16 Celebrities Who Swear By Intermittent Fasting (Their Tips and Experiences)

If you follow the latest trends making the rounds of late, you must have heard of intermittent fasting. Many celebrities have adopted this powerful and effective fasting schedule to transform their physiques, inspiring millions. Check out this blog to see what our beloved celebrities say about intermittent fasting and how it has radically changed their lives.

What does Intermittent Fasting Have to Offer?

Before we jump into celebrities’ experiences with intermittent fasting, we need to know how IF works and what it promises to adherents of the practice. Intermittent fasting is a diet trend where you fast for a certain number of hours in what is known as the “fasting window” and eat your meals in the remaining hours, known as the “feeding window.” 

The body uses glycogen as an energy source to carry out its various functions. When you fast, the glycogen stores get used up, and the body goes through a “metabolic switch,” turning to the deposited fat stores as an alternative energy source. This helps you lose weight in a much better way as compared to other traditional dieting methods and plans. 

Intermittent fasting offers several benefits. One of them is maximizing muscle growth and boosting metabolism. This is one of the main reasons so many celebrities follow the intermittent fasting diet. They work out while intermittent fasting and get amazing results, inspiring us common folk to get moving! 

Besides this, intermittent fasting can decrease insulin resistance, reduce chronic inflammation, and improve heart health.  [1, 2, 3]

Intermittent fasting could prevent cancer and cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It also has anti-aging effects. With this rich bounty of positive health effects, no wonder celebs are swearing by it! [4]

16 Celebrities Following Intermittent Fasting and Their Experiences

Here’s a list of celebrities who follow intermittent fasting and how it has positively changed their lives. These celebs are credible, have immense fan followings, and have inspired people, young and old alike, to follow their fitness goals. Check them out!

• Terry Crews
• Mark Wahlberg
• Kumail Nanjiani
• Hugh Jackman
• Jimmy Kimmel
• Chris Hemsworth
• Jack Dorsey
• Elon Musk
• Gisele Bundchen
• Elsa Pataky
• Jennifer Aniston
• Kourtney Kardashian
• Halle Berry
• Scarlett Johanssen
• Reese Witherspoon
• Vanessa Hudgens

Terry Crews

Terry Crews got noticed in 2005 for his role in the popular sitcom “Everybody Hates Chris” as Julius Rock. He was also popular as Terry Jeffords in the sitcom “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” which was long-running from 2013 to 2021. Now, at age 54, he hosts America’s Got Talent, and boy, does he look ripped. 

Terry works out daily and is an ardent follower of intermittent fasting. According to him, IF has helped him maintain and preserve his impressive physique. Terry says that he eats his first meal at 2 PM. To keep him going, he has tea, coffee, and one spoonful of coconut oil in his fasting window. However, once his eight-hour feeding window begins, he eats as much as he wants. 

Terry has lots of protein, and he loves egg dishes. He indulges in scrambled eggs, egg frittatas, bacon, charcuterie meats, salami, and protein shakes. He focuses on a well-rounded diet, including lots of healthy fats and carbs, as well as ample amounts of veggies. He told Insider that IF has “kept me in great, great shape.” 

He goes on to say:

“I can feel the difference. I can put pictures of myself now versus myself at 22 years old, and I look and feel much better right now.”

Mark Wahlberg 

Wahlberg was never a big fan of intermittent fasting, that is, until he was introduced to it by his friend, media mogul Ari Emanuel, and he got hooked after the first few days of trying it. Mark currently goes for an 18-hour fast, and that too for five days a week. He told the WSJ that “the perfect window for me to break my fast is between noon and 6 PM. On a harder workout day, it might be a smaller window of 12 to 14 hours. But five days a week, I’m doing that 18-hour fast.”

Among other things, Mark is well known for his grinding and grueling early morning workouts, which may put many men to shame. However, after discovering intermittent fasting, he says that a slimmed-down gym routine suits him better and helps him manage the rest of his day much better. 

He says:

“I don’t have to do as much cardio, I don’t have to spend as much time in the gym, and I feel like I’m getting better results. I’m trying to share that information with everybody because I’m really, really seeing the benefits and pretty quickly.” 

Kumail Nanjiani

Famous for his role in Marvel’s Eternals, Kumail shocked and wowed his fans with an incredible body transformation. While Kumail and his trainer Grant Roberts focus on increasing muscle size, fat shedding, and overall body symmetry, Kumail has given intermittent fasting due credit for improving his life. 

