Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular ways for people to diet and lose weight, and it’s so popular because it works! Researchers have found that the average person loses between 7 and 11 pounds over two weeks while doing intermittent fasting. (Study)
By restricting the eating window and extending fasting period, thousands of people the world over have successfully shed pounds and enhanced their overall well-being.
But the thing is that you have to do it right. If you know anyone who’s tried IF, you know it doesn’t always work out. It is crucial to track fasting and eating windows, plan meals accordingly, and monitor progress; that’s where most people fall short.
Luckily, you can use mobile apps to make this process easier, improve the convenience of your IF plan, and effectively lose weight.
In this post, we’ll go over 5 of the best apps you can use for Intermittent fasting and which ones are best for you.
But first, let’s dive into what IF is and how it works.
Understanding Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting encompasses various methods that dictate the pattern of eating and fasting. Put simply, skip meals for most of the day and eat within a few hours’ window.
For example, the 16/8 method involves fasting for 16 hours and restricting eating to an 8-hour window, while the 5:2 diet recommends eating normally for five days and consuming very few calories (around 500-600) on the remaining two days.
Yet another approach is alternate-day fasting, where individuals alternate between fasting days and regular eating days.
People adopt each of these, depending on how long they can go on a fast, and which ones agree with their schedules best.
But weight loss isn’t the only reason people choose to do IF. You see, intermittent fasting has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, facilitating better blood sugar control and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Moreover, intermittent fasting can stimulate autophagy. Autophagy is a cellular process that promotes cellular repair and longevity.
At the end of the day, IF is beneficial for everyone, even if you’re already at your goal weight.
Key Features to Consider in Intermittent Fasting Apps
When selecting an intermittent fasting app, certain features are crucial for an optimal experience. Here’s a list of the best ones to consider.
- A user-friendly interface: This allows for easy navigation and seamless interaction with the app so you can easily understand it and get cracking
- Customizable fasting schedules: This way, you can personalize your fasting periods according to your preferences and goals.
- Progress tracking features: These include timers, graphs, and statistics that provide visual feedback on your fasting journey, motivating you to stay on track.
- Integration with other health apps or devices: Fitness trackers, calorie counters and smart scales come to mind here.
- Tailored recipe suggestions: Not all apps have this, but if your IF app can suggest recipes based on your fasting goals, that’s a huge plus.
- Fasting timers and reminders: I find these helpful because they make you adhere to your fasting schedule, ensuring you start and break your fast at the desired times.
- Community support features: Forums or social platforms within the app, allow you to connect with like-minded individuals, share your progress, and engage in fasting challenges for added motivation and accountability.
Top Intermittent Fasting Apps in the Market
DoFasting App
DoFasting App is more than just an app; think of it as a virtual assistant to help support you through the entire IF process and ensure that you stay on track.
It has all the features you could want from an Intermittent Fasting App, including a great and intuitive user interface, a straightforward fasting tracker, and healthy recipes.
If you love to learn about IF, you can also access a bank of helpful resources on the app like daily articles and tips written by professionals.
But that’s not all. The DoFasting App also integrates with other health devices like the Fitbit, Apple watch, and even the DoFasting SmartScale. It’s an all in one solution for anyone looking to do Intermittent Fasting the right way.
The DoFasting App costs $37 per month, but you can save up and pay $16 per month for the 3-month plan or $11.50 per month for the 6-month plan.
Pros
- User Friendly Experience
- Multiple fasting tools
- Cost-effective plans
Fastient
Fastient is a comprehensive intermittent fasting app that focuses on data tracking and analysis. It offers customizable fasting plans, allowing you to create fasting schedules that align with your preferences and goals.
The app provides detailed progress graphs, enabling you to visualize your fasting journey and identify patterns. Additionally, Fastient allows you to journal meals and emotions, providing deeper insights into your eating habits and emotional connections with food.
It has a web app as well as mobile app so you can access all your data wherever you are. Fastient is free to download from the app store and costs $4.99 per year or $11.99 for a lifetime membership.
Pros:
- Deeper fasting insights
- Customizable fasting plans
- Accessibility
Zero
Zero is a popular and user-friendly fasting app suitable for both beginners and experienced fasters. It’s great because it offers a variety of fasting modes, including the well-known 16:8 and 18:6 methods, as well as customizable fasting options.
Additionally, Zero makes it easy to start and track your fasting journey, offers informative articles on intermittent fasting, and syncs with Apple Health.
Like Fastient, Zero is free to download and use on the app stores, and the annual plan costs $69.99.
Pros:
- User-friendly and versatile
- Integration with apple health
- Easy tracking
Window
You may have heard about Window if you’ve looked into IF apps before. It’s pretty popular because of its simplicity and ease of use. The app allows you to set up customizable fasting plans and provides fasting timers to keep you on track.
It also has progress tracking features that enable you to monitor your fasting duration and view your fasting history.
We love that Window offers a meal logging feature that allows you to record your food intake during the eating window, and ensures you stay within your desired calorie range.
With its user-friendly interface and essential features, Window is a reliable companion for your intermittent fasting journey.
Windows is free to download and use, but if you want access to the premium features, it costs $9.99 per month and $39.99 per year.
Pros:
- Meal logging and calorie control
- Free access with premium option
- Progress tracking
LIFE Fasting Tracker
The beauty of the LIFE Fasting Tracker is that it caters to various fasting methods, including 16/8, 5:2, and OMAD (One Meal a Day), as well as the Keto Diet. The app includes a fasting timer to keep track of your fasting periods and provides reminders to help you stay consistent.
Motivational features, such as personalized fasting goals, encourage you to push your limits and achieve new milestones.
Additionally, LIFE Fasting Tracker offers data tracking, analytics, and insights to gain a better understanding of your fasting patterns and progress, empowering you to make informed decisions about your health.
LIFE is free to download and use on the app store, but premium features cost $2.99 per month.
Pros:
- Versatile fasting methods
- Fasting timer and reminders
- Data tracking and analytics
Tips for Maximizing the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting Apps
To make the most of intermittent fasting apps, consider the following tips:
Set Realistic Goals
Define achievable goals that align with your lifestyle and desired outcomes. Start with a fasting schedule that suits your comfort level and gradually increase fasting durations as you adapt.
Resist the temptation to set the most hardcore goal so you can get to your desired weight faster; it never works.
Stay Consistent
Consistency is key in intermittent fasting. Follow your chosen fasting schedule diligently to maximize the benefits. Use the app’s reminders and timers to help you adhere to your fasting and eating windows.
Use Meal Planning Properly
Hopefully you choose an app with meal planning and recipe suggestions like DoFasting. In that case, you can use the meal planning tools to ensure balanced nutrition during your eating window. You can also use fasting supplements to help you achieve your weight loss goals.
Stay Motivated
Intermittent fasting is a lifestyle change that requires motivation and dedication. Be sure to celebrate your milestones, track your progress, and remind yourself of the numerous health benefits associated with intermittent fasting.
Conclusion
In conclusion, intermittent fasting apps are valuable tools to support your fasting goals. By understanding the different methods of intermittent fasting and their associated health benefits, you can make informed decisions about your fasting routine.
Our top recommendation is the DoFasting App. The multiple tools, helpful resources, ease of use and plan discounts are pretty hard to beat.
