Remember to include cultured protein foods, such as plain yogurt, kefir, whey or cottage cheese, in your diet, as these foods are rich in probiotics to maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Seafood of any kind is an excellent choice during the feeding period. Fish such as wild salmon or sardines are very rich not only in protein, but also in omega-3 fats that are necessary for optimal health and to reduce cellular inflammation. DHA and EPA are considered essential omega-3 fats that we should obtain from our diet.
Unfortunately, with intermittent fasting, many people are deficient in this necessary nutrient, so supplementation would be an excellent option in this case. This episode will teach you how much protein you really need to lose weight and how to eat more protein when you use intermittent fasting. If you're a vegan, vegetarian, or have a food allergy that reduces your protein choices, there are branched-chain amino acid supplements you can use to support muscle growth. When using intermittent fasting to lose weight, it's vital that you reach the minimum amount of protein needed to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, so that you can maintain or build lean muscle mass while losing fat mass.
One of my clients recently got rid of his Weight Watchers app after learning that his points system is arbitrary at best and doesn't indicate the amount of protein in the food, just the points and calories, which honestly isn't very useful for achieving his daily protein goals. I advocate a diet based primarily on whole foods, but to be honest, I supplement my proteins almost every day, simply because I love protein shakes.
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