Trying to lose weight may drive you to the limits. However, this does not have to be the case with the ketogenic diet. If you have never tried the keto diet before, it is important to take your time and understand the facts first.
Do not jump on the train and start using the keto diet without understanding what it is or how it works. This keto diet guide for beginners will help you understand what exactly the keto diet constitutes.
It also explores the benefits and side effects of the ketogenic diet. Before you start using the diet, you must confirm that you are in the category of people allowed to use the ketogenic diet.
Generally, keto diets are used by people trying to lose weight and other groups of people as we will see.
The reason why the keto diet is so popular is that it works. Many people around the world have tried the diet and have shown positive results in the end. It works effectively for people trying to lose weight when used in the right manner.
The good news is that unlike other types of weight loss diets, with the keto diet you do not need to starve. You get to enjoy all the three meals a day. It is also interesting to know that, you choose your own foods with the keto diet.
There is no a strict list of foods you have to eat to fulfill the keto diet. This amazing diet is the answer to most people who cannot avoid food but wish to lose weight.
What Exactly is a Keto Diet?
In simple terms, a keto diet is a low carb diet. However, the science behind this diet is much more complicated. To understand the functioning of the keto diet, you must understand the body energy system. The human body needs energy to function. The energy that your body uses is drawn from the food you eat; more specifically from carbohydrates.
Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas. When you eat carbohydrates, they are converted into glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream. The action of insulin on glucose helps absorb some of the glucose and converts it into glycogen. The glycogen is stored in the liver and your muscles for later use. By not eating carbohydrates you deny the body the supply of energy from food. Since the body needs the energy to function, it turns to the energy stored, i.e the glycogen stored in the liver and muscles. The energy stored within muscles and the liver is around 1500 calories. This energy can be depleted in a single day. Once the stored energy is depleted the body has to turn to the third source of energy— The stored fats. Here is where the keto diet comes into play.
What “keto” means
When the body has depleted all the available energy, it turns to stored fats. The body enters a metabolic state known as ketosis. In a ketosis state, the body converts fats into energy molecules known as ketones hence the name ketogenic. Ketones are used as fuel for the body. By converting fats into ketones, your body sheds off extra weight.
Ketones are an effective source of energy for the body especially the brain. The human brain is hungry for energy since it is the center of all operations. When you are on a ketogenic diet, your body enters a ketosis state and uses fats for energy. This is a great way to lose weight, however, there are many other benefits of the keto diet as we will see later.
Who Should Avoid The Ketogenic Diet?
There are many people who are skeptical about the ketogenic diet. However, those who have used the diet report the best results without experiencing most of the feared side effects. If your body is in sound condition, you can switch to
the keto diet without a problem. However, there are individuals who may not enjoy the keto diet experience. Avoid the ketogenic diet if you are on diabetes medication- especially insulin. You should also stay away from this diet if you are on any high blood pressure medication or if you are breastfeeding. If you fall in the group mentioned above, do not use a ketogenic diet whatsoever. If you must use it consult your doctor first.
Before you decide to use the keto diet, you should note that there are many controversial issues surrounding the topic. While it is beneficial in burning body fats, some people argue that ketones do not supply sufficient energy to the brain. Some scientists have argued that the brain does not function at an optimal level without glucose. However, all these concerns are not based on any scientific proof.
What To Eat On A Keto Diet
The beauty of the keto diet is that there are no set foods that you must eat in a certain order. It is your duty to decide the foods to eat and which ones to avoid. Generally, there are 3 types of ketogenic diets. Each diet has a formula that will help you decide which foods to eat and which ones to avoid. While all the three diets are low carb, they are tailored for different individuals. Here are the 3 main versions of the keto diet and their formulas.
The standard ketogenic diet (SKD): Your Daily Food Intake Should Include:
- 75% fat
- 20% protein
- 5% carbs
Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): Your Daily Food Intake Should Include:
- 60% fat
- 35% protein
- 5% carbs
The cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): Involves days of high carb diet. Eg, you may take 5 days of The standard ketogenic and 2 days of high carb diet per week.
The Targeted Ketogenic Diet tends to have more proteins than the standard one. It is used by athletes and workout enthusiasts in most cases. However, in all the formulas, the carbs consumed are about 5% of your daily food consumption. In a nutshell, you are free to eat any food you want as long as each meal follows the given formula. For instance, if you choose to use the standard ketogenic diet, you can eat carbohydrates, protein, and fats but in the specified percentages. In the morning ensure that carbs make 5% of your meal while the protein takes 20% percent and fats 70%.
