How to Do 16:8 Intermittent Fasting with Unimate and Balance

By Fadi — Unicity Senior Director Distributor & Metabolic Coach · Published 2026-06-12 · Updated 2026-06-15 · 8 min read

Quick answer: A complete step-by-step guide to the 16:8 intermittent fasting protocol using Unicity's Unimate and Balance supplements. Includes schedule, tips, and common...

The 16:8 intermittent fasting protocol is the foundation of the Unicity Feel Great System. The concept is simple: fast for 16 hours, eat within an 8-hour window. Wondering how Unimate compares to coffee during your fast? See Unimate vs Coffee for intermittent fasting.. But executing it consistently — without hunger, irritability, or social disruption — requires the right tools.

That is exactly what Unimate and Balance provide. Here is the complete step-by-step guide.

The Basic Schedule

The most common 16:8 schedule on the Feel Great System is:

• 8 pm – 12 pm (16 hours): Fasting window — Unimate only, water, plain tea or black coffee
• 12 pm – 8 pm (8 hours): Eating window — two meals, Balance before each

You can shift this window earlier or later to fit your lifestyle. A 10 am – 6 pm window works for early risers. A 1 pm – 9 pm window works for late schedules. The key is keeping the 16-hour fast consistent every day.

Step-by-Step: A Day on the Protocol

Step 1 — Wake Up: Drink Unimate (Not Breakfast)

This is the most important habit shift. Instead of eating breakfast, mix one Unimate stick pack into 8–12 oz of cold water and drink it within the first 30–60 minutes of waking up.

What Unimate does at this stage:

• Suppresses appetite for 3–5 hours
• Provides clean, sustained energy from theobromine and chlorogenic acids
• Boosts mental focus and mood
• Keeps insulin at fasting levels — the fast continues uninterrupted

Tip: If you also drink coffee, have Unimate first, then coffee 30–60 minutes later if you still want it. Black coffee does not break the fast.

Step 2 — Mid-Morning: Stay Hydrated

Drink 1–2 large glasses of water between Unimate and your first meal. Dehydration is often confused with hunger. Sparkling water, plain herbal tea, and black coffee are all fine during the fasting window.

What to avoid: Anything with calories, sweeteners, milk, or cream. Even small amounts of sweeteners can trigger an insulin response and undermine the fasting state in some people.

Step 3 — 10 Minutes Before Lunch: Take Balance

At approximately 11:45 am (or 10 minutes before wherever your eating window opens), mix one sachet of Unicity Balance into 8–12 oz of water. Drink it promptly — don't let it sit too long as the gel thickens.

What Balance does before your meal:

• Forms a viscous gel in the digestive tract
• Traps dietary cholesterol and slows glucose absorption
• Significantly reduces the post-meal insulin spike
• Extends feelings of fullness for 3–4 hours after the meal

Step 4 — Noon: Eat Your First Meal

Break your fast with a balanced meal. No food restrictions are required on the Feel Great protocol, but you will likely find your appetite naturally smaller after 16 hours of Unimate-suppressed fasting and a pre-meal Balance sachet.

Practical tip: Start with protein and vegetables. The combination of pre-meal Balance and starting with protein makes overeating almost impossible.

Step 5 — Before Dinner: Take Balance Again

Approximately 10 minutes before your second meal (dinner), take a second sachet of Balance. This is optional but highly recommended — evening meals are when most people consume the most carbohydrates, and controlling the glucose response at dinner sets up a cleaner overnight fast.

Step 6 — Eat Dinner, Then Close the Window

Finish dinner within your 8-hour eating window (by 8 pm in the standard schedule). After dinner, the fast resumes. Water, herbal tea, and sparkling water are fine in the evening.

Tip: Brush your teeth after dinner. This simple habit mentally signals that eating is done for the day and reduces evening snacking urges significantly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Not Drinking Enough Water

Many people confuse dehydration with hunger during the fasting window. Aim for at least 2–3 liters of water per day, especially in the first two weeks.

Mistake 2: Quitting Too Early

The first 5–10 days are the hardest. The body is adapting. Hunger, mild headaches, and fatigue in week one are normal and temporary. Push through to day 14 and the protocol becomes dramatically easier.

Mistake 3: Skipping Balance

Some people take Unimate consistently but skip Balance before meals. This is a significant mistake — Balance is the mechanism that controls the post-meal insulin spike. Without it, the metabolic benefits of the protocol are substantially reduced.

Mistake 4: Eating Too Large a First Meal

After 16 hours without food, some people overcompensate with an enormous first meal. This defeats the caloric benefit of the fasting window and can cause blood sugar swings. Let the pre-meal Balance do its job and eat at a moderate pace.

