Jul 103 min read

The Best Dinners For Intermittent Fasting [Fat Loss Goal]

Updated: Aug 27

Intermittent Fasting has been studied to have fat loss, metabolic flexibity and gut health perks.(1)

In fact, I used Intermittent Fasting throughout my 20 pound postpartum weight loss journey.

However, it's absolutely crucial to consider your eating window. If you eat the wrong foods after an Intermittent Fast, then it could reverse your progress and make you feel terrible.

Today I'm sharing what to consider with your last meal of the day (aka dinner) to optimize your results with Intermittent Fasting.

Psssst... curious how long YOUR Intermittent Fast should be? Take my FREE Intermittent Fasting Schedule Quiz by clicking the button below!

The Last Meal With Intermittent Fasting

Some of the main benefits of Intermittent Fasting can include improved gut health and fat burning abilities. Assuming that these are your goals, then there are a few things to consider when creating or purchasing a dinner before you start your fast again.

Little to no added sugar

Added sugar can significantly raise the glycemic load of a meal which can work against a weight loss goal. Added sugar has also been linked to poor sleep quality, which can increase hunger hormones and change cravings to prefer sweet, starchy foods.(2)

Choose a last meal that has very little or zero added sugar to help maximize results.

Not high carb

Typically the higher carbohydrate the meal, the higher the glycemic load. Higher glycemic load meals can cause a blood sugar crash which can spike the stress hormone cortisol. This spike in cortisol can lead to disrupted, poor sleep.

A meal should contain the appropriate amount of carbohydrates that serves your goals. For example, if you are quite active then you'll likely do best with a bit more carbs at dinner. However, if you are carb sensitive or not very active, then you'll likely want to stick to only low or medium glycemic load carbs.

You can find a complete breakdown of this concept including meal recommendations in the 6 Week Body Recomposition Meal Plan HERE.

autumn bates body recomposition meal plan

Must have enough protein

This is true for all meals during the eating window. Too little protein can spike hunger, reduce muscle mass and slow the metabolism.

I like to aim for a minimum of 30 grams of complete protein per meal.

Zero caffeine

Obviously, caffeine can disrupt sleep. Poor sleep can make the next day fast much more difficult due to increased hunger and cravings.

Avoid all caffeinated ingredients, such as coffee, tea and cacao nibs, in your last meal of the day.

Not too much fat

High quality fat is important for boosting satiety and preventing cravings. However, too much fat before bed can excessively slow the GI tract and cause bloating or gas.

In the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle, we recommend between 1-2 servings of fat at dinner.

Example Meals

Below are great "last meal" (aka dinner) options with Intermittent Fasting. You can click on the link for each of the names below to find the recipe or the program that the recipe is located in.