TempoLife › 16:8 fasting: how to start and track it with an app
16:8 fasting: how to start and track it with an app
16:8 means 16 hours of fasting and an 8-hour eating window per day. It is the most common form of intermittent fasting — here is how to start it sensibly.
TempoLife data line (2026-08-31): The 16-hour fasting window was started 25 times in August 2026 and marked complete 18 times. Method and limitations.
- 16:8 means 16 hours fasting and an 8-hour eating window each day.
- Start with a shorter fast and move the window gradually — shock-starting is a common mistake.
- Zero-calorie drinks are fine in the window; calories are not.
Updated 2026-08-26
What is 16:8?
The day is split in two: 16 hours without eating and an 8-hour window that holds all meals. Many people keep a 12:00–20:00 window and skip breakfast; others prefer 10:00–18:00.
Fasting is not for everyone. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, underweight or have a health condition, talk to a doctor or a dietitian before starting.
Start without the shock
Do not jump straight to 16 hours. In the first week try 12 hours (for example 20:00–08:00), then extend every couple of days. The body adapts and the routine sticks.
Choose a window that fits your life: if morning coffee is sacred, open the window in the morning and close it earlier in the evening.
What to drink while fasting
Water, black coffee and unsweetened tea are the usual choices that do not break a fast. Milk, sugar, juice and caloric drinks do break it — if you add milk to coffee, the fast is over.
How TempoLife tracks fasting
Pick a plan in the app (16:8 or another), press start, and the tracker shows the remaining time and progress. Finished fasts stay in the diary, so you can see your rhythm across weeks.
You can pause or end a fast at any moment — the diary does not judge, it shows what actually happened.
Common mistakes
Eating as much inside the window as before — then the point of fasting disappears. The goal is a routine, not starving: eat normal meals inside the window.
Skipping water. The body needs water just as much while fasting as otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
Does 16:8 fasting help with weight loss?
Fasting itself does not burn calories. If the eating window helps you eat less, weight can drop — but the result depends on what and how much you eat inside the window.
Does coffee break a fast?
Black coffee generally does not. Milk, sugar and caloric sweeteners break the fast.
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