Are you wondering what to eat while intermittent fasting to lose weight?
Make it easy on yourself and eat a variety of appetite suppressing foods to assist you in your intermittent fasting efforts.
The “key” is to focus on foods rich in fiber and protein.
One study showed that higher protein intake promoted satiety and was associated with greater feelings of fullness.
Fiber, a complex and varied macronutrient, also plays a big role in satiety.
One study showed that fiber affects satiety through its ability to bulk foods, increase viscosity, gel and ferment in the gut.
Foods high in fiber, like fruits and vegetables, are typically low in energy density and are found to promote satiety because of the way they are slowly digested.
Intermittent fasting is going to be hard to do, especially if you are adhering to the alternate day fasting, 24-hour fasts, the 20/4 fast, and the one I like to recommend, the 16/8 fast.
When you are fasting for an extended period of time, your mind is going to try to overpower your body, because that’s what it’s naturally going to do to survive.
If you are not eating appetite suppressing foods, it’s going to be a lot harder for you to stay consistent.
If there are times during your fast where you just have to eat something, make sure you reach for a food that promotes satiety and reduces hunger.
What are the 25 Appetite Suppressing Foods to Eat While Intermittent Fasting?
If you are going to use intermittent fasting as your eating protocol, eat these 25 appetite suppressing foods to accelerate your results:
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Banana
- Ginger
- Whey Protein
- Eggs
- Milk
- Avocado
- Apples
- Sweet Potatoes
- Dark Chocolate
- Oats
- Lean Meat
- Leafy Green Vegetables
- Cinnamon
- Flax Seed
- Whole Wheat Bread
- Beans
- Cottage Cheese
- Chickpeas
- Honey
- Grapefruit
- Celery
- Cayenne Pepper
- Greek Yogurt
What are some other ways to naturally suppress your appetite?
Besides a diet rich in protein in fiber, there are several other ways that will allow you to reduce hunger and assist you in successfully completing your intermittent fast.
- Drink Coffee
- One study showed that coffee increases the release of peptide YY (PYY), a hormone that’s produced in the gut in response to eating, endorsing a feeling of fullness.
- Drink Water Before Meals
- One study showed that drinking water before meals decreases the amount of food people ate by 22%. This means that if you typically eat a 1000 calorie meal for dinner, your going to eat about 220 calories less, pushing you down to 780 calories. The preloading of the stomach can help you feel fuller faster.
- Work Out
- Exercise is believed to lower the motivation to eat by reducing the activity level of the brain associated with food cravings. A great workout can also reduce hormone levels associated with feeling full. One study showed that despite higher energy expenditure with aerobic exercise compared with resistance exercise, there was no change in total energy intake from the post-exercise meal between trials.
- Sleep
- Getting an adequate amount of sleep is a great way to reduce hunger. One study showed that individuals who didn’t get enough sleep, increased their appetite by up to 24%. Sleep reduction is a determining factor in so many health-related issues, don’t let hunger and weight gain be one of them.
One of my favorite things to add to my intermittent fast is fasted cardio.
Fasted cardio is a great way to target and burn fat stores.
Doing fasted cardio early in the morning will not only get your day progressing in the right direction, it will enhance your mood, productivity, and it will get you in the habit of getting your cardio done early.
If you put it off for later in the day, it’s more likely that you won’t get it done at all.
Mix exercise in with your appetite suppressing foods, and your daily intermittent fast is much more likely to become a great success.
If you want to learn more about intermittent fasting check out my article on How to Intermittent Fast for Weight Loss
Summary: 25 Appetite Suppressing Foods to Eat While Intermittent Fasting
If you are looking for appetite suppressing foods to eat while intermittent fasting, it’s crucial that you stick to foods high in fiber and protein. I typically do my intermittent fast in the morning and evening. If I must cave and eat something during my daily fast, I try to stick with an apple, banana, or nuts. The protein and fiber in those items help me to carry on during the fasting hours and make it through to my 8-hour feeding window.
Have you tried any of these foods or drinks to help you on your intermittent fasting journey? Let me know what worked for you below!
