If you are wondering what to eat after a 24 hour fast, the short answer is a calm plate built around a lean protein. The first meal after a fast matters as much as the fast itself, and it is often the moment when part of the benefit is lost. Here is how I have the people I coach come out of a fast, and the reason behind each step.
Start with a lean protein, and eat slowly
After a long period without food, you want to eat everything at once. Your digestive system, though, has been resting and needs a little time to get going again. So sit down, put your cutlery down between mouthfuls and stop before you are full.
Protein comes first. It restarts the repair of muscles and tissues, and it keeps you full for a long time, which stops you from diving into everything else. Choose a lean one, such as white fish, chicken or two or three eggs, because a very fatty meal can cause diarrhoea in a gut coming out of rest. Favour foods that need chewing, since chewing is the first signal that restarts digestion.
What to eat after a 24 hour fast on the rest of the plate
After a fast, your body has spent long hours running on fat and needs a little time to get used to sugar again. A large intake of fast-acting carbohydrates at the first meal causes an insulin spike that works against what the fast has achieved.
So the ideal first meal looks like this:
- a lean protein, such as a fillet of white fish, chicken or two or three eggs
- cooked vegetables, such as courgettes, carrots, fennel or spinach, steamed or roasted
- a little good fat, a drizzle of olive oil or a knob of butter
- if you wish, a small portion of simple, well-tolerated carbohydrates, such as white rice or sweet potato, always eaten with the protein
Plan the 24 hours that follow
In the 24 hours after a fast, the body tries to make up for the calories it did not receive. If you find yourself in front of a cake the day after, there is a good chance you will eat the whole thing. That can feel like losing control, but it is a normal reaction that almost everyone experiences.
The answer is organisation. Plan all your meals in advance, keep only the right foods in sight, and be strict about protein and hydration. At the beginning, avoid restaurants for the first meal and the following day, because it is easy to eat too much there. If you can, do a weight-training session the day after the fast, because regular muscle stimulation is what lets fasting reduce fat mass without touching muscle mass.
Once those 24 hours have passed, you can eat far more intuitively. The one thing not to compromise on is at least 30 g of protein at breakfast and at least 30 g at dinner, after 5 pm. For the rest, let your hunger guide you.
In summary
Come out of a fast slowly, with a lean protein, cooked vegetables, a little good fat and, if you want them, a few simple carbohydrates. Then treat the next day as part of the fast, with meals planned in advance. And keep fasting occasional, once a week at most for up to 24 hours, and beyond 24 hours only once or twice a month.
Next time you fast, decide on your first meal before you start.
This article is for information only and does not replace medical advice.