This approach to intermittent fasting involves abstaining from calorie consumption for a continuous 42-hour period, repeated three times within a week. A common example might involve ceasing food intake after dinner on Sunday, resuming at lunch on Tuesday, then repeating this pattern from Wednesday evening to Friday lunch, and finally from Friday evening until Sunday lunch. This pattern creates extended periods without caloric intake, interspersed with regular eating windows.
Extended fasting regimens like this are often undertaken with goals related to weight management, metabolic health improvements, or cellular processes like autophagy. Research suggests potential benefits in these areas, though individual responses vary. It’s important to note that this practice has historical precedents in various cultural and religious traditions, though its adoption in contemporary health and wellness practices is relatively recent, and robust scientific understanding of long-term effects is still developing.