Kumail says that he is a follower of the 18/6 fasting routine, and he also was quoted as saying that training for the Marvel movie caused him to review his relationship with food. He says his role in Welcome to Chippendales “freed me from some ways I’ve been thinking about food.” 

Hugh Jackman

In an interview with Train Mag Jackman was reported saying that while training for X-Men: Days of Future Past, his body responded very well to intermittent fasting.

“With my diet, I go for a 16/8 intermittent fasting regimen, which works for me.” 

The primary reason why Jackman took to intermittent fasting was that it prevented fat buildup while allowing him to bulk up. He says, 

“And that regimen does the business. It sounds tricky, but I love it, and I find it a lot easier than eating every two to three hours, which I found a lot more brutal.” 

Jimmy Kimmel

Jimmy is a top-rated late-night talk show host with legions of fans. He followed the 5/2 intermittent fasting diet and was better off with it. He says:

“On Monday and Thursday, I eat fewer than 500 calories daily, then I eat like a pig for the other five days. You surprise the body; keep it guessing.” 

When Jimmy fasted, he was reported to be in a foul mood, and he kept drinking coffee and eating lots of pickles, indulging in apples, peanut butter, and egg whites. He says, “The rest of the week, I’m a glutton-pizza, pasta, and steak. It sounds hard, but you get used to it and learn you can get through it. It’s helped me stay at 182 pounds.” 

Chris Hemsworth

Recently, Chris fasted for four straight days as a part of the show Limitless along with longevity doctor Peter Attia to see how much the human body can take. Chris is a regular follower of intermittent fasting. 

He says, “I’ve been doing a lot of intermittent fasting now – eating between 12 PM and 8 PM. I’ve found it has dramatically increased my energy levels. I’ve found that your body kicks into a different state once you get over the initial shock of not eating as regularly in the first week or two. I’ve found myself eating fewer calories but not feeling starved.”

Chris also did intermittent fasting to lose weight for his role as a sailor in the 2015 film, In the Heart of the Sea. His trainer Luke Zocchi said:

“We implemented intermittent fasting, along with lower calories, and it was crazy how much that worked.” 

Jack Dorsey

Dorsey said that he eats only one meal a day (OMAD), dinner. On the Ben Greenfield Podcast, he said, “During the day, I feel so much more focused. You have this very focused point of mind in terms of this drive. The time between breakfast and lunch allowed me to focus more on my day.” 

Been playing with fasting for some time. I do a 22 hour fast daily (dinner only), and recently did a 3 day water fast. Biggest thing I notice is how much time slows down. The day feels so much longer when not broken up by breakfast/lunch/dinner. Any one else have this experience?

— jack (@jack) January 26, 2019

Elon Musk

On advice of a good friend, I’ve been fasting periodically & feel healthier

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 28, 2022

Gisele Bundchen

Gisele recently published a book, Lessons, in which she said she followed the 5/2 intermittent fasting plan. The Brazilian model, who looks ravishing, said that she fasts until lunchtime for two days a week so that her body can recover and rest. 

Elsa Pataky

Spanish actress Elsa Pataky incorporated intermittent fasting into her diet and exercise routine after being introduced to it by her husband, Chris Hemsworth. Initially hesitant about the practice, she delved into research and decided to give it a try, recalling in an interview, “[Chris], he got me into fasting.”

Though concerned about potential weight loss, Elsa discovered that intermittent fasting would only result in weight loss if her body truly needed it. This revelation eased her apprehensions and allowed her to fully embrace the practice, saying, “I learned that while doing it.”

The actress ultimately became an advocate for intermittent fasting, especially after learning about its anti-aging benefits. Following in her husband’s footsteps, Elsa enthusiastically adopted the fasting regimen, exclaiming, “I read that it was amazing for anti-aging, so I was like ‘I’m in! I’m in!’ [laughs].”

Jennifer Aniston

Back in October 2019, Jennifer disclosed her attraction to intermittent fasting. She said she noticed a big difference in how she felt and looked. 

In a Radio Times interview, she said:

“I do intermittent fasting, so there’s no food in the morning. Today I woke up and had celery juice. Then I started to brew some coffee, but I don’t drink coffee that early.”

Jennifer probably means she takes coffee later in the day to ward off hunger pangs. 

Kourtney Kardashian

In 2018, esteemed reality TV star and wellness enthusiast Kourtney Kardashian, the eldest of the famed Kardashian siblings, publicly professed her admiration for intermittent fasting in an official statement on her app. As avid followers of the hit reality show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” can attest, Kourtney has always been the sister most passionate about health and nutritious eating habits.

