Intermittent fasting has quickly become one of the newest weight loss techniques, becoming immensely popular with some weight watchers and diet enthusiasts. According to its proponents, intermittent fasting may aid weight loss while simultaneously increasing energy and cognitive health benefits – something many intermittent fasters tout online about their successes with narrowing their eating window.
However, your food choices throughout the day can have a tremendous effect on how well you feel and perform during fasting periods.
Feeding yourself well will keep hunger at bay while providing essential nutrition. Tracking macros with MyFitnessPal can assist with this by tracking protein, fats and carbs to achieve balance between these categories of food.
On the flipside, certain foods can increase energy crashes and hunger levels – and can even prevent your fasting goals from being met.
Let’s delve into intermittent fasting diet advice to maximize our eating windows courtesy of one of our dietitians.
Prioritize Lean Proteins to Satiate Hunger and Support Muscle Growth
Include lean protein at each meal during intermittent fasting to keep yourself feeling satisfied while protecting and building muscle mass.(1) (1)
Protein is especially essential when trying to achieve fitness or weight loss goals, serving to keep you full while protecting lean muscle mass while building and repairing tissue during periods when caloric intake drops dramatically.(7)
Consume an array of lean, high-protein foods like:
Protein rich foods ensure your meals are filling and nutritionally complete, especially during fasts when exercise is involved. Incorporating enough protein can support muscle mass while aiding recovery after workouts too!
Protein-rich foods tend to be extremely satisfying and will keep you fuller for longer, which reduces your likelihood of overeating during each eating window throughout your day.(8)
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Considered before Starting Intermittent Fasting: 5 Scientific Considerations >.
Integrate Whole Grains for Sustained Energy Sources
Whole grains should be the cornerstone food group when intermittent fasting as they provide long-acting energy and keep hunger away more effectively than refined carbs (9)
Add these foods to your meals in order to have the best experience while intermittent fasting:
Brown Rice, Quinoa, Oatmeal and Whole Grain Bread all provide you with ample sources of fiber that provide sustained energy releases over time.
Whole grains can help combat energy crashes during fasting hours by stabilizing blood sugar levels through their fiber, so as to avoid sudden surges and drops that might disrupt appetite during fasting schedule. (2)(11)
Fiber-rich grains should form the cornerstone of your meals for optimal digestion and sustained fullness, and here you’ll learn how to track it like a dietitian!
Fill Your Plate With Nutritious Foods from Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables may seem innocuous enough at first glance, but their importance during intermittent fasting should never be underrated. They contain essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and water which provide both energy and hydration benefits – keeping you feeling refreshed throughout your fast.
At your meal time, pack in as many nutritious options as you can:
Leafy greens like spinach and kale provide vital nutrition.
Colorful Berries, Carrots and Broccoli for Decoration.
Sweet potatoes (in particular the yellow variety) provide high nutrient density without an abundance of calories, making them the ideal addition to a nutritious eating window. Their water content contributes to keeping us feeling hydrated while their fiber contributes to digestive health and fullness (3)
If weight loss is part of your health goal, try including vegetables as the foundation of each meal to boost volume while simultaneously controlling calories intake – this way you’ll stay satisfied throughout your fasting period (12).
Caroline Thomason is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with 12 years of experience working within her industry, being published in 40+ publications as a CPG consultant or advisor, speaker, broadcast spokesperson or recipe developer.
Joanna Gregg, MS, RD is the Food Data Curator at MyFitnessPal and received both her Bachelor and Master degrees from Georgia State University – where she also studied nutrition – as well as The University of Nebraska for graduate work on “Finding Balance Between Diet, Fitness & Healthy Lifestyle to Reach Optimize Health” respectively. As her mission statement indicates, this role at the MyFitnessPal website states. Her primary mission entails helping individuals discover ways to blend food, fitness and healthy living to reach optimal health – whatever their personal balance might be for optimal wellness.
Healthy Fats Help Manage and Satiate Weight.
Making healthy fats part of your daily diet can help ensure that you remain full during fasting times and provide sustainable energy levels.
