Two of the most popular subjects in nutrition and weight loss techniques right now are the keto diet and intermittent fasting. Is keto fasting, or a mix of intermittent fasting and the keto diet, safe and beneficial even though the advantages of both for weight reduction, metabolic health, and disease prevention have been established? We will cover all you need to know about fasting, the keto diet, and keto fasting in this article.
An overview of sporadic fasting
In other words, intermittent fasting (IF) is merely a pattern of eating based on time and not food choices; it is not a diet. Intermittent fasting can therefore be done in a variety of ways.
The metabolism can shift from a carbohydrate-dominated state to a fat- or ketone-burning state by fasting for a set period of time each day. Fasting can aid in weight loss because it lowers your caloric intake.
Time-restricted eating (TRE), which limits daily food consumption to a certain period each day, often 8 hours, is the most popular type of intermittent fasting. Eating should ideally take place throughout the day, and the remaining 16 hours of fasting should begin at dusk.
This eating schedule is supposed to be in harmony with our bodies’ internal clocks, allowing us to enhance the effectiveness of our biological activities by sustaining our circadian systems.
For instance, mornings are better than nights for glucose tolerance (the blood sugar reaction to carbohydrates).
Benefits of fasting:
In general, fasting encourages metabolic health, but, as previously indicated, it also serves as a strategy for calorie restriction and weight loss. Consequently, the advantages of fasting are:
- Loss of weight
- reduced calorie consumption
- Metabolic wellness
- Cellular clearance and autophagy
- Raising blood sugar levels
Introduction to the ketogenic diet
In fact, before the development of insulin, this high-fat, extremely low-carb diet was used therapeutically to treat type 1 diabetes and epileptic convulsions in the early 1900s. It matches the human fasting metabolism.
Because the ketogenic diet restricts the consumption of carbohydrates, the body must find another fuel source to satisfy the brain’s need for glucose.
The brain, unlike the majority of our tissues, cannot burn fat for energy; this is where ketones come into play.
Consuming fewer carbohydrates causes blood sugar and insulin levels to drop to a point where the brain is at risk of running out of energy.(1)
When there aren’t enough calories, the liver starts to burn fats from the diet or the body’s fat reserves and turns them into ketones.
So the keto diet is characterized by rising ketones. Ketones provide the body with additional benefits besides brain nutrition that scientists are currently learning about.
In a number of clinical investigations, the ketogenic diet is now being researched for its impact on cancer, neurological illnesses, and most critically, type 2 diabetes.
Benefits of Keto:
- Keep your muscles strong.
- appetite regulation
- Loss of weight
- blood sugar equilibrium
- Potential advantages for maintaining brain health and warding against neurological conditions
What is the keto fast diet?
Keto and intermittent fasting go together like two peas in a pod. We obtain our energy from fats and ketones, both when fasting and when following the ketogenic diet.
Keep in mind that the ketogenic diet was created as a dietary strategy to resemble fasting. Because of this, keto and fasting complement each other and work well together. While fasting focuses on the timing of meals or when to eat, keto is about food choices and what to consume.
Various chronic disorders can be managed with ketosis. Both approaches are successful in preventing cerebral ischemia and hypoxia, as well as in managing intracranial pressure in ischemic stroke, status epilepticus, and traumatic brain injury.
The management of disorders caused by metabolic remodeling, such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and autoimmune diseases, may benefit from this kind of combination therapy.
The effective use of keto fasting is dependent on a number of variables, including patient-related characteristics and diet.
Ketofest offers
Here are various justifications for combining keto with IF:
1. Keto can make the switch to fasting less difficult.
The keto diet is the best option if intermittent fasting is to be paired with a diet because it minimizes the frequency of meals due to the energy density of keto foods.
As your body enters ketosis while you fast while following a high-carb diet, you may suffer symptoms including poor energy, low blood sugar, and hunger. It is like leaving a sauna and entering the cold air.
But because the body uses ketones and lipids in the keto metabolism, there is less of a shock to the system. It seems more like emerging from a sauna into a warm day. So the keto diet can ease the transition if you’re new to fasting.
2. Fasting keeps you in ketosis longer.
However, fasting will be a fantastic tool to help your ketogenic diet. Fasting can help you enter ketosis and maintain it for a longer period of time. Ketosis is a metabolic state when your body burns fat for energy rather than the glucose that comes from food.
