Getting Started With ADF (Alternate Day Fasting): How To Ease Into ADF

In this video, Dr. O explains how easing into alternate day fasting (ADF) can help some people stick with their plan long enough to see results.

Here is the fasting plan that I used to lose 165 pounds in a year:

Here is the eating plan that I followed while using ADF:

Here is how intermittent fasting saved my life:

Here is the video about why I chose ADF over OMAD:

Here are links to my current courses:

My bestselling 6.5-hour course about Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss:

6-hour course called Weight Loss Booster: Better Sleep For Faster Weight Loss. This link will take you to the full course:

Medical and Health Disclaimer:

This Video Presentation is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or symptom. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen on this informational and educational Video Presentation. Your use and reliance on this Video Presentation is at your sole risk. If you believe you may have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.

[SLees-tvgh]

I started with a 16/8 once it was easy I moved to 18/6, then 20/4, next I added one 36 hour a week. Then I moved to ADF with ease. I loss 94lbs and have been able to kept it off for over 3 years.

[elizabethkoenig]

I just jumped right in, mostly ADF, although I've thrown in some two-day fasts. I was 320 lbs six months ago; I've lost over 70 lbs since then. 247 lbs now--more than a third of the way to my goal of 120 lbs. This has worked better than anything else I have tried.

Update: now down 100 lbs after 10 months. Half way to my goal weight.

[magdawojcicka]

I am 30 years old and I have been struggling with my weight since I was a kid. I have started doing ADF at the start of October 2023 weighing 308 pounds(I am female 5'4 height). I am currently at 261 pounds going strong and confident that as I continue I will get to healthy weight. For me regular 36 hours fasts ended up being the easiest way to lose weight I have ever encountered. I mean it does take effort but for me it is just soooo much easier than constant caloric deficit. I also do some simple calisthenics workouts and walk more . Dr O, I feel so grateful to you for the information you are putting out. You are literally saving lifes ❤

[justinbuckner]

My name is Justin, I have been doing ADF for 9 weeks now and I'm down from 374.8lbs to 326.4lbs. It's been amazing!!! Hope to see new videos soon?

[lizbishop]

The biggest factor in my ADF journey was eating enough protein on my eating days - it made my fasting days way easier. I was 260 lbs, now 225 and aiming for c 195.

[ashleylaw]

Doing my first 36-hour fast tomorrow. A little bit scared but very excited ❤

[caroljones]

Hi.
I'm a 64 year old female.
I started ADF on Jan 18th 2023.
It is now April 16th 2023 and I have so far lost 22lbs.
I am eating 1200 calories of anything on my eating days.
I'm drinking coffee with milk on my fasting days.
My goal is not low carb or ketosis,
Merely to cut calories.
Id rather be hungry on a fasting day than counting calories every day.
This is working really well for me so thank you so much.
I couldn't go low carb if you paid me I love my bagels, pasta etc too much.

[preciousmosese]

i just started with ADF it lasted for 48hrs, my goal is to activate autophogy to clear brain fog the rest of the benefits is bonus to me

[MustardSeedish]

After doing clean intermittent fasting, OMAD, for two years I hit a stubborn plateau. I started slowly with 1 day down and I noticed that I was not hungry the day after my "up" day. I realized that I might as well just go along with the 5:3 plan to get my metabolism going again. This video was very practical, encouraging, and motivating. Thank you!

[DecksinCzech]

I started a couple years ago with a basic 16-8 fasting protocol, and did that for quite a while. I lost some weight, but found that the 8 hour eating window was just too long for me—my progress was stalled out because I was just eating too many calories in that longer window. So I shortened it to 4 hours, and then quickly after that went to OMAD. I lost more weight, but recently (mid-November) transitioned to a modified ADF to increase my fasting window and decrease my weekly caloric totals. All combined since starting with the 16-8, I’ve lost approximately 75 pounds, with about 50 left until I hit my goal weight. Of those 75 pounds lost, the quickest amount came off during ADF. I’m also lifting and prioritizing protein in my meals. So far, so good.

[Wakandabigmama]

Started 5:2 fasting last week after watching your video, it was way easier not to eat for 36h than expected, 1st day I started struggling around the end of the day but I then started drinking salt water and it really helped alleviate food craving thoughts since then it's been really easy especially after experiencing how good I felt after, the only problem I experienced so far is explosive diarrhea after breaking my fast with very poor choices of food I literally shat myself today wasn't fun

[rockkob]

I started out researching keto. Did it, felt great. Then I did carnivore for 5 months and reached goal, all through that time I was intermittently fasting but only because the added protein and fat allowed me to feel no hunger. Now that I’m at goal I want to keep it, but as often happens after the strictness of the diet I wanted to break loose and eat a greater verity of foods. So, I have found that a 4:3 adf type program keeping it keto during the week and allowing other stuff on the weekends. Other stuff doesn’t mean go wild but I love a bagel with cream cheese on Sunday mornings.
Therefore, adapting to protein and fat before trying adf helped me do the 36ish hour fast 3 times a week.

[ngwacon]

Thanx Doc. With all the knowledge, i feel like this is the year. I'm turning 43 this year and my wife is pregnant with our fourth child. I've been struggling with it since i was 16. Now i weigh 150kgs(300 pounds).
A great man once said; knowing and not doing is the same as not knowing.
All the way from South Africa 🇿🇦. The home of Nelson Mandela, let's do this 💪🏿.

[irmareitz]

Oh dear! Here I go again. On! Off! On! Off! Going to keep on listening to your videos to try to get motivated again. At this stage I am just stuffing my face and hating that I have no willpower. Thanks for these video and your Facebook page. Really appreciate you sharing your knowledge. Bless you.

[bluedominator]

❤ I was having difficulty losing weight on an Omad diet until I discovered your informative videos about Alternate Day Fasting (ADF). I had already been following a low-carb, Omad approach, which was relatively easy to stick to, but I found that the ADF method led to greater weight loss and the added benefit of promoting autophagy. Thank you, Dr. O, for providing such valuable information and helping me achieve my health goals. ❤

[DANALDTRAMP]

I can't believe you figured this out. Ive been trying to figure this out my entire life. You even thought of every weird little question Ive ever had that it seemed no one would ever even think. Ive been simultaneously overweight and keto since the 90s. Never been able to dial everything in. I have definitely turned a corner, in that I don't even need keto to maintain my weight anymore, and finally just dropped the keto life for a more omnivore, gut-biome centered plant-and-meat diet, but I'm still going to do your protocol because I can see this is the answer to permanent and thorough weight loss. I just have to figure out what the actual step-by-step plan is, from across your playlists. Fasting isn't even an issue, it's the other myriad details. When to ease up on the aggression, add calories, stop and settle in to the new body, exercise, etc etc etc. Great work!

[milanzivkovic]

This is one of the best, if not the best, channel on this topic. I found it yesterday and now I'm swallowing the contents....well done

[JemyM]

Modified was my start. I had several meals for 500 calories for two weeks. In the third I was so deep in ketosis that i just had the last one before sleep and then I felt I could let go from that as well. I think ketosis is very important to be able to maintain a fast. Maybe so important that it's important to plan on how to get into ketosis before we even get into fasting.

[papillonbleu]

You haven’t posted in 5 months. Hoping you’re okay.

[marianmurphy]

Happy Easter everyone..Hope we can have peace soon