Kourtney detailed her daily fasting routine, saying:

“I wouldn’t eat past 7 PM, and then I would wait to eat breakfast the next day until after my morning workout, around 10.30 AM to 11 AM.”

This regimen results in a 14 to 16-hour fasting window after dinner. Moreover, Kourtney dedicates one day each week to a rigorous 24-hour fast, during which she permits herself to only consume water, green tea, and bone broth, all of which are deemed acceptable during a fast.

A particularly appealing feature of intermittent fasting is its versatility, as it seamlessly accommodates a wide array of dietary preferences, such as vegan, vegetarian, Mediterranean, Paleo, and ketogenic diets, to name a few. Kourtney Kardashian, in particular, is known to adhere to a keto-centric dietary plan, characterized by high fat and low carbohydrate intake, in conjunction with her intermittent fasting schedule.

Halle Berry

In November 2018, Berry said she loved intermittent fasting in a post on Instagram. She revealed that she would fast most mornings and only eat the first meal of her day at around 2 PM. She said:

“Not that I don’t get nutrients, vitamins, and minerals [during that time]… I just don’t sit down and have a meal.”

She indicated that during fasting hours, she probably takes vitamin pills because they do not have added calories or sugar in them. It is also possible that Berry keeps herself satiated with bone broth, unsweetened coffee and tea, and lemon water to keep going during fasting hours. 

Scarlett Johanssen

In her role as Black Widow in The Avengers, Scarlett followed an intermittent fasting and workout regime, and the results are out there for everybody to see. Her trainer said that she fasted for 12 hours every day, and Scarlett adds:

“That was a general guideline – at moments, we pushed beyond that to 14-15 hours depending on the filming schedule.” 

Reese Witherspoon

In an interview, Reese said she only has coffee and juice in the morning, and while she has not used the words “intermittent fasting,” we can guess that she follows a fasting schedule. 

Vanessa Hudgens

Vanessa has said she is a big fan of intermittent fasting, following the 16/8 IF schedule, where she fasts for 16 hours a day and eats her meals in the remaining eight-hour window. In an interview, she said that with IF, she experienced more clarity and felt more energized and stronger during her workouts. She also said:

“It’s rough; it’s no joke. I’m not gonna lie and say it’s easy.” 

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting has become the go-to diet in the celebrity world, with everyone from Hugh Jackman to Gisele Bundchen embracing it. Intermittent fasting can improve an individual’s life by boosting mental clarity and improving overall health. The celebrity success stories in this article prove that intermittent fasting is not a fad but an exact science proven to bring about weight loss and other incredible benefits.

While these celeb accounts are very inspiring, please note that it is best to get a doctor’s opinion before you start intermittent fasting, as this demanding diet is not for everyone. Again, while science has backed up intermittent fasting, remember that it is not a quick-fix solution to your health problems but a definite lifestyle choice. 

As you can see from the accounts of so many celebrities, intermittent fasting has helped them lose weight, stay in shape, feel more energized and active during their workouts, and generally helped them get in shape for their roles in the public eye. Perhaps this will inspire you to try intermittent fasting and benefit from it in the long run. Go ahead and give it a go! The results will speak for themselves. 

References

1. Matheni Sathananthan, Meera Shah, Kim L Edens, Karen B Grothe, Francesca Piccinini, Luca P Farrugia, Francesco Micheletto, Chiara Dalla Man, Claudio Cobelli, Robert A Rizza, Michael Camilleri, Adrian Vella, Six and 12 Weeks of Caloric Restriction Increases β Cell Function and Lowers Fasting and Postprandial Glucose Concentrations in People with Type 2 Diabetes, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 145, Issue 9, September 2015, Pages 2046–2051.
2. Alam, Iftikhar, et al. “Recurrent Circadian Fasting (RCF) Improves Blood Pressure, Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Risk and Regulates Inflammation in Men.” PubMed Central (PMC), 19 Aug. 2019.
3. Mani, Kartik, et al. “Lysosomes Mediate Benefits of Intermittent Fasting in Cardiometabolic Disease: The Janitor Is the Undercover Boss.” PubMed Central (PMC), 14 Sept. 2018.
4. Alirezaei, Mehrdad, et al. “Short-term Fasting Induces Profound Neuronal Autophagy.” PubMed Central (PMC), 14 Aug. 2010.

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