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So you’ve checked out the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting and want to know if you can use it with your current diet.
Table of Contents
Combining Intermittent Fasting & Diets?
Intermittent fasting can be done with any diet – just plan your meals according to your chosen intermittent fasting method.
Here are some guidelines for popular diets.
Intermittent Fasting on a Low-Carb Diet
Popular low-carb diets include Atkins, keto, paleo, and whole30.
Incorporating intermittent fasting into a low-carb diet isn’t difficult.
Step 1: Choose your low-carb diet.
Step 2: Do your low-carb diet for a few weeks until you’re comfortable with it.
Step 3: Choose your intermittent fasting method.
Step 4: Incorporate your method into your diet.
The most popular form of fasting on a low-carb diet is to do the 16/8 method.
The challenge you’ll face on a low-carb diet is hunger. This sounds like a huge negative, but it can be corrected.
Low-carb diets involve eating very filling foods, this prevents hunger for long periods of time. The problem is that you may not eat enough during your non-fast time. This will lead to hunger during your fasted times.
The solution is to make sure that you eat close to the end of your non-fast time.
It is extremely popular for people to do the keto diet and intermittent fasting together. So popular, that I have an entire post dedicated solely to that. For more information on Keto and intermittent fasting, check out Intermittent Fasting with Keto.
Intermittent Fasting Diet Plan: 16/8 + Paleo
- Hour 4: Break your fast with something low-carb. After fasting for so long, you don’t want to spike your blood sugar.
- Hour 7: You’re no longer in a fasted state, and you still have hours of eating ahead of you. This is the time to eat your higher carb foods (such as fruit).
- Hour 11: You should try and eat as close to the end of the hour as possible. Remember, this is going to be the last thing you eat until tomorrow morning. Again, keep it high fat and low-carb.
- Snack: Snacks are completely optional. If you’re hungry, eat one. If you’re not, skip it.
Try one of these great paleo recipes:
Salmon with Avocado Salsa
This is a great option to break your fast. Filling but fresh, low-carb so it won't spike your blood sugar.
Total Time: ~20m
Nutritional information not provided.
Ingredients: salmon, olive oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, pepper, salt, avocado, tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice
Paleo Blueberry Banana Chia Smoothie
Your second ""meal"" of the day is a great time to try a delicious smoothie.
Total Time: Not given (estimated ~5m)
Nutritional information not provided.
Ingredients: chia seeds, almond milk, bananas, frozen blueberries
CHICKEN and BROCCOLI STIR-FRY
This is an excellent option to end your day with. Satisfying and filling to tide you over until tomorrow. Eat it with rice (real or cauliflower, your call).
Total Time: ~30m
Calories: 209
Fat: 8g
Carbs: 7g total (1g fiber)
Protein: 25g
Ingredients: chicken breasts, coconut aminos, arrowroot powder, baking soda, pepper, salt, olive oil, sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, chicken stock, garlic, ginger, scallions, broccoli
22 Paleo-friendly Snack Recipes
Snacks can be one of the hardest part of any diet. Here are 22 delicious snacks. Kick hunger's ass with one of them!
Intermittent Fasting on a Regional Diet
Popular regional diets include the Mediterranean diet and the Nordic diet.
Incorporating intermittent fasting into a regional diet is easy.
Step 1: Choose your regional diet.
Step 2: Do your regional diet for a few weeks until you’re comfortable with it.
Step 3: Choose your intermittent fasting method.
Step 4: Incorporate your method into your diet.
The most popular form of fasting on a regional diet is to do the 5:2 diet method.
Intermittent Fasting Diet Plan: 5:2 + Mediterranean
Check out this complete 7-Day Mediterranean+Keto Diet meal plan.
Or, check out these recipes for a Mediterranean Diet.
Greek Yogurt Recipes for a Mediterranean Diet Breakfast!
Check out these Greek Yogurt Recipes that you can enjoy on a Mediterranean Diet (or a different diet)! They’re delicious! Greek Yogurt Options + 7 Recipes!
