intermittent fasting

American  

[in-ter-mit-nt fas-ting] / ˈɪn tər mɪt nt ˈfæs tɪŋ /

noun

1. a pattern of eating that involves regular short periods of fasting, such as by limiting food intake to a certain period of the day or to fewer meals on certain days of the week.

---

Etymology

Origin of intermittent fasting

First recorded in 1875–80, in the context of fasting for religious purposes; 2005–10, in a wellness context

Example Sentences

For now, the research offers a more detailed view of what may happen during intermittent fasting.

From Science Daily • May 31, 2026

I started doing intermittent fasting back when I wasn’t able to lose my baby weight.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

If you loved creating a whole personality around intermittent fasting, welcome: You’ve found your people.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

When compared with conventional diet advice or no intervention, intermittent fasting did not produce a clinically meaningful difference in weight loss.

From Science Daily • Feb. 18, 2026

Examples of intermittent fasting include the 5:2 diet and restricting eating to a short window - often about eight hours - every day.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026