Intermittent fasting schedules: 14:10, 16:8, 18:6 and 20:4 examples
Real-world tables for each intermittent fasting protocol, how to choose between them, and how to adapt them to shift work, weekends and workouts.
“What time should I eat?” is probably the most common question when people start intermittent fasting. The answer depends on the protocol and on your routine. Here are concrete examples for each one so you can pick what fits.
If you’d rather see it on a clock, try the fasting calculator: choose a protocol and a start time, and it shows your window.
14:10, the starting point
Fourteen hours of fasting and a ten-hour window. It’s the gentlest option and a good first step if you’ve never fasted.
| Start fasting | Eat again | Eating window |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 PM | 9:00 AM | 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM |
| 9:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM |
With 14:10 you can usually keep three meals, just closer together.
16:8, the classic
Sixteen hours of fasting, eight-hour window. It’s the one most people keep long term because it leaves room for two full meals and a snack.
| Start fasting | Eat again | Eating window |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| 9:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM |
New to it? Read our guide to starting 16:8 step by step.
18:6, one step further
Eighteen hours of fasting and a six-hour window. It tends to suit people who are already comfortable with 16:8 and want a tighter schedule, usually with two meals.
| Start fasting | Eat again | Eating window |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM |
| 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
20:4, a short window
Twenty hours of fasting and four hours to eat. It’s demanding and nobody needs it when starting out. If you’re curious, work up to it gradually and stay well hydrated.
| Start fasting | Eat again | Eating window |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
For the far end, one meal a day, we have a separate guide to OMAD.
How to choose yours
Three questions help more than any table:
- What’s your non-negotiable meal? Family dinner, team lunch. Set your window so it’s included.
- When are you hungriest? If you wake up hungry, an early window (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM) may be easier than skipping breakfast.
- What can you repeat five days a week? A 14:10 you always do beats a 20:4 you abandon by Thursday.
Night shifts and changing schedules
If you work nights or rotate shifts, don’t copy schedules designed for daytime. Count hours from your last real meal, whatever the clock says. What matters is how long you fast, not that it starts at 8:00 PM.
An app that lets you set the real start time helps a lot here. In Fastii, if you started an hour ago and forgot to tap the button, fix the time and the clock adjusts.
Weekends
It’s normal for Saturday to shift everything. You have two reasonable options:
- Move the window and keep the length. If you have dinner at 10:00 PM on Saturday, eat again at 2:00 PM on Sunday.
- Drop a level, say from 16:8 to 14:10, and pick it back up on Monday.
Both are fine. What breaks the habit is believing one different weekend “ruined everything.”
If you work out
Many people prefer to train near the start of their window so they can eat afterward. If you train fasted and feel weak or dizzy, move the workout or the window. Listen to your body, not the clock.
The short version
- 14:10 to start, 16:8 to sustain, 18:6 and 20:4 once you have practice.
- Build the window around your most important meal.
- On shifts or weekends, count hours from your last meal.
- Keep the length or drop a level; don’t quit.
General information. If you have a health condition or take medication, check with a professional before fasting.
This article is general information and is not a substitute for advice from a health professional. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have diabetes, take medication, or have a history of disordered eating, check with a professional before fasting.