Healthy fats are found in food sources like:
Avocados, Nuts, Seeds and Olive oil
Fatty fish is full of essential vitamins and nutrients for brain and heart health, including healthy fats that provide energy-dense satisfaction. Aim to consume one to two tablespoons per meal depending on your goals and caloric requirements (12).
Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish such as salmon or sardines can help to reduce inflammation while improving heart health. (12) Incorporating these fats at least twice each week into meals will make you feel fuller for longer and help manage hunger during fasting periods more effectively (13)
Stay Hydrated: Water and Calorie-Free Beverages
Hydration is of vital importance during fasting. Drinking enough water may help curb hunger and keep your body running efficiently; MyFitnessPal offers an app to track how much water is being consumed each day so that you stay properly hydrated.
Drinking enough water during fasting and feeding windows may help avoid many common fasting-related issues like:(5):
Headaches, Fatigue and Dehydration
In order to stay hydrated while fasting, try switching over to low or non-caloric drinks like water – which won’t break your fast while providing essential hydration benefits.
Be wary of sugary beverages with added calories that contain added sugars as these could affect blood sugar and undo any gains you are currently reaping from fasting. (14)
Foods to Limit: Processed and Sugary Snacks and Deep Fried Items.
While intermittent fasting may provide energy boosts and satisfy hunger cues, certain foods should be limited or avoided altogether to minimize adverse side effects on energy levels and satiation cues.
Ultra-processed snacks, sugary treats and deep-fried items often contain unhealthy fats, refined sugars and empty calories that lead to quick energy crashes and increased hunger (15). (15)
Some examples of foods to avoid:
Sugary Snacks: Candy, pastries, donuts and sweet cereals all fall under this category of snack items.
Ultra-processed snacks: Chips, packaged cookies and crackers
Sugary beverages: Sodas, sweetened coffee drinks and fruit juices with added sugar.
Deep-Fried Items: French Fries, Fried Chicken, Onion Rings and Battered Fish are some examples.
Pre-packed frozen meals: Pizza, microwave dinners and processed convenience foods
Refined carbs: Bread, pasta and pastries made with refined flour are among the refined carbohydrates to avoid.
(16) Eating foods like this could not only cause your fasting goals to fail but may also contribute to weight gain – effectively defeating its purpose for fasting. (16)
Instead, opt for nutritious whole food options, like homemade, balanced snacks made with whole grains and natural ingredients such as an apple with peanut butter, protein smoothie or cottage cheese with fruit as potential healthy snack choices to meet your weight goals more successfully. (17). For instance, opting for balanced snack combinations like these might better meet them! (17). For instance an apple and peanut butter pairing or cottage cheese with fruit are three examples of balanced snacks which could support weight goals more effectively. (17).
Fuel Your Body for Intermittent Fasting Success
Intermittent fasting requires careful nutrition choices within each eating window for best weight loss results and performance during intermittent fasting. Your nutritional choices play a pivotal role in how you feel and perform while fasting intermittently.
Tracking meals and snacks using MyFitnessPal during intermittent fasting may be a practical and sustainable solution to meeting your health goals. Don’t forget the Intermittent Tracking timer in MyFitnessPal to stay on track.
How MyFitnessPal Can Assist
Are You Curious About Intermittent Fasting or Do You Already Practice it? MyFitnessPal’s Premium Intermittent Fasting Tracker feature can assist – regardless if it is already part of your eating pattern or simply looking into its potential health advantages! With three fasting patterns tailored specifically towards lifestyle or goal preferences and customization features such as quickening alerts based on these three fasting styles – MyFitnessPal makes intermittent fasting simple!
Now you can track daily fasting periods in your diary alongside meals, water intake and exercise activities. Looking to give it a go? Are you up for giving fasting a try? Are you willing to give fasting a chance? Give it a go now.
Start a free MyFitnessPal Premium trial now!
Intermittent Fasting? Here Are Dietician-Recommended Foods You Should Focus On appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.
