Everything You Need to Know About Plant Based Intermittent Fasting for Health and Weight Loss
Everything You Need to Know About Plant Based Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a popular diet and nutrition plan that involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting. Eating a plant-based diet while intermittent fasting can be an effective way to support weight loss and overall health. Here, we look at what plant based intermittent fasting is, its potential health benefits, and how to incorporate it into your lifestyle.
What is Plant Based Intermittent Fasting?
Plant-based intermittent fasting (PB-IF) is an eating pattern that combines a vegan or whole foods plant-based (WFPB) diet with intermittent fasting. It involves limiting food intake to a specific window of time. Under this plan, you’ll eat your normal vegan diet for 5 days, and the other 2 days a week you will limit your calorie intake to about 500-600 per day.
You can start with a 12-hour fast and work your way to 16 hours. Most IFer’s eat from 10-6, 11-7, or 12-8. It doesn’t matter what eating window you choose, just as long as you keep it consistent.
Potential Benefits of Plant Based Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting can be successfully done on a vegan diet and may actually provide a variety of health benefits. These range from lower cholesterol levels, reduced inflammation, improved blood sugar levels, and increased energy levels. Following a strict vegan diet in intermittent fasting can be effective for weight loss and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases. To know in more detail, let’s look at the potential benefits of plant-based intermittent fasting.
Weight Loss
One of the most popular benefits of intermittent fasting is its potential to help with weight loss. As with any form of fasting, you can lose weight and body fat with vegan intermittent fasting. While results can range in timeframe, studies have shown that intermittent fasting can lead to significant weight loss and body fat reduction.
Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases
Intermittent fasting on a vegan diet has also been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. It can also reduce inflammation, which is linked to a variety of diseases.
Improved Mental Clarity
Intermittent fasting can also help to improve mental clarity and focus. It helps to reduce brain fog and can improve your overall mental performance.
Tips for Incorporating Plant Based Intermittent Fasting Into Your Lifestyle
As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I’ve see many people in my practice get the benefits of a WFPB diet combined with intermittent fasting. In fact, combining WFPB with intermittent fasting can be an effective way to maintain a healthy weight and overall health. You can easily incorporate intermittent fasting into your daily routine, especially if you’re currently adhering to a plant-based or vegan diet.
But it can be adapted to any eating pattern, and can definitely be an effective weight loss tool within a plant-based diet. In fact, the two can work together to maximize results.
My Recommended Vegan Intermittent Fasting Meal Plan
My recommended Vegan Intermittent Fasting Meal Plan includes two meals and one snack in between those meals. The snack in between will make it easier to stick to the 16-hour fasting period.
For breakfast, you can have a smoothie made with plant-based milk, frozen fruit, and protein powder. For lunch, you can have a salad with roasted veggies, nuts, and a plant-based protein. For dinner, you can have a bowl of grains, beans, and roasted veggies. For your snack, you can have a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts.
Conclusion
Plant based intermittent fasting is an effective way to support weight loss and overall health. It can be successfully implemented on a vegan or whole foods plant-based diet, and may provide a variety of health benefits. With a few simple tweaks to your diet and lifestyle, you can easily incorporate intermittent fasting into your daily routine.
Does a plant-based diet facilitate intermittent fasting?
Vegan intermittent fasting has been shown to offer a variety of health benefits, such as lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, as well as a decreased risk of cancer and heart disease. Additionally, following a vegan intermittent fasting regimen may help lead to weight loss.
What is the potential for weight loss on a plant-based diet in a two-week period?
Research conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has shown that people who switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet will typically lose around one pound per week.
What are some ways to end a fast while following a plant-based diet?
If you rely solely on plant-based foods, it is important to make sure your diet is rich in iron and calcium. Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, mustard greens, and broccoli are excellent sources of these essential nutrients. To break your fast, consider having a bowl of broccoli soup, which is packed with fiber and easy to digest, helping to keep you feeling full.
What type of intermittent fasting is best for promoting good health?
You can practice a form of intermittent fasting by setting a specific window of time when you will eat each day, such as 7am to 3pm or 10am to 6pm, but not in the evening before bedtime. Additionally, avoid snacking or eating late at night.
Interested in learning more about intermittent fasting? Visit Fasting Books for a variety of books and resources on the topic.
