The Best Foods to Break Your Intermittent Fast For Weight Loss [+3 FREE Recipes!!] (2024)

FAQs

The Best Foods to Break Your Intermittent Fast For Weight Loss [+3 FREE Recipes!!]? ›

Protein rich foods include eggs, cheese, greek yogurt, meat, fish, chicken, tempeh and lentils. Fat rich foods include avocado, dairy products, nuts, seeds, high quality oils and olives. Fiber rich foods include chia seeds, flax seeds, raspberries, artichoke, cacao nibs and other green veggies.

Soups that contain protein and easily digestible carbs, such as lentils, tofu, or pasta, can gently break a fast. Avoid soups made with heavy cream or a large amount of high-fiber, raw vegetables. Vegetables. Cooked, soft, starchy vegetables like potatoes can be good food options when breaking a fast.

Protein and vegetables

“A lot of people do intermittent fasting while following a keto diet, so this option is ideal for them.” Dr Shivdasani recommends a meal of paneer, tofu or egg scramble with vegetables on the side as carbs, along with handful of mixed nuts.

"For a standard 16:8 plan, one could break a fast with a low-glycemic meal of choice," says Ali Miller R.D., L.D., CDE, registered dietitian and functional medicine practitioner. "If you're going to have carbs, ensure that they're balanced with protein and fat.

When breaking a fast, aim to avoid foods that are highly processed and rich in sugar, fats, and calories, along with coffee, meat, nuts, seeds, legumes, and raw fruit and vegetables rich in fiber. Avoiding these foods will prevent you from overloading your digestive tract and incurring side effects.

Intermittent fasting methods

These are the most popular methods: The 16/8 method: Also called the Leangains protocol, this involves an 8-hour eating period and a 16-hour fasting period. Some people do this by skipping breakfast, but you can also do the reverse and skip dinner or eat early.

A 2023 review of research found that the 16/8 method and 16/8 combined with restricting calories were effective strategies for weight control in adults with overweight or obesity. An eating window starting before noon led to greater weight loss than one that began after noon.

Eggs have protein and other nutrients you need after you break a fast. They're also easy to digest.

Like veggies, cooked oats may be easier to digest, if you have a sensitive stomach, after a fast. Steer clear of instant or quick oats, they contain a lot less fibre due to their processing.

How can I speed up weight loss on intermittent fasting? ›

A person needs to decide on and adhere to a 12-hour fasting window every day. According to some researchers, fasting for 10–16 hours can cause the body to turn its fat stores into energy, which releases ketones into the bloodstream. This should encourage weight loss.

If you don't eat after dinner, then you could easily achieve a daily fast to help your body burn fat more efficiently. This type of fasting could work well for someone who tends to be a nighttime snacker. Another form of intermittent fasting is alternate day fasting.

You should opt for foods such as fish and lean meats, legumes, whole grains and fresh vegetables, among others such as those listed below. These are options that, in addition to being healthy, are easily digested, promote the maintenance of muscle mass and satiety [1].

If you've tried intermittent fasting but aren't losing weight, possible reasons why include overeating during your eating window and poor food choices. To help, you can try eating fewer calories, work on balancing your meals, or create a smaller or larger eating window.

No matter whether you enjoy them scrambled, boiled, or even cooked in an omelet, eggs can be a fantastic food to choose when breaking a fast. They are packed with high-quality protein, are relatively easy to tolerate, and are a nutritional powerhouse.

Best foods to eat while intermittent fasting

They include things like avocado, potatoes, cruciferous veggies, fish, seafood, whole grains, nuts, and fermented foods. It's also key to remember water as a part of your daily routine.

As previously stated, any amount of calories will, technically, break your fast. Even foods with extremely low calories, like celery, still contain fiber and other nutrients that could potentially trigger your body's digestive process.