Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting means eating within fixed time windows and deliberately taking breaks in between. The best known is 16:8: 16 hours without food, 8 hours with.
- Best-known method
- 16:8
- Others
- 5:2, 14:10, 24 hours once a week
- Meant for
- Everyday life, no cure house needed
- Well proven
- Weight loss through fewer calories
Intermittent fasting is less about what you eat than when. With 16:8 you usually skip breakfast or dinner. With 5:2 you eat normally on five days and very little on two days a week, about 500 to 600 kilocalories.
Research shows that many people lose weight with it, mainly because they eat less overall. Whether intermittent fasting has further benefits over a balanced diet with the same calories is not yet clearly proven. The biggest advantage is often practical: a simple rule is easier to stick to than constant calorie counting.
Intermittent fasting is something for everyday life. If you are looking for a longer break for your body, with support, rest and a fresh start with food, a fasting cure suits you better, for example Buchinger, Mayr or alkaline fasting.
Good to know
- With diabetes, regular medication or during pregnancy, only after talking to a doctor.
- Within the eating window, what is on your plate still matters.
- Water, unsweetened tea and black coffee are usually allowed during the fasting hours.
At Luxly
Houses where you can experience it:
Park IglsIgls near Innsbruck, TyrolIf you want more than intermittent fasting: modern Mayr medicine with a medical check-up.
Rosenalp Gesundheitsresort & SpaOberstaufen, AllgäuSchroth, alkaline fasting and detox with medical supervision in the Allgäu.
Gräflicher Park Health & Balance ResortBad Driburg, Teutoburg ForestF.X. Mayr cures and alkaline fasting in its own Mayr centre.
Frequently asked questions
Which intermittent fasting method is best?
The one you can stick to. For beginners 16:8 is the easiest, because a large part of the fasting time falls during the night.
Is intermittent fasting the same as therapeutic fasting?
No. With intermittent fasting you eat every day, just within a shorter window. With Buchinger fasting you go without solid food almost completely for several days, usually with support.
Can you do intermittent fasting on holiday?
Yes, but a cure at a health hotel usually works differently: there is a set plan for food, exercise and rest, often with medical supervision.
Related terms
Updated on 17 October 2026