- Intermittent fasting is a really healthy way
to boost your energy, achieve mental clarity,
and enhance focus, and lose weight.
Today, I want to share with you a simple way
to build your intermittent fasting meal plan,
the foods you should include and some epic recipes
to help you get started.
In this video, I am not going to explain the keto diet
or talk about net carbs.
I'm going to cut to the chase and share the foods I include
in my intermittent fasting meal plan
because they are fresh, they add a variety, and nutrition.
If this is your first time here, welcome.
I'm Laura, also known around these parts
as the internet mom that will teach you how to cook
for yourself and for your family.
And I've practiced intermittent fasting
for more than eight years with the help
of medical professionals, for different reasons.
I've also written about it extensively
on my website, in publications.
And I have a free download for you below this video,
that includes this food list I use to build my recipes,
and a link to the Intermittent Fasting for Beginners ebook.
Now, why is a meal plan important
when I'm intermittent fasting?
Well, like anything you want to achieve,
having a written plan will set you up
for success for the week.
Plus the plan translates into a shopping list,
so you know which foods to have on hand for the week.
When you have healthy foods available,
you can eat better and stick to your goals.
A meal plan does not have to be complicated,
and you do not need a different recipe
for every meal of the week.
That's overwhelming.
As you can see in my meal plan, I keep things really simple
by focusing on two or three recipes per meal.
So one breakfast I prep for a couple of days.
I can cook dinner once and turn that into a few lunches.
During your fasting window, you abstain from eating
and stick to drinking water and zero calorie drinks
like tea and black coffee.
During your eating window, whether it's a six hour,
8-hour, or a 10-hour eating window,
you can eat as many or as few meals as you like.
Depending on your lifestyle,
you may be a bigger meal person,
or more of a healthy smaller meals
throughout the day person.
This is 100% a personal preference,
there's no right or wrong way of doing it.
Now, I like to focus on the following foods
when I build my meal plan for the week;
lean proteins, fruits and vegetables,
carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
Some lean protein sources are chicken, pork,
beef, beans and legumes, dairy, eggs,
fish, and shellfish, and tofu.
Eating lean protein keeps you feeling full longer,
and it helps you maintain or build muscle.
When it comes to fruit,
I like to keep things very colorful.
So I get the most vitamins, micronutrients,
antioxidants, and fiber.
Some of fresh fruits to consider are apples,
all berries, cherries, peaches, plums, and melons,
fresh or frozen, both are acceptable.
Cup for cup, vegetables are some the most
micronutrient rich foods you can consume.
The bonus is that they are relatively low
in net carbohydrates, they are low in calories,
and they help keep things moving.
Whether you buy fresh or frozen vegetables,
it doesn't matter.
And some of my favorites are carrots,
broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, green beans,
brussel sprouts, kale, spinach, leafy greens, and cabbage.
Now, the great thing about veggies is
that they bulk up any meal with volume
without consuming large amount of calories.
Now, carbohydrates are not a guilty pleasure,
they are a necessity.
Your body depends on them to function properly.
Even if you're following a lower carb diet, you need them.
While fruits and veggies are sources of carbohydrates,
you'll want to add other carbs for both nutrition and fuel,
especially if you are working out.
Some great carbohydrates to consider are potatoes,
and sweet potatoes, oats, rice,
ancient grains like quinoa, and other whole grains.
The other element I make sure my meal plan also includes,
are healthy sources of fat.
Fats are essential to incorporate into a varied diet
because they help absorb many of the vitamins and minerals
the other foods provide.
This is where the term fat soluble comes from.
Some good ones to add at avocados, nuts and seeds,
coconut or MCT oil, butter or ghee,
egg yolks, salmon, sardines, olive oil,
avocado oil, for example.
Now it goes without saying that you'll want
to avoid as many processed foods as possible
if your goal is to incorporate intermittent fasting
into a healthy and varied diet.
These can include package snacks, cookies,
candy, sugary drinks, alcoholic drink,
sugary cereals, and sweetened coffees and teas.
They are not forbidden, but making them the norm
is not going to support your healthy eating style.
So if you look at my 7-day meal plan here
which, by the way, I'm going to include a link
to it below this video, there is both a lot
of variety of ingredients and colorful foods.
Now, one of my favorite ways of breaking my fast,
besides a cup of Bulletproof Coffee,
is with my breakfast salad.
I use leftover roasted vegetables on a bed of lettuce,
and I top it with a fried egg, so, so good.
Another delicious recipe you can meal prep
are mini quiches.
My Mediterranean chicken bowls are pretty epic,
and I know you're going to love them.
I'm going to leave links below this video for you
with some great recipes to build your meal plan,
and I hope to see you again.
I share a couple of new recipes a few times a week.
See you next time.
(upbeat music)