A Beginner's Overview to Keto and Intermittent Fasting
Our Educational Content is Not Meant or Intended for Medical Advice or Treatment
Keto and intermittent fasting, when used together, can help regulate your metabolism and insulin response. Find out how below.
Understanding Keto and Intermittent Fasting
Insulin Resistance as the Underlying Cause of Many Health Issues
Most people eat five times a day, three meals and two snacks, to satisfy their hunger. After eating, blood sugar level increases. This, then, triggers the pancreas to release the insulin into the blood to signal glucose into the cells. The cells, then, converts glucose into energy. When insulin resistance happens, the cells resist or ignore the signals from the hormone to unlock, which results in high levels of insulin in the blood. This can lead to the following conditions:
- High blood pressure
- Lack of focus
- Memory problems
- Belly fat
The Role of Keto and Intermittent Fasting in Lowering Insulin Levels
Every time you consume carbohydrates, you also trigger insulin response. When you’re on keto diet, you follow a low-carb, high-fat approach. The result is less insulin production in the body. Intermittent fasting diet does the same thing because you eat less frequently.
Intermittent Fasting Definition: An eating pattern determined by following a cycle between fasting and periods of eating. It focuses on the quality of food to eat and when a person should eat rather than the amount of food to eat.
The latter type of diet includes multiple eating schedules, such as fasting for 16 hours a day (16/8 method), 24-hour fast once or twice a week, and fasting every other day. Eating foods high in protein and fiber can help suppress hunger during the fasting periods.
The Transition Period in Keto Diet and Intermittent Fasting
1. Early Stage
As stated, the average person eats three meals and two snacks, one in the morning and in the afternoon, a day. In starting the transition period, you have to eat three meals only, without the snacks, daily. This stage allows you to transition from sugar to fat, which brings you to keto-adaptation. You have to stuff each meal with some healthy fats, just enough to make you through the next meal without getting hungry in between. Some examples of healthy fats are nuts, avocados, and eggs.
You also need to include in your meal plenty of veggies or salad because you need a good supply of potassium to primarily help reverse the insulin resistance problem. These are nutrient-dense foods that also get rid of hunger because your body is going to be satisfied with nutrients. You will need about 7 to 10 cups of salad, for example, each day to satisfy your body. You may experience symptoms of low blood sugar, such as lightheadedness, cravings, and fatigue, at the beginning of the program, but it is important to remind yourself that they are just temporary.
Once your body has adjusted to the three-meal plan per day, you need to slowly transition to two meals each day. You can do this by checking if you are hungry when you wake up in the morning. If you are not, take it longer and push it further until you no longer feel the need to eat breakfast and start your keto and intermittent fasting meal plan with lunch. The catch here is to not eat when you are not hungry.
Again, you need to make sure your meal is full of nutrients and not low in calories when you are doing two meals each day to satisfy yourself. You need 3 to 6 oz of protein, lots of veggies, and healthy fats for the rest per meal.
3. Late Stage
When you go from eating two meals to one meal a day, do not stuff yourself too much because it can overload the digestive system, especially with fat, which can cause bloating. Between 18-23 hours of intermittent fasting, serious fat burning occurs. Your body goes to an autophagy state where your cells are recycling all the damaged parts.
It's also cleaning up bacteria, fungus, candida, and mold. The effects of this process will be beneficial because you will experience better skin health, memory, mood, and cardiovascular function and healthy weight and heart. You will also save money from not eating frequently.
Important Points to Consider Under the Keto Diet Program
Here are some important reminders to take note when following keto and intermittent fasting:
- At the stage where you eat two meals a day, your muscles start to grow because protein is retained in the body, which makes you heavier as muscle weighs more than fat. Measure your waist circumference as your indicator for your progress - it should be shrinking.
- You may also experience a rise in your uric acid level, which causes gout symptoms and pain in your lower back if you are susceptible to kidney stones. Just take more lemon juice or drink more water with lemons to flush out these stones and counter the effects of high levels of uric acid.
- If you start to cheat on the program and eat the wrong foods, you will trigger your cravings. You get really hungry.
- As your body becomes more efficient in fueling energy under the ketogenic program, the need for thyroid hormones is less, which is normal. Keep going as indicated in your diet plan.
- If your cholesterol gets high, it will only be just temporary. Proceed as is in the plan.
Following keto and intermittent fasting might need more patience and discipline, but weight loss and other health benefits can be achieved. Just remember to include healthy fats, protein, and plenty of vegetables to your every meal and allow keto diet and intermittent fasting to do the work in burning body fat.
How’s your keto and intermittent fasting diet plan working out? Share your experience with us in the comments section.
Disclaimer: Our educational content is not meant or intended for medical advice or treatment.
*Any comments on our blog or websites relating to weight loss results may or may not be typical and your results will vary depending on your diet and exercise habits.
***Always consult a professional before making any significant changes to your health.