Today we’re looking at fasting and what can fasting do for us exactly? Well, an app is certainly one way to make a lifestyle change a little smoother, so we’ll be using the Zero Fasting app to help us out a bit.
It’s fairly well known, though the market is relatively competitive right now, with apps like the Fastic app and Bodyfast becoming extremely popular. Here’s how we got on with Zero Fasting.
Zero Fasting App Review
In short, the Zero Fasting app is undoubtedly worth signing up for a free trial with – it’s a simple intermittent fasting app with a ton of different features you can take advantage of.
It’s a well designed application that integrates well with the other apps on your device, whether you’re an iPhone or Android user.
Just taking smoking for example. I’m not saying that fasting has any of those crazy side effects in fact almost everything is pointing to the opposite.
But just bear in mind there may be unforeseen effects that are only discovered 20 years in the future when someone’s been truly dedicated to this lifestyle for a good portion of their life.
Pros and Cons
Pros
First up, let’s start with the pros. The app itself has a solid user experience, and it’s extremely easy to use. This is one of the most important things for an intermittent fasting app, as many of them have similar experience to one another.
There’s only so many unique features you can add to a fasting app. So, getting ahead of the competition in terms of UX is one way to stand out (you can see Zero compared to others in our list of the best apps for intermittent fasting).
And like other fasting apps, the initial questionnaire you take when signing up is extremely important – it’ll help customize your experience, which can make using the app that little bit more impressive. It’s very simplified compared to other fasting apps but for some that is exactly what they want.
There’s a small fasting community within the app too, and it’s a solid choice if you want to lose weight (there are more weight gain options there too if that’s your goal).
Cons
The questionnaire, it was in the pros as well, but it does have a con. It feels like it could have asked a lot more to find out exactly who I am and how fasting may best help me.
Compared with other fasting apps it does feel like it’s putting you in a category rather than something that is tailor made for yourself.
Of course, no free app is going to tailor make things for every single user but it’s nice when things are done as specifically as possible when it comes to a lifestyle change.
The paid version… Now in this review we’re always looking at the free version first (we’ll have a section on what you get with the paid version) but when I first worked my way through the questionnaire and set up an account, I nearly thought that the paid option was the only option.
Once you’re done with the questionnaire the next step is to sign up for the 7 day free trial and then you’re paying after that.
There isn’t a mention of skipping or to choose the free version. It’s only when you back out of the payment option that you realise it’s not mandatory. Not the worst thing in the world but it felt a bit forced.
The questionnaire
One of the key components of any lifestyle app, especially one such as a fasting app, it making sure it feels as specific as possible to the individual using the app. No one wants to be put on someone else’s program and not get the results they are looking for.
To this end the questionnaire here was good enough to feel like it got me aimed at the goals I am interested in but not as specific as I personally would have liked.
This is going to be up to personal preference, if you’re looking for a simpler fasting app then this will be more for you but if you are looking for a more all-encompassing app then others may be offering something more your speed.
There are a few really nice parts of the questionnaire, while asking questions it also includes slides that are there to educate you on how fasting works great for those who are a bit unclear on the exact benefits.
Another detail is the addition of a page to introduce you to the experts who helped develop the app.
Tracking
If you go to your profile page once you have set up the app you can track a large range of different fields. Including, weight, average resting heart rate, average activity, average sleep and average fast time.
To do this you will need to either enter them manually or you can connect to the apple health app which will update them automatically. Pretty nice feature there, especially if you can sync it up with an apple watch.
Then the automation steps up to a level were you don’t need to manually upload very much at all. Nice and easy is the way to go for me so I’d highly recommend this set up if you’re able to do it.
As with all tracking this is a great way of keeping an eye on your progress, where you’re potentially slipping up if you notice certain days of the week you are less active.
Zero Plus
There are a number of benefits that you will gain if you choose the paid version of the app. As per there in app sales page you are getting; Guided fasting with a coach, advanced fasting statistics, new content weekly and a scientific approach from leading experts.
If any of these benefits sound like something you would be interested in then the paid version may be a better fit for you.
Something to note is that there is a 7-day free trial for this so I assume you are able to test it and cancel before actually being charged.
The charge is currently at £67.99 per year. As an annual fee this isn’t too bad, working out at just under £7 a month it’s a small addition to your monthly health costs such as the gym.
You will also notice a few other features which are locked behind the “plus” section of the app such as challenges, these could be a great way of keeping fasting entertaining so if you’re struggling with motivation this may be the way to go for you.
Common Questions about Zero Fasting
Is Zero Fasting free?
There is a free version of the Zero Fasting app that you can use to see if the app is to your liking. However, the paid version of the Zero Fasting app offers a lot more when it comes to features, so can be worth paying for if you’re planning to take your intermittent fasting journey seriously.
Is Zero a good app for fasting?
There are various different apps that you can choose from for intermittent fasting, but across the board, Zero Fasting is considered to be one of the better ones. Whilst it’s not perfect, it’s certainly better than many other free IF apps out there.
How does intermittent fasting work with Zero?
The intermittent fasting aspect is the same no matter what app you use – eat between specific windows during the day, and fast for the rest of it. Zero is intended to be used for the long term, which means you can use it as an accessory to help build long term habits whilst fasting.
Conclusion
In conclusion I’d have to say the app is fairly simple compared to other apps for the free version but adds a significant amount of depth if you choose to go the paid route.
At less than £70 a year if you’re serious about fasting or want to try the one-week free trial I’d suggest this as it can be frustrating when certain sections of the app don’t work because they are locked behind that pay wall.
The free version itself does everything you could want from a fasting app, you are able to accurately track your fasting time, so time until next meal and time that your fasts should start. Also your progress as your journey continues with fasting.
