Intermittent fasting tips

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njabbasi
njabbasi Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all!
Just curious to see if you have any good tips for intermittent fasting? Like good things to eat before the fast to keep you full, lowcal but filling things to open the fast with, what to do when your stomach is super grumbly from the fast, etc.
Thanks!

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  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
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    Choose a fasting schedule and stick to it. And your body will reprogram itself.

    For example, if you're used to eating at 8am, 12pm and 6pm every day... your body knows when to expect food and it'll start getting hungry at those times.

    If you switch your schedule to eating at 1pm and 7pm, it'll take some time for those morning hunger pains to go away. So just keep it in mind and try to stick to it. The cravings will eventually disappear.

    Hot tea and broth are very helpful if you're feeling hungry. Fizzy flavoured water can be a good tummy-filler too.

    And it's definitely easier if you keep your mind busy. Browsing food pics and recipe sites will drive you crazy. Distract yourself with projects, reading, video games, walks, etc. Stay focused on something else.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Try to eat minimum of 100 to 150 grams of carbs per day. I try to eat starchy tubers at dinner. That way you have plenty of glycogen to keep you solidly out of ketosis until you eat again. I skip breakfast and drink hot coffee or tea if I'm hungry. I'm usually busy at work and don't notice it. At home I tend to notice it sooner and will sometimes break the fast a little early. I find it works well for me and I'm not hungry until its lunch time most days.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
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    bpotts44 wrote: »
    Try to eat minimum of 100 to 150 grams of carbs per day. I try to eat starchy tubers at dinner. That way you have plenty of glycogen to keep you solidly out of ketosis until you eat again. I skip breakfast and drink hot coffee or tea if I'm hungry. I'm usually busy at work and don't notice it. At home I tend to notice it sooner and will sometimes break the fast a little early. I find it works well for me and I'm not hungry until its lunch time most days.

    I do keto (20g carbs per day) and IF with no problem at all. In fact, I feel much less hungry on a low-carb diet than a high-carb one.

    I'm not saying OP has to eat low-carb, but it shouldn't be discounted.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    njabbasi wrote: »
    Hello all!
    Just curious to see if you have any good tips for intermittent fasting? Like good things to eat before the fast to keep you full, lowcal but filling things to open the fast with, what to do when your stomach is super grumbly from the fast, etc.
    Thanks!

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/49-intermittent-fasting

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100058-5-2-fasting
  • njabbasi
    njabbasi Posts: 8 Member
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    Thank you all for your help!!
    TeaBea wrote: »

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/49-intermittent-fasting

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100058-5-2-fasting

    @TeaBea I'm definitely going to look at those groups and join, I had no idea they even existed!
    toxikon wrote: »

    I do keto (20g carbs per day) and IF with no problem at all. In fact, I feel much less hungry on a low-carb diet than a high-carb one.

    I'm not saying OP has to eat low-carb, but it shouldn't be discounted.

    @toxikon I actually have been looking at Keto diets but I had a hard time figuring out what to snack on and that's actually what got me interested in IF! What does a day of your keto diet + fast look like?? I'm really interested!

    bpotts44 wrote: »
    Try to eat minimum of 100 to 150 grams of carbs per day. I try to eat starchy tubers at dinner. That way you have plenty of glycogen to keep you solidly out of ketosis until you eat again. I skip breakfast and drink hot coffee or tea if I'm hungry. I'm usually busy at work and don't notice it. At home I tend to notice it sooner and will sometimes break the fast a little early. I find it works well for me and I'm not hungry until its lunch time most days.

    @bpotts44 I find that I get hungrier when I'm at work!! I'm home I can keep myself busy but at work if I'm tired and sleepy is when I want to snack!! I like the tea idea! Have you had any negative experiences from eating late at night??
  • lauralee328
    lauralee328 Posts: 21 Member
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    I find that on fast days, soup is my best friend. I make a pureed cauliflower and onion soup with vegetable stock, skim milk, and wedges of laughing cow light swiss cheese. To that, I'll add a serving of lean protein and lots of veggies, and it makes a very satisfying dinner. Homemade cream of mushroom, tomato, or pureed squash also makes a filling base for a dinner soup. And I often eat a light chicken-vegetable soup for lunch. Without soups, I'm not sure I could do it, to be honest. Good luck!
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
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    njabbasi wrote: »
    @toxikon I actually have been looking at Keto diets but I had a hard time figuring out what to snack on and that's actually what got me interested in IF! What does a day of your keto diet + fast look like?? I'm really interested!

    I usually eat at about 1pm and 6pm. I'm staying at 1400 calories, so it's usually around 600 for lunch and 800 for dinner. I like having a bigger dinner because I hate feeling hungry when I'm trying to sleep!

    I usually do a big meal prep on Sundays so I have plenty of easy meals to grab during the week. I'll make things like casseroles, soups, quiches.

    At work, I keep a supply of cheese sticks and pepperoni sticks in the fridge, as well as some almonds at my desk. So for lunch I might have a bowl of leftover soup, a handful of almonds and a cheese stick and pepperoni stick.

    For dinner, I either have leftovers from my meal prep or something more fresh like a big salad, nice buttery seared steak or some roasted crispy-skin chicken thighs with a side of veggies.

    Here are some of my favourite things to make: jalapeno poppers (bacon, cream cheese and jalapenos - so easy!), cheesy chicken casseroles, deviled eggs, creamy roasted cauliflower, steamed broccoli with cheese sauce, casesar salads, hot wings with celery and ranch.

    You can also make a ton of keto-friendly desserts with almond flour, coconut flour, cream cheese, berries, whipped cream, erythritol/stevia for sweetener. And almond flour is great for faux-bread recipes.

    Some good recipe sites:
    https://www.ruled.me/keto-recipes/
    http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/

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