Ketogenic Intermittent Fasting
A Complete Guide to Intermittent Fasting on Ketogenic Diet
Intermittent Fasting and the Ketogenic Diet are two of the latest and greatest diets to sweep the world. Both have a good deal of science to back up the claims that they work. On their own, they can encourage effective fat loss and weight control. But what happens when you put the two together? Below, we’ll dig deeper into the benefits (and drawbacks) of Ketogenic Intermittent Fasting.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a diet involving long periods of fasting and short periods of eating. There are many ways to structure the diet:
- 16 hours fasting, 8 hours eating
- 18 hours fasting, 6 hours eating
- 23 hours of fasting, 1 hour of eating (One Meal a Day)
- 48 hours of fasting per week
The purpose of this diet is to encourage better nutrient absorption and energy production. If you get all of your energy in a short eating window, you force your body to use that energy (and more) during the “fasting window”. This can lead to better activation of stored fats, in turn promoting better overall fat-burning.
What is the Ketogenic Diet? A Comprehensive Beginner’s Guide
The Ketogenic Diet is another diet aimed specifically at eliminating body fat. It does so by promoting a high-fat diet.
That may sound counter intuitive, but it’s really not. You see, the human body has adapted to the modern diet and has become more accustomed to burning carbs. But did you know that carbs are more likely to be turned into stored fat than dietary fat? Carbs are easily absorbed, meaning there is more glucose in your bloodstream than your body can use. Thus, it turns the “extra” into stored fat just in case of an emergency. The slower digestion and absorption rate of fat means it provides a steady stream of energy rather than a rush. The slow burn of fat makes it less likely to cause excess stored fat.
By cutting back on carbs, you provide your body with a lot of slow-burning energy. But there is another benefit of the Ketogenic Diet: you encourage better fat-burning. Seeing as fat is now your primary energy source, your body becomes more adept at utilizing fat—both the fat you put in your body in each meal and the fat already in your body. As you cut back on calorie intake, you encourage your body to activate stored fats. Add to it the improved fat-burning abilities resulting from the Keto Diet, and you have a much better chance of seeing proper fat loss (the REAL type of weight loss).
Intermittent Fasting and Keto: How Can You Do Them Both?
On their own, both the Ketogenic Diet and Intermittent Fasting can be highly effective. But what happens when you mix the two diets? Not only are you burning more fat, but you’re doing so for more hours per day. Your body has to access more stored fat during the fasting periods, leading to more effective fat burning overall.
New Keto Meal Plan for Intermittent Fasting
6 to 8 Hours of Eating
For the average Intermittent Faster, the eating window is anywhere from 6 to 8 hours per day. Depending on your schedule and when you like to work out, you can make your eating window in the morning, midday, or later in the evening. All that matter is that you limit your food intake to the hours of your eating window.
A High Fat Diet
The Ketogenic Diet is high in fat, which provides your body with the energy it requires during the day. By giving it more fat, you help your body to become more accustomed to burning fat—both dietary and stored. Over time, it adapts and grows more efficient at utilizing fat instead of carbs.
Lower Carb Intake
This is an important part of the Ketogenic Diet. By eliminating carbs, your only other source of energy, you force your body to burn fat. A Ketogenic Diet does contain some carbs (a no-carb diet isn’t good for your health), but very little. The less carbs you eat, the more your body has to depend on fat for energy, and the more fat you burn.
Plenty of Protein
If you don’t get enough protein in your diet, your body will start to cannibalize your muscle mass for energy. Muscles store easy-to-burn energy, so your body will automatically tap into the more accessible energy stores before activating the hard-to-burn fats. By eating plenty of protein, you protect your muscle tissue from being broken down for energy.
More Activity
This works hand in hand with the increased protein intake on a Ketogenic and Intermittent Fasting Diet. By increasing your activity—particularly your resistance training—you force your body to burn more energy. Resistance training (together with protein) protects your muscles from being broken down, ensuring that only fat (stored and dietary) is utilized for energy production.
Reduced Calories
Cutting back on calories can also help to encourage better fat burning. Your body adapts to the demands placed upon it. If you eat more than you burn, you store fat. If you eat less than you burn, you force your body to access stored fats. You don’t need to cut back on calories too much—just 200 to 300 calories per day is enough. That small calorie deficit will encourage the activation of stored fats. Thanks to the diet, your body is in a ketogenic, or “fat burning”, state. This will lead to better production of energy from your body fat.
Both diets are highly effective on their own, but utilizing them together can lead to visible fat loss. They both require a bit of adjustment—after all, your body has become used to a longer eating window and a higher carb intake. However, given time, you’ll find that the combination of these two diets can be a great way to lose not just weight, but eliminate that unwanted body fat!
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