Intermittent fasting is about practicing eating restrictions for a definite amount of time. This implies having a window for fasting as well as eating. There are various versions of this fasting practice and choosing the best one for you is of utmost importance. It could be for a whole day while this exercise goes on for a week or much longer.
Having made all these clear, one common question concerning intermittent fasting is how many calories will break your fast. The straightforward answer is that any amount of calories will break your intermittent fast.
But does that mean you cannot have any food during intermittent fasting? Well, this is where it gets a little trickier. Keep reading this article on IST Health’s nutrition segment for an expert answer to this question.
Summary
Will Eating During Fasts Prevent the Benefits of Fasting?
Eating during your intermittent fast may or may not stop you from enjoying the benefits of intermittent fasting. Some of the things that could determine if you would still enjoy the benefits of fasting include the following:
Reason for Fasting
So many people practice intermittent fasting for the sake of losing weight. Some studies and results prove a person can lose so much weight in a month with intermittent fasting. However, it is wrong to think weight loss is why everyone who indulges in intermittent fasting does so. As counterintuitive as it may sound, there are even cases where intermittent fasting is recommended for those who want to gain weight.
Some health experts go on to recommend a method or two of intermittent fasts to keep insulin and blood sugar levels low for some people. Besides weight loss and the other reasons pointed out here, there are other reasons as well.
What You Eat
Only some people can go on fasting without eating or drinking something at some point. The need to replenish energy is a reason for some. However, this does not warrant eating just anything. On this note, whatever food or drink is taken has to be a low-calorie option.
Eating or drinking something that contains fewer calories will help ensure that you still enjoy the benefits of intermittent fasting, as much as possible. So, watch what you eat.
Purified water remains the best thing to take during your intermittent fast. This is because it contains no amount of calories. But if you cannot deal with water alone, other drinks you can consider include coffee and tea. However, limit the number of calories in your coffee or tea. This is why it is best to consume it without milk, sugar, or cream. People who would rather go for something solid can eat meals like broth.
For the record, to enjoy maximum benefits from intermittent fasting, you should not only take note of what you eat or drink during the fasting window. Even when it is time for eating, your calorie intake levels should be low. This is because proper nutrition is also of the essence during the eating window.
This is especially for those who are supposed to use this fast to speed up the burning of excess fat in their body. So, your diet has to consist of the right foods.
How Much You Eat
You should respect every hour set aside for fasting. More often than not, this requires staying off food. But if you must eat, you should not only eat or drink the right foods or drinks (respectively), you should also consume them in the right measure.
The motive should not be to get filled up; as that would defeat the purpose of fasting in the first place. So, you should read serious meaning to how much you eat or drink, especially during the time set aside for your fasts.
Conclusion
Intermittent fasting in itself is meant to support healthy living. So, make sure you are in the clear to indulge in this exercise. This may require you to choose one of the intermittent fasting types that are best suited for you. For example, while fasting for a whole day and eating for some days may not be best for you, fasting for 8 hours and having your eating window for 5 hours afterward might be best for you.
We have other information on our website’s nutrition segment that you will find helpful. For example, you can find out if ginger ole is good for you.