16:8 Fasting Free

7-Day Intermittent Fasting Meal Plan (16:8)

Every meal lands inside an 8-hour window, noon to 8pm — the same food, the same calories, just not spread across the whole day.

See the 7 days Personalise it free
~1,780
Daily calories
8 hours
Eating window
~118 g
Protein/day
15-35 min
Cook time
How it works The 7 days Grocery list Swaps Eat & avoid FAQ

What this plan actually does

16:8 is the simplest version of intermittent fasting: a 16-hour fasting window, usually overnight and into the morning, and an 8-hour window where all of the day’s food happens. This plan uses a noon-to-8pm window, which suits most schedules — skip breakfast, eat lunch, eat dinner, have one meal or snack in between.

The mechanism is simple and often misunderstood: 16:8 does not burn fat faster through some metabolic trick. What it reliably does is compress eating into fewer hours, which for many people naturally cuts total daily calories without consciously restricting anything — there is simply less time in the day to eat.

This plan keeps calories at roughly 1,780 a day with unusually high protein, because fewer meals means fewer chances to hit a protein target, and protein is what keeps three compressed meals actually filling instead of leaving you counting down to the next window.

A good fit if

  • Anyone who is not hungry in the mornings anyway
  • People who find counting calories tedious but can follow a clock
  • A simple structure that requires no special foods or supplements
  • Anyone wanting fewer, larger, more satisfying meals over frequent small ones
  • People whose schedule genuinely suits a midday-to-evening eating window

Talk to a doctor first if

  • Anyone with a history of disordered eating, where structured restriction can be a real risk
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women
  • People on medication that requires food, including many diabetes medications
  • Shift workers whose schedule makes a consistent window impractical
  • Anyone who trains early morning and genuinely needs pre-workout fuel

The rules behind the plan

Four principles decide every meal below. Understand these and you can improvise for the rest of your life instead of following someone else’s menu forever.

1

The window is noon to 8pm, and it moves to fit you

Every meal on this plan is written for a noon-to-8pm window, but the 16-hour fast is what matters, not the exact clock time — shift the whole window two hours earlier or later and nothing else about the plan changes.

2

Three meals, not four, so each one works harder

There is no separate breakfast slot here — the day runs on a first meal, a second meal, and dinner, each built to be genuinely filling rather than a snack-sized placeholder.

3

Protein is pushed up specifically because of the format

At 118 g a day across three meals, that is roughly 39 g a meal — enough to matter for fullness and muscle maintenance when there are fewer eating windows to spread it across.

4

Black coffee, tea and water are fine during the fast

None of them meaningfully break a fast at zero or near-zero calories — what actually ends the fasting window is calories, not the clock alone.

The full 7-day plan

Every meal, with calories and macros per portion. Daily totals are calculated from the meals themselves.

Day 1 / Monday Day 2 / Tuesday Day 3 / Wednesday Day 4 / Thursday Day 5 / Friday Day 6 / Saturday Day 7 / Sunday
1

Day 1

Monday
Getting started
1,580 kcal 108g protein 160g net carbs 52g fat
First Meal (12pm) 20 min

Chicken, Avocado & Quinoa Bowl

150 g chicken over 70 g dry quinoa cooked in stock, with a quarter avocado, cherry tomatoes and a lemon-olive oil dressing.

620 kcal P 46g C 58g F 22g
Snack (4pm) 2 min

Greek Yogurt & Berries

200 g Greek yogurt with 100 g mixed berries and a drizzle of honey.

320 kcal P 20g C 44g F 6g
Dinner (7:30pm) 25 min

Salmon, Rice & Greens

160 g salmon with 150 g cooked rice and steamed broccoli.

640 kcal P 42g C 58g F 24g

Note: Break the fast on protein and vegetables first, not the day’s biggest carb portion — it settles the appetite faster after 16 hours.

2

Day 2

Tuesday
Meat-light
1,490 kcal 102g protein 138g net carbs 50g fat
First Meal (12pm) 12 min

Chickpea & Halloumi Salad

220 g chickpeas with 60 g griddled halloumi, cucumber, tomato and a lemon-olive oil dressing.

570 kcal P 30g C 50g F 24g
Snack (4pm) 2 min

Cottage Cheese & Pineapple

180 g cottage cheese with 100 g pineapple chunks.

240 kcal P 22g C 26g F 4g
Dinner (7:30pm) 40 min

Roast Chicken, Potatoes & Veg

180 g roast chicken with 220 g potatoes roasted in olive oil, carrots and green beans.

680 kcal P 50g C 62g F 22g

Note: Lunch is fully meat-free and still delivers 30 g of protein — the combination that makes it work here.

3

Day 3

Wednesday
Fish day
1,520 kcal 106g protein 146g net carbs 52g fat
First Meal (12pm) 10 min

Tuna & White Bean Salad

A tin of tuna with 200 g white beans, red onion, parsley and a generous olive oil dressing, with a wholemeal roll.

580 kcal P 38g C 56g F 20g
Snack (4pm) 2 min

Protein Yogurt & Almonds

200 g high-protein yogurt with 15 g almonds.

