I’m a Fasting Expert: This is the One Mistake That Destroys Fat Loss During IF

Intermittent fasting is undoubtedly one of the most popular dieting strategies of the 21st century. With over 17 years in this industry, I have witnessed several fitness fads come and go. However, I can confidently attest that intermittent fasting (IF) is here to stay.

IF involves cycling between windows of voluntary fasting and eating, with the 16:8 method being the most popular. This protocol involves fasting for 16 hours and eating within an eight-hour period.

While many people start 16:8 IF after learning about its scientifically proven weight loss and metabolism-boosting benefits, only a few can keep up with it due to the rigorous dedication and lifestyle changes it demands. (1)

On the other hand, people who stick to it for the long term often see delayed results because of one common mistake that destroys their fat loss progress: overeating during the feeding period.

In this article, I’ll decode how overeating during intermittent fasting can ruin your fat loss progress. You’ll also learn about the high-volume, high-protein meals that keep insulin and hunger stable and will take you toward your fitness goals.

Understanding Intermittent Fasting and Fat Loss

IF’s flexibility is one of the biggest reasons for its skyrocketing popularity. It doesn’t require you to count your calories or restrict your dietary choices. All you need to do is time your meals during the feeding window and refrain from eating for the remainder of the day.

Intermittent fasting mainly relies on creating a calorie deficit, which involves burning more calories than you consume, by giving you fewer opportunities to eat.

During the fasting window, your body taps into its stored glycogen reserves and then shifts to burning fat for fuel. This process, called fat oxidation, kicks your metabolism into high gear.

Science Behind IF’s Magic

Adopting IF can boost your insulin sensitivity over time. Lower insulin levels during fasting signal your body to burn fat. A study concludes that IF boosts fat breakdown by increasing norepinephrine levels in the body (2). Simultaneously, it spikes growth hormone production, enabling you to lean out while preserving muscle.

Overeating during IF works in a funny way.

When people realize they can only eat within a short period, their lizard brain kicks in, and they tend to stuff themselves with as much food as possible since there are no calorie restrictions.

It doesn’t end here. These folks usually stuff themselves with refined carbs, like pizza, sugary sodas, or white bread, to compensate for the periods of abstinence. These carbs can spike insulin, halt fat burning, and leave you starving faster than usual.

On the contrary, it is extremely hard to stuff yourself with high-protein meals or healthy fats, as they are dense and can make you feel satiated quickly.

Also, IF doesn’t give you the free pass to binge eat junk food. Loading up on empty calories can negate the calorie deficit and stall fat loss. You must be conscious of your food quality and portion control.

Why IF is Hooking Fitness Fans

Intermittent fasting is incredibly versatile and flexible. It allows you to choose your feeding and abstinence windows and eat what fits your goals and preferences. This makes it suitable even for folks with packed schedules.

Beyond weight loss, the proponents of this diet report better blood sugar control and reduced inflammation, making it a lifestyle, not just a diet.

The Biggest Mistake: Overeating Refined Carbs in the Feeding Window

As an IF practitioner, I can tell you that completing a fast gives you the same euphoria as an intense workout. Interestingly enough, you feel the same hunger. Your next step should be very calculated, as your muscles will soak up anything you give them.

Reach out for a sugary donut, a heaping plate of white pasta, or any other high-calorie, refined carb-heavy foods, and you can very well bid farewell to all your hard work.

You might feel that you’ve ‘earned’ them after fasting, but they will wreck all your progress.

But why do refined carbs disrupt your weight loss progress, you ask? There are two main reasons behind it.

Refined carbs are devoid of fiber and flood your bloodstream with glucose. This triggers a massive insulin surge, signaling your body to store fat, and not burn it.

These food sources are notoriously fast-digesting, leaving you starving within a few hours of eating. This leads to a vicious cycle where you eat more refined carbs to satisfy your hunger, wiping out the calorie deficit.

I know many people who ended up gaining weight after an eight-week IF protocol, and this affair with refined carbs usually turns out to be the most common reason for it.

It’s easy to devour 1,000 calories in one sitting when you’re eating junk food like burgers or pizzas. This puts you in a calorie surplus, resulting in subsequent weight and visceral fat gain, which can hamper your overall health and well-being.

Your fasting window sets the stage for expedited fat burning by lowering insulin and tapping into fat stores, but it all goes down the drain when you break your fast with refined carbs.

On the contrary, junk foods make you eat more than what your body needs. Worse, it makes you feel sluggish, bloated, and frustrated when the scale doesn’t move.

Why This Mistake Happens

You’re not alone if you feel the urge to snack on a bag of chips after completing a fast. Many of my clients battle the same dilemma every day, and these feelings are driven by psychological and physiological traps.

Prolonged fasting revs up your hunger hormones, which get your stomach rumbling after a fast. Your body and brain make quick energy sources like refined carbs look incredibly good at this point, as they hit your bloodstream fast and deliver instant gratification.

