Diet-SpecificDecember 3, 2025 • 7 min read
Intermittent Fasting + Calorie Tracking: Complete Guide
IF restricts when you eat. Calorie tracking controls how much. Together? They can be powerful. Here's how to combine them effectively.
Popular IF Protocols
16:8 (Most Common)
Fast 16 hours, eat within 8-hour window. Example: eat 12pm-8pm only.
5:2
Eat normally 5 days, eat 500-600 calories on 2 non-consecutive days.
OMAD (One Meal A Day)
23:1 fasting. All daily calories in one meal. Extreme but some love it.
Do You Still Need to Count Calories?
Yes. IF doesn't guarantee a deficit. You can easily overeat in your eating window.
IF works for many people because eating in a shorter window naturally reduces calories. But if weight loss stalls, you're probably eating at maintenance.
Tips for IF + Calorie Tracking
✓Pre-plan your eating window — know what you'll eat before breaking fast
✓Prioritize protein — harder to hit in fewer meals
✓Don't compensate — don't eat more "because you fasted"
✓Track during eating window — your calorie total is the same regardless of timing
✓Stay hydrated — water, black coffee, tea during fasting
What Breaks a Fast?
OK During Fast
- ✓ Water
- ✓ Black coffee
- ✓ Plain tea
- ✓ Zero-calorie drinks (most)
Breaks Fast
- ✗ Anything with calories
- ✗ Coffee with cream/sugar
- ✗ BCAAs/protein
- ✗ Gum (some say)
Track Your IF Journey
Pandish helps you hit your calories during your eating window.