The Best Foods to Break Your Intermittent Fast For Weight Loss [+3 FREE Recipes!!] (2024)

Intermittent Fasting has a ton of benefits including improved insulin sensitivity and decreased bloating.(1) But these can stop short if you aren't optimizing your eating window with foods that will support your goal. Today, I'm sharing the best foods to break your intermittent fast, plus three free recipes to get you started!

See Also

15 Grab-n-Go Keto Breakfast Recipes That are Deliciously Guilt-Free5 Intermittent Fasting Recipes For Fat LossHarley Pasternak Blog for People.com; Healthy Breakfast Recipes11 Easy 1-Minute Flavored Keto Coffee Creamer Recipes

The Best Foods To Break An Intermittent Fast

If you break your fast with a high carbohydrate or high sugar meal (such as oatmeal with syrup, cereal or a high sugar açaí bowl), this will cause a spike in your blood glucose and therefore a spike in your storing hormone insulin. And if weight loss is your goal, then this is exactly opposite of what you are looking to achieve. Plus, this roller coaster of blood glucose levels leads you to crave more sugar packed foods, again working entirely against your goals in the first place.

Instead of this roller coaster effect, you want to optimize your meals with blood glucose stabilizing foods. This is where ensuring that your break-fast has protein, fat and fiber (as well as low sugar) is key. In fact, AENpeeps around the world utilize this component of proper Nutrient Timing within their eating window to help tap into fat burning, boost satiety and achieve their weight loss goals.

In fact, studies have found that meals focused on satiating foods, particularly those rich in protein, significantly boost fat burning mechanisms and help study participants achieve a weight loss goal without feeling hungry!(2)

Protein stimulates our satiety hormone called peptide YY, whereas fat largely stimulates the satiety hormone cholecystokinin, aka CCK.(3,4) This effect combined can help to stabilize blood glucose levels while reducing the urge to snack or eat between meals for multiple hours. Fiber helps to act on the stretch mechanism within our stomach and lets the brain know that we're satisfied and don't need to keep eating.

Protein rich foods include eggs, cheese, greek yogurt, meat, fish, chicken, tempeh and lentils.

Fat rich foods include avocado, dairy products, nuts, seeds, high quality oils and olives.

Fiber rich foods include chia seeds, flax seeds, raspberries, artichoke, cacao nibs and other green veggies.

Checkout these three recipes that utilize the blood glucose stabilizing principles of protein, fat and fiber!

PB + Banana Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients:

10 oz homemade coconut milk1/2 frozen banana1 scoop unflavored collagen 2 Tbsp. peanut butter 🥜 1 Tbsp. Chia seeds1 Tbsp. Flax seeds1 tsp. CinnamonPinch of sea salt

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Optional to top with cacao nibs.

Chia Brekky Bowl

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chia seeds14.5 oz. can full fat coconut milk1 cup unsweetened coconut milk from a carton (or make your own HERE)pinch of sea salt

Toppings (per serving):1/4 cup your favorite nut/seed mixture (I love cashews, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes and almonds!)

1/2 - 1 cup blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or strawberries

1. Combine chia seeds, coconut milk (can) and coconut milk (carton/homemade) and a pinch of sea salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine and allow the mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Split the chia pudding into 6 small glass mason jars to use throughout the week. Top with the listed toppings.

Curry Salad Wrap

Serves 2

Ingredients:

5 hard boiled eggs (or 6-8 oz. tempeh for a plant-based alternative), chopped

1 celery stalk, diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1 tsp. curry powder

2-3 Tbsp. cashews, chopped

2 Tbsp. sunflower seeds

2 Tbsp. real mayo (or unsweetened nut milk yogurt for a plant-based alternative)

pinch of sea salt

2 coconut wraps (I used Nuco)

Your Nutritionist,

Autumn

Autumn Elle Nutrition