Since my last post, I got many questions about intermittent fasting and how one can control hunger pangs. Here is what I found useful and works in the long run.
- Always remember, your goal is CALORIE DEFICIT. You will not get any benefit from intermittent fasting if you are overeating during your eating period. I do 16:8 when it comes to intermittent fasting – which means I only eat for 8 hours, and I don’t eat for 16 hours. It works great for a busy professional as I am always skipping a meal – breakfast or dinner.
- That said, I still eat around 900 calories. I get these questions a lot – how do you know what calories you need to lose weight? These two sites are my fave – Healthy Weight Forum and Calculator.net. Once you enter your information, you will know how many calories you will need to lose weight.
- Eating less is uncomfortable. There is no way around it. Here are a few things you can do to keep your mind off the food –
- Work – do something that is not food-related. I am much more controlled when I go to the office or work on a project.
- Social Media – if your work revolves around food, try not to open social media during the fasting period and not drool. I always crave something unhealthy such as chips and chocolates, if I am opening Instagram during my fasting period. These urges are not easy to control.
- To keep my mind off the food, I often watch TV rather than scrolling through Instagram or Facebook.
- Drinking helps. Opt for 0 calorie beverages such as – water, tea, black coffee – you get it!
Also, what you are eating is very important for a calorie deficit diet. Empty carbs such as Pasta, Rice will not make you full. I always crave for more if I am eating just carbs. This is why I add protein to all my meals.
Nisha Vora from Rainbow Plant Life has an amazing guide on Vegan diet – https://rainbowplantlife.com/category/lifestyle/veganism/
