The intermittent fasting diet plan is a nutritional system that involves regular refusal to eat food for a certain period. One of the more popular intervals is the 16/8 schedule – no food intake for 16 hours followed by 8 hours of healthy eating.
This kind of diet rule implies no breakfast, a hearty lunch, an afternoon snack, and an early dinner. Food is allowed only from noon to 8 pm. However, you can pick any eating window you like, following your daily routine.
The advantage of intermittent fasting is the normalization of metabolism and stable weight loss. If you need some tips to get started, then this article is for you. Let’s dive into details together!
Tips on How to Get Started
If you’re just starting to practice fasting, opt for a mild diet plan we’ve told you about previously. First, you should try a 14/10 fasting diet plan, which involves a 14-hour break and 10 hours of food. Start with breakfast and end with an early dinner, gradually moving the food window towards lunch. Listen to how you feel, and over time, you will find the time windows that work best for you.
Whichever schedule you choose, you need to be careful about what you eat. If you want to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight, avoid processed foods, fast carbs, and foods high in trans fats. Above all, your menu should consist of foods that support healthy blood sugar levels and limit insulin spikes. Such food provides long-term satiety without sudden spikes of hunger.
If your goal is to lose a lot of extra pounds, try the intermittent fasting keto diet. Combining low-carb, high-fat food with temporary abstinence from food will provide a stable appetite and speed up losing weight.
If you are experiencing acute periods of hunger, we recommend that you pay attention to bulletproof coffee, beloved by adherents of the keto diet. This is natural coffee with butter, coconut oil, or MCT oil. Thanks to caffeine and fatty acids, it does not interrupt fasting, blocks hunger, and provides you with a burst of energy and mental focus.
Carnivore Diet Meal Plan for Beginners
We’ve put together a weekly intermittent fasting plan to help you get started or diversify your diet if you’re already experienced in fasting.
Fasting for a Week: Detailed Plan
Intermittent fasting refers to an interval that is comfortable for you. Many people find it easier and more habitual to skip breakfast but difficult to refuse dinner after a hard day. Below is an example of an intermittent fasting menu for weight loss. There is no breakfast in this example, but you can easily pick snacks by adding cheese, eggs, or porridge to your taste.
Monday
- Lunch: baked eggplant, grilled meat
- Snack: yogurt, 1-2 fruits
- Dinner: vegetable salad with egg and tuna, a handful of fresh berries or nuts
Tuesday
- Lunch: chicken breast with baked vegetables
- Snack: tea, 1-2 fruits, a handful of nuts
- Dinner: meatballs with beans
Wednesday
- Lunch: grilled beef, vegetable salad with chia seeds
- Snack: bulletproof coffee, whole grain crisps with low-fat cheese
- Dinner: baked salmon with cauliflower puree
Thursday
- Lunch: quinoa with mushrooms and vegetables
- Snack: whole grain bread with grilled vegetables and soft cheese
- Dinner: shrimp vegetable salad
Friday
- Lunch: chicken with brown rice
- Snack: granola, yogurt, 2 dark chocolate pieces
- Dinner: baked turkey with vegetables
Saturday
- Lunch: vegetable salad with chicken and mushrooms
- Snack: fruit, yogurt, a handful of nuts
- Dinner: fish baked with vegetables
Sunday
- Lunch: whole grain pasta with beef stew
- Snack: yogurt, granola and berries
- Dinner: grilled seafood and fresh vegetables
Conclusion
Aside from some research indicating the benefits of fasting, the general recommendation is to eat a balanced diet regularly. It’s important to remember that a lot of the research has been based on obese but otherwise healthy adults, not people with various health problems.
5 Simple and Healthy Dinner Ideas for Weight Loss
Making small changes to your eating habits, mainly by avoiding foods high in saturated fat and sugar, is the best way to eat right and maintain a healthy weight. Try healthy eating and comfortable fasting, and you will be amazed by the results! We hope that our intermittent fasting food plan will help you get started.
