Im trying to change my diet, and for now I’m just trying to make my portions smaller while doing 16:8. what’s the best foods/diet plan that you follow when breaking the fast?
I focus on eating a decent amount of vegetables and protein, low-ish carbs (and the carbs I do eat are only complex carbs like beans, oats, potatoes, etc), no added sugar, home-cooked 90% of the time, alcohol only once a week. I almost always break my fast with a large chopped salad made with mixed greens, crunchy veggies, chicken, and cheese.
I just do “low carb”. I don’t really measure it I just try to focus on eating other food when I’m hungry but add carbs in if they fit with the meal (usually dinner that my boyfriend makes.) I try to limit my alcohol and eat more fruit and veg. That’s really it. The small changes go a long way!
Start with protein. If you don’t get enough protein, you can’t add muscle. In fact your body will cannibalize itself to get that protein
Then vegetables. You need fiber or all that protein isn going to get jammed up. Then fruit. Enjoy nature’s candy
Then whole carbs and healthy fats, if you have room on your plate. No refined carbs, no fried fats
Find some good whole food supplements, research your health needs and goals and find supplements that support those goals. EEAs are a great place to start
Keto. Occasionally I will have low carb processed cookies or something like HiLo Dorito style chips. Love them but can’t find them at sams club anymore. I guess that’s a good thing. However my husband does not limit his highly processed foods or sweets and still loses on IF.
CICO without tracking macros other than protein because I want to preserve as much strength and muscle as possible. I still shoot for 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight daily and then the rest of my calories are usually a carb source (rice/potato) with a veggie. I prefer 3 smaller but balanced meals inside of my 8.
I am doing slow carb which I had never heard of before and I considered myself a diet aficionado.
It’s basically paleo plus beans. It still keeps you off of pasta and bread (my horrible addiction tbh) but you don’t suffer through low carb meals of JUST meat and vegetable - you get beans for a lower glycemic index carb source. Let’s be real beans aren’t nearly as good as rice or traditional white carbs but meh they do the job for me.
CICO, healthy, wholesome, ~30% protein, good fat, complex carbs, high fiber, sauerkraut, psyllium husk, vitamins and minerals, protein shakes when needed, no sugar and sweeteners, no alkohol, no coffee, no white flour, no processed food, no fast food, electrolytes during fasting window.
I don’t do low carb anymore. But I don’t eat dessert or products with significant refined sugar. I do allow some refined sugar in bread, condiments, or the like. I take psyllium fiber at the start and end of my eating window. I try to exercise every day - even if I can’t put in a full blown workout. I don’t count calories. I purposely add healthy foods and try to eat them before eating less healthy foods.
There has been something magic about the above combination for me. I don’t feel like I am dieting at all (low carb eventually bored me to death/started grossing me out and I got to the place where I just didn’t want to eat). My hunger when fasting is non-existent to very minimal. My body gets the signal that I am full when eating quicker, and I don’t overeat very often. I am satisfied after my one meal and a little fruit for dessert. My cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar are the best they have been in over a decade - even better than when eating low carb and being at a lower weight. It feels like I found some secret cheat.