You likely get the gist of Intermittent Fasting ~ you fast for a bit and then you eat. Sounds pretty simple, right? However, if you ignore the eating window and break your fast with the wrong types of foods, you likely won't make any progress with your weight loss goals or possibly even gain weight.
So today I'm sharing my official Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss Food Pyramid to help point you in the right direction with the right types of foods that can support your goals.
This food pyramid has been adapted from my Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle that has helped thousands of men and women around the world with their weight loss goals.
Let's dive into it!
High Quality Protein
A high quality source of protein should be eaten at every single meal during the eating window, hence why it's at the very bottom of the food pyramid. This supports the body burning fat while maintaining muscle mass. In fact, one study found that a higher protein intake was better at burning fat and maintaining muscle mass than just calorie restriction.(1)
Great sources of high quality protein include beef, chicken, all fish, shellfish, eggs, greek yogurt, skyr, tempeh, edamame, zero sugar whey protein powder, lamb and pork.
Zero Sugar Liquids + Electrolytes
As you learn in the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle, it's very easy to lose a lot of water and sodium during the fast. (If you don't have the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle, make sure to grab it HERE for the step-by-step Intermittent Fasting details and 100+ recipes.) It's important to stick to zero sugar liquids like water, sparkling water, unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened coconut milk and herbal tea. Great sources of electrolytes include a high quality salt, like Redmonds Real Salt or Celtic Sea Salt or a zero sugar electrolyte replacement like LMNT.
A good rule of thumb is to aim to drink half your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weight 150 pounds, you could aim for about 75 ounces of water/liquids per day. If you're exercising, you likely need to add a bit more.
Non-Starchy Veggies, Herbs, Seasonings + Veggie Based Sauces
The next most important category are the non-starchy veggies, herbs, seasonings and veggie based sauces. These provide vitamins and minerals to support wellness during the weight loss process. You can also unlock sources of fiber to help boost satiety during the eating window by adding these to your meals. But don't forget about the herbs, seasonings and veggie based sauces! Without adding flavor to your meals, you will quickly get bored and revert to old habits that don't support your weight loss goals.
Get cozy with basil, pesto, mint, dill, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon and paprika for a huge boost of flavor. You can also make "veggie" based tomato sauces (yes, tomatoes aren't veggies, but they can still be used as a great sauce option) for homemade "pasta" and meatballs.
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Whole Fats, High Quality Oils, Butter + Certain "Flours"
All of these are sources of high quality fats. The "flours" I'm referring to specifically include almond flour and coconut flour. Fats help to boost satiety, stabilize blood sugar and help to prevent sugar cravings by boosting the satiety hormone CCK.(2) When paired with adequate protein, high quality fats also help the body to better recover from exercise.(3)
Great sources of fat include:
Fats naturally found in meat and dairy
Coconut oil, coconut meat
Nuts, nut butters
Seeds, seed butters
Fats naturally found in eggs
Olive oil
Grass-fed butter
Grass-fed ghee
Olives, olive oil
Tallow
Avocado
I love adding both fat and fiber into my meals by using chia seeds. Try my Summer Detox Chia Pudding recipe from the 2023 6 Week Summer Meal Plan to get your boost of chia!
Low Sugar Fruit
Low sugar fruit includes (but isn't limited to):
Raspberries
Blackberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Peach
Apricot
Lemon
Lime
Watermelon
Nectarine
Even though each of these fruits are fairly low in sugar, we still have it positioned higher up on the Intermittent Fasting Food Pyramid because it's not something that should be eaten at every single meal (if your goal is primarily weight loss). Using low sugar fruit is a great way to add a hint of sweetness to a meal, but it's also really easy to load up on a bit too much sugar by eating a lot of fruit. You can get examples of how to incorporate low sugar fruit into your meals depending on your goals with the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle HERE.
Coffee and Tea
Caffeinated coffee and tea can both be useful during the Intermittent Fast to help suppress hunger and boost energy levels. However, I've placed this at the very top of the food pyramid because you'll want to stick to no more than 1-2 cups per day. Too much caffeine can disrupt our sleep patterns and poor quality sleep is directly tied to weight gain around the belly.(4)
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"If Tolerated" Category
This final category does not fall into the actual food pyramid because it's highly dependent on the individual. Some people can tolerate these various food items and achieve their weight loss goals whereas others can't. It's important to explore these options and discover which can be included and which should be limited/avoided while you work toward your weight loss goal.
Whole Milk: If you're lactose intolerant or carb sensitive, then you'll want to avoid whole milk. If not, about 1 cup per day is a great option to get a boost of protein and calcium. Not sure if you're carb sensitive? Take my free quiz HERE to find out.
Starchy Foods: Healthier starchy foods like lentils, beans, chickpeas, corn and sweet potatoes can be a great addition in small amounts if you aren't carb sensitive. Even if you're a bit carb sensitive, most people can typically include a small serving at one meal a day and still make progress with their goals. However, if you're very carb sensitive or you find that you're not achieving your weight loss goals with these foods in your diet, then it might be time to experiment with removing them while you work toward your weight loss goals. On the flip side, if you're very active, you might fair better with a slightly larger serving of these starchy foods to help support muscle recovery. You can learn more about how to use starchy foods depending on your goals with the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle HERE.
High Sugar Fruits: These include fruits like bananas, mango and papaya. These are relatively high in sugar and very low in fiber. Same rule applies here as does with the starchy foods - if carb sensitive, you might want to stick to the low sugar fruits for now. If not, then you likely can incorporate up to 1/2 cup of these higher sugar fruits per day.
Zero Sugar Sweeteners: These include stevia and monk fruit. I've found most folks can tolerate a small amount of these zero sugar sweeteners in their protein powder or smoothies. However, it's important to not use these at every meal, otherwise it might shift the taste buds to crave more sugar throughout the day.
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❤️ Autumn
Autumn Elle Nutrition