The whole premise of intermittent fasting is that you have fast days when you roll up your sleeves, count your calories and munch on healthy snacks, and then you balance it out with non-fasting days; never-before seen in diets of yesteryear, that let you kick back, relax and live a little!
Cater to your Cravings
When you’re out and feeling peckish or going at a friend’s place and planning what to bring, identify what you’re craving and work out a simple substitute that won’t compromise taste and will give you more bang for your calorie buck!
| Craving: | Swap: | For: |
| Salt and carbs Try to stay away from potatoes and super salty sauces; look for roasted veggies or grainy toasts. |
French fries with tomato sauce | Sweet potato wedges with cucumber tzatziki |
| Finger food You might be hungrier than you think; sometimes ordering a bigger healthy dish can be more calorie-thrift than a bunch of little fried snacks. |
Fried chicken wings with blue cheese dressing | Grilled chicken skewers with peanut dipping sauce, fresh chili and coriander |
| Crunchy stuff
Instead of something deep fried, go for an item with a nutty crust, baked edges or crisp veggies. |
Corn chips with creamy spinach artichoke dip | Baked kale chips sprinkled with dehydrated yeast (sounds like balderdash but tastes like nacho cheese!) |
| Sweet nothings
Look for natural sugars to satisfy your sweet tooth. |
Chocolate mousse | Dark chocolate with dates and berries |
| Cakes and pies
If you’re really craving something you can’t (or don’t want to) substitute, just keep moderation in mind; share with a friend or take some home for the hubby. |
Strawberry cheesecake | Strawberry, rhubarb and celery pie with a cashew crust |
| Cheese
There are stacks of ‘good’ cheeses, so you should have plenty of tasty options! |
Brie and cheddar | Ricotta, feta, cottage or goats cheese |
Champagne Showers
You can still pop the bubbly while on the Fast Track, in fact, of all the libations you could choose from, a flute here and there is actually a step in the right direction. Whether its Champagne from France or a good ol’ glass of sparkling from our home girt by sea, there’s a sneaky little way to pick the poison that will barely move the calorie counting needle, and you don’t need to be a sommelier to work it out.
Most wines go through a process of having sugar added, but the most calorie-friendly skip this; meaning that the only sugars they contain are the natural ones from their own grapes.
As a rule of thumb, high alcohol = high sugar content = more calories, and dry wine has less sugar and fewer calories. When speaking sparkling, the different types of wine actually tell you how much sugar they contain!
Brut Nature/ Brut Zero/ Pas Dosé, Pas Dosage/ Dosage Zero (no added sugar): 0–2 calories
0-3 grams per litre of Residual Sugar (RS) or less than 1/6 teaspoon of sugar per 5 oz. serving
Extra Brut: 0–5 calories
0-6 grams per litre of Residual Sugar (RS) or less than ¼ teaspoon of sugar per 5 oz. serving
Brut: 0–7 calories
0-12 grams per litre of Residual Sugar or less than ½ teaspoon of sugar per 5 oz. serving
Extra Dry: 7–10 calories
12-17 grams per litre of Residual Sugar or ½–¾ teaspoon of sugar per 5 oz. serving
Dry: 10–20 calories
17-32 grams per litre of Residual Sugar or ¾-1 teaspoon of sugar per 5 oz. serving
Demi-Sec: 20-30 calories
32-50 grams per litre of Residual Sugar or 1–2 teaspoons of sugar per 5 oz. serving
Doux: 30+ calories
50+ grams per litre of Residual Sugar and over 2 teaspoons of sugar per 5 oz. serving
Give and Take
We all have to grow up and take accountability at some point, and just like Cookie Monster had to change his tagline from “Mmm cookies!” to “Cookies are a sometimes food” (RIP the 1980s), we too have to learn when to say when. Try to plan ahead to savour your indulgent days, whether it’s your office Christmas party, your BFF’s wedding or just a rough Wednesday. This contrast will give you something to look forward to on fast days as well as make those events a little extra special.
And remember, if you do get a little too eager and over-indulge once in a while, fasting intermittently will even it all out in the end anyway. Cheers to that!