According to Dr. Berg, of all the things you can do for your health, intermittent fasting ranks at the top. Nothing else compares in its ability to improve overall wellness. On the flip side, constant snacking and frequent eating can do the most harm. These intermittent fasting basics apply not only to beginners but also to experienced individuals who may have hit a plateau or lost consistency.
Understanding Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting isn’t starvation — it’s a natural way for your body to switch from burning sugar to burning fat. When you’re not eating, your body begins to consume stored fat for energy. The easiest indicator that it’s working is your appetite disappearing. When hunger subsides, your body is efficiently burning fat.
The principle Dr. Berg emphasizes is: you must get healthy to lose weight, not lose weight to get healthy. Successful fasting depends on hormonal balance and metabolic healing, not calorie restriction alone.
How to Start Fasting for Beginners
The simplest way to begin fasting is by skipping breakfast or delaying it until you’re genuinely hungry. If you wake up and don’t feel hungry, don’t eat. The key rule: only eat when you’re truly hungry, not out of habit.
Your morning hunger is often triggered by cortisol, a hormone that peaks around 8 a.m., not necessarily a need for food. If you feel slightly hungry, ignore it — it usually passes within 15 minutes as hormone levels stabilize.
Controlling Hunger During Fasting
To help manage morning hunger, keep your carbohydrate intake low during lunch and dinner. Consuming carbs before bed can cause morning cravings. Staying under 30 grams of carbs per meal makes fasting easier.
You can also use Bulletproof Coffee — coffee with butter or MCT oil. MCT oil converts into ketones quickly, giving your brain and body energy while maintaining a fasted state. If you don’t drink coffee, a tablespoon of MCT oil on its own works well.
What to Eat During Your Eating Window
Dr. Berg recommends a six-hour eating window for most people. For example, eat your first meal at noon and your second meal around 6 p.m. This creates an 18-hour fasting period — a powerful timeframe for fat burning and cellular repair.
In each meal, include healthy fats like avocados, olives, nuts, or fatty meats to stay full longer. These fats help extend fasting periods comfortably. Avoid snacking between meals, as even small snacks trigger insulin and slow fat burning.
Healthy Keto and Nutrient Quality
Pairing fasting with healthy keto produces the best results. Healthy keto means low-carb, nutrient-dense foods — not just removing the bun from a fast-food burger. Dirty keto, where people eat low-quality processed foods, leads to poor health outcomes even with low carbs.
A healthy ketogenic diet supports glowing skin, thicker hair, and stable energy levels — all signs of genuine metabolic health.
The Importance of Avoiding Night Snacking
Nighttime snacking is one of the biggest obstacles to fasting success. Dr. Berg refers to this as “grazing,” which keeps insulin elevated and prevents fat burning. The best way to stop it is by eating a large, satisfying dinner with enough fat and nutrients.
Avoid buying snacks altogether, and stay busy after dinner to prevent temptation. Remember, true satisfaction comes from nutrient absorption, which improves as insulin resistance heals.
Supplements and Add-Ons During Fasting
To improve results, Dr. Berg suggests adding apple cider vinegar and lemon to your water during meals. These support insulin sensitivity and reduce appetite naturally. Large salads or cooked vegetables are essential for providing potassium, magnesium, and fiber — all of which enhance energy and prevent cramps.
If you experience symptoms like fatigue or cramps, supplement with electrolytes, B vitamins (from nutritional yeast), and trace minerals. These prevent “keto flu” and thyroid-related fatigue during fasting.
Common Mistakes When Fasting for Beginners
- Snacking between meals: Even healthy snacks like nuts or protein bars can break your fast and trigger insulin.
- Consuming small amounts of carbs: A single piece of bread or half a glass of wine can knock you out of ketosis for up to 24 hours.
- Expecting quick results: Fasting is a long-term lifestyle, not a short-term diet. Healing insulin resistance takes time.
- Ignoring nutrient quality: Low-carb junk food might be keto-friendly but won’t help you feel or look healthy.
Long-Term Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Once adapted, fasting improves brain function, mood, and memory. It increases focus, enhances creativity, and reduces inflammation throughout the body.
Within two weeks of combining fasting with keto, you can reduce up to 50% of the fat in your liver — a massive improvement in metabolic health. Fasting also stimulates new stem cell production, boosting immunity and longevity.
Final Thoughts on Intermittent Fasting Basics
Dr. Berg reminds us that fasting isn’t just about losing weight — it’s about healing your metabolism and regaining control over food. The biggest misconception is that “everything in moderation” works. It doesn’t. Health is built through focus, consistency, and discipline.
Follow these intermittent fasting basics, stick with them long-term, and your body will naturally shift toward health, energy, and clarity.
For more nutritional and fasting insights, visit Harvard Health’s Nutrition Resource.