Need meal ideas for 20/4 IF

peachezncreme

I need ideas for high calorie, low fat/carb meals/foods. I’m only 3 days into intermittent fasting 20/4 and I’m struggling to get all my calories in each day. I’m so full before my eating window ends and I don’t want to just I’ll up on junk calories. I aim to not go over 1200 calories daily. Prior to this I was doing a hybrid of 5:2 and 24 hr fasting.

If you have any ideas, I would love to hear them!

LyndaBSS

May I ask why you've got such a limited eating window and also why you're only eating 1200 calories?

cmriverside

I agree with Lynda. If it is difficult (and with only three days, maybe you just need to adjust, I don't know...) then maybe it's not for you?

As far as what to eat - that is also up to you.

I could easily eat my 1700 calories in four hours, AAMOF, sometimes I do just that!

Here's the calorie-dense foods thread: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods

So maybe eat some of them. I would think you could pick some that are low volume like nuts and oils.

cmriverside

Here's the One Meal A Day group, they probably have a lot of ideas:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/20634-omad-revolution

mtamashiro

I started doing one meal a day a year ago and the first couple days I struggled to even eat 1000 calories (typically I shoot for 1800-2200 a day). I was trying to hit my macro and calorie goal and wasn't able to do it. I pushed my eating window out a bit so I could get in all my calories then slowly started closing it until I was just eating it all within one meal. It took me a couple weeks to get used to it.

I mainly eat one meal for the convince and the fact that I like feeling full when I go to sleep at night.

Also, any reason why you are doing low carb and low fat? The only option you have left is high protein. The easiest thing I can think of to get down that's both low carb and low fat is a whey protein shake (or pea protein if you are vegan).

kimny72

mtamashiro wrote: »

I started doing one meal a day a year ago and the first couple days I struggled to even eat 1000 calories (typically I shoot for 1800-2200 a day). I was trying to hit my macro and calorie goal and wasn't able to do it. I pushed my eating window out a bit so I could get in all my calories then slowly started closing it until I was just eating it all within one meal. It took me a couple weeks to get used to it.

I mainly eat one meal for the convince and the fact that I like feeling full when I go to sleep at night.

Also, any reason why you are doing low carb and low fat? The only option you have left is high protein. The easiest thing I can think of to get down that's both low carb and low fat is a whey protein shake (or pea protein if you are vegan).

I second the bolded. Carbs and fats don't make anything "junk calories" and high protein can be very filling for the calories and also difficult for some folks to digest. Insisting on getting most of calories from protein in a short window is kind of making it as difficult as possible, and probably for no good reason.

Oats, rice, cooking oil, full fat salad dressing, nut butters, full fat dairy are all great ways to add some calories with minimal volume. But none of them would fit your parameters.

NovusDies

peachezncreme wrote: »

I need ideas for high calorie, low fat/carb meals/foods. I’m only 3 days into intermittent fasting 20/4 and I’m struggling to get all my calories in each day. I’m so full before my eating window ends and I don’t want to just I’ll up on junk calories. I aim to not go over 1200 calories daily. Prior to this I was doing a hybrid of 5:2 and 24 hr fasting.

If you have any ideas, I would love to hear them!

My idea would be to not do this plan.

Why are you piling on restrictions? If you want to lose weight all you need is a calorie deficit. You will not lose weight any faster with macro control and increased fasting.

Unless you have a medical reasons for these macros the word "struggling" should be your cue to simplify and do something easier. You don't get any extra bonus points for climbing a mountain with rocks in your backpack.

rbsjsikan

Eating fat doesn’t make you fat. If you are going low carb you NEED fat to fuel you and keep you full.

lemurcat2

Why are you trying to eat low carb and low fat? Or is it just that you are aiming for something like 100 g protein and figure that splitting fat and carbs into 800 cal = low fat and low carb. If the latter, okay (assuming 1200 is right for you), but otherwise it's generally not advisable to try to do both low carb and low fat.

duskyjewel

Only allowing oneself to eat during 4 hours of the day and also low carb, low fat, and only 1200 calories, but struggling to even eat that?

This story is going to end in the ER.

MelanieCN77

Why did you choose 20/4 and then upon finding it so difficult, does it seem smart to try to stick to it?