Intermittent fasting and keto diets are both popular right now. They focus on eating healthy foods, avoiding junk food, and getting plenty of exercise. You might be wondering: can you combine the two? The answer is yes! Let’s look at how this works and why it’s so beneficial for your health.
One of the hottest trends in health and wellness is the keto diet, which puts your body into a state of ketosis. But what does that mean? And how does it work with intermittent fasting?
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. When you consume fewer carbohydrates than your body needs, it causes the liver to produce ketones, which are used as fuel by your brain, muscles, and other tissues.
The goal of following a ketogenic diet (also called “keto”) is to get into ketosis at all times. This sounds like an extreme approach to health, and it may be! But many people who follow this way of eating, say they feel better mentally and physically.
Fasting, like keto, is good for your mental health. It can help reduce stress and anxiety as well as improve mood and energy levels. Fasting has also been shown to increase focus and productivity while reducing cravings for sugar and caffeine.
The benefits of fasting include:
- Reduced hunger between meals
- Increased fat burning
- Improved blood sugar stability
Intermittent Fasting is a form of fasting, which means you restrict eating within a certain time window. That window can be 12 hours, 16 hours, or more. Some people fast for 24 hours at a time. That means they skip breakfast and lunch and dinner for a whole day. Obviously, this isn’t easy to do! But if it works for you and your schedule, go for it!
Fasting intermittently is a great way to live a healthier lifestyle and lose weight. Not only does it promote better sleep, but it can also help you reach your goals in other areas of life as well.
You’ll have more energy to help you focus on other important things in life without being distracted by hunger pains. As an added benefit, fasting has been linked to improved mental clarity and better cognitive function too!
If you’re going to try this approach, talk with your doctor or dietitian first. See what they recommend based on your individual health status and lifestyle. Check with your doctor if you have any serious health issues. These include:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Digestive problems such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Chronic constipation/diarrhea, gallbladder issues
- Gallstones or gallbladder removal surgery (cholecystectomy)
- Eating disorders like bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa.
Check with your doctor if you have any medications prescribed for the following conditions:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- ADHD
- Seizures
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
Remember as mentioned above, if you’re interested in trying keto and intermittent fasting, talk with your doctor or dietitian first to make sure that the two diets are safe for you and won’t cause any negative side effects.
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Jenna RobbinsNutrition Specialist
