Intermittent fasting continues to rise in popularity as a powerful tool for weight loss and enhancing overall health. But for many, implementing this eating pattern can feel intimidating or challenging to stick with long-term.
That‘s where Simple comes in. This innovative app aims to take all the guesswork and complexity out of intermittent fasting, making it accessible for anyone to adopt as a sustainable lifestyle.
In this comprehensive review, I‘m sharing everything you need to know about Simple Intermittent Fasting – how it works, key features, pros and cons, pricing, and real user experiences. Consider this your one-stop expert guide to determine if Simple is the right solution for your IF journey.
What Is Simple Intermittent Fasting?
Founded in 2019 by entrepreneurs Alex Ilinskiy and Mike Prytkov, Simple is a science-backed app that offers a personalized approach to intermittent fasting and healthy eating. Unlike many rigid IF protocols or one-size-fits-all programs, Simple tailors your plan to your unique goals, preferences and lifestyle for long-term success.
Whether you‘re brand new to intermittent fasting or have dabbled in IF before, Simple aims to empower you with the tools, knowledge and support to master this way of eating for life. The program focuses on sustainability rather than quick fixes or crash diets destined to fail.
Based on your information and goals, Simple designs a customized daily fasting schedule along with an eating window. But the app is about more than just when to eat and not eat. Inside, you‘ll find a wealth of educational content, a built-in fasting tracker, food logging, progress monitoring, expert guidance and an authentic community cheering you on.
How Simple Intermittent Fasting Works
Getting started with Simple is a breeze. Just download the app for free and complete a quick personal assessment. You‘ll input basic details like your gender, age, current weight, goal weight, and typical eating habits and activity levels.
From there, the app‘s smart technology automatically generates a personalized IF plan. Your daily fasting schedule is broken down into three straightforward windows:
- Fasting: Only water, black coffee/tea or other zero-calorie beverages permitted
- Eating: Enjoy meals and snacks within this timeframe (no strict restrictions on what to eat)
- Sleeping: Aim to get at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night
You‘ll start with a 12/12 beginner schedule (12-hour eating window, 12-hour fast) and gradually progress to shorter eating periods like 10/14 or 8/16 to optimize fat burning. The app makes it easy to see your daily progress and offers tons of flexibility – you can adjust your fasting/eating windows or even pause IF as needed.
Simple also provides a visual timeline of your fasting journey to illustrate the science-backed benefits happening in your body hour by hour – such as the shift to ketosis (fat burning state), growth hormone release, cellular renewal and more.
Key Features of the Simple IF App
Simple packs a ton of helpful features into one user-friendly app. Here‘s a closer look at what‘s inside:
Personalized Daily Fasting Schedule & Tracker
This is the foundation of your Simple experience. Based on your goals and current lifestyle, the app maps out a daily IF plan with clear eating and fasting windows. You‘ll see a timer with visual cues showing your fasting progress and receive encouraging nudges to stay on track. It‘s super easy to adjust your fasting window or start/stop/pause the timer at any point.
Nutrition Logging & Insights
Research shows that keeping a food diary is one of the most effective tools for successful weight loss. Luckily, Simple makes it effortless to log your meals right in the app. You can choose from an extensive database of items, use the barcode scanner, manually enter custom foods, or even snap a photo of your plate for instant tracking. Over time, the app reveals personalized nutrition insights to help you make more informed food choices.
Educational Content & Health Metrics
Simple is on a mission to help you become an IF pro. The Explore tab is packed with quick, actionable articles and tips on everything from the science behind fasting to dealing with hunger and cravings. You‘ll learn exactly how IF impacts your metabolism, hormones, brain function and cellular health. Plus, the app lets you track key health metrics like weight, BMI, fasting blood sugar, ketones and sleep – all beautifully displayed on visual dashboards.
Expert Guidance & Coaching
While Simple provides endless tools for self-guided success, you‘re never alone on your fasting journey. The app gives you direct access to a team of expert coaches including doctors, registered dietitians, and certified fitness professionals. Get your questions answered, receive personalized feedback, and stay motivated with regular coach check-ins. It‘s like having an entire support squad in your pocket.
