What You Should Eat While Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting, as you probably know, is a type of eating pattern where you go 
through phases of eating and not eating. Not only do you need to know what you can 
have during the fasted state, but also how and when to eat when the eating period 
begins. This blog post is going to provide you with info for eating both while fasting and 
not fasting.

Don’t Overindulge

One of the biggest mistakes people make when following intermittent fasting is that they 
are counting the hours until they can eat, then they will overeat. The point is not to 
starve yourself for 20 hours just so you can binge eat for 4 hours. You want to stick to 
your normal diet, but eat in 2-3 larger meals, instead of constantly eating throughout the 
day. If you are restricting calories, continue to do so, but still stick to nutrient-dense 
meals. You want that food to fuel your body and sustain you for the next fasting phase.

Try No-Calorie Beverages

If you are just starting out with intermittent fasting, you might not know exactly what 
“fasting” entails. This does not mean you have absolutely nothing during the fasting 
window. Instead, you want to stay hydrated, so make sure you have plenty of water. 
You can also have no-calorie beverages like tea and coffee. Just be careful about what 
you add to your coffee. Some people allow themselves a splash of creamer in their 
coffee, since the calories is still extremely low, but try not to depend on that. If you really 
just want something else to drink like soda, stick to diet soda, but do not make this a 
habit either.

Stick to a Healthy Diet

Many people make the mistake of using intermittent fasting as an excuse to eat what 
they want, then fast, assuming it will balance out and they won’t gain weight. This is the 
absolute wrong mindset to have, plus, you aren’t going to gain all the wonderful benefits 
of intermittent fasting if you choose this method. When you are eating after fasting, ease 
into it slowly, starting with a normal-sized, healthy meal. Your meals during a shorter 
eating window should be as nutritious as possible, with lots of vitamins and minerals. 

Think lean protein, fruits and veggies, grains, nuts, and seeds. Yu may have one or two 
larger meals, but if you have gone 16-24 hours without a meal, you don’t want that first 
meal to be riddled with preservatives, sugar, and processed ingredients.

