Fasting Tracker

Fasting plans · Beginner

14:10 intermittent fasting

A 14-hour fast and a 10-hour eating window: a comfortable rhythm that builds the habit

What is 14:10?

14:10 means 14 hours of fasting and a 10-hour eating window. Fasting Tracker calls it Gentle Start: a comfortable rhythm that builds the habit. In practice it often means a later breakfast or an earlier dinner than you're used to, with no snacks in between.

Sample 14:10 schedules
Eating windowFastGood for
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.6:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.Early dinners
9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.7:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.A usual working day
10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.8:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.Late breakfasts

What the research shows

The 10-hour window has been studied directly. In people with metabolic syndrome, most of whom already took medication for cholesterol or blood pressure, eating within a consistent 10-hour window for 12 weeks reduced weight, blood pressure and harmful blood fats 1. It was a small study without a control group, so larger trials are needed.

Key study

A 10-hour window in metabolic syndrome

  • Pilot study
  • 19 adults
  • 12 weeks

People who usually ate across 14 hours or more kept their meals within 10 hours. Weight, blood pressure and harmful blood fats came down, alongside their usual medication.

Wilkinson et al., Cell Metab 2020

What your body may do in 14 hours

By the end of a 14-hour fast your liver's glycogen is getting low, and your body is turning more to fat for fuel 2. Insulin has been low for hours. That's the start of the metabolic switch, and it's why even a gentle daily fast is more than eating a little less.

  1. 0 hBlood Sugar RisingYour body is digesting your last meal and using that energy. Insulin is elevated.
  2. 4 hBlood Sugar FallingBlood sugar settles back to normal and insulin starts to drop.
  3. 12 hFuel SwitchYour liver's glycogen is getting low, so your body starts turning to fat for fuel.

How to make it stick

  1. Choose the window that fits your mornings and evenings, and keep it the same each day.
  2. Expect hunger around your old meal times for the first week. It comes in waves and passes 3.
  3. Drink water through the fast; black coffee and plain tea are fine.
  4. Build meals around protein, vegetables and fibre so your window carries you to the next fast 4.
  5. Once 14:10 feels easy, try 16:8 a few days a week.

Sources

  1. Wilkinson MJ, Manoogian ENC, Zadourian A, et al. Ten-Hour Time-Restricted Eating Reduces Weight, Blood Pressure, and Atherogenic Lipids in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome. Cell Metab. 2020;31(1):92-104.e5. doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.004
  2. Anton SD, Moehl K, Donahoo WT, et al. Flipping the Metabolic Switch: Understanding and Applying the Health Benefits of Fasting. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2018;26(2):254-268. doi.org/10.1002/oby.22065
  3. Cummings DE, Purnell JQ, Frayo RS, et al. A preprandial rise in plasma ghrelin levels suggests a role in meal initiation in humans. Diabetes. 2001;50(8):1714-9. doi.org/10.2337/diabetes.50.8.1714
  4. Leidy HJ, Clifton PM, Astrup A, et al. The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;101(6):1320S-1329S. doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.084038
  5. Grajower MM, Horne BD. Clinical Management of Intermittent Fasting in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus. Nutrients. 2019;11(4):873. doi.org/10.3390/nu11040873

A note on health

Fasting Tracker is designed for general wellness and is not a medical device. Fasting is not right for everyone. If you are pregnant, diabetic, have a history of eating disorders or take medication, talk to your doctor first, and before any extended fast.