Mediterranean Diet Recipes: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
20 mouthwatering Mediterranean Diet recipes. Get tasty Mediterranean Recipes you can make for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Why not try one today?
Easy Mediterranean Diet Snacks [Recipes & Amazon Options]
Fight hunger with Mediterranean Diet snacks! Click to find 25 tasty snacks available for purchase on Amazon and 7 recipes for snacks you can make yourself.
You can follow the diet as is, just skip two days of eating (not in a row, though). Or, feel free to add in a few healthy whole grains if you don’t care to be doing the keto part.
Intermittent Fasting on a Reduced Meat Diet.
Popular reduced meat diets include raw food, vegetarian, and vegan.
It’s not difficult to incorporate intermittent fasting into a reduced meat diet.
Step 1: Choose your reduced meat diet.
Step 2: Do your reduced meat diet for a few weeks until you’re comfortable with it.
Step 3: Choose your intermittent fasting method.
Step 4: Incorporate your method into your diet.
A popular form of fasting on a reduced meat diet is the crescendo method.
Intermittent Fasting Diet Plan: Crescendo + Vegetarian
Four days of the week, enjoy a normal (healthy) vegetarian diet. The other 3 days (not in a row), you’ll only eat during a four-hour window.
- Hour 4: Break your fast with something fairly low-carb. After fasting for so long, you don’t want to spike your blood sugar.
- Hour 7: You’re no longer in a fasted state, and you still have hours of eating ahead of you. This is the time to eat your higher carb foods (such as fruit).
- Hour 11: You should try and eat as close to the end of the hour as possible. Remember, this is going to be the last thing you eat until tomorrow morning. Try to stay moderately low-carb for this meal.
- Snack: Snacks are completely optional. If you’re hungry, eat one. If you’re not, skip it.
Try one of these great vegetarian recipes:
Vegetarian Power Bowls
Bowls are a great way to pack in the flavor. Try one of these extremely satisfying bowls!
Smoothie Recipes With Absolutely No Dairy
Try one of these amazing (dairy-free!) smoothies. It's a nice pick-me-up in the middle of your non-fasting time!
Vegetarian Dinner Recipes That Everyone Will LOVE!
Here are 20 vegetarian dinner recipes. You'll find one for whatever you're craving.
22 Ways To Get Your Vegan Snack Attack On
And 22 snacks that are vegan. Make sure you try one of these when you're hungry!
Intermittent Fasting on Other Popular Diets
Other popular diets include DASH and WW (Weight Watchers).
If you’re doing Weight Watchers and want to incorporate Intermittent Fasting, you need to be aware of how you use your points.
The hardest to keep track of would be the 5:2 diet method because calories and points aren’t the same.
Weight Watchers followers would do best on the 16/8 or the Eat-Stop-Eat method.
Whatever method you choose, you should severely restrict your ability to carry points over.
Intermittent Fasting Diet Plan: Eat-Stop-Eat + Weight Watchers
You can choose any two days (not in a row) to do your fast. Follow your regular weight watchers diet plan during the 5 non-fast days. On the 2 fast days, don’t eat.
Here are some excellent sample meals plans that you can use for your non-fast days:
7 Day Weight Watchers Menu Plan
This is a seven-day meal plan for weight watchers. Each day has 3 meals and uses a total of 8 to 20 points. You're expected to add in your own snacks, as needed.
Weight Watchers FreeStyle Plan One Week Menu Plan -
A customizable seven-day meal plan for weight watchers. This is designed for a family of four, but offers plenty of options to make it more suitable to your lifestyle.
On Weight Watchers? Try this 4-week Menu Plan!
This is four weeks of dinner recipes - all for 8 points of less. Many of these could be eaten for lunch (either made ahead or as leftovers).
Weight Watchers Freestyle Under 23 Point Menu Plan
A week of meals for weight watchers - every day under 23 points. Every day includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and one snack.
You Can do Both!
There’s no reason you can’t try intermittent fasting with whatever diet you’re currently on.
Try one of the suggested schedules above, or choose a different one. Share your choices in the comments.
Doing the Keto diet? Check out the Complete Guide to Doing Keto & Intermittent Fasting Together next
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