Intermittent fasting yields similar weight loss results as a restricted eating plan, as well as improved blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar levels, and other benefits, research suggests. Here are six tips to help you stick to intermittent fasting and reap those benefits.
Make a conscious effort to slow your eating pace on fasting days. Try listening to a guided meditation once daily, even for just five minutes. Short daily meditations help improve mindfulness and slow your pace, including during meals and snacks.
Research has found that eating slowly and taking small bites boosts fullness and reduces your calorie intake. Those strategies might help you stick to your healthy eating regimen, whether it’s intermittent fasting or another plan.
Timing matters. Think of your body like a car: You need to fill the gas tank before you go for a long drive, not the next day. Make sure you give your body enough food to fuel upcoming activities. Do not put more demands on your body with an intense workout if you are going to fast on those days. Instead, plan your fasting days to be your rest days. Plan to do some stretching or light yoga at the very most.
The difference between a car and your body is a car with no fuel will stop. You can push your under-nourished body to keep moving. Still, slogging through workouts will only wear your body out and increase your risk of injuries.
Certain foods keep you feeling full longer than others. Satiating nutrients generally include protein, healthy fat, and fiber.
Filling foods include:
Prioritize those foods on fasting days. For example, use EVOO to sauté or dress vegetables to significantly boost how full you feel after a meal and prevent lingering hunger. Olive oil is unlikely to break a fast if you limit your serving to one teaspoon, which has about 40 calories.
Large portions do not always mean more calories. It depends on what you are eating. For example, popcorn is a low-calorie snack full of filling fiber that is unlikely to break a fast. Three cups of popped popcorn, about the size of three baseballs, counts as one serving of whole grains. Still, that amount is much larger in volume than one-half cup of cooked brown rice, which is also one serving of whole grains.
Raw vegetables are another way to fill up your plate without blowing your calorie budget. One medium zucchini provides about 33 calories. Zucchini may serve as a generously sized “bed” for a serving of protein if you shred it with a box grater.
Other vegetables with low-calorie counts per cup to pair with protein include:
- Broccoli: 31 calories
- Grape tomatoes: 47 calories
- Spinach: 7 calories
- White mushrooms: 21 calories
There’s not one standard protocol for intermittent fasting, but many plans limit your total calories to just 500 on fasting days. It’s essential to prioritize food quality and get the most nutrition possible out of your meals and snacks. That means limiting processed foods and focusing on fresh fare.
You can technically afford to eat a 100-calorie snack pack of mini-chocolate chip cookies. It’s perfectly OK to enjoy sweet treats every now and then. Still, spending those same 100 calories on vegetables and an organic egg delivers a wide range of nutrients that your body needs for energy, healthy bones and teeth, immunity, and more.
You might experiment with herbs and spices and have fun discovering some new favorite combinations. Simply adding roasted garlic, fresh basil, and a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar can transform a vine-ripened tomato. Rosemary complements nearly any oven-roasted vegetable. A mix of lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro can jazz up anything from avocado to cauliflower.
Natural seasonings offer several benefits on fasting days, such as:
- Help reduce inflammation, which lowers the risk of chronic illnesses
- Make your meals and snacks flavorful, aromatic, and visually appealing without adding calories
- Pack antioxidants