Mistake 5: Inconsistent Timing

The 16:8 schedule works best when the eating window is consistent day to day. Shifting your window by 3–4 hours regularly disrupts the hormonal adaptation. Try to open and close your eating window at roughly the same time each day.

How Long Until It Becomes Easy?

Most people find the protocol genuinely comfortable by day 10–14. By day 30, skipping breakfast feels completely natural. By day 60, most people cannot imagine going back to eating three meals a day — not because they are restricting, but because they genuinely are not hungry until noon.

Order the Unicity Feel Great System

Ready to start? Order the Unicity Feel Great System at member pricing through this site, with personal coaching included. Questions about the business side? Learn more about becoming a Unicity distributor — Fadi, official Unicity Senior Director Distributor, is here to guide you.

Not sure where to start? Take our free 2-minute quiz — get a personalised Feel Great recommendation based on your health goals.

Scientific Synergy of Viscous Fiber and Fasting

The metabolic benefits of combining viscous soluble fiber (like the Biosphere Fiber matrix in Unicity Balance) with intermittent fasting are documented in clinical research. Soluble fiber slows gastric emptying and carbohydrate digestion, which stretches the satiety signal GLP-1 and keeps post-meal glucose spikes low. When you transition into the fasting window, your baseline insulin levels are already lower, allowing your body to transition into fat-burning mode (ketosis) much faster. This synergetic relationship is why combining Unimate yerba mate in the morning with Balance before lunch and dinner yields superior weight management and metabolic health outcomes compared to calorie restriction alone.

The Complex Science of Insulin Signaling and Resistance

Insulin is a hormone produced by beta cells in the pancreas, vital for regulating carbohydrates and fat metabolism. When glucose enters the blood, insulin binds to receptors on cellular membranes, initiating a cascade of intracellular signals that recruit glucose transporter proteins (GLUT4) to the cell surface. This allows glucose to enter cells, lowering blood sugar. However, chronic overconsumption of carbohydrates causes constant, high insulin release. Over time, receptors become desensitized to insulin, a condition known as insulin resistance. The pancreas compensates by producing even more insulin to force glucose into cells. This state of hyperinsulinemia prevents lipolysis (fat breakdown) and encourages lipogenesis (fat storage), particularly visceral fat accumulation around organs, leading to cardiovascular risk, metabolic syndrome, and fatigue.

The Physical Action of Soluble Fiber and Gastric Gel Barriers

Soluble fiber matrices, such as the Biosphere fiber system, operate on physical and chemical principles in the gut. Upon hydration in the stomach, the fiber particles swell and form a thick, viscous gel. This gel slows down gastric emptying, delaying the transit of food into the duodenum. In the small intestine, the viscous gel acts as a physical barrier, trapping sugars and starch molecules. This slows down their exposure to digestive enzymes (like amylase) and delays their absorption across the intestinal microvilli. Consequently, glucose enters the bloodstream gradually over several hours, rather than in a sudden spike. This flat glucose curve prevents the subsequent crash in blood sugar, eliminating reactive hypoglycemia, reducing insulin demand, and helping maintain stable, long-lasting energy.

The Metabolic Pathway of Autophagy and Ketosis

During a 16-hour fast, the body transitions from an anabolic state (storing energy) to a catabolic state (mobilizing energy). As liver glycogen stores are depleted, insulin levels drop, and glucagon levels rise. This shift activates hormone-sensitive lipase, which breaks down triglycerides in adipose tissue into free fatty acids. These fatty acids are transported to the liver, where they undergo beta-oxidation to produce ketone bodies (acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate). Ketones cross the blood-brain barrier, providing an alternative fuel source that is more energy-efficient than glucose and produces fewer reactive oxygen species. Fasting also triggers autophagy, where cells degrade damaged mitochondria, misfolded proteins, and viral components. This cellular recycling promotes longevity, reduces inflammation, and restores metabolic health.

Chlorogenic Acids and Theobromine in Concentrated Yerba Mate

Concentrated Yerba Mate extracts, such as Unimate, contain a high concentration of bioactive phytochemicals that support metabolism and mental clarity. Chlorogenic acids are polyphenol antioxidants that inhibit glucose-6-phosphatase, an enzyme involved in hepatic glucose production, thereby helping regulate blood sugar levels. Theobromine, a methylxanthine also found in cacao, acts as a mild central nervous system stimulant and smooth muscle relaxant. Unlike caffeine, which can cause vasoconstriction and jittery energy crashes, theobromine promotes vasodilation and a sustained, calm focus. Additionally, saponins in Yerba Mate have anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering properties, supporting heart health and suppressing appetite during fasting windows.

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