280 kcal P 24g C 20g F 12g
Dinner (7:30pm) 20 min

Beef Stir Fry with Noodles

150 g beef strips with peppers and pak choi through 80 g dry noodles in a light soy-garlic sauce.

660 kcal P 44g C 70g F 20g

Note: High-protein or Greek yogurt genuinely earns its place in this plan — roughly double the protein of a standard yogurt for the same calories.

4

Day 4

Thursday
Leftovers, streamlined
1,520 kcal 108g protein 148g net carbs 48g fat
First Meal (12pm) 8 min

Leftover Beef Noodle Bowl

Wednesday’s beef stir fry reheated with a fried egg on top.

600 kcal P 40g C 62g F 20g
Snack (4pm) 3 min

Hummus & Vegetable Sticks with Turkey

50 g hummus with carrot and pepper sticks and 60 g sliced turkey breast.

260 kcal P 20g C 16g F 12g
Dinner (7:30pm) 30 min

Turkey Chilli with Rice

170 g turkey mince simmered with kidney beans, tomato and spices over 150 g cooked rice.

660 kcal P 48g C 70g F 16g

Note: A slower day in the kitchen — leftovers plus one real cook keeps the whole plan realistic on a work day.

5

Day 5

Friday
Fast and simple
1,480 kcal 100g protein 174g net carbs 39g fat
First Meal (12pm) 12 min in a microwave

Jacket Potato with Tuna & Sweetcorn

A 300 g baked potato with a tin of tuna, sweetcorn and light mayo, with a side salad.

570 kcal P 40g C 76g F 10g
Snack (4pm) 2 min

Greek Yogurt with Honey

180 g Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey and 10 g mixed seeds.

250 kcal P 16g C 30g F 7g
Dinner (7:30pm) 35 min

Homemade Chicken Pizza

A wholemeal base with tomato, 60 g mozzarella and leftover chicken, finished with rocket.

660 kcal P 44g C 68g F 22g

Note: Friday is where most eating plans fall over. A proper homemade pizza inside the window keeps this one intact.

6

Day 6

Saturday
Weekend, same window
1,570 kcal 116g protein 146g net carbs 48g fat
First Meal (12pm) 15 min

Steak Salad

180 g sirloin steak sliced over mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes and a balsamic dressing, with a wholemeal roll.

620 kcal P 46g C 44g F 24g
Snack (4pm) 3 min

Protein Shake & Banana

A whey or plant protein shake with a banana.

290 kcal P 26g C 34g F 4g
Dinner (7:30pm) 20 min

Pork Stir Fry with Rice

160 g pork loin strips with peppers and mangetout over 150 g cooked rice, with hoisin and sesame.

660 kcal P 44g C 68g F 20g

Note: The window does not change at weekends here — the plan holds together far better when Saturday looks like Tuesday.

7

Day 7

Sunday
Cook for the week
1,480 kcal 94g protein 166g net carbs 41g fat
First Meal (12pm) 60 min

Sunday Roast

170 g roast chicken with 220 g roast potatoes, carrots, peas and gravy.

660 kcal P 48g C 60g F 22g
Snack (4pm) 2 min

Cottage Cheese & Grapes

150 g cottage cheese with a small bunch of grapes.

220 kcal P 20g C 22g F 3g
Dinner (7:30pm) 35 min

Vegetable & Bean Chilli with Rice

Mixed beans, peppers and tomato with chipotle, over 150 g cooked rice, with 30 g cheese.

600 kcal P 26g C 84g F 16g

Note: Roast the chicken with next week in mind — the leftovers make Monday’s first meal trivial to put together.

Week at a glance
1,520 kcal · 154g net carbs, averaged across 7 days
Build mine

The grocery list

One person, seven days. An ordinary supermarket shop — the only addition versus a normal week is a tub of high-protein or Greek yogurt and, optionally, a protein shake.

0 of 41 ticked — ticks are saved in this browser.

Meat, fish & eggs

9

Dairy & protein

7

Produce

12

Pantry & freezer

13

If the plan does not fit you

No fixed plan survives contact with a real person’s allergies, budget and schedule. These are the swaps that keep the macros intact.

You prefer an earlier window (e.g. 10am–6pm)

Shift every meal on this plan two hours earlier — the food, portions and calories stay identical, only the clock times change.

You want to try 18:6 instead

Push the window to 1pm–7pm and drop the mid-window snack, folding its calories into first meal and dinner instead.

Vegetarian

Swap the chicken, beef, pork, turkey and salmon for tofu, halloumi, extra chickpeas and beans, keeping the same generous protein portions per meal.

You train in the morning, fasted

Have black coffee before training and move First Meal earlier if your schedule allows — many people train well fasted once adapted, but if performance suffers, shift the window instead of forcing it.

You want more calories

Increase each meal’s starch and fat portion by about 20% — three larger meals absorb extra calories more comfortably than adding a fourth eating occasion, which works against the format.

You want your own exact numbers

Run the calorie calculator for your target, then generate a 16:8-friendly plan built around it with the meal plan generator.

