BodyFast: Intermittent Fasting 12+

Great App, Just What I Needed. One Tweak Though...

Highly rated. This is a great app for people who want to just forget about clock-watching and get on with their day. For someone who is juggling so many things on a daily basis I love just being told what to do and when as it is delegation of a responsibility and self-discipline that invariably goes out the window if I’m a little stressed. So far it is working great, so thanks!

ONE CHANGE NEEDED PLEASE: if you move an eating period forward on any given day, the fasting duration is adjusted but BACKWARDS, NOT FORWARDS. For example: If Mon 10:00 - 17:00 is the eating window, if I decide to bring 17:00 forward to 15:00, instead of it changing my Fasting START time on Tuesday, it moves the start time back on Monday to earlier. I understand that you are meant to adjust all the times BEFORE you start the week but I’m afraid life simply isn’t like that. Mid-week, I might want a slight adjustment and rather than binning the whole week, I’d like to adjust the next eating/fasting period even if it the finish/start spans two days.

Is this something your developers can adjust?

18:6 used to be free, I’m disappointed it’s not anymore

Initially I had a free trial so I could try the coaching before purchasing it. I used the 18:6 (fasting for 18 hours, eating for 6 hours). I didn’t realise this was a free part of the app at the time, until the trial ended. During the trial, I tried the ‘Coach,’ but I didn’t understand it. It didn’t make sense, the times were all over the place and it wasn’t clear what I was supposed to do. So I stuck to 18:6 and when the trial ran out, I was able to use 18:6 and lost weight (my goal). However, I’ve returned to the app after a short break and see that 16:8 is still in the free section, but 18:6 has been moved to the subscription section. I don’t want to pay a hefty subscription fee for basic fasting. I can understand paying for the Coach, group access etc, but not basic 18:6 fasting. So I’m no longer using the app. I’ve found one that’s really similar (allows weight input, other measurements, reminders etc) and allows 16:8 to be used for free. BodyFast is a great app and worth the cost for the Coaching (if it makes sense). But if you want basic fasting, nothing flashy, other apps offer the same as this one, for free. If BodyFast put 18:6 back in the free section, I will happily download and use it again.

Developer Response ,

Thanks for your feedback. I think there is a misunderstanding. 18-6 has never been part of the free version. However, we really appreciate feedback from our users and bring all those suggestions to our development meetings.
I'm sure that we can integrate many of those into future versions of the app.

We work hard to make BodyFast better and better every day.

Be careful

Ok, you’ve seen the ads (probably the big push on Instagram), you’ve heard the stories and you’ve downloaded the app. You may even be enthused about your first week. All I have to say is be careful what you’re doing and why. I think in terms of functions and features, yes this app is ok. I guess it has what you would need. However I rather innocently embarked on this for a few weeks and have noticed a few things. Compared to previous weight control programs these fasting plans may see you lose a bit at first. Then you dig deeper to improve results. This is where the results grind almost to a hat or (probably) rebound upwards as this is VERY difficult to sustain. You will notice your relationship with food change - but not in a healthy way. Food can easily become something of an enemy, something that’s pulling you away from your goal, not something to be enjoyed. I’ve noticed these changes already so I’ve stopped using as these are big flags. This isn’t so much a critique of the app as such, but a warning to others to be very mindful of this range of fasting methods and having them “easily monitoring” your behaviour via the app. It may work for some of course, but for others this may take you into places that are simply not healthy.

Developer Response ,

We understand that there may be concerns about intermittent fasting and its potential impact on one’s relationship with food and overall health. Nevertheless, research shows that IF can be a useful tool for people without any preconditions to develop a healthier relationship with food by promoting mindful eating and reducing reliance on unhealthy snacks and meals. While everyone’s experience may differ, it’s important to approach IF with a balanced and informed perspective, and to consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns or notice that your relationship with food is developing in an undesirable direction. ✌️