Choosing the Right Foods for Your Pantry While Intermittent Fasting

Melissa McAllister, creator of the MADE DIET

You’ve probably already started your intermittent fasting (IF), but you have no idea if you are eating the “right” foods. Well, before you start your intermittent fasting journey, here are some must-have foods for your pantry.

Just to clear things up, intermittent fasting is not a diet plan. It’s an eating pattern. It doesn’t mention what types of foods you are supposed to include in your meal plan, just when you can and can’t eat, and there’s even flexibility in that too! So getting the right foods in your pantry is important.

It’s easy to get confused about it all. You are definitely not alone.

At the same time, some of the information out there about intermittent fasting gives people false ideas that they can splurge on anything they want as long as they do it within the eating period. Well, not that’s not exactly true!

What are the right food choices when I’m Intermittent Fasting?

While there are no dietary restrictions in implementing intermittent fasting, it is very important to keep eating healthy foods. Choosing the RIGHT foods can also help you feel full for a longer period of time, lowering the chances of you breaking your fast. So choosing healthy foods is a win-win.

Whether you are doing intermittent fasting or not, it’s always best to eat a balance of lean proteins, healthy fats, and veggies. That’s just Healthy Eating 101!!

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring. Make sure to cook flavorful, delicious meals that you can actually enjoy. Eat your meals slowly until you are satisfied. Take your time to savor each bite. Intermittent fasting doesn’t mean denying yourself food!

Since we’re talking about healthy eating, I should mention that even though no one likes to hear this advice, avoid processed foods whenever you can, especially foods high in sugar. They might taste great “in the moment,” but your health will suffer in the long run.

To make the first few weeks of intermittent fasting easier for you, here’s a list of essential IF food items that can help keep you stay healthy, and also help you stay on track during your weight loss journey.

Proteins

Aside from maintaining and building muscle mass, proteins boost metabolism and increase satiety. Yes! They keep you full longer.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, but it varies depending on age, sex, and physical activity levels.

For a 50-year-old, it translates to roughly 44 grams of protein per day.

Here are some good healthy protein sources:

Note: Eat as clean as possible. Organic and grass-fed is best.

Poultry: chicken, turkey, etc.
Beef
Eggs, the whole egg.
Pork loin
Plain yogurt
Shellfish and Wild Caught Sustainable Fish and Shellfish such as Shrimp,
Trout, Haddock, Salmon, Lobster, Scallops, etc.
Nuts, such as Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Cashews, Coconuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Pine Nuts, Pistachios, Seeds, Macadamia Nuts.

Veggies

You can’t go wrong with increasing your vegetable intake!

They are typically packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that can help control blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol levels, and improve gut health. They can also reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer!

Aside from these, vegetables are also low in calories (although I’m not a fan of COUNTING calories), so it’s a good way to fill up your plate every day. It is recommended to eat 2.5 cups of vegetables daily, but I say, if you want to do, even more, that’s good too. 😉

Here are some veggies you can easily add to your meals:

Asparagus
Brussels sprouts
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Broccolini
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Eggplant
Cucumber
Eggplant
Jimaca
Greens: arugula, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, etc.
Peppers (Bell and Hot)
Kale
Green and Yellow Beans

Healthy fats

You might have seen different kinds of fat on food labels and wondered what the differences are. As a rule of thumb, trans fat should be avoided at all times, while saturated fats are actually NOT bad for you. There were some studies done in the 50s and 60s “linking” saturated fat to heart disease, and unfortunately, many people still believe this today, even though it has been debunked. In reality, saturated fat is good for you! (Saturated fat particles are big and don’t stick to your arteries.)

You’ve also got monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These can reduce the risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure. And they also help keep you feeling full longer.

Try consuming more of these healthy fats:

Avocado
Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Organic Butter, REAL BUTTER not margarine!
Extra Virgin Olive oil, Organic if available
Grass-Fed Tallow
Seeds: chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, etc.
Sesame oil
Ghee

Friendly reminder!

**The Made Diet, by Melissa McAllister**

Intermittent fasting is never an excuse to ditch healthy eating.

Prepare healthy, balanced meals in bulk and meal plan when you can because it will save you time later on, and make it easier to choose your pre-prepared meals instead of reaching for those sugary snacks that might set your new health journey back.! 😉 It’s never a good idea to just grab something. Plan ahead and stock healthy options in your pantry.

When hunger strikes during your fast, help yourself to a cup of water, unsweetened tea, low acid coffee, unsweetened nut milk, unsweetened coconut milk, organic bone broth

You’ve Got This!

For more help and information on Intermittent Fasting, and my very own MADE DIET, CLICK HERE.

Also please visit my website for fun and helpful health and nutrition information.

I would love to hear from you!