By Dr. Jason Fung and Eve Mayer, this book provides a practical guide to developing an intermittent fasting lifestyle. Rather than focusing on weight loss alone, it teaches you how to make intermittent fasting simple, sustainable, and enjoyable long-term.
This book covers:
- Different intermittent fasting methods including 16/8, alternate day fasting and the 5:2 diet
- Tips for getting started with intermittent fasting in a balanced way
- How to deal with hunger, cravings, and social situations while fasting
- Simple recipes to support your intermittent fasting plan
- Strategies for staying motivated and troubleshooting challenges
- How to make intermittent fasting a lifestyle rather than a short-term diet
If you want to develop a sustainable intermittent fasting plan, Life in the Fasting Lane provides practical advice and strategies to help you stick with intermittent fasting for the long run. The balanced approach focuses on making intermittent fasting simple and livable rather than an extreme short-term diet.
Delay, Don’t Deny
By Gin Stephens, this book provides a sustainable approach to intermittent fasting, emphasizing developing discipline and consistency. It teaches you how to choose an intermittent fasting plan that works for your needs and lifestyle so you can stick with it long-term.
This book covers:
- Different types of intermittent fasting, including 16/8, one meal a day (OMAD), and alternate-day fasting
- How to determine which intermittent fasting method is right for you based on your goals and lifestyle
- Tips for transitioning into an intermittent fasting plan at your own pace
- Common challenges with intermittent fasting and how to overcome them
- How to stay motivated by tracking your progress and celebrating milestones
- Maintaining your results through discipline, consistency, and an intermittent fasting lifestyle
If you want to develop an intermittent fasting plan you can stick with for life, Delay, Don’t Deny provides helpful advice for getting started sustainably. The flexible approach teaches you to choose a method that suits your needs, transition gradually, and stay motivated long-term through discipline and consistency.
The FastDiet
By Dr. Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer, this book introduces the 5:2 diet – limiting your intake to 500 calories two non-consecutive days a week while eating normally the other five days. It is based on Dr. Mosley’s BBC documentary ‘Eat, Fast and Live Longer.’
This book covers:
- The science behind the 5:2 diet and how intermittent fasting promotes weight loss and health
- Meal plans and recipes for the fasting days to keep you under 500 calories
- Tips for managing hunger and staying motivated on the fasting days
- How to transition into the 5:2 diet and continue progressing over time
- The health benefits of the 5:2 diet include weight loss, improved brain function, and longevity
- Answers to common questions about the pros and cons of the 5:2 diet
If you want to lose weight and improve your health with the 5:2 method of intermittent fasting, The FastDiet provides a structured plan to get started. The meal plans and recipes make the fasting days easy to follow, while the overview of the benefits and how the diet works helps keep you motivated. This book is ideal if you want to give the 5:2 diet a try.
Fasting and Eating for Health
By Dr. Joel Fuhrman, this book provides a medically supervised program for using fasting and diet to prevent and treat disease. Dr. Fuhrman is a board-certified physician focused on using nutritional interventions to help patients recover from illness and adopt a healthier lifestyle.
This book covers:
- How calorie restriction and intermittent fasting can help prevent and reverse conditions like diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders and cancer
- Specific diets and fasting protocols tailored for various health conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and chronic pain
- Recipes and meal plans to support a fasting lifestyle and maximize health benefits
- Quizzes and self-evaluations to determine the best diet and fasting plan based on your health needs
- How to get started with an intermittent fasting plan and transition to a healthier diet
- The importance of long-term lifestyle changes for health and longevity
If you want to use diet and fasting to improve your health and possibly reverse disease, Fasting and Eating for Health provides medically supervised guidance. Dr. Fuhrman’s approach focuses on finding the right nutritional interventions based on your specific health conditions and needs. This book is ideal if you want to use fasting and calorie restriction for therapeutic purposes under the care of a physician.
The Every-Other-Day Diet
By Dr. Krista Varady, this book introduces an easy-to-follow alternate-day fasting method. The diet limits calories to 500 per day every other day while eating normally on alternating days. Dr. Varady has studied intermittent fasting for over ten years and uses scientific research to back the benefits of alternate-day fasting.
This book covers:
- How alternate-day fasting promotes weight loss, improves cardiovascular health, and may help prevent disease
- The science behind why alternate-day fasting works for health and weight loss
- Meal plans and recipes to keep you under 500 calories on the fasting days
- Tips for managing hunger and staying motivated during longer fasts
- How to transition into an alternate-day fasting plan at your own pace
- The pros and cons of alternate-day fasting versus other types of intermittent fasting
- Maintaining your results and continuing progress over the long run
If you want to lose weight and improve your health with alternate day fasting, The Every-Other-Day Diet provides a simple plan backed by science. The 500-calorie meal plans make the fasting days easy to follow while explaining the benefits helps keep you motivated. This book is an excellent resource if you want to try alternate-day intermittent fasting.
Conclusion
When done correctly, intermittent fasting significantly benefits weight loss, health, and longevity. The best intermittent fasting book for you depends on your goals and the type of fast you want to follow.
If you want a comprehensive overview of intermittent fasting, The Complete Guide to Fasting (our top pick) and The Obesity Code are excellent resources. For sustainable weight loss, Eat Stop Eat, The FastDiet, and The Every-Other-Day Diet provide simple plans focused on short-term fasts.
To develop an intermittent fasting lifestyle, Life in the Fasting Lane and Delay and Don’t Deny offer helpful advice for making intermittent fasting livable long-term. Fasting and Eating for Health provides guidance for overall health and therapeutic benefits.
The best way to get started is by choosing an intermittent fasting book that resonates with you. Read it, develop your plan, and start transitioning gradually at your own pace. Intermittent fasting may take some adjustment, but building discipline and consistency over time can become second nature.
Whichever book you choose, intermittent fasting can be a powerful tool for improving your health and well-being. Follow the advice of experts, start slowly, and stick with it – the benefits of intermittent fasting are well worth it!