What to eat, what to skip

Eat freely

  • Black coffee, plain tea and water freely during the fasting window
  • Protein at every meal inside the eating window, in generous portions
  • Lean and moderately fatty meats, fish and eggs
  • Wholegrains and potatoes, in real portions since meals are less frequent
  • Vegetables at both main meals
  • One substantial snack mid-window, built around protein
  • A normal amount of fat — it slows digestion, which helps fullness across fewer meals

Leave these out

  • Anything with calories during the 16-hour fasting window, including milk in coffee and most sweeteners
  • Treating the eating window as permission to eat anything in any quantity
  • Very large single meals that feel uncomfortable rather than satisfied
  • Skipping protein at first meal, which tends to make the whole window harder to manage
  • Forcing an early-morning fasted workout if it consistently leaves you feeling worse, not better
  • Extending the fast further and further as if more hours is automatically better

What 16:8 does and does not do

The format is a genuinely useful tool for some people and unhelpful for others. These are the things worth knowing before committing to it.

Fat loss mechanism
Fewer calories, not magic
Works mainly by naturally reducing eating opportunities, not a unique metabolic effect
Muscle building
Still needs total protein
Spread 118 g across three meals rather than skipping it to save time
Medication timing
Check first
Some medications, especially for diabetes, require food and are not compatible with fasting
Social eating
Shift the window, don’t force it
Move the whole window rather than breaking the fast early for one event, if it happens often

Six things that make this week easier

Black coffee is your best tool for the last fasting hour

It is genuinely useful for suppressing appetite right before the window opens — most people find hour 14–16 the hardest, and caffeine helps exactly there.

Pick a window and keep it consistent

The metabolic and hunger-hormone benefits some people report are strongest with a consistent daily window, not one that shifts by three hours depending on the day.

Time training near the end of the fast if you can

Training an hour or two before the window opens means you break the fast with a proper meal right when recovery needs it most.

Break the fast on protein and vegetables first

Leading with a big carb-heavy meal after 16 hours tends to spike hunger again within two hours; protein and fibre first settles appetite faster.

This is a schedule, not a punishment

If a particular day genuinely does not suit the window — travel, an early breakfast meeting — eat normally and come back to it the next day. One shifted day changes nothing over a month.

Free generator

This plan is built for an average person. You are not one.

The menu above assumes about 1,520 calories a day and no allergies. Give us your height, weight, goal and the foods you refuse to eat, and the generator rebuilds this entire week around your actual numbers — recipes, macros and a fresh grocery list included.

Make my personalised plan Find my calorie target first

No signup. No card. Takes about 30 seconds.

Questions people ask about this plan

What is 16:8 intermittent fasting?

A pattern where all eating happens inside an 8-hour window each day, with a 16-hour fast the rest of the time, usually covering the overnight hours and skipping breakfast. It is a timing structure, not a specific list of foods.

Does intermittent fasting burn fat faster than normal eating?

Not through any unique mechanism at the same calorie intake — research comparing 16:8 to regular meal timing at matched calories generally shows similar weight loss. Its main practical benefit is that many people naturally eat less without consciously restricting, simply because there is less time available to eat.

Can I drink coffee during the fasting window?

Yes, black coffee and plain tea are essentially calorie-free and widely accepted as fine during a fast. Milk, cream, sugar or flavoured syrups add calories and technically end the fast, even in small amounts.

Will I lose muscle by skipping breakfast?

Not if total daily protein is adequate, which this plan is built around at 118 g a day. Muscle retention depends far more on total protein and resistance training than on which specific hours you eat it in.

Is intermittent fasting safe for everyone?

No. It is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, for anyone with a history of disordered eating, for many people on medication that requires food, or for children. Check with a doctor if you have any medical condition before starting.

Can I exercise while fasting?

Many people train fasted without issue, especially lower-intensity work, and some prefer it. If performance or recovery clearly suffers, shift your window so training happens closer to when you break the fast instead of forcing it.

How long until intermittent fasting feels normal?

Most people report the first week or two as the hardest, particularly mid-morning hunger, and it typically eases significantly by week three as eating habits and hunger cues adjust to the new schedule.

Can I change my eating window day to day?

You can, but consistency tends to make the adjustment period shorter and some of the reported hunger-hormone benefits stronger. Pick one window that fits your normal schedule and stick with it most days.

Is 16:8 the same as OMAD or a 24-hour fast?

No. OMAD (one meal a day) and full 24-hour fasts are much more restrictive versions of the same idea. 16:8 is the mildest, most sustainable entry point, and this plan is built specifically around it, not a longer fast.

What do I do after seven days?

Repeat the structure, rotating proteins and vegetables. If you want a plan built around your own calorie target and a window that fits your schedule exactly, the meal plan generator will build one in about thirty seconds.

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Medical disclaimer. This plan is general nutrition information, not medical advice. Calorie and macro figures are estimates for the portions described and will vary with brands, cuts and cooking method. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before starting any new diet, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or taking medication that needs dosing around food.