Keto and intermittent fasting are diets to lose weight.
Some nutritionists recommend that you follow the keto diet and intermittent fasting together. Due to the importance of fasting in the keto diet, it relieves many symptoms that everyone experiences during the first week of the diet.
Others recommend fasting three days before the start of keto so that the body gets used to the low level of insulin in the body.
Let’s now learn about “keto and intermittent fasting” for weight loss, along with the top reasons to follow the keto diet and intermittent fasting together to get the many health benefits.
The importance of following a keto diet and intermittent fasting together
The keto diet and intermittent fasting can help you regulate the body’s metabolism and insulin response.
Keto and intermittent fasting: are they related?
The primary goal of intermittent fasting is to reduce insulin resistance in the body, and this resistance is the main cause of health problems for everyone on the ketogenic diet.
Typically, most people eat five meals a day, including three main meals and two snacks, to reduce hunger.
After every meal you eat, the blood sugar level rises, which stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin; To introduce excess glucose into cells and convert it into energy.
In some cases, however, a process called “insulin resistance” may occur, which is a physiological condition in which the natural hormone (insulin) becomes less effective in lowering the blood sugar level.
* This could lead to the following health problems:
- Diabetes.
- Depression.
- Hypertension.
- Anxiety.
- Fatigue.
- Memory problems.
- Impaired focus.
- Fat accumulation in the abdominal area.
- Cravings for sugars.
Hence, combining the keto diet and intermittent fasting has many benefits that keto followers may not know about.
What is the role of keto and intermittent fasting in lowering your insulin levels?
Usually, every time you consume carbohydrates, insulin is released as well.
But when you follow the keto diet, you reduce the number of carbohydrates you eat. This can help you reduce insulin production in the body.
Intermittent fasting does the same thing because when you fast, you will eat less food.
* Reducing the amount of carbohydrates in food is a basic requirement of the keto diet.
Definition of intermittent fasting:
We talked in the previous lines about the pairing of keto and intermittent fasting, without talking about what is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a regimen that cycles between restricting calories – fasting – and consuming food over a specific period.
This fasting is either for several hours, as it is for 16 hours a day, or 24 hours twice a week.
Note: When following “keto and intermittent fasting”, focus on eating foods rich in protein and fiber. As this will help you prevent feeling hungry while fasting.
How to follow keto and intermittent fasting together?
The first stage: not eating snacks
As mentioned above, the average person eats three main meals and two snacks a day.
But when you get started on keto and intermittent fasting, you should only eat three meals, without the usual snacks.
This phase helps you adapt faster to the keto diet, as your body begins to rely on breaking down fats for energy.
* You should eat some healthy fats at every meal, such as:
- Low carb nuts
- Avocados
- Keto-friendly salad and vegetables.
* Vegetables are rich in many minerals such as potassium and fiber, and this helps reverse insulin resistance, in addition to providing the body with nutrients that reduce hunger.
* Also, healthy fats make a person feel full for as long as possible.
The second stage: reducing the main meals
Once your body gets used to the three-meal plan per day, you will need to slowly transition to eating two meals each day. You can do this by checking whether or not you are hungry when you wake up in the morning.
If you are not hungry in the morning, try to abstain from eating for so long until you get used to not having breakfast, so that your first meal is lunch.
* The important thing here is not to eat until you feel hungry.
The final stage: autophagy
When you switch from eating two meals to one meal a day, don’t overburden yourself trying to eat a lot, as this can harm the digestive system, especially when you eat a lot of fats, which can cause bloating.
During 18-23 hours of intermittent fasting, the body enters a state of autophagy, as fat is burned in large quantities.
Benefits of keto and intermittent fasting
- Control blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity.
- Helps cleanse the body of harmful bacteria and fungi.
- Improve mental clarity.
- Improving cardiovascular function.
- Faster weight loss.
- Improves brain function and memory.
- It may help you reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Reducing the risk of cancer
Side effects of keto and intermittent fasting
- Note: Some people may experience temporary symptoms of the keto flu that are caused by low blood sugar, such as:
-
- Hunger
- Exhaustion
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Headaches
- After completing the diet, the body may return to its previous weight.
- Lack of vitamins and minerals in the body, especially in the early stages.
- Continuing to follow keto and intermittent fasting causes anemia, as well as the immune system, and the breakdown of body muscles. (The exact benefits of the keto diet are unknown (in the long term))
Tips when following the keto diet with intermittent fasting
* Finally
Here are some important notes to keep in mind:
1. Following the keto diet combined with intermittent fasting takes a lot of patience and commitment.
2. Your cholesterol levels will be high for a temporary period and will return to normal levels.
3. You can drink calorie-free drinks during periods of fasting.
4. High levels of fats lead to an increase in the level of uric acid; This causes gout symptoms, lower back pain and kidney stones. (You can drink lemon juice or lots of water to counteract the effects of high uric acid levels)
5. Eat Ketogenic Foods such as keto-friendly vegetables, keto-friendly drinks, and nuts.
6. We recommend that you consult your doctor before starting any diet that you choose.