There are many foods that fall under each category. Here are some simple foods you can use to balance your keto diet formula.
Natural fats: Eggs, Olives and Olive Oil, High Fat Dairy (Cheese, Butter, and Cream), Dark Chocolate, Berries etc. Proteins: Meat: Beef, Fish, and poultry, grains(french beans and soya beans)
Carbohydrates: Low sugar whole grain bread and cereals, green vegetables and some fruits.
The important aspect of a keto diet is to avoid carbs. If you stick to the provided formula, you will be set to attain your weight loss goals. It is recommended that you use an electronic scale to weigh everything you eat so that you do not miss the formula.However, if you do not have an electronic formula, you can use other means of measurement such as cups.
Foods To Avoid On A Keto Diet
You should avoid all carbs that are high in sugar. If you have to eat bread only use whole grain low sugar bread. However, avoid bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, beer, soda, and candy.
What to drink
Just like foods, there are drinks that are good while others may mess up your keto diet. When you are on keto water should be your friend. You can also take tea, coffee, milk, and a little wine. Do not add any sugar to your tea and coffee unless you choose to use a natural sweetener such as honey.
Benefits Of A Keto Diet
The keto diet offers many benefits that are similar to other low carb diets. However, keto seems to be more effective than most diets. The upside is that although keto is extremely low carb, it is better than starving. The keto diet can be adopted by beginners very easily. If you want to lose weight, simply take your time to prepare psychologically. Get all the necessary foods around and kick off.
Weight loss
The primary benefit of the keto diet is weight loss. Once you start your keto diet, your body quickly adapts by entering the ketosis state. This helps turn your body into a fat burning machine. People who are on keto can bun as much as 2000 calories in a day without an intensive workout.
Weight loss = Calorie Intake- Calorie Loss.
By avoiding high-calorie foods such as carbohydrates, you enhance your weight loss efforts. You end up losing more calories by burning fats and gaining less from your meals. With workout, an individual on a keto diet can lose up to 3000 calories in a day. Given that 3500 calories are equivalent to 1 pound in weight, you can end up losing 1-2 pounds of weight in a day. As you get used to your diet and increase your workout you can lose even more weight.
Appetite control
For most people who wish to lose weight, the biggest problem they have you deal with is sugar craving. When you are on a keto diet, your blood sugar level drops and as a result, you do not have the abnormal sugar cravings. The low carb diet is also essential in reducing hunger. Since the diet has more fats and proteins, you take long before you feel hungry as compared to when you eat more carbs. Proteins take much longer to digest and are good for reducing appetite. When you adapt to the keto diet, you avoid constant eating, gain control of your eating habits and eventually manage your calorie intake. Controlled eating is important for those who wish to lose weight. It is also important to control your sugar cravings if you are diabetic.
Controls Blood Sugar
As already mentioned above, the keto diet reduces insulin levels and blood sugar levels. Several studies have shown that the keto diet can effectively help manage blood sugar levels and even completely reverse type 2 diabetes. The keto diet may reduce the need for medication. However, if you are already on medication, you should not start a keto diet without informing your doctor. Consult your doctor to see if your body is in the right condition for keto.
The low carb diet can also reduce the risk for some heart conditions including Cholesterol profile (HDL and triglycerides). By sticking to low carb diets, you help improve your LDL levels and blood sugar levels.
Energy and Mental Performance
It has been proved that people on keto diet experience improved mental performance. It is also a common experience to have an energy boost when in ketosis. When you are on a keto diet, your brain does not rely on glucose. It is fueled by ketones which are the most effective brain fuel. When your body is under normal metabolism, the brain is usually
deprived of energy from time to time. You may lack food and the energy in your body and may not be sufficient to support your brain activity. However, when the body is deep into ketosis, the brain receives uninterrupted fuel— enhancing your mental performance. This usually results in better focus and mental clarity.
Stomach Disorders Control
The keto diet has been found to be beneficial in dealing with stomach upsets. Using the keto diet results in a calmer stomach, less gas and fewer cramps. For some people, the main reason for switching to the keto diet is to enjoy the benefits of a more efficient digestive system. It only takes one or 2 days on keto to start experiencing the benefits on your stomach. If you suffer from IBS, you may want to consider the keto diet.
