Combine Low Carb And Intermittent Fasting To Get Results
Intermittent fasting and low carb are essential for health and weight loss.
While low carb shuts down the cause of weight gain and modern diseases, intermittent fasting is the maintenance service that can repair the damage done.
When comparing low carb vs. intermittent fasting, the latter is more effective with blood sugar, insulin, and fat loss. However, it wont do the work without diet support.
Because the more we eat industrially processed carbohydrate junk, the more we have to fast. If we continuously consume fast food, protein bars, and bakery goods, which let insulin soar, 16 hours of intermittent fasting is not enough.
Accordingly, a carbohydrate-based diet prevents intermittent fasting benefits, such as improved fat burning or memory function.
Moreover, frequent carb-loading inhibits the benefits of fasting and causes side effects such as keto flu and cravings.
Who does not change diet habits wont experience noticeable weight loss or mental health improvements with intermittent fasting.
Since you are already on your way to ketosis and autophagy, the combination of intermittent fasting and keto is most effective in my experience.
What Are The Benefits And Potential Pitfalls Of Keto
Due to its very restrictive carbohydrate level, the keto diet can be psychologically and socially difficult for some people to adhere to. However, once nutritional ketosis is achieved, clients report being very happy and generally not feeling hungry at all. They really like the food thats on the menu and the fact the diet is based on real whole foods. And not only do they get great results in terms of weight loss, they often see other benefits like reversal diabetes.
Some potential pitfalls are that a ketogenic diet can be deficient in some nutrients if its not planned properly, particularly fibre, and especially some vitamins and minerals since strict keto practically eliminates fruit and milk.
Keto Versus Intermittent Fasting: Which Is Best
When it comes to weight-loss diets, both the keto plan and an overnight intermittent fasting plan are effective weight-loss strategies for the short term, anyway. People swear by one or the other, but as a wellness dietitian, I want to point out a few of the hidden costs of the ketogenic diet in contrast to some of the benefits of an overnight intermittent fasting regime. Just hear me out on this one!
Keto Diet Overview: Low Carb, High Fat
The ketogenic diet, also called a ketosis diet or keto for short, is a way of eating that mimics the effects of fasting. During fasting, body fat is metabolized, which makes ketones that the body uses for fuel rather than glucose from food.
In an attempt to force the body to use ketones for energy on a ketosis eating plan without fasting, dietary fat replaces carbs in the diet. Thus, the keto diet is very high in dietary fat , while very low in carbs . This low carb intake eliminates refined grains and sweets from the diet, along with many vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, and whole grains.
Without carbohydrates to use for energy, your body is forced to use fat to produce ketones as the primary energy source. On a ketosis diet, the primary source of fat used to produce ketones is from the fat you eat, not body fat as occurs in fasting. *
Valuable Nutrients Lacking in a Keto Diet
Keto Diet and Food Shaming
Keto Diet Obstacles
Ketosis Adherence and Sustainability
A Preferred Alternative Diet: Intermittent Fasting
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What Is Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting often refers to a time restricted eating window. Its also occasionally called interval eating or part-time dieting because of the intermittent nature of the dietary lifestyle. There are several methods to choose from depending on a persons individual situation, which makes this dietary lifestyle very flexible. Theres the 5:2, the 16:8, and other longer fasts such as a 24-hour fast, whereby you eat dinner and then dont eat until dinner again the next evening.
You can also mix the different regimes up e.g 1 x 500-calorie day on a Monday and 2 x 16:8 days that week. Whats appealing to many people is that there are no foods or drinks that are off the menu. All up, this equates to a no fail dietary approach or basically, a dietary lifestyle that cant be broken .
Keto And Intermittent Fasting
On the other hand, the keto diet considers that proteins stimulate insulin as well.
In this sense, keto and intermittent fasting also have the common goal of lowering insulin levels, deplete carbohydrate stores, and burn fat for energy.
And the term ketosis refers to nothing else than the bodys natural ability to burn fat for energy.
Since the body spreads this fat energy in the form of so-called ketones, the state of fat burning is called ketosis.
Because insulin blocks the enzyme that breaks down body fat, a low insulin level is essential once again .
Therefore fasting is the easiest and fastest way to get into ketosis.
Because the low-carb high-fat diet aims at the same effects as fasting, you can combine intermittent fasting and keto very well.
Also Check: What Can I Have Intermittent Fasting
What Is A Good Breakfast For Fasting On The Keto Diet
A typical keto intermittent fasting breakfast should include high fat, lean protein and no carbs. Any type of eggs are ideal for a keto diet. Low carb vegetables are a good choice too. This includes breakfast vegetables like mushrooms, tomatoes, kale, peppers and spinach.
Low carb options are the best to break a fast as it will inhibit a spike in blood sugar levels.
