Intermittent Fasting

Why do THIS CHALLENGE ?

Are you ready to take charge of your health, supercharge your energy, and contribute to real science? Welcome to the May Intermittent Fasting Challenge—a 30-day adventure where you’ll eat within an 8-hour window each day and tap into a host of benefits reported by research and see how it impacts your physical and mental well-being. Join us and discover what’s possible when you rethink how you eat!

Weight Loss

Intermittent fasting naturally reduces calorie intake while revving up your metabolism through elevated norepinephrine levels. A study in Cell Metabolism showed that time-restricted eating led to significant weight loss and fat reduction.(source)

Insulin Sensitivity

IF enhances how your body uses insulin, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes. Research in Translational Research found that intermittent fasting improves blood sugar control and reduces insulin levels.
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Microbiome Health

A 2024 systematic review of human studies concluded that intermittent fasting influences the gut microbiota, with most studies showing increases in microbial richness and diversity during fasting interventions.
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Better Cognitive Function

In one trial, 220 healthy adults who followed a calorie-restricted diet for 2 years (a regimen similar in metabolic effect to IF) showed significant improvements in memory on cognitive tests compared to those eating normally(source)

Hormonal Regulation

During fasting, insulin levels fall and counter-regulatory hormones rise. Notably, IF can boost Human Growth Hormone (HGH) levels dramatically. Even a 24-hour fast has been shown to raise HGH by 50% up to 5-fold or more, depending on baseline levels. (source)

Reduces Inflammation

Chronic inflammation fuels many diseases, but fasting fights back. A study in Cell Reports revealed that intermittent fasting lowers inflammatory markers, potentially easing conditions like arthritis and heart disease.(source)

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INSTRUCTIONS for this Challenge

Commit to eating all your meals within an 8-hour window each day for 30 consecutive days of May. This means fasting for 16 hours daily—a method known as the 16:8 approach, celebrated for its simplicity and effectiveness. Here’s how to make it a success:

Choose Your Eating Window Pick an 8-hour stretch that suits your life. Popular options include:

- 10 a.m. to 6 p.m
- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Stay consistent with your window daily for the best results.
Stay Hydrated: During fasting hours, drink plenty of water, herbal teas, or black coffee (no sugar or cream). Hydration keeps your metabolism humming and curbs hunger pangs.
Ease In If Needed: New to fasting? Start with a 12-hour fast and build up to 16 hours over a few days. Feeling hungry or tired early on is normal—your body’s adjusting! Check with a doctor if you have health concerns. Try to ease-in before the challenge starts though on 1st of May
Join the Crew: Before May kicks off, we’ll email you tips and resources. Plus, connect with fellow participants on Instagram in our online community for support and inspiration

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$ cash Prizes
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Notable PRACTITIONERS

These are some of the well-known people who have stated that they practice Intermittent Fasting:

The Intermittent Fasting has been successfully joined!

Further updates will be sent by email. We also invite you to follow us on Instagram here to get all the updates about this incoming challenge and during the Challenge.

Want to make the Commitment Stronger? According to research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, individuals who made their commitments public were 65% more likely to stick to their goals compared to those who kept them private. This is because public commitments create a sense of accountability and social support, making it easier to stay motivated and on track.

This is optional but if you want to take it to the next level Share your commitment on your social media or with friends and family. This can be as simple as saying:

"I have decided to do a 31 consecutive days Intermittent Fasting in May. Keep your fingers crossed!:) #TheIntermittentFastingChallenge"

How do I PARTICIPATE ?

To participate just leave your email below and join the Intermittent Fasting Challenge! After this challenge questionnaires will be send to study its effect. Additionally, if you want to be eligible for the $1000 cash prizes remember to share your journey daily with hashtags #TheIntermittentFastingChallenge, #MayIntermittentFastingChallenge and tag @theorgchallenge and as described in the prizes section (contest terms here)

By clicking “I'm in!”, you confirm that you have read the safety warning and agree to receiving emails and to processing of your personal data in accordance with the Privacy policy

People signed up for all Challenges

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SAFETY warning:

Intermittent fasting offers many potential health benefits, but for safety reasons, we advise against participating in this 30-day challenge if you fall into any of the following categories:

- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- Individuals with a history of eating disorders
- People with diabetes or hypoglycemia (especially if taking medication)
- Children and adolescents
- Individuals with chronic medical conditions (e.g. thyroid issues, severe heart conditions, kidney or liver disease)
- Anyone who has not consulted with a healthcare professional regarding fasting

Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new dietary or fasting regimen. This challenge is not a substitute for professional medical advice, and you participate at your own risk. Listen to your body and adjust as needed.

Frequently asked questions

How do I join a Challenge?

There is a "Join Challenge" button for any active challenge. There will be 12 Challenges per year. You are free to join any time however joining on the first day of a given month is how the game is meant to be played to experience a full month of a given challenge.

What are the instructions for a Challenge?

All necessary instructions are always found on the page of a particular challenge. If you haven't received the email 1 day prior to the Challenge don't worry! The email only contains a part of the message which is included on the Challenge page anyway. But the instructions are really extremely simple. For the "10.000 Steps Challenge" it could be "Just walk at least 10000 steps per day". For the "Meditation Challenge" it would be "Just sit and meditate for 15 minutes a day, anywhere, at any time, with any meditation method you can find online".

Where are the Challenges happening?

All Challenges can be done from your location. Each Challenge is done in such a way that there is no particular location to attend to.

At what time during the day do I have to do a Challenge?

Challenges can be done at any time during the day, whether it's morning, evening, or mid day. Though it is much easier to stick to a routine in the morning as mornings can be typically controlled whereas the evening tends to be more chaotic and have unscheduled tasks that need attending.

Is this FREE?

Yes, all challenges are and always will be free to join and participate in.

Why trust us?

We’re not selling anything. We’re learning alongside you

How do the monthly $3000 prizes work exactly?

There will be 3 (three) $1000 prizes per chosen Challenge (not all Challenges will have prizes). To be eligible for the prize one has to share their daily journey with a hashtag chosen for each Challenge. Then, After the Challenge has ended send in the links to specific videos to [email protected] where the posts can be verified. At the end of a Challenge the 3 winners will be chosen by TheChallenge.org team based on the most well done daily documentation of a given Challenge. Numbers of followers, likes, comments on social media etc WILL NOT matter. Read all the requirements here and in the contest terms in each of the Challenge pages near the sign-up area.

I don't have an Instagram or YouTube account, can I still participate?

Absolutely! You don't need to do anything to participate since the challenges can be done from anywhere. To sign up and receive updates about the challenge or to be able to contribute to a science questionnaire at the end you just need to have an email and join a Challenge on the website. Instagram or Youtube accounts are only a requirement for people who want to have a shot at the Prizes. That however requires daily posting on those channels for a whole month so is very rarely done. Approximately 99.5% of all Challenge Participants do it for the Challenge itself and do not post daily on their social media channels. We are just happy if you do the Challenge!

Is this a non-profit organization?

TheChallenge.Org is a for-knowledge organisation. The organisation is not a typical non-profit. It will have an optional donation model for people wanting to support it and help cover the cost of operations.

Who are the people behind this project?

The project is funded by one Investor & Founder: Karol Banaszkiewicz, who decided to commit his time & resources in pursuit of a goal to measure how various habits impacts peoples physical & mental health.

INTERMITTENT FASTING CHALLENGE