Increased Physical Endurance
During intense exercise, the natural body energy supply from glucose only lasts a few hours. However, when your body is in a ketosis state, you have a huge amounts of energy to tap from. This explains why people workout more when they are on a keto diet. You have energy stored in your body fats that can be utilized to increase your endurance in the gym or at work.
Further, the diet also helps reduce the body fat percentage. Reduced body fat percentage increases muscles. People with high muscle percentage have more endurance than those with a high-fat percentage. Having a lean body is beneficial in competitive sports, especially endurance sports such as rugby and boxing.
Keto Diet and Epilepsy
The ketogenic diet has been used to control epilepsy for many years. In the early years, the keto diet was used to control epilepsy in children. Today, the keto diet is used to reduce seizures in some cases without the medication. It is also effective in reducing the side effects of antiepileptic drugs. The diet also increases mental performance for epileptic individuals.
Other Benefits
The above-mentioned benefits are a few among those proven through scientific studies. There are other benefits of the keto diet that may not have credible scientific backing. Some benefits that keto users claim to have experienced include; blood pressure control, acne reduction, and management of mental problems.
There are scientific studies underway to ascertain the effect of the diet on cancer. Some researchers say that the diet can potentially increase lifespan and reduce the risk of cancer.
Tips for Eating Out on a Ketogenic Diet
One of the benefits of the keto diet is that you can still get into any restaurant and order foods that are balanced according to your diet plan. When you are out and about, you may choose to enter a restaurant to calm down your hunger. There are restaurants that serve special keto diets on request. If you happen to come across one you are lucky. However, if you happen to enter a restaurant that does not have special keto meals, you may be forced to settle for an alternative. For instance, you can take an Egg – based meal such s an omelet or egg and bacon. You can also opt for a meat-based meal with vegetables instead of carbs.
You could also opt for a bun-less burger and swap your fries with veggies. In case of a Mexican restaurant, go for any meat-based dish with extra salsa, cheese or guacamole. In essence, you can eat any dish as long as you find a way of getting rid of the carbs within the dish. In most cases, green veggies and are good replacements for carbs in a dish.
Side Effects Of The Keto Diet And How To Minimize Them
Although the keto diet is good for healthy people, there are some side effects that come along. The side effects may not affect all people. In most cases, you will only experience the side effects in the early stages as your body adjusts to the new metabolic state.
During the early days, you may experience poor energy flow and mental function. This is usually referred to as the keto flu. You will experience symptoms such as increased hunger, nausea, lack of sleep, digestion discomfort, decreased work performance and fatigue among others. To avoid experiencing these side effects during the initial stages, try experimenting with other low carb diets for a few weeks before switching to the keto diet. This may help your body adjust to operating on low carbs.
The keto diet also deprives your body some salts and minerals. To deal with this, simply add some salt to your meals or take mineral supplements. There are many mineral supplements available on the market for those on low carb diets. The main mineral deficiencies experienced during a keto diet include sodium, potassium, and magnesium. If possible take about 4000 mg of sodium, 1000mg of potassium and 300 mg of magnesium on a daily basis. Taking mineral supplements will help reduce some of the side effects mentioned above.
When you are starting your diet, eat until you are full. Do not pay much attention to your calorie intake. Make sure you observe the keto formula but do not limit the amount of food you eat. The keto diet is very effective. It helps with weight loss without much restriction on the number of calories you consume. As you get more used to the diet, start regulating the amount you eat. At some stage, the keto diet will help you suppress your appetite such that you will only be eating when it is necessary.
Many of the side effects of the keto diet only last for a few days. You can easily adapt to the diet and overcome the side effects by using mineral supplements.
Supplements You Can Use
MCT oil
This oil helps increase ketone levels when added to foods. You can use this oil to help your body supplement the energy needs as your body enters the ketosis state.
Minerals
Add salt and other minerals to your food to help reduce the side effects of the keto diet when starting off.
Caffeine
Taking coffee can help you keep your mind active and enhance fat loss during the early stages of the diet. However, avoid sugar when taking coffee.
Whey
Whey is the best supplement to increase your protein intake. Since the diet limits protein intake to only 20%, you can boost your body proteins by taking a scoop of whey protein and mixing it in your yogurt.