Community & Challenges
Research proves that having social support significantly increases your odds of reaching a health goal – and maintaining it long-term. With Simple, you can connect with a vibrant global community of fellow fasters for daily encouragement, advice and camaraderie. The app also offers fun challenges to help you build consistency and unlock achievements. You can even invite friends to join your fasting journey for added accountability.
Simple Intermittent Fasting Pros & Cons
Now that we‘ve covered the key features, let‘s weigh some of the biggest pros and cons of Simple Intermittent Fasting.
Simple IF Pros
– Completely customized fasting protocol based on your goals, preferences & lifestyle
– Flexible eating schedule with no strict restrictions on foods
– Fasting timer & tracker make it easy to monitor progress
– Extensive library of bite-sized educational content for lasting behavior change
– Ability to log & analyze meals/nutrition with massive food database
– Dashboard of health metrics to visualize results over time
– Access to expert coaches for guidance & support
– Vibrant in-app community for daily motivation & accountability
– Syncs with other health apps & wearables like Apple Health, Fitbit, Garmin
– Beginner-friendly & easy to use, even if you‘re new to intermittent fasting
– More affordable & sustainable than other weight loss programs
Simple IF Cons
– Requires consistent use of phone/app which may be challenging for some
– No structured meal plans, recipes or food rules provided (other than fasting schedule)
– Not ideal for those with advanced health conditions or who are pregnant/breastfeeding
– Potential for unhealthy focus on fasting or calorie restriction
– May enable binge eating behaviors during non-fasting periods
– Some key features (meal logging, health metrics, coaching) only available with paid version
Of course, as with any health program, it‘s crucial to listen to your body and consult a doctor before beginning – especially if you have any underlying medical issues or a history of disordered eating. Simple makes it clear that the app is meant to be a complementary wellness tool and not a substitute for professional medical care.
Simple Intermittent Fasting vs. Competitors
Simple is far from the only intermittent fasting app on the market. Here‘s how it stacks up against some of its top competitors:
Simple vs. Zero
Like Simple, Zero offers a clean, user-friendly fasting tracker and timer. However, Zero lacks the nutrition logging, meal insights, and metric dashboards that set Simple apart. Simple is a more robust, all-in-one platform for adopting IF as a holistic lifestyle.
Simple vs. Life Fasting Tracker
Life provides a solid IF tracking experience but falls short on the educational content and expert support you‘ll find in spades on Simple. Simple does a superior job of explaining the science behind fasting and empowering you with the knowledge to succeed long-term.
Simple vs. DoFasting
The DoFasting app shares many similar features with Simple, including a personalized fasting schedule, tracking tools, and educational resources. But Simple edges out DoFasting when it comes to overall value – with a lower price point, larger food database, and the option for expert coaching.
Simple vs. Fastic
Both Simple and Fastic offer user-friendly interfaces for tracking fasting windows, logging meals, accessing education, and connecting with a supportive community. However, Simple is more heavily focused on sustainable lifestyle change rather than quick weight loss. The app‘s realistic, self-compassionate approach is ideal for lasting success.
How Much Does Simple Intermittent Fasting Cost?
While anyone can download the Simple app and access core features for free, upgrading to Simple Premium unlocks the full experience – including personalized insights, advanced tracking, and expert guidance.
Here‘s a quick breakdown of Simple pricing:
- Simple Basic: Free
- 1 Month Premium: $28.99
- 3 Month Premium: $54.99 ($18.33/month)
- 12 Month Premium: $134.99 ($11.25/month)
Simple occasionally runs promotions for first-time users, such as a 7-day trial for $1. The app also offers a 7-day money-back guarantee if you‘re unsatisfied with your purchase.
While the premium version is not exactly cheap, it‘s still more affordable than many other nutrition coaching programs or weight loss services. Luckily, Simple does enable you to see some results and test out intermittent fasting using just the free basic app before financially committing.
Simple Intermittent Fasting Real User Reviews & Results
A whopping 98% of Simple users would recommend the app to a friend. But let‘s see what real customers have to say about their experience and results:
"I‘ve tried every diet out there and always ended up feeling restricted and hungry. Simple helped me heal my relationship with food and learn to trust my body again. The flexibility is a game-changer and I never feel deprived. Down 15 lbs and counting!" – Sarah K.
