Intermittent Fasting - Part 2 Cheat Codes

For those of you that are new here, you can start off with part 1 (https://www.pradhyumna.com/intermittent-fasting-a-do-it-yourself-guide/)

This article is a small part 2 on the practical aspects of Intermittent Fasting.

Now if you have read the previous article, you know that I think that snacking is probably the biggest obstacle to losing weight. However, we are human after all..(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3wKzyIN1yk)

So here we look at some cheat codes that will help you game the fasting cycle.

Please do note that most of these I can vouch for since I have personally used them to distract myself during my OMAD sessions (they will work for an 18:6 fast as well)

You'll find yourself craving for something sweet while on Intermittent Fasting. These food items can be used to shake off that craving or at least satisfy it without compromising on your fat loss goals

1. Figs - These are in my opinion probably the best pound for pound food item to get rid of any sweet /chocolate cravings. Just 1 -2 pieces will give you the same sweet satisfaction that you get from eating chocolates. And the calorific damage is minimal.
2. Mints - These are a very good option as well since they are even more potent in reducing sweet cravings in my opinion. The only issue here is that these aren’t good for your health if you consume them regularly so use this cheat code sparingly.
3. Diet Coke /Pepsi - This borders on slight stupidity /insanity but what is life without some risk. Just don’t have this first thing in the day. However, this is actually a great option once in a while since these are zero calorie liquids and are sweet with some fizz. Remember, these are cheat codes and are only meant to help you get into the Intermittent Fasting mind set. Once you’re able to successfully train your mind to avoid calories during the day, none of the above will be necessary
4. Now that we have covered the crazy option, lets satisfy the purists. The best food to consume during the Fast is Water. Just make sure you aren’t forcing yourself to drink water just for the sake of it and you should be fine
5. Milk, Curd /Yoghurt and Cheese are your best friends. More so if you are feeling weak during the Fast. What you can then do is have a glass of milk, or some cheese /yoghurt. This should help first timers the most since we have been conditioned for years that "skipping meals" especially breakfast is unacceptable. This has a bearing on our psyche and it takes some time to get rid of these notions.

I will close this set of cheat codes and will continue my musings on Intermittent Fasting and other aspects of dieting in later articles. Hope you guys found this useful. I’m open to feedback and suggestions on what you like to know more about when it comes to Fasting. My next article will touch upon multi day fasts, exercising while fasting and so on.

Note and Disclaimer: Nothing here or in any other article therein on this website is medical advice. These are my musings on intermittent fasting and what I have done to tweak the concept to work for me.