One may argue that fasting is the quickest way to increase the body’s synthesis of ketone bodies and that by cutting out all meals, it also cuts out all sources of glucose.
Intermittent fasting is an excellent strategy to use in conjunction with a ketogenic diet to help your body use up its glucose reserves.
3. Keto and fasting inherently complement one another.
You might need to eat less on the keto diet since the foods you eat are more calorie-dense. You will typically cut out a meal or snack from your regular eating schedule if you wish to accommodate multiple meals into your fasting regimen.
As a result, you’re well on your way to eating if you’re following a ketogenic diet and discover that you actually require two meals per day (for instance, if you’re not hungry in the morning or you no longer yearn for dessert after dinner). You have a short window of opportunity or are fasting.
Benefits of keto fasting
We now understand that all the advantages of fasting are increased if you are mindful of what you eat throughout your eating intervals because of the similarities between intermittent fasting and the keto diet. Among Ketofastig’s most significant advantages are:
1. Losing weight
If you are highly resistant to losing weight, combining the ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting will hasten your weight reduction. While the average weight loss with the keto diet alone differs from person to person, with keto fasting, the average weight loss will fluctuate between being faster and slower depending on how long you fast.
2. decrease insulin sensitivity
When cells in the liver, muscles, and adipose tissue are unable to react appropriately to insulin and cannot access blood glucose for energy, this condition is known as insulin resistance, also known as insulin sensitivity disorder.
As a result, the pancreas tries to make up for the imbalance by raising blood sugar levels, which could ultimately result in conditions including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
In addition to going on a prolonged fast, keto fasting involves eating extremely little carbohydrate-containing food.
3. Decrease irritation.
A protective inflammatory cell response called swelling takes place during healing. Chronic inflammation is the kind you want to avoid since it indicates your body is always defending itself, releasing inflammatory cells even when there is no threat.
Acute inflammation is entirely normal and healthy. Numerous illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and others, are linked to chronic inflammation.
According to certain research, the ketogenic diet may aid in reducing inflammation. When you are in ketosis, your liver produces and excretes ketones, which have been associated in some studies with lessened oxidative stress.(2)
Intermittent fasting may lessen inflammatory activity, according to studies. One study found that when patients went on a brief fast, the number of inflammatory “monocytes” in their circulation decreased.(3)
These inflammatory cells went dormant and were less inflammatory than monocytes in fed individuals during fasting periods.
4. Enhance mental wellness.
According to research, intermittent fasting is a viable and creative way to prevent and cure mental health conditions, including depression, as well as issues with sleep and cognition. Ketophastic may also have positive effects on learning, memory, mood, and mental attention.(4 , 5)
There is some evidence to suggest that people with Alzheimer’s disease may benefit from the ketogenic diet. According to recent studies, being in a ketotic state may benefit an aging brain’s neurological health.(6)
Threats to Keto fasting
Keto fasting is not advised if you have a specific underlying illness, such as kidney disease. Generally speaking, it’s best to speak with your doctor before beginning a ketogenic diet.
Who shouldn’t practice ketosis?
Children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers may not be able to successfully ketofast. The following individuals should also refrain from keto fasting:
- patients who are actively ill
- ketoacidosis in diabetics
- individuals with acute or recurring liver or pancreatic conditions
- diabetics or those with high blood sugar
- High blood pressure sufferers
- those who take heart-disease medication.
- any person who has ever had an eating disorder.
- those who struggle with being overweight or underweight.
Does ketosis result in weight loss?
Fasting and keto are not magical weight reduction cures, but when used appropriately, they can more than make up for the overall energy deficit.
It depends on the individual whether or not keto fasting results in weight loss, as sticking to any diet is the best indicator of weight loss. In other words, you have a good chance of success if you can maintain a ketogenic diet while fasting intermittently.
This approach isn’t for you, though, if your intermittent fasting schedule requires you to finish the day with a large bowl of keto ice cream.
Sample keto fasting diet
Your intake during a ketofast would likely range from one to three meals, depending on the size of your meals, your dietary choices, and your schedule.
The food schedule that follows is an example of an 8-hour ketofast; it can be modified, and one of the meals can be eliminated. In this situation, increase the protein and fat in your meals (or only lean proteins like eggs and oily salmon).