Intermittent Fasting Or Keto Diet: Whats Better For Weight Loss
Two of this decade’s hottest health trends are intermittent fasting and the keto diet. They both enjoy a cult following, and come highly recommended from not just nutritionists and dietitians but also Bollywood A listers and sports stars. They cite these two diets as the best approaches to weight loss and weight maintenance. But is their claim really worth the hype? We investigate.
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Keto Diet Or Intermittent Fasting: What’s Best For Weight Loss
Intermittent fasting and ketogenics, the latest buzzy diets, have been hailed as weight loss wonders, with dieters losing upwards of 50 pounds on either plan. Both diets work by inducing ketosis, which is when the body burns fat for weight loss.
“There’s many ways to get into ketosis,” Dr. Jeffry Gerber, co-author of Eat Rich, Live Long, told Newsweek .
Gerber, who is also a clinician specializing in weight loss, said the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting and reducing your calorie intake are the main strategies to get your body into fat burning mode.
The keto diet is essentially a low carb, high fat, moderate protein plan. Gerber says most keto followers eat below 40 grams of carbohydrates per day, though some studies have shown that staying under 20 grams a day could offer better results. Protein intake is generally about half a gram per pound in body weight.
Those who can’t give up the carbs may feel more inclined to try intermittent fasting, which is essentially not eating for brief periods of time. Although there are various ways to fast, many opt to eat within an eight hour span, so from 12 to 8 p.m., or skipping breakfast.
When it comes to which is better for weight loss, Gerber doesn’t believe one outshines the other.
“They don’t compete with each other at all,” he said. Rather, he believes people can easily follow both.
Fasting And The Keto Diet
You can also combine fasting with a ketogenic diet.
Several of the benefits of intermittent fasting come from your body being in ketosis a state in which you burn fat as your main energy source.
By eating a ketogenic diet, you can get your body into ketosis before you start fasting. A keto diet suppresses hunger and improves your health on its own. Pairing it with fasting provides even more health benefits.
You can start a keto diet today with a quick trip to the grocery store.
Read Also: What Does Fasting Do For You
The Pros And Cons Of The Keto Diet
Pros of Keto
- May help with insulin sensitivity, type 2 diabetes, excess weight and metabolic syndrome.
- May help with blood sugar regulation and triglycerides
- May improve brain health, such as epilepsy, dementia and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
- Improves satiety and reduces cravings
Cons of Keto
- Keto flu nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, insomnia
- Ketone breath
- Long term sustainability is low
- Ketones long term could have a negative affect on the body, including the Kidneys and Liver
- Long term, Keto could increase blood LDL bad cholesterol if high levels of saturated fats are frequently eaten.
- Muscle cramps
Intermittent Fasting Vs Keto: Which Should You Choose
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Intermittent fasting and the keto diet are both popular weight loss options that boast plenty of success stories. Some people have seen fantastic results with keto, while others advocate intermittent fasting. Some dieters even do both.
But, when it comes to intermittent fasting vs keto, which approach wins?
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Can I Exercise During Fasting
Yes. You can continue all your usual activities, including exercise, while fasting.37 You do not need to eat before exercising to provide energy.38 Instead, your body can burn stored energy for fuel.
However, for long-duration aerobic exercise, eating before exercise may increase performance.39 Its also important to drink fluids and replenish sodium around exercise when fasting. This is good to know if youre competing. Learn more
You Can Try The Intermittent Fasting And Keto Day Plan Following The 1: 8 If Protocol:
6:00 am Water and/or black coffee
9:00 am Coffee if low on energy
12:00 pm 8 oz chicken breast, salad with olive oil dressing and feta cheese
3:00 pm Handful of almonds and blueberries
6:00 pm 8 oz fish with veggies
8:00 pm Nuts or blueberries
Hugh Jackman and Jennifer Aniston are two of the many celebs who follow the 16:8 intermittent fasting protocol. You can change up a few items above if you want. Or you can just kick off with this plan right away.
Some good keto foods to eat while doing an intermittent fast are those high in fiber and protein, so dont be afraid to enjoy a nice steak with tons of steamed broccoli. Both fiber and protein will keep you full longer without stuffing you with calories and fat.
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May Smooth Your Transition Into Ketosis
Keto is about switching your body from using carbohydrates for energy, to turning fat into ketones. The typical way to do this is by cutting carbs and increasing fat intake in your diet. For many people this transition can take some time and it comes with a number of unpleasant side effects known as keto flu.
IF speeds up ketosis and smooths the transition. When you fast, your insulin levels drop, causing your body to use its stored carbs . Once these are depleted your body begins using fat for fuel. 12
Think of fasting as a way to jump start ketosis.
How Does The Keto Diet Work
Your body needs energy to go onfunctioning. It gets the energy it needs from food. Although you hear a lot oftalk about calories and weight loss, the thing to know is calories are only aunit of energy. People gain weight when they eat food that provides more energy than their bodies need.
Each gram of protein you eat provides fourcalories. A gram of carbohydrate provides the same amount, but each gram of fatcontains nine calories.
