One of the easiest and most effective Time Restricted Eating schedules to follow to keep calories under control and lose some weight is 16/8, with only eating two meals a day (2MAD) and adding a shake to make sure you’re taking in an adequate amount of protein.
16/8 Time Restricted Eating means that you are fasting for 16 hours and taking in all your calories within an eight-hour eating window, and you are doing this every day. So it’s an easy way to eat less without tracking and counting calories.
The two most important things to keep an eye on when you want to lose weight are calories and protein.
The Two Most Important Things to Track to Lose Weight
- You have to be in a calorie deficit
- You have to eat an adequate amount of protein
When you follow this TRE schedule and meal plan: 16/8 + 2MAD + Protein Shake, you can easily accomplish the two weight loss criteria stated above without complicating things and driving yourself crazy.
But make sure you’re eating enough protein within your two meals. If you’re 160 pounds or more, try to eat at least 125 g of protein per day, equating to two 8-ounce servings of animal protein and a 25 g protein shake. If you are under 150 pounds, shoot for 90 to 100 g of protein.
You should be in a calorie deficit, only eating two meals a day, but try to eat a whole-food diet whenever possible to minimize empty calories.
This program works well if you’re an animal protein eater. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, eating enough protein without overdoing your calories can be challenging. I recommend topping off each of your two meals with a pea or hemp seed protein shake or a vegan protein bar such as N0-Cow.
Best – Mike Cola