1- After waking up
- Drink water, coffee, tea, or any other calorie-free beverage after waking up.
Advice about drinking coffee: Even if drinking some milk or plant-based cream with your coffee technically breaks the fast, it won’t really matter if you’re trying to cut calories. (Just keep the calorie count under 50.)
2- Breakfast (11 a.m.)
- Option 1 is to fry some spinach and cook eggs with avocado.
- Option 2 is chia pudding with high-fat coconut cream, protein powder, and chopped nuts.
3- Lunch (3 p.m.)
- Option 1: a salad of salmon (or sardines) with diced veggies, cheese, avocado, almonds, and a dressing made with olive oil. For extra protein, add one or two hard-boiled eggs.
- Option 2: Smoothie made with a base of full-fat dairy or nut milk, protein powder, vegetables, nut butter, and some berries (optional).
4- Dinner (6 p.m.)
- Option 1 for dinner (6 p.m.) includes non-starchy vegetables cooked in olive oil or butter with grilled fish or meat (in moderation).
- Option 2: A taco bowl filled with ground beef, chicken, or turkey over cauliflower rice, seasoned with taco seasoning, cooked with plenty of onions and garlic, then topped with avocado, salsa, shredded cheese, and jalapenos. With coriander, it is chopped and served. Apply some tahini and lemon juice to it.
5- Dessert (before 7 o’clock)
- Option 1: whipped cream and a few berries
- Option 2: A 90–100% chunk of dark chocolate
6- until the next day’s fasting until 11 a.m.
Tips for keto fasting
Before beginning a ketofast, it is important to carefully consider the history of any inherited illnesses and disorders, as well as any drunkenness and drug usage.
Give yourself ample time to become used to the new eating routines and resist the urge to quit too soon. Rewarding oneself is a good way to keep yourself motivated to keep going once you get the desired results.
Prior to implementing keto fasting, it is crucial to precisely calculate the necessary calories and then create an appropriate meal plan. The diet should always maintain a suitable balance of macronutrients, such as carbs, proteins, and fats.
By selecting items from reputable sources and using the recipes on the Burnafit website, you may prevent diet monotony.
While on a ketofast, it is also advised to eat foods and vegetables with a low glycemic index. In order to maintain a proper level of hydration, those who are solely fasting with water should drink between two and three liters per day.
By inhibiting the production of insulin, keto fasting causes electrolyte imbalance. Since insulin aids in the reabsorption of sodium, we ultimately excrete both sodium and potassium.
Therefore, to avoid unfavorable electrolyte imbalance side effects like headaches, exhaustion, and muscular cramps while combining keto and fasting, either add more salt to your food or find a sugar-free electrolyte supplement.
Exercise with the keto diet
You can (and should) still workout while fasting because you won’t be in the gym for hours at a time. In the end, the best timing for your workout will depend on your personal requirements and preferences.
For instance, you can plan your meal to be eaten after your workout if your objective is to increase muscle mass. According to a study, training while fasting may improve how our muscles react to protein consumption after exercise.
Therefore, it’s likely that you can train however you like (fed vs. fasted) without worrying. Choose a meal that will be consumed soon after working out in the gym, and make sure you eat enough protein afterwards to maximize healing.
Final words
The keto diet and intermittent fasting complement each other well since they both encourage the use of lipids and ketones as fuel. The keto diet might help you complement your fasting schedule and make the switch from eating to fasting a little easier.
You could normally experience intermittent fasting while on the ketogenic diet, even if the diet manages to moderate your appetite. Simply follow the suggestions made in this article and the meal plans suggested by medical professionals to make sure you get the most out of the natural combination of keto fasting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should we fast while on a ketogenic diet?
The most typical intermittent fasting schedule calls for eating every eight hours and going without food for sixteen hours. It is preferable to seek advice from a professional regarding which curriculum is best for you.
Can I enter ketosis after a 16-hour fast?
Everyone’s experience with this will be unique. While it may take one individual 12 hours to reach ketosis, it might take another 24. A home ketone test may be an excellent place to start determining what is effective for you.
Can I lose a lot of weight while on a keto diet?
Although it depends on numerous factors, a progressive and sustainable weight loss rate is between 0.5 and 1 kg per week.