Who doesn’t love a nice snack?
I know with my change to a Low Carb - Keto - Carnivorish diet I tend to miss crunchy foods. I found something to crunch on as a snack when I do. I have some Carnivore Crisps, with Brisket being my favorite.
But I still get the question all the time:
Can I snack while Intermittent Fasting?
The answer is: It depends.
Yes you can snack if you are snacking within your eating window.
Yes you can snack if the snack is Low Carb-Keto food.
Yes you can snack if the food is not processed.
Yes you can snack if you are not looking to lose weight.
Yes you can snack if you are trying to get some nutrients not contained in your regular meals.
The questions though that you should ask yourself before snacking:
Why am I snacking?
Am I snacking to celebrate?
Am I snacking to be social?
Am I snacking to bring my mood up?
Am I truly hungry or is it just habit?
I know many people who snack during their Intermittent Fasting eating window and continue to improve their health.
I have others who snack and they get stuck at a plateau where the weight loss/optimization and other benefits are also stuck.
My suggestion.
Be honest with yourself if you snack.
Ask yourself the questions I asked above.
Don’t try to be perfect with your diet journey. Everyone fails at perfection. Just always try to improve as you move towards your goal of more optimal health and a slowing of the aging process.
If you are Intermittent Fasting are you snacking?
What is your favorite Lower Carb snack?
I find that the urge to snack can be related to meals that are too low in fat. Increase quality fat intake, feel full longer.
A caloric deficit that it too large, can also lead to feeling “snackish”. I find that not exceeding a 500kcal daily maximum deficit is a good general guideline.
I generally have a snack when I get home from work. Which is within my eating time. My favorite is beef jerky. I make my own so I control the ingredients. Very satisfying for a snack.