Refined carbs cause rapid blood sugar spikes, followed by sudden crashes. This can disrupt your hunger signals in the long term, making you grab more carbs to stabilize.

To add to this conundrum, our world makes refined carbs the easy choice. You’ll see fast food joints all around you, and grocery stores are packed with five-minute instant food choices that are loaded with additives, flavorants, and sodium.

Sadly, we live in a world that prioritizes convenience over quality nutrition.

Give in to this mix of hunger, cravings, and culture, and you’ll end up overeating refined carbs and frustrated when the scale stalls.

The Solution – High-Volume, High-Protein Meals

You need a game plan to ensure your feeding window doesn’t turn against you.

It all begins with planning your meals. If you have no plan, you’ll have no control over your body. You should ideally have all your meals determined at the beginning of the week. Whether you prep them on a single day comes down to time commitments and preferences, but having a plan is non-negotiable.

Your risk of binging on processed foods rises fourfold if you wing your meals. It’s not uncommon for people to feel too hungry to cook when they are planning their meals on the go. As you might have guessed, this never ends well.

The fix to maximize fat loss during IF is relatively simple: prioritize meals packed with protein and low-calorie, high-volume foods like vegetables and lean meats. This works in your favor in three ways:

• Protein stabilizes insulin and curbs hunger: High-protein foods keep insulin levels steady, keep you satiated for longer, and prevent fat storage. Focusing on these foods can reduce hunger hormones, helping you eat less naturally.
• High-volume foods fill you up: Veggies like broccoli or spinach take up space in your stomach without piling on calories. Eat a full plate of these foods at each meal, and you might still hit your calorie deficit goal.
• Muscle maintenance boosts metabolism: Protein is the darling of bodybuilders, as it helps build muscle mass and boosts metabolism, enabling you to burn fat even at rest.

High Volume & Protein Meal Ideas To Prevent Overeating

The best part about nutrient-dense meals is that they are easy to prep, making them suitable even for people with packed schedules.

Here are a few ideas that you can try this week:

• Grilled chicken breast with roasted zucchini and a sprinkle of quinoa.
• Greek yogurt topped with fresh berries and almonds.
• Turkey stir-fry with peppers and cauliflower rice.
• Baked salmon with steamed asparagus and a small sweet potato.
• Egg white scramble with spinach and mushrooms.

Additional Strategies to Optimize IF for Fat Loss

Here are a few strategies that can help keep cravings at bay while ensuring lasting results:

Track macros or calories at first

Anyone serious about their diet is always on top of their macros. You don’t have to track the macros of each meal daily. However, you must determine your ideal total daily calorie expenditure (TDEE), break it into suitable protein, carbs, and healthy fat targets, and devise a meal plan accordingly.

Use a calorie-tracking app like MyFitnessPal initially to ensure you’re staying within your daily calorie goals and heading in the right direction.

Practice mindful eating

Mindful eating has helped my clients cut portion sizes without feeling deprived. The first step toward mindful eating should be to skip distractions like TV while eating. It’s a total game changer.

Eating too quickly can also lead to overeating.

Slow down, chew your food thoroughly, and savor each bite. This helps your brain register the fullness signals, preventing the risk of piling on extra calories.

Time your meals smartly

Pick an IF protocol that works well with your schedule and lifestyle. Many are tempted to try a challenging variation like the 5:2 method, but its rigorous guidelines often push them into the overeating trap.

I advise my clients to start with an easier method, like the 12:12 protocol, and gradually increase the fasting window as they gain more experience and get comfortable dealing with a growling stomach.

You must then learn to time your meals according to your unique needs. For instance, people who have a physically intensive job and break their fast at noon should front-load complex carbs like oats for energy.

Experiment with different combinations until you find what works best for you.

Stay hydrated with electrolytes

Dehydration mimics hunger and can trick you into snacking during or just after ending your fast.

Sip water throughout the day to prevent the risk of dehydration. You could also add electrolytes like sodium or potassium to fasting hours, but make sure they don’t contain added sugars or other compounds that affect blood glucose levels, as they can break your fast.

Conclusion

Every meal counts when you’re fasting to sculpt a leaner physique, and overeating refined carbs can derail your progress. Prioritizing high-volume, high-protein meals and strategic planning during your feeding window can keep you feeling full and reduce the risk of binging on junk food.

Start with a couple of meals listed above and tweak the recipes and portion sizes to match your unique needs. Stay consistent and gradually replace every suboptimal meal in your diet to make the most of your feeding and fasting windows. Best of luck!

References:

1. Song DK, Kim YW. Beneficial effects of intermittent fasting: a narrative review. J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2023 Jan;40(1):4-11. doi: 10.12701/jyms.2022.00010. Epub 2022 Apr 4. PMID: 35368155; PMCID: PMC9946909.

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