Following a keto diet plan is a great way to drop pounds. Intermittent fasting for weight loss is also an effective method to use.
But, for those looking for the fastest way to lose weight? It’s keto intermittent fasting, hands down.
Keto fasting is the best way to burn fat, and in fact, trade fat for energy. Increased energy levels improve mental clarity as well as fight insulin resistance.
That being said, there is a knack for getting the hang of it. For that reason, we have created this guide to help you.
We’ll explain what intermittent fasting is, as well as what the goals of a ketogenic diet are. Finally, you’ll find an intermittent keto fasting plan to get you through the first 7 days.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is all about when you should eat, rather than what. In that sense, it’s less a diet plan, than a guide for the optimal times to consume your meals.
There is some element of calorie restriction, but that’s not entirely where the magic of this eating style comes from.
The benefits of fasting are well established. And there are many different ways to incorporate a fasting diet within your lifestyle.
You can choose to do daily fasting periods, opting for eating windows of 8 hours and fasting windows of 16.
You can do alternate-day fasting, or even choose to do a full-day fast for 24 hours, twice weekly.
Additional methods to fast include the 5:2 method and the Warrior Diet.
These diets will be described in greater detail below. But, whatever method you chose, the effects of intermittent fasting can help you trim pounds and improve your health.
Keto Diet Basics?
Essentially, the keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet plan.
When carbs are restricted (generally to below 50 grams per day), your body burns fat rather than glucose for energy.
Burning stored fat is an awesome effect of this diet, and the reason so many people follow it.
When fat is broken down for energy, it releases ketones, and you are said to “be in ketosis” as a result. This is the optimal window of success for those on the keto diet.
In addition to weight loss, following a ketogenic diet has other health benefits.
There’s a lot of evidence to show that it reduces diabetic and cardiovascular risk factors. Blood glucose level improvements are seen, as well as lowered triglyceride levels.
The ketogenic diet improves mental clarity. For this reason, it benefits patients with neurological disorders.
Improvements in Alzheimer’s Disease and epilepsy patients have been seen.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting on Keto
A ketogenic diet combined with intermittent fasting allows you to reach your weight loss goals faster.
Above all else, ketosis = weight loss.
By practicing both ketogenesis and fasting together, you’ll reach ketosis quicker. This means that more fat gets burned, faster.
Let’s break both of these concepts further:
Reaching Ketosis Faster
Because both keto and fasting alter your metabolism, the combination does it twice as much.
One of the benefits of intermittent fasting means that you’re taking in fewer calories at times. Naturally, during these times, insulin levels fall.
However, if your body needs energy during this period, it burns fat to get it.
Similarly, following a keto diet limits carbs; this prompts your body to also use fat for fuel when needed.
This “trick” of reaching and maintaining ketosis can be very useful.
If you are someone who struggles to break into ketosis, intermittent fasting can be a great way to accelerate this process.
Lose Fat (And Weight) Faster
Once you are in ketosis and burning fat, intermittent fasting gives the whole process a boost. Metabolism is a heat-driven process.
As such, it benefits from the heat production brought on by fasting called thermogenesis. During this process, fasting-induced lipolysis (fat breakdown) increases.
Thus, fat stored in your body is more available to be broken down by ketogenesis.
Many studies have shown this effect clinically. Specifically- participants who fasted intermittently lost more weight.
Between low-carb dieters and those that also fasted, the people that combined the two lost 7 pounds more.
Another interesting facet of combining fasting with keto dieting is that it can control hunger cravings.
This seems counterintuitive, yes. But fasting intermittently has been shown to curb hunger and promote feelings of fullness.
Lastly, fasting has long been shown to be effective at preserving muscle mass while dieting. For those that have plateaued with keto dieting, adding in periods of fasting can reboot weight loss!
How to Combine the Keto Diet with Intermittent Fasting
Beginning any intermittent fasting schedule is easy! Well, that is, in the sense that it doesn’t restrict what you eat—just when you eat it.
That being said, there are several different fasting methods available to try. We recommend wearing your experimenter’s hat during this time.
What works for one person, may not be the best for another. Trialing a few methods will show you which best works within your schedule.
- 5:2 Diet: This one is pretty straightforward—for 5 days, you eat however it suits you. For the last 2, you highly restrict your calories to a 500-600 range.
- Alternate-day fasting: Easy peasy, just eat normally one day and fast the next.
- The Warrior Diet: This fasting diet plan uses an eating window. In this case, you abstain from eating during the day. For the remaining 4 hours–typically evening time– you eat one BIG meal.
- 16/8 Method: This is perhaps the most “realistic” intermittent fasting plan. For 16 hours you fast, and then for the remaining 8, you eat.
7-Day Keto Fasting Plan
The following keto diet plan uses the 16/8 method of intermittent fasting. Following this plan allows for a lot of personalization.
Obviously, for your 16-hour fast, part of that time you will be sleeping. The 8-hour eating window, then, is up to you.
Most find that eating from mid-morning and continuing until mid-evening works best. This keeps you in line with your normal daily and family rhythm of meals.
For example, you can have your first meal at 11 am and then continue with your last meal finishing by 7 pm.
Let’s take a look at how to combine the two and start keto fasting today.
Here’s a 7-Day Keto Fasting Plan to Help With Ketosis
16/8 Intermittent Fasting Keto Diet Schedule
- 7:00 am Wake up
- 7:30 am Black Coffee or Tea no sugar
- 8:00 am Skip Breakfast
- 12:00 pm Lunch
- 3:00 pm Snack
- 8:00 pm Dinner
- 9: 00 pm Fasting
Fast for 16 hours…
7-Day Keto Fasting Plan
Monday
- Meal 1: Keto Tortilla Soup
- Snack 2: Handful of nuts
- Meal 3: Chicken Marsala
Tuesday
- Meal 1: Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Snack 2: Deviled Eggs
- Meal 3: Chicken Satay with Dipping Sauce
Wednesday
- Meal 1: Raspberry Keto Smoothie
- Snack 2: Pork rinds
- Meal 3: Keto Lasagna
Thursday
- Meal 1: Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Snack 2: Deviled Eggs
- Meal 3: Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Friday
- Meal 1: Keto Chili
- Snack 2: Cheese and Crackers
- Meal 3: Beef Stroganoff
Saturday
- Meal 1: Stuffed Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe
- Snack 2: Keto Fat Bombs
- Meal 3: Chicken tortilla soup
Sunday
- Meal 1: Keto Macadamia Nuts Smoothie
- Snack 2: Greek Yogurt with Berries
- Meal 3: Baked Salmon with cauliflower rice
The Final Word On Keto Fasting
Following a keto diet on an intermittent fasting schedule allows for exponential results! It’s a combination that yields the best of both methods.
That includes: Faster weight loss, increased fat burning, and spared muscle mass.
It can be a challenging diet to sort through, but we know that with a little practice, it can pay off BIG TIME.
Investing a bit of time to get it going to find the right way to implement it within your life is the right approach.
As with any lifestyle change and diet modification, be sure to run it by your physician (especially if you have any major health issues going on).
But, the right balance for you is possible… and significant weight loss is definitely within reach!
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