Thinking of intermittent fasting? Don’t know where to start? The first recommendation that you should know is that the ideal would be to go to a professional, since they will be the one who can best help you depending on your case. In this article we tell you everything you need to know before carrying out intermittent fasting with nutritionist Paola Cóser, who will give us the keys to understand this lifestyle and this type of diet much better.
The hours in which intermittent fasting should be done
- In intermittent fasting, as you already know, there is a time of day when you eat food, while at another time you don’t. It is a lifestyle that can be done for 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 or 20 hours without eating, which can be done every day or every other day. In short, it is a way of eating that will depend on the moment in which the person is and their needs. According to Paola Cóser, it would not be ideal, for example, to eat throughout the weekend and on Monday to fast for 16 hours, since the person who did this would feel some discomfort.
- Be that as it may, the benefits of intermittent fasting, if done well and according to Paola Cóser, would be noticeable from the first moment you start. Especially in terms of less intestinal inflammation, as well as a feeling of peace and tranquility in relation to food.
What to eat to break the fast? What can you consume during fasting?
- During the hours in which the fast is carried out (either 10 or 16), you can consume some liquid, for example herbal teas, coffee in normal amounts, vegetable broth, water, lemon or lime… All strained drinks, basically to not include any fiber, according to the nutritionist.
- As for which foods are the best to consume and thus break the fast, Paola tells us that it will depend on how many hours it is eaten and, above all, what would be the next meal that would have to be made. For example, in a 10-hour fast, perhaps the time of food intake coincides with mid-morning, and in this case, the ideal would be oatmeal, nuts or some type of fruit.
- If it is a longer fast and it is passed to food, the consumption of some vegetables is mainly recommended. Paola Coser also recommends quinoa because “it is a food with very good quality protein and is quickly digested.”
Rebound effect if intermittent fasting is done: yes, or no?
- Many people wonder if stopping intermittent fasting would have a rebound effect, as it happens with many other diets. Paola Cóser assures us that it does not have a rebound effect, as long as it is applied consistently: “if the person has a behavior of eating everything and then nothing, they will surely have weight gain.” However, if a fast is done consciously, listening to the body, there would not be this effect.
- You have to know what the person wants to do, because perhaps they no longer want to do this fast and want to incorporate more foods into their diet. In this sense, you have to know what foods are going to be incorporated, how it affects the body, do it gradually… The important thing is that the person listens to himself, because in the end intermittent fasting is a deep work that is done individually.
- And you, do you dare to do intermittent fasting now that you know everything you need to know before doing it? If you have more questions, do not hesitate to contact a professional or a nutritionist to find out what your case and your needs are.