The keto diet is one of the tested and proven diets when it comes to weight loss. This diet does not only help you lose weight but it also gives you full control over your metabolic system. Once you are on the keto diet, you gain more control over your blood sugar, food cravings, and appetite. The use of the keto diet also helps in the management of various chronic diseases. The diet can help eliminate diabetes type 2 and control several heart conditions. The keto diet is easy to observe since it does not require complete fasting. When you are on keto, you only reduce the amounts of carbohydrates in your meals. You still get to enjoy your favorite dishes such as meat and chicken. With the right use of the keto diet, you will successfully lose weight and manage other conditions.
Understanding The Keto Flu And How To Deal With It.
There are many benefits of the keto diet as already highlighted in most of our previous articles. However, the most dreaded aspect of the keto diet is having to deal with the keto flu. Most keto diet beginners have to deal with the frustrating side effects of the keto diet – also known as the keto flu.
What Exactly Is The Keto Flu?
When you start using the keto diet, you deny your body the essential carbohydrates. Eliminating carbs from your diet means that you interfere with the natural body energy supply system. The human body draws all its energy from food – mostly carbohydrates. Carbs are usually digested by the body to form glucose which is distributed throughout the body to provide energy. When you start using the keto diet, you deprive your body the carbohydrates and as a result, you interfere with the body’s metabolism.
When you are on the keto diet, the body has to stay in the ketosis metabolic state. In ketosis, the body converts fats into ketones— which are used as fuel. The fact that fats are burned to generate fuel for the body helps in losing weight faster. Although there is nothing wrong with the body burning fats for fuel, the human body has a natural way of operation. The natural metabolism entails conversion of carbs into glucose for energy. However, with the keto diet, the body is forced to adapt to a foreign metabolic state where fats are converted into ketones for energy. The aftermath may include certain side effects known as the keto flu.
Keto Flu Symptoms
There are many keto flu symptoms. The main ones include:
- Fatigue.
- Nausea
- Headache
- Difficulty focusing
- Lack of motivation
- Dizziness
- Sugar cravings
- Sleep Problems
Does Everyone Experience Keto Flu?
The keto flue is real and the symptoms mentioned above are just but a few among many. When you quickly jump into the keto diet, your body will be shocked by the new metabolic changes. Although not everyone experiences the keto flu, most keto diet beginners experience the keto flu symptoms to some degree. For some people, the keto flu symptoms may last a week while for others they may last a day or 2. There are some lucky individuals who may never experience the flue even if they start the keto diet drastically. In a nutshell, different people react differently to the introduction of the keto diet. Drastic introduction of the keto diet may have some side effects which are prevalent among keto diet beginners.
Do not get worried if you experience any of the mentioned keto flu symptoms. It is a natural body reaction to the changes being introduced. The good news is that the symptoms eventually disappear in a matter of days.
How To Avoid The Keto Flu
It is possible to stop the side effects associated with the keto diet. In order to avoid the keto flu, you need to make the transition from the normal metabolism to ketosis as seamless as possible. Do not make drastic diet changes that may shock the body. Here are 3 things you can do to try and dodge the Keto Flu.
3 Tips On How To Avoid Keto Flu.
Start slowly.
The best way to dodge the keto flu is going it slowly. During the first few days, use a typical low carb diet. The low carb diet may contain up to 30% carbs. You can start adjusting your carb intake from 30% and take time to reduce it gradually. For instance, you can decide to cut 5% of your carb intake each day. Start at 30% and cut it to 25% the next day then to 20% until you attain the required amount. When you introduce the low carb diet in such a systematic manner, the body starts to adjust to it reducing the severe side effect. However, you may still experience mild side effects.
Stay hydrated.
Most of the side effects experienced during the keto flu can be handled by staying hydrated. Some of the side effects can be associated with loss of minerals and dehydration. For instance, taking plenty of water will reduce headaches and fatigue. You should either take mineral water or add some salt to your water. Mineral deficiencies may lead to some of the keto flu side effects Taking mineral water will help you avoid such side effects. This is especially true for individuals who were used to eating junk foods before. Junk foods are usually high in mineral salts. If the body adapts to the minerals, it is difficult to make drastic diet changes without experiencing such effects. However, taking salt water may help.
