It’s common to hear “what intermittent fasting drinks are okay to have?” Here are the drinks I regularly consume while in my fasted state.
This post is about intermittent fasting drinks.
With Intermittent Fasting Can you Drink Water?
This is a funny question, OF COURSE! Water is a basic element of human life; we all need it. During a fasted stated not only is water allowed, I think there are great benefits associated with drinking plenty of water.
Gets ‘Things’ Moving
Constipation is a problem that I have had to deal with since becoming an Intermittent Faster. However, one thing I know for sure, is my constipation is a much smaller problem when I drink plenty of water on a daily basis. According to U.S.News (click here to read their article) staying hydrated allows for your stools to be softer and pass easily.
Helps You Keep Moving
Organized exercise isn’t something I do on a regular basis, especially not as a weight loss tool. However, I do know that when I work out, I want to be hydrated. Drinking water of course is going to allow me to maintain hydration and sustain any physical activities I engage in.
Hungry or Thirsty?
Aside from knowing water is good for me, I know that my fasts are much easier to not feel hungry when I drink enough water. It’s often said, most of the time you think you’re hungry, it’s really that you’re thirsty. I rarely have a day where I drink plenty of water but still struggle to get my minimum fast in. Staying hydrated helps me feel full. Feeling full allows me to maintain the fast until I eventually break it. I feel much more in control of my fast when I am well hydrated.
Signs of dehydration, in addition to constipation as mentioned above, can be dark yellow urine, dry skin and eyes, headaches among others listed here.
If you’re struggling with a fast and feel hungry, drink a large glass of water. See if this helps you; it’s possible you’re thirsty instead. Staying hydrated will definitely help you extend fasts to desired lengths!
How Much Water?
This is a frequently asked question; do I track how much water I drink? OR How much water do I drink while fasting? I do not generally track my water consumption. (There have been a few times I’ve challenged myself to a goal, but it’s not a regular thing I do.) I just like to keep iced water with me all day and I try to drink it regularly.
I find that by making water a part of my daily routine, I am able to keep down enough. Additionally, the more I drink, the easier it is to identify that I am thirsty. I do crave water!
Is Only Plain Water Suggested?
No! While most of my water I drink daily is plain, iced water straight from my tap, you’re not limited to that. What you really want to focus on is unflavored.
On Gin’s clean fasting chart she lists off mineral, sparkling and club sodas as meeting the clean criteria. Just be sure you’re not buying a flavored (whether or not it has calories).
My personal favorite waters to drink include ALDI Belle Vie unflavored liters and Topo Chico. Although those are the two I choose, there are MANY options!
I often like to drink my sparkling water after I close my daily eating window. I love the carbonation, so saving it for later in the day is something I enjoy and it serves as a treat!
With Intermittent Fasting Drinking Water is okay!… but what about lemon.
I do not recommend water in lemon. I shared about having flavors in your fast in this post. Unfortunately, with intermittent fasting lemon water runs the risk of breaking your fast.
I highly suggest reading “Fast. Feast. Repeat.” by Gin Stephens to have a better understanding of why this isn’t recommended. I truly believe the “clean fasting” she suggests is key to success and lemon water doesn’t fit into a clean fast.
I also shared more about my experience and what I’ve learned about adding flavors into my coffee and waters here.
Coffee = Life = YES!
I wrote much more about coffee in a separate post. However, here is the gist; YES, you can have plain, unflavored black coffee! When thinking of drinking black coffee so many people believe that means simply a hot cup. While that is usually my preferred method you can also have:
- blended hot coffee
- iced black coffee (I do drink this often in the summer)
- cold brew
- espresso
- americano
For more, be sure to check out the entire post!
What about Intermittent Fasting Zero Calorie Drinks?
I shared earlier about the problem with flavors in even black coffee. The same applies to basically any flavored zero calorie drink; diet colas, zero calorie additions, flavored sparkling waters. Unfortunately, they can have an affect on your fasting success.
I say this based on experience. In my nearly 2 years as an Intermittent Faster there are times I have tried, for the sake of personal experience, to see if I can drink a diet pop or a flavored sparkling water before I open my window. Without fail, I soon become hungry! I have found that zero calorie flavored drinks set an expectation that I’m about to eat. Even without a study on the actual physical changes (how much insulin was released, etc) I know my body is responding with hunger signals.
I’m Spilling the Tea!
I should first say, I don’t drink tea. I just much more prefer coffee… tea is too weak for my taste buds! However, I do love a good iced tea. Just like with coffee, you can have plain, unflavored teas. An example would be green tea. There should be no additions to your tea (lemon, honey, sugar, cream, etc.) of course!
Just like with the coffee, you can have tea of all flavors, varieties and additions within your eating window! Just because you should avoid them with fasting doesn’t mean they’re off limits. It’s just something to save for the feeding hours!
Final Drip
So to wrap it up the three main drinks I’ve come to trust while fasting are plain and unflavored water, coffees and tea! Simple and natural drinks!
