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August 09, 2019
Two trends in the diet world are making waves – keto diet and intermittent fasting.
But some are even taking it up a notch and combining the two.
So the big question is – do intermittent fasting and keto diet make a perfect weight loss combination?
This article finds out.
Intermittent fasting – or IF – is a kind of diet that focuses on when you’re eating and not eating. Timing is key, as your food intake is divided into three square meals a day. As Healthline puts it: [1]
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. It does not say anything about which foods to eat, but rather when you should eat them.
There are different variations for IF, and according to Healthline, some of the common ones are: [2]
This one’s pretty simple. The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It’s said to be effective for weight loss as it significantly lowers down carbs in the diet and involves eating food rich in fat instead. When this happens, the body achieves a metabolic state called ketosis, where it becomes exceptionally efficient in burning fat. This way, the stored fat becomes the primary source of energy instead of glucose. [3, 4]
Because keto diet is rich in fat and low on carbohydrates, it results in lower blood sugar and insulin levels.
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Intermittent fasting aids in reaching ketosis in a faster and more seamless fashion, compared to doing keto diet alone.
And by faster, I mean 24 to 36 hours. [5]
Now here’s the common thing about intermittent fasting and keto diet:
When the body goes through either diet, it sources its energy from fats, instead of the usual carbohydrates and glucose. [6]
This happens because our body’s insulin levels, blood sugar and glycogen stores go down while fasting. Our system then turns to stored fat and starts burning it as fuel source. [7]
There's another major link between the two diets. During intermittent fasting, ketone levels go up, which is exactly what happens with the keto diet.
According to Dominic D’Agostino, PhD, associate professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa and KetoNutrition.org founder: [8]
“The brain will rely less on glucose for energy when in a state of nutritional ketosis. Therefore, the transition into a fasted (ketogenic) state during the day eventually becomes seamless after eating low-carb or ketogenic for a few weeks.”
These processes all together result in weight loss!
A combination of both intermittent fasting and keto diet may lead to burning *more* fat, compared to doing just a single one.
Intermittent fasting has been proven to effectively and carefully get rid of excess and stubborn fats in the body. By virtue of thermogenesis or heat production, IF jacks up metabolism and prompts the body to start tapping into stored fat, even those that have long been in surplus. [9]
Talk about turning the body into a fat-burning machine!
A 2016 study showed that in a group of 34 men who were going through resistance training, those who applied the 16/8 IF method experienced a loss of almost 14% more body fat… compared to those who didn’t. [10]
Another study showed that participants who practiced IF lost more fat mass than those under low-calorie diets. Specifically, they lost an average of 7.3 pounds more fat mass than the latter group. [11]
IF also helps keep your toned abs and biceps during weight loss. This diet preserves muscle mass and even makes energy levels higher. This is a welcome perk among those going through keto diet, looking to enhance their athletic/sports performance and drop their body fat at the same time. [12, 13]
Did you know that a stable and low blood sugar level can lead to less cravings, fatigue and mood swings? So when you go on a keto diet, it not only keeps your blood sugar at bay, you can also reap the benefits of not having those pesky cravings. [14] This makes intermittent fasting and weight loss so much easier!
Keto diet also curbs hunger. During this diet, the liver burns fat and turns them into energy called ketones. They then go to the bloodstream to be used by cells as energy and fuel.
Ketones also fend off ghrelin, the hunger hormone. When your ghrelin is high, you feel like you’re starving to death.
But during keto diet, ghrelin levels are low. So even when you’re going through IF, you don’t feel too hungry. Fasting then becomes so much easier, and you become more capable of fasting in longer windows.
IF also suppresses hunger. Studies showed that IF can make you feel full, helping you lose weight more easily. [15]
We’ve seen how this powerful combination is a perfect complement to each other and can enhance each other’s effectivity. But can everyone do both at the same time?
Not necessarily.
First and foremost, if you’re a beginner in either of the two, you may be better off doing one first.
Jumping straight to both may be a shock to the system, and could be counter-productive in the long run.
It’s better to go on more than a couple of weeks first and see if you’d like to ramp up the results. Consult your dietician or a healthcare professional if your overall wellness will allow for it.
Those who have pre-diabetes or diabetes conditions should be careful about not eating for long periods.
Same with those who have chronic kidney disease, eating disorders (or a history of), going through cancer treatments, pregnant or breastfeeding women.
[1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-intermittent-fasting
[2] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-ways-to-do-intermittent-fasting
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14525681
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6865776
[5] https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/keto-diet-and-intermittent-fasting
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3753545/
[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5913738/
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5674160/
[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5064803/
[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5043510/
[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5845356/
[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5470183/
[14] https://blog.bulletproof.com/keto-intermittent-fasting-weight-loss-diet/#ref-15
[15] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5371748/
November 01, 2021
As human beings, it is natural for us to have “one of those days” when we seem to lose mental clarity, memory or focus. There can be a variety of reasons, but know that it certainly is normal to feel like we’re not managing our focus and time as much as we’d want to.
While self-motivation is highly important in achieving goals, there are other ways to soldier on even when we feel like just staying in bed. Here are 5 ways to motivate yourself into action:
October 01, 2021
Mood swings are very common among menstruating women. Crying spells, anxiety attacks, “hangry” moments, sudden outbursts, and snapping on the smallest of things – name it! Fortunately, there are various ways to relieve uncontrollable emotional ups-and-downs while “on code red.” Here are 7 ways to find relief from PMS mood swings.
September 01, 2021
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