Last updated on July 12nd, 2023 at 08:48 am
The absolute advantage of taking the keto diet with intermittent fasting
Losing weight can be incredibly challenging, and people will often try several diets before landing on one that helps them drop pounds consistently and sustainably.
New research from the University of Illinois in Chicago suggests intermittent fasting (IF) could promote significant weight loss and even improve metabolic health in obese people.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting takes many forms. It can be alternate day fasting (typically a feast day alternated with a fast day of 500 calories eaten at one meal), the so-called 5:2 plan (5 days of unrestricted eating, 2 days of calorie restriction), time-restricted eating (eating within a specific time frame, perhaps 10 hours, and fasting outside that window), or 24-hour fasts, also known as the one meal a day (OMAD) diet.Facts on Fasting
In recent years, researchers have taken a closer look at the approach. University of Chicago researchers reviewed more than 25 research studies. They summarized the effects of the various forms, concluding that the approach is generally safe and can have sound effects on blood pressure, cholesterol, and insulin resistance (good to lower diabetes risk).They found that this approach can help you reduce calories by 10 to 30% and produce mild to moderate weight loss, up to 8% of your starting weight.
Carbs are typically reduced to 20 to 50 grams per day, which forces your body to rely on fats instead of glucose as its primary energy source.
In the metabolic process known as ketosis, your body breaks down fats to form substances called ketones that serve as an alternate fuel source.
This diet is an effective way to shed pounds but has several other benefits.
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(getButton) #text=(Sustainable Healthy Fish Choices) #icon=link #color=(#ff585d)How Intermittent Fasting Can Affect Your Well-being
Megan Bruneau, a New York-based registered clinical counselor who specializes in mental health and eating disorders, echoes Kallen’s stance. She says that when we severely restrict our food intake or don’t eat even when we’re hungry, our body believes food is scarce. Our metabolism is slow when this happens, and our hormones can get out of whack.
Of the studies examined, many showed that time-restricted eating allowed participants with obesity to lose an average of 3% of their body weight—no matter the length of their eating window. On the other hand, those who participated in alternate-day fasting dropped 3%- 8% of their body weight over three to eight weeks.
The Keto diet
The ketogenic (keto) diet is a high-fat, very low-carb way of eating.Carbs are typically reduced to 20 to 50 grams per day, which forces your body to rely on fats instead of glucose as its primary energy source.
In the metabolic process known as ketosis, your body breaks down fats to form substances called ketones that serve as an alternate fuel source.
This diet is an effective way to shed pounds but has several other benefits.
Intermittent fasting and Keto
If you’d like to try IF while living low carb, we suggest starting with a 14:10 or 16:8 approach. Try making your calorie cutoff around 6-7 p.m. and resume eating around 10-11 a.m. Most of your fasting hours will be while you sleep, and this window may also help curb late-night snacking on hidden carbs.You may also find IF helpful when you have excess blood sugar and insulin to clear out. This could be after the holidays or a week or two when you know you haven’t been eating low-carb. If you try IF, pay attention to how you feel and personalize it to suit your needs.
The Combined Benefits of Keto and Intermittent Fasting
A ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting are two popular dietary approaches that can offer significant benefits when combined. Let's explore the advantages of this combination:
Enhanced Weight Loss
- Caloric Restriction: Both keto and intermittent fasting involve reducing caloric intake, leading to weight loss.
- Fat Burning: The keto diet forces your body to burn fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates, while intermittent fasting creates a metabolic state that promotes fat oxidation.
Improved Metabolic Health
- Insulin Sensitivity: Both approaches can improve insulin sensitivity, helping to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Reduced Inflammation: Keto and intermittent fasting have been linked to decreased inflammation, which can benefit overall health.
Increased Energy Levels
- Ketones as Fuel: The keto diet shifts your body's primary fuel source from glucose to ketones, which can provide sustained energy.
- Improved Mental Clarity: Many people report increased mental focus and clarity while following a keto diet, especially when combined with intermittent fasting.
Potential for Autophagy
- Cellular Renewal: Intermittent fasting can induce autophagy, a cellular process that helps to remove damaged cells and promote tissue repair.
Important Considerations:
- Individual Results: The benefits of combining keto and intermittent fasting can vary from person to person.
- Sustainability: Choosing a dietary approach that you can sustain long-term is essential.
In conclusion, combining keto and intermittent fasting can significantly benefit weight loss, metabolic health, and overall well-being. However, it's crucial to approach this combination with a personalized plan and under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
Fuel Your Body And Mind With The Combined Benefits Of Keto And Intermittent Fasting.
Fueling your body and mind with the combined benefits of Keto and intermittent fasting harnesses the power of fat metabolism and metabolic flexibility. The ketogenic diet, which emphasizes high fat, low carbohydrate intake, encourages your body to enter a state of ketosis where fat, rather than sugar, becomes the primary energy source.
This shift helps weight loss and provides a steady energy supply, reducing blood sugar spikes and crashes.
Incorporating intermittent fasting enhances these benefits by allowing your body to burn fat stores more efficiently during fasting periods. It promotes cellular repair processes and can improve mental clarity and focus as the brain adapts to utilizing ketones—produced during ketosis—as an alternative energy source.
Keto and intermittent fasting can improve cognitive function, support endurance, and promote overall health by optimizing energy usage, reducing inflammation, and enhancing metabolic health.