Dietary fat is the thing you normally needto avoid. It makes you gain weight fast. Eating too many carbs is also a goodway to pack on extra pounds but carbohydrate is the bodys preferred source offuel.
After the digestive organs have processedthe carbohydrate in food they convert it to glucose and either put it use orstore it as fat. The Keto Diet throws a spanner into the works and forces thebody to use an alternative source of fuel.
The body cannot function normally when faced with such a severe restriction in carbs so it goes into ketosis.
During ketosis, the liver starts creatingketones for the body to use as a source of energy instead of glucose. The livermakes ketones from fat.
The Keto Diet appears to work well for somepeople but its a controversial way to lose weight and it isnt for everyone.
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So Which Is Best For Weight Loss Intermittent Fasting Or Keto
- Both diets promote weight loss, provided youre eating fewer calories than you burn
- Both diets have the potential in increase insulin sensitivity, leading to improved glucose utilization and reduced risk for developing diabetes and heart disease
- Intermittent fasting is more flexible than keto when it comes to the types of food you can eat. This increases the pool of available vitamins and minerals obtainable from the diet
- Intermittent fasting can be modified for those who require or desire shorter fasts and is not mandatory to fast every day. Keto is all or nothing: youre either in ketosis or not and keto requires strict daily adherence.
- Keto may produce quicker results compared to certain types of intermittent fasting
The First 5 Days Of Keto
The Keto diet has a few side effects that may happen in the first 5 days.
These are normal, as with any diet and will quickly pass after a couple of days.
There will also be a difference if the diet is for children or adults.
Most of these side effects are manageable if you understand why they happen.
To have this knowledge beforehand means you will be able to minimize the effects and are less likely to quit.
It only takes a short time for your body to enter a state of ketosis from this point, the side effects will subside as your body adapts to burning fat for energy rather than glucose.
Please always, always seek medical advice before you start.
Prioritize your health for safety and long-term longevity.
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Practical Application: Tim Ferriss 3 Day Ketosis Boost
If you want to raise your ketone levels or kickstart your ketogenic journey, try a 3-day fasting protocol like the one below. If intermittent fasting doesnt sound like its something that can work for you, you can also kickstart your keto diet by fat fasting.
Thursday Evening
- Eat a ketogenic dinner and make that the last meal of the day. Go to bed as normal.
Friday Morning
- Get out the door and walk within 30 minutes of waking. Drink coffee or tea if needed, but it is best to limit your caffeine intake because it will cause you to excrete more minerals and fluid than usual.
- Bring at least 1 liter of water, with some added unrefined salt, and sip as you walk to avoid cramping.
- Walk for 3 to 4 hours, sipping water as needed.
- Arrange phone calls or something similar for your walk to make the time productive.
- The idea behind the walk is that you use up your glycogen stores, forcing your body to move more quickly into deep ketosis. The quicker you get into ketosis, the less time you spend feeling drained.
- If you prefer to shorten the time frame, you can do a 45-60 minute bout of HIIT exercise.
Friday Day
- Consume MCT oil 2-3 times throughout the day.
- An affordable, good quality MCT Oil we recommend is NOW Foods MCT Oil.
- This provides you with energy until your ketone levels elevate naturally.
Saturday Morning
Saturday & Sunday Day
Sunday Evening
- Break your fast with your favorite ketogenic meal. Take a look at our Keto Recipes to find your new favorite!
Putting It All Together
Now you know that there is nothing to fear when it comes to intermittent fasting. Although you will feel hungry at first, your body will adjust by activating autophagy and burning more fat and ketones for fuel.
Ketogenic diet researchers suggest a longer intermittent fast followed by shorter daily intermittent fasts. You can use a fasting protocol that includes fasting for up to 3 days, 3 times a year with a shorter 16 to 20 hour fast on the days before and after the 3-day fasts.
Whether you are fasting for 16 hours or 3 days, it is important to monitor your mineral levels to avoid symptoms of refeeding syndrome.
Supplementing with sodium from unrefined salt and potassium, phosphate, and magnesium from mineral-rich foods and supplements may be necessary for you to avoid excess mineral loss caused by ketogenic diets and fasting.
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What Do The Experts Say
According to a 2019 review, intermittent fasting produces equivalent weight loss when compared to continuous energy restriction with no differences between groups in weight or body fat loss. Basically, this means that when it comes to weight loss, intermittent fasting provides no added benefit compared to just eating fewer calories throughout the day, provided you are burning more calories than youre eating.
Intermittent fasting may also give rise to additional health benefits. For example, periods of fasting have been shown to improve insulin resistance, glucose metabolism, and inflammation, decreasing the risk for developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. But as with weight loss, these effects appear to be due to the calorie restriction and not the fasting itself.
Please note because intermittent fasting as a weight loss method is a relatively new topic, there is not a lot of research on the long-term effects and potential complications of it. Furthermore, many of the existing studies have been done using animal models or were purely observational, meaning the evidence is not very strong. Randomized control trials using human subjects is the gold standard for strong research.