Eat More
Do not limit your eating when you are starting your keto diet. The keto diet is one of the best weight loss diets since it does not limit the amount you can eat. You can eat as much food as you want in a day as long as you stick to the formula. Make sure you eat until you are full during the first days. Eating may help reduce some symptoms such as tiredness and fatigue. As you advance into the diet, you will realize that you feel full most of the times and you won’t need to eat much. The keto diet is effective in suppressing appetite. Since the diet is rich in fats and proteins, it takes longer for the proteins to get digested. You will end up reducing your eating habits and even controlling sugar cravings.
Treating Keto Flu
It is possible to treat the keto flu. If you are already into the diet and find yourself suffering from any of the symptoms above, use the following remedies.
Electrolytes
Use plenty of salts and electrolytes. There are many salts that are rich in the minerals that your body may be lacking. For instance, the Himalayan salt contains 84 essential minerals. Using this salt or the regular iodized salt may help you reduce the effects of the keto flu. Sodium, potassium and iodine minerals are crucial for metabolism. You can use any salt or electrolyte to reduce the effects. You can also get potassium minerals from animal bones. Simply drink some bone broth to attain the essential minerals and ease the effects of the keto flu. You can also use the simplest way which is taking mineral supplements. Most people take magnesium supplements to stop cramping and tiredness.
Drink lots of water.
Hydration is the best cure to the keto flu. Taking a lot of water will help you reduce headaches, nausea, and fatigue. If you are already experiencing the frustrating effects of the flu, turn to water. You can add a pinch of salt to enhance mineral supply.
Eat Some Clean Carbs.
Although not advisable, you may turn to some clean carbs if the side effects of the keto flu are unbearable. Do not go for any high sugar carbs. Stick to low sugar non – starchy carbs such as vegetables, extra, and seeds. Use few low carb berries or other fruits that are non-starchy. This does not mean that you have to break your keto diet. Just add a little more carbs to your diet to reduce the side effects. However, you may still experience some minor symptoms. As you advance, the symptoms will disappear and you will not have to worry about eating more carbs or drinking more water.
Exercise
Exercising will help you get your mind off your feelings. Most people usually focus on the changes happening in the body during the first few days. To avoid paying too much attention to the symptoms, find an activity that keeps your mind busy. Exercising is one of the best activities. Besides keeping you occupied, exercises also enhance the body’s metabolism. Exercise also helps the body to transit into ketosis faster by draining any glucose stored. You will start feeling much better once your body attains full ketosis.
The good news is that as much as the keto flu is real and irritating, it only lasts for a few days. The longest period may be a week. However, for most people, the flu will be gone in 2 to 3 days.
Giving up carbs is a tough journey. However, if you want to gain control of your body, manage your eating habits, and lose weight, you must be ready to go all the way. The keto diet is one of the best diets you can use when cutting down weight. Although you may be forced to deal with the keto flu, the results of the diet are worth it. However, you may also use the keto diet without ever feeling the symptoms of the keto flu. As mentioned above, you need to take it slow when introducing your body to the new way of life. Take a lot of water and mineral supplements to try and reduce the side effects of the diet. You can also exercise to keep your mind off the happenings in your system. Once you get used to the diet, you will not feel anything negative. Your body will be energized and your brain will be operating at the optimum.
Turn Your Body Into A Fat Burning Machine With Keto Diet and Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is one of the oldest weight loss techniques. This type of fasting entails consuming your daily calorie intake in one sitting and going without food for a considerably long period. Intermittent fasting is very effective in burning fats, however, it has its shortcomings as we will see later. The ketogenic diet, on the other hand, is the best formula for those looking to lose weight without fasting. The keto diet literally turns your body into a fat burning machine. Once your body is in ketosis state, it consumes fats for energy helping you lose weight faster. Combining intermittent fasting with keto diet provide the best results as much as fat burning is concerned. Most celebrities are now turning to this miracle fat burning formula. Combining intermittent fasting with the keto diet is also beneficial in other ways. Besides the fact that it helps you burn fats like wildfire, the combination also offers many health benefits. As already mentioned above, intermittent fasting alone comes with many side effects. However, when combined with a keto diet, intermittent fasting and keto produce the best formula known in weight loss.
