Intermittent fasting [1], a pattern of eating where you consume your meals within a certain time frame (an eight-hour window, for example) has helped people lose weight [2] and shed fat. Intermittent fasting is supposed to help suppress junk food cravings, boost human growth hormone [3], and regulate insulin levels.

But not everyone can stay on track with intermittent fasting or have found it's helped them achieve their goals. Personal trainer Max Weber, NASM, ACE, shared six important tips to optimize your intermittent fasting [4] and boost weight loss. His tips are:

• Drink black coffee when you wake up.
• Strength train [5].
• Drink lots of water.
• Eat within an eight-hour window (such as noon to 8 p.m.).
• Eat two larger meals and one to two snacks.
• Fast until you go to sleep (starting at about 8 p.m., and then you'll fast through the night).

Although Max said you can eat anything you want during your feeding window as long as it adheres to your daily calorie allotment, he recommends sticking to the 80/20 rule [6] where you eat whole, nutrient-dense foods 80 percent of the time and indulge in treats 20 percent of the time. "It's also important to keep in mind that intermittent fasting is not magic!" he wrote in his caption. "It works by controlling calories and is best used when fat loss is your goal and for people who don't generally love breakfast."

If you're curious to give intermittent fasting a try, keep these six tips in mind. It may help you achieve your fat-loss goals once and for all!