Whether it's the best part of waking up, a cozy afternoon refresher, or an after-dinner digestif, coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages around the world — and its potent brew of caffeine, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds makes a pretty compelling case for a range of health benefits, too.

Your BMI, or body mass index, gives you a quick insight into one aspect of your health: how heavy you are compared to how tall you are. It's used as a rough way to assess body fat levels. While it's a simple, fast method that has some 'back of the napkin calculation' value, it also has some key flaws.

No doubt you've heard of and maybe even tried intermittent fasting since it has numerous scientifically proven benefits. But during your fasting journey, have you come across terms like clean vs. dirty fasting and been left wondering what they mean? Don't worry, we're here to clear up any confusion!

Since intermittent fasting is about when you eat rather than what you eat — and you get to customize the experience according to your needs, goals, lifestyle, and preferences — it can be an ideal food routine for people who don't love complicated shopping lists and micromanaging calories, nutrients, and ingredients.

You're just minding your business, ticking things off your to-do list (is it us, or does that thing get longer every day?), and quietly making progress. Then BAM — along comes the monthly gift from your reproductive cycle to make life that much more … interesting.

One of the biggest selling points of intermittent fasting is that it's all about when you eat rather than what you eat. And it's totally flexible and customizable to your body, goals, and preferences. That's right: if you're a cake lover, rejoice.

If you've been thinking about starting a new diet, maybe doing a little research on the best ways to drop a few pounds, chances are you've come across intermittent fasting.

If you're trying out intermittent fasting in the hope that it'll yield a positive result in your body, you may be curious about what's going on under the hood. What happens in your body during the various stages of intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting involves a repeated cycle of eating windows (where you consume the calories and nutrients you need for the day) and fasting windows (where you take a break from consuming calories). There are many different ways to fast — from time-restricted approaches like intermittent fasting 16:8 to off / on approaches like the 5:2 diet, alternate day fasting, and eat stop eat — but how does an intermittent fasting timeline actually play out in your body?

Whether you're part of the intermittent fasting for beginners cohort or you've been fasting for years, there's always room to learn more fasting tips and tricks for getting started, maintaining momentum, and steering toward your goals.