How To Plan Your Intermittent Fasting On Keto Diet
Assuming that you are already on keto, it is important to organize your fast in periods longer than 10 hours. If you are not yet on keto, start by familiarizing yourself with the ketogenic diet. Try the diet for at least one week and monitor yourself to see whether your body enters the ketosis state. You can use a ketometer, a breathalyzer or a keto stick to test your ketosis state. Once your body is in ketosis and you are comfortable with your diet plan, introduce intermittent fasting. Here are the available types of intermittent fasting on keto.
16 Hour Fast:
With the 16-hour fast, you can eat all your keto diet meals within an 8-hour window. For instance, you can eat all your meals between noon and 8 pm. After this time avoid food until after 16 hours. If you are on workout, use the 16 hour period for maximum results.
18 Hour Fast:
The 18 hour fast is the ultimate choice for anyone who wishes to burn fats faster. However, it is advisable to start with the 16 hour-fast before tuning to the 18-hour fast. You can distribute your meals between noon and 6 pm; after which, you focus on your workouts.
One Meal A Day(OMAD):
This is another level of intermittent fasting. With OMAD, you only eat after 24 hours. For instance, if you choose to have lunch, you will only eat again the following day at lunchtime. This type of keto diet intermittent fasting requires dedication. It is not easy for most people but t is worth it.
Weekly 24-hour fast
In this type of fast, you take one day off food every week. During this day, maximize your workout efforts. It is advisable that you choose a day when you are free and ready to put all your energy in the gym.
Alternate-day fasting:
Alternate fasting is arguably the best when it comes to weight loss. Since your body is already in ketosis state, missing meals for a day only helps increase the fat burning effects. Your body is hungry for more energy every day. Denying yourself food for a day is the best way to take the fat burning efforts a notch higher.
Intermittent fasting and keto diet work wonders. On a good day, you can lose up to 3000 calories. The fact that your body is already in ketosis, fueled by the lack of supplementary food help burn fats faster. This type of fast also increases mental clarity and brain performance. Trying intermittent fasting when you are on high carb diet may bring dizziness and fatigue.
Hormonal Changes Brought About By Intermittent Fasting
When you switch your body to fasting, a lot of changes occur in the body. Naturally, the fast interferes with the normal body metabolism. There are hormonal changes that happen to make fats more accessible. Some of the important hormonal changes triggered by intermittent fasting include:
Insulin levels Drop:
The drop in insulin in the blood facilitates fat burning. Insulin drop is brought about by both intermittent fasting and the ketogenic diet.
Human growth hormone( HGH):
When you fast, the levels of HGH increase up to 5 times the normal. The benefits of HGH are many. The hormone facilitates muscle growth and fat burning. When you are on intermittent fasting, the levels of HGH spike helping you burn more fats than normal.
Cellular Repair:
He body initiates an internal repair and reorganization mechanism once there is no external supply of energy. The cellular repair process is important since it facilitates the growth of lean muscles and burning of fats. It also helps in body detoxification.
Gene expression:
Intermittent fasting awakens genes and leads to gene expression. There are many benefits of gene expression. According to Healthline, the hormonal changes that take place during this fasting are important in defending the body against diseases.
Avoid Intermittent Fasting On High- Carb Diet
As already mentioned above, intermittent fasting without keto may be fetal. It has so many side effects that only a few people can manage the fast. If you are on any high carb diet it is advisable to stay away from intermittent fasting. If you try intermittent fasting on a high carb diet you will suffer from blood sugar imbalances. Your blood sugar will fall and rise irregularly during the day causing mood swings, fatigue, headaches, and food cravings. The most undoing of intermittent fasting is that most people end up succumbing to their food cravings. Unstable blood sugar also brings other challenges. You will run out of energy to workout. You will also experience weakness throughout your body, sleepiness, trouble focussing, among other shortcomings. When you are on a high carb diet, your body is accustomed to the natural metabolism; where the food you eat supplies the energy. Trying out intermittent fasting on a high carb diet means that your body will start demanding for food. Your energy stores get depleted and the body stops functioning until you eat. This state may lead to blood sugar instability, which brings about many complications as seen above. With intermittent fasting, you have to eat one big meal. If you end up eating a lot of carbs, you shift your blood sugars drastically from low to high. High blood sugar levels may lead to fatigue and lack of focus. In a nutshell, you will never have optimal functioning capacity on intermittent fasting without keto. With the keto diet, all the above shortcomings of intermittent fasting are unheard of.
Why Keto And Intermittent Fasting?
