Eggs. Protein is important for keeping full and reducing muscle loss when fasting. So if you’re looking for something with six grams of protein and cooks up in minutes, why not try some hard-boil some eggs?

Try unsweetened yogurt or kefir. Healthy fats. Foods like eggs or avocados can be great first foods to eat after a fast.

Eating protein with each meal is another good strategy since protein-rich foods, like chicken, fish, eggs, and pulses (beans and legumes), also help manage hunger.

Strictly speaking, any amount of calories will break a fast. If a person follows a strict fasting schedule, they should avoid any food or drinks containing calories. Those following a modified fasting diet can often eat up to 25% of their daily calorie needs while fasting.

Leavened bread, or breads made with yeast, are not allowed, but if you can find whole-grain breads and flatbreads made without yeast, those do fit within the parameters of the diet plan. Legumes: Dried or canned varieties are both allowed, but canned versions shouldn’t have any salt or other additives.

Carbohydrates and protein Upma, quinoa or oats with lots of nuts, seeds and Greek yoghurt is great for this. “[Eating] complex carbs and nuts together provides both instant and long lasting energy, while the protein helps to build muscle,” explains the nutritionist.

The 12 hour fasting period includes sleeping time. What Michaels is suggesting isn’t new. It’s commonly referred to as intermittent fasting, which means alternating between certain periods of eating and not eating. The method of dieting has been used as a way to lose weight and for other benefits.

According to Dr. Oz, eating your first meal later in the day and finishing your last bite by 7 PM is a simple way to practice intermittent fasting, a strategy he declared “the best way to lose weight, prevent disease, and even live longer.”