If you are new to the diet and fasting lifestyle, you may find it hard to fast for more than 12 to 16 hours. Don’t worry; fasting is not something you just jump into; it takes time to adjust your metabolism to the new routine. When I first started, it was several weeks before I could do an 18-hour fast.
If you find you can do 14 to 16 hours, let’s say from 9 pm in the evening to 12 noon the next day – that’s 15 hours – but you just can’t make it any longer, well, that’s just fine. To extend your fast, you may want to try fasting for as long as possible and then have a serving of foods with a low glycemic index. This is often referred to as a “modified” fast. Three advantages of low glycemic foods are: A. only slightly raise your insulin levels; B. will reduce your hunger; C. will help you continue to burn fat for a few more hours.
I have used this diet hack so many times that I posted a list of these foods on the back of a cupboard door in our kitchen. Here is the list:
Snacks to Extend Your Fast.
When trying to extend your fast, you can try these low-carb foods to control your hunger. Try to limit the amount you eat to 1 serving. These foods have a low glycemic index and will have minimal effect on insulin levels. Wait one hour and if you are still hungry, have another serving or another choice.
Best options:
Coffee, with no sugar, optional: Cinnamon and/or a little cream, coconut oil, or butter is okay.
Tea, black or green, with no sugar, Cinnamon, and/or a little cream or coconut oil is okay.
Water, hot or iced unflavored Club Soda sparkling water
Bone broth – chicken, beef, lamb, vegetable broth, etc.
Other options – if none of the above does the trick, then try:
Nuts: (Tree nuts are best)
Almonds Brazil nuts Macadamia nuts cashews Walnuts Hazelnuts Pecans Pistachios Walnuts Chestnuts Coconut Chia Seeds Cashews Flaxseeds
Pumpkin seeds Sunflower seeds
Hard-boiled eggs
Meat or Jerky
Beef Lamb Chicken Pork Bacon Ham Turkey Veal Venison Bison
Seafood and Fish
Salmon Trout Sardines Shellfish Shrimp Haddock Lobster Herring Tuna Cod Catfish Halibut
Vegetables
Broccoli Tomatoes Onions Celery Spinach Lettuce Mushrooms Cucumber Zucchini Cauliflower Kale Eggplant Bell Peppers Green Beans Celery Spinach Cabbage Swiss Chard Kohlrabi Cherry Tomatoes Raw Asparagus Brussels Sprouts
Avocado Avocado oil Olives Vinegar
Dairy
Cheese Heavy Cream Full-Fat Yogurt
Dark Chocolate
Avoid sugary sweets, sweet-tasting fruits, and artificial flavoring.
If you have other low glycemic foods that you find helpful, please let me know, and I will add them to the list.
Quick Review
– Just starting, extended fasts may be hard.
– You may wish to try a modified fast.
– Have a serving of foods with a low glycemic index.
– Low glycemic foods only slightly increase your insulin levels and will help you continue your fast for a few more hours.
Regular Features
This Weeks Diet and Lifestyle Q&A
Question: When fasting, I will be hungry all day long.
Answer: No. Hunger does not continue to grow. It comes and goes like waves on the ocean.
Food for Thought – What not to eat. Consider eating 80% whole, fresh foods and 20% fun foods. Avoid corn sweeteners; agave sweetens, stevia, and artificial sweeteners.
Troubleshooting – Fasting flu is similar to Keto flu or motion sickness. It includes extreme fatigue, headache, dizziness, balance problems, or nausea. If you are new to fasting and experience these symptoms, it is time to break your fast and try again tomorrow.
If this is a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.