Keto- intermittent fasting starts with the keto diet. Take one to two weeks to stabilize your body metabolism with a low carb diet. When you are on keto, the body shifts its energy sources to the fats store. Once your body gets accustomed to drawing energy from the fats, you are ready to introduce intermittent fasting. Do not introduce intermittent fasting when you are still experiencing the symptoms of keto flu. People take different durations to adjust to the keto diet. Once your body adapts to the keto diet, you will not be experiencing any symptoms of keto flu. On a keto diet, you are able to go without food for long hours without feeling tired or lightheaded. At this stage, your body has been turned into an efficient fat burning machine. Some of the benefits of introducing the keto diet at this stage include:
No cravings:
Since you are on a keto diet, your insulin levels are already low. The fast only helps to lower insulin more. However, this does not affect your blood sugar. The keto diet is rich in fats and not carbs. This means that there is no external sugar supply to spike your blood sugar levels. Without blood sugar imbalances, you are free to fast without the food cravings. This means that you will also be in a good mood for the workout. You will not experience mood swings or fatigue as it is the case with a high carb diet.
Hunger suppression:
When you are on a keto diet, the body converts fats into ketones for fuel. Ketones also suppress ghrelin, which is the main hunger hormone. When you are on keto, you can go for hours without feeling hungry. This is one way to boost your workout. As long as you are not feeling hungry, you can hit the gym and burn out a lot more calories than when your stomach is rumbling.
Fat loss:
The main point of combining the keto diet with intermittent fasting is to attain fast fat burning. Both keto and intermittent fasting enhance the fat burning process. Your body turns into a fat burning machine— converting all the fat bundles into energy. Depriving your body food just serves to help your body demand more energy. All the energy required to heat the body, maintain brain function, and control daily activities must be processed from fats. The fact that keto diet suppresses ghrelin hormones also means that you can workout more. You have the energy to workout the whole day if you want. When your body in ketosis, the energy used for all functions is drawn from fats. This means that you will be tolerant to workout— taking more hours than on normal occasions. This will help you burn more fats than you could on a high carb diet.
Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting and Keto Diet
Keto combined with intermittent fasting can help you lose up to 7% of your weight in a single day. According to a Healthline publication, fasting for 16 hours on keto diet guarantees weight loss whether you workout or not. However, it is still important to observe workout to gain more out of your fasting. Besides weight loss, the keto diet-intermittent fasting combination has many benefits for your body. Some of the benefits include:
Muscle gain
As already mentioned above, fasting increases HGH levels. According to a Harvard Medical School Publication , Intermittent fasting increases the levels of HGH by 2000% in men and 1300% for women. Considering that HGH plays an important role in muscle growth, fasting will help you build lean muscles contrary to popular opinion. Most people think that fasting may lead to the loss of muscles, which is not true. HGH helps in burning down fats and formation of muscles.
Speeds up recovery
High HGH is also important in supporting speedy recovery. This hormone is important in building up worn out tissues. The repair of cells helps in fast recovery and healing of wounds.
Slows down aging
Intermittent fasting combined with keto enhances cell production. Your body uses the newly reproduced cells to replace old ones. This will help in keeping your body younger. The stem cell multiplication is good for your joints, skin, muscles, and healing of injuries.
Improves brain function
Intermittent fasting helps increase the BDNF protein in the brain. This protein is essential in improving memory and learning capacity. Further, when your body is in ketosis, the brain is kept alert at all times. The constant supply of energy through fat burning ensures that your brain remains alert at all times.
Lowers inflammation
Intermittent fasting helps reduce oxidative stress and as a result reducing the overall body inflammation. Inflammation is responsible for most human diseases. Decreased inflammation will help increase your lifespan and deal with aging diseases. Low inflammation also leads to flawless skin
BottomLine
Intermittent fasting is one of the best ways to lose weight. It helps you adjust your body into a state where fat burning is maximized. However, for you to enjoy the benefits of intermittent fasting, you have to combine it with the keto diet. The keto diet helps streamline the process of intermittent fasting by reducing the side effects. Intermittent fasting on high carb diet may result in side effects such as mood swings, fatigue, headaches, weakness, feeling sleepy and lightheadedness among others. However, when combined with keto diet, intermittent fasting offers the best results. You gain the energy to workout, you do not feel hungry and your body is set at the optimum fat burning level. There is no better way to burn more fats than combining intermittent fasting with keto diet.