"Simple is hands-down the most comprehensive fasting app available. I love geeking out on all the science-backed content. It‘s not just about losing weight but genuinely supporting health from the inside out." – Mark T.
"After baby #2, I struggled to shed the weight and manage my PCOS. Simple has helped balance my hormones, curb cravings, and kickstart fat loss while still letting me enjoy my favorite meals. The community support keeps me so motivated!" – Emily R.
"As a total beginner, I was intimidated by intermittent fasting. Simple made the whole process approachable and dare I say – easy! The tracker keeps me accountable and all the educational articles taught me so much. 20 lbs down and feeling better than ever." – Chris M.
Based on thousands of glowing reviews in the App Store and Google Play, it‘s clear that Simple is making a meaningful difference in users‘ health and quality of life. The app boasts an exceptional 4.8/5 star rating on the App Store and 4.5 stars on Google Play.
Simple Intermittent Fasting Customer Support
The Simple team offers several ways to get help, including:
– In-app chat support
– FAQ & knowledge base
– Email support ([email protected])
– Social media DMs
– Expert health coaches (available with paid version)
Premium users can message a coach right in the app for a response within 24-48 hours on average. Simple‘s customer service is generally prompt, friendly, and eager to troubleshoot any issues.
The company also offers a 7-day, no-questions-asked refund policy if you‘re not satisfied with your premium purchase. However, Simple does not provide refunds for any months of membership that you‘ve already used.
To cancel your subscription, navigate to settings in your Simple profile or manage subscriptions in the App Store or Google Play. As long as you cancel at least 24 hours before renewal, you won‘t be charged again.
Is Simple Intermittent Fasting Right For You?
Simple can be an excellent tool for adopting intermittent fasting in a gradual, sustainable way. The app is best suited for those who:
- Want to lose weight, reduce inflammation & enhance overall health
- Crave flexibility and autonomy in their eating patterns (no strict meal plans)
- Need guidance and support but still want to eat intuitively
- Enjoy learning about the science behind fasting & nutrition
- Struggle to stay consistent with IF and need accountability
- Desire the structure of a personalized fasting protocol
- Are motivated by tracking progress & community interaction
However, Simple is not suitable for everyone. The app is not recommended for:
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Anyone with an active eating disorder or history of disordered eating behaviors
- Those with certain health conditions (without doctor approval)
- Children under 18 or adults over 65
- Those who prefer a strict meal plan or food rules to follow
- Anyone unwilling to track fasting windows or use an app regularly
If you‘re brand new to intermittent fasting, it‘s always a good idea to check with your doctor before getting started.
When used mindfully as part of a balanced lifestyle, Simple can be a powerful tool for reaching your health goals and developing a more positive relationship with food. The app provides an easy-to-follow framework while still honoring your body‘s unique needs.
The Final Verdict
After thoroughly testing the Simple app and analyzing hundreds of real user reviews, I confidently recommend Simple as one of the most comprehensive intermittent fasting solutions available.
The personalized approach, in-depth education, and built-in accountability truly set this app apart from competitors. Simple doesn‘t just tell you when to fast – it empowers you with the knowledge and tools to make IF an enjoyable, rewarding lifestyle.
While no single app is right for everyone, Simple removes many of the common barriers to intermittent fasting. With affordable pricing, an extensive food database, expert guidance, and tons of customization, Simple brings a refreshing flexibility to the world of IF.
Of course, the app isn‘t perfect. It would be nice to see pre-made meal plans and recipes incorporated for those who want more structure. And, as with any program, results require consistent commitment.
But if you‘re ready to experience the powerful benefits of intermittent fasting without feeling restricted or overwhelmed, Simple is hands-down your best bet. The app makes IF accessible for beginners while offering plenty of depth to satisfy experienced fasters.
As one happy reviewer put it, "Simple is like an expert fasting coach, nutritionist, and accountability partner all in one – right in your pocket!"
Ready to see how intermittent fasting can transform your health and relationship with food? Download Simple here to get started today!
