Intermittent fasting is a schedule for eating that is aimed to help you lose weight. There are a few different schedules that people use but the most popular is 16/8. You will not be allowed to eat for 16 hours a day but you can eat freely for 8 hours a day.
Losing weight isn’t easy but if you know what intermittent fasting 16/8 foods to eat you can succeed at your weight loss goals for good. There is so much to learn about intermittent fasting. But little of what you learn will be focused on the food.
The main goal of intermittent fasting is to provide you with an eating schedule. Most people find it easier to combine other diets with intermittent fasting. Think of it as eating low carb or reducing refined carbohydrates during eating hours.
But there are some general rules for what to eat with intermittent fasting if you want a more customized experience. Intermittent fasting 16/8 foods to eat will help you lose weight.
Intermittent Fasting 16/8 Foods | Fruits
Any healthy diet requires the consumption of plenty of natural foods. Fruits are natural foods that are packed with nutrients that will help you lose weight. But there are some fruits that make the cut for intermittent fasting that may surprise you.
Of course, any fruit will be good for your diet but there are a few fruits that are very important
Avocados
Avocados have a bad rep due to the high-calorie content in each avocado. But the goal is to make the food you eat to keep you feeling full for longer. The longer you feel full, the easier the 16 hours will be. Avocados are very satiating.
In fact, all you need to do is add half an avocado to your lunch to feel full for hours more than you would without.
Berries
All fruits are important and you should eat as many as possible within your 8-hour period. But strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are two of the most important fruits you can eat. These berries are packed with antioxidants that will help you lose weight.
Studies are always changing and we’re always learning. But there was a study was done that resulted in people eating these berries have a smaller increase in BMI over those who didn’t.
Papaya
Eating things specifically to make yourself feel full is important. Especially as you get closer to that last eating hour. Papaya has a special enzyme in it called papain which breaks protein down. Your diet should be protein-heavy while intermittent fasting and that means you will need some help digesting that protein.
Eat a few papaya chunks towards the end of your eating hours to help with digestion and bloating.
Intermittent Fasting 16/8 Foods | Veggies
Veggies are another item that you can eat while intermittent fasting. However, like fruits, there are some veggies that stand out above the rest. These vegetables will help you make it through your non-eating hours with ease. There is also the clear benefit of the nutrients you get from veggies.
Legumes
Whether you believe beans are a fruit or veggie, none of us can deny that they are legumes. Legumes are a type of vegetable that includes beans, peas, green beans, and lentils. All of these are perfect for you during intermittent fasting.
What you get from legumes is a whole lot of fiber and we all could be eating more fiber. You could also use chickpeas, black beans, and soybeans to get similar nutrients.
Potatoes
Potatoes help a lot with weight loss. Not because of the nutrients, though they do have nutrients. But because potatoes are a light starch that won’t stick to your weightier areas. Potatoes are also used by the body to fuel good bacteria in your gut which keeps things moving.
Just avoid fried potatoes in every way possible. Baked or boiled is perfect.
Broccoli
We want to keep the fiber going with more greenery. Broccoli is filled with fiber and that will help you with your 16-hour stint. Of course, we all know what fiber is used for and we want to keep that part of your day regular even with a new eating schedule. You could also include Brussels sprouts and cauliflower to that list as well.
Intermittent Fasting 16/8 Foods | Grains
A lot of diets ask you to stop eating grains in general. This is because the main source of grains people eat is from bread. But there are other ways to eat grains that can make them a healthy option. Once you know how to eat grains you can better use them to eat for weight loss.
Seitan
Protein, protein, protein. Protein is very important while your intermittent fast. If you are looking for a red meat alternative, you could be eating seitan. Seitan is a concoction similar to tofu meaning it comes from natural ingredients but doesn’t grow on a tree.
People also call seitan “wheat-meat” as is made from plant-based protein substitutes like wheat. You can make seitan and then cook it however you’d like from battered to baked.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are so much healthier for you than refined grains. Farro, bulgur, Kamut, amaranth, millet, sorghum, or freekeh all count as whole grains that you can enjoy. You will get the protein you want plus get a metabolism boost from these whole grains.
Intermittent Fasting 16/8 Foods | Meat
No one is telling you that you need to become a vegan in order to lose weight. However, studies have shown that meat is just not as healthy for us as we thought. Meat tastes great but the more proteins we can get from other sources the better. Still, there is no need to cut out all meats. Instead, you could just eat better meat.
Fish
Dietary guidelines dictate that we all should be eating at least 8-ounces of fish per week. Fish is packed with proteins, healthy fats, and vitamin D. It is important that you get all of the nutrients you can from the food you eat within your 8-hour period.
After all, that food needs to keep you healthy throughout the day. The type of fish doesn’t even matter in most cases but salmon is always a safe bet.
Beef
Beef doesn’t have as much protein as other meats but there is still some there. In fact, you could still eat red meat while intermittent fasting. The secret is moderation. In fact, the best way to eat red meat like beef while intermittent fasting is with keto diet plans.
You could use keto or even paleo diet plans while fasting and still get results. Actually, it is encouraged to utilize existing diets like those when intermittent fasting.
Chicken
Chicken is obviously a healthier option when it comes to meat and losing weight. You can cook chicken so many different ways with so many different flavors and the health benefits are still the same. Once again, you will want to stick to existing diet plans when eating chicken.
But you don’t have to. You could use modified recipes to help you through the diet while you also enjoy chicken. When you’re trying to lose weight, the goal is to eat lean meats as much as possible. The leaner, the better.
More Intermittent Fasting
Easy Salad Recipes for Work | Intermittent Fasting Friendly | Salads can be a great way to get a healthy lunch in at work.
Intermittent Fasting Lunch Recipes with Chicken | Chicken is such a versatile meat that can be cooked in many different ways and fits into your fasting plans.
Intermittent Fasting Hours: Plans and Hours to Eat | There isn’t just one way to do intermittent fasting, there are other schedules you can follow as well.
Healthy Salad Recipes for Intermittent Fasting | Did we mention how important salad recipes are to getting healthy and losing weight?
Why Does Intermittent Fasting Work? | Some people are still not convinced, but there is a science to how this works.
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