Intermittent Fasting: When and What to Eat | El Paso Specialist

For the majority of individuals, fasting all day and then having a good evening meal is the best strategy for a fast day. A small calorie allowance on fast times is of 500-600 calories. A single 500 calorie meal can be very substantial, but you may be able to possess mini-meals if you try to spread the calories more than dinner, lunch and breakfast.

Most men and women find that eating just a small amount only cures the hunger pangs for a brief time and actually makes them hungrier for the rest of the day, therefore it is generally best to avoid snacking on fast days and spare your calories until you can have a full healthy meal.

In addition to being easier for many people, waiting to eat before is also more effective for weight loss, as you will have fasted for longer. A survey inquired into the factors that influence weight loss on the 5:2 diet has proven this. The analysis of our survey questionnaire discovered that fasting for over 20 hours on a fast day led to a greater weight loss than fasting for less than 16 hours. There are lots of possible scientific explanations for why this could be.

Some snacks you may find hit a bit of a low point at about 4 pm. A drink or a snack that is small may be the answer. In case you have problems with not sleeping well on a fast day, saving some calories may be the solution.

You make the rules here: should fasting daily does not suit you, don't feel you need to follow this advice. You may discover that you would rather eat a small breakfast, skip lunch and then have dinner. Or maybe you prefer to skip breakfast, have dinner and a lunch. Or possibly a big lunch and a fast day snack suits you best. Together with the fasting way of eating, whatever works best for you is the best response.

Period your eating window: if you're following an eating window intermittent fasting method, for example 16:8, you already understand when you need to eat: throughout your eating window. But, you do have to choose when that window should start and finish. Theoretically, if you're currently following the 16:8 plan your window could open at 4 pm and complete your last meal at midnight. However, it may be wise to not leave it. The reason is that our bodies are intended to go at the end of the day into repair and rest mode: eating late in the day interferes with the rhythms of our own bodies' hormones and might affect our health. It's not known if fat loss slows or influences our health in different ways but until we understand more, it's probably better to attempt and avoid eating late at night. This allows your body to digest your meal and start the process of preparing for the night-time repair period. However, as always, it works for you and should you need to eat afterwards or prefer, then you should do.

What to Eat on a Fast Day?

How can you make the most of your calorie allowance on a fast day?

1) Choose higher protein meals, which allow you to feel full for longer. As protein is high in calories you cannot have a huge amount to your 500 calories however make protein your source of carbs.

2) Fill up your plate with low calorie vegetables: they fill your belly, taste good and do you good. Steam them, oven-roast with a tsp of oil, or stir-fry and add some spices or flavourings to make a filling meal that is delicious. Or have them raw into a salad that is big.

3) Maintain carbohydrates to a minimal: they are packed with calories and make you feel hungry again quickly. Examples of carbohydrate-containing foods to avoid are: potatoes, sweet potato, pasrsnips, rice, pasta, bread, some fruits (bananas, grapes, melon, prunes, raisins, dates and other dried fruits), breakfast cereals, fruit juice, corn-on-the-cob/sweetcorn and anything including sugar, honey or other syrups.

4) Don't be afraid of fat: although fat is high in calories, it allows you to feel complete. Small amounts of fat in your fast day food should be included as well.

Though the suggested calorie allowance of 500 calories for girls; 600 calories for guys is not so stringent that it really matters if you go over or below the allowance by a little, you will have to weigh or measure at least the high-calorie ingredients in your recipes and also workout the calorie content.

How to Eat on Non-Fast Days?

On non-fast times you are free to eat whatever you like. Though, of course, when you want to lose weight, perhaps not as much as you fancy. And, strange though it may seem, your appetite will be probably reduced by the fast days rather than increasing it. You will find you are not particularly hungry about the day after a fast. There's no need to consume a lot if you don't feel like it! It is fine to wait until you are hungry before consuming on a non-fast day.

Your tastes can change so that you no longer feel cravings for sweet, sugary foods. You may understand hunger better and find you snack less and can wait for supper times without worrying about when it will be time for you to eat.

These kinds of changes won't happen immediately. Your desire on days may vary greatly. You may find that you have non-fast days when you are hungry and eat a lot. Many people experience this in the early days. Do not worry if this happens, only concentrate on sticking with the fasts. Following 6 weeks of fasting, you aren't losing any weight, and if you are still having issues with overeating, consider changing your strategy that is fasting or to make changes. 

You should plan to eat normally on non-fast days. Intermittent fasting's pleasure is that you can spend the majority of your time feeling free of anxiety about food, while controlling your weight and residing in a wholesome way. Some people restrict their calories in their non-fast times in an effort to speed up weight reduction. While this may work in the short term, it's probably not such a fantastic idea in the long run. If you do not have your days of normal eating you will probably feel deprived of your favorite foods and create 'diet exhaustion'.

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By Dr. Alex Jimenez