How does adherence to a 16/8 Intermittent Fasting (IF) schedule challenge the fixed time slot definition of breakfast?

Answer

It results in the first meal occurring later in the day (e.g., 1:00 PM), which is functionally breaking a long fast.

Intermittent Fasting protocols, specifically the 16/8 method where one fasts for 16 hours, directly clash with the fixed time slot model for breakfast. If an individual wakes at 9:00 AM and adheres to the 16-hour fast, their first meal might not occur until 1:00 PM. In this scenario, the individual has indeed fasted for 13 hours (or more, depending on the exact previous night's eating), and the 1:00 PM meal fulfills the physical requirement of terminating a prolonged fast. Insisting this must be called lunch ignores the physiological reality that the body has just completed a significant fasting period. This modern eating pattern emphasizes that the functional definition—breaking the fast—must take precedence over the social norm that pegs breakfast to morning hours.

How does adherence to a 16/8 Intermittent Fasting (IF) schedule challenge the fixed time slot definition of breakfast?
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