Keto And Intermittent Fasting: A Powerful Weight Loss Combination?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb eating plan that can be tough to start. It involves drastically cutting your carb intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, which can influence weight loss and type 2 diabetes. While the keto diet can be effective for weight loss, it is not recommended as a long-term solution. It also comes with serious risks, such as nutrient deficiency, liver and kidney problems, constipation, and fuzzy thinking. Before starting the keto diet, it is important to do your research, prepare your meals, and talk to your doctor and a registered dietitian to ensure it is safe for you.

If you are considering starting the keto diet, you may be wondering if you can start at the same time as someone else. The answer is yes! In fact, some people find it helpful to have a partner when starting a new diet. This can provide support and accountability, making it easier to stick to the diet. However, it is important to keep in mind that everyone's experience with the keto diet may be different. For example, one person may experience intense cravings and side effects, while another person may feel more energetic and lose weight.

Potential health benefits

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb eating plan that can be tough to start. It involves a metabolic state called ketosis, where your body uses fat as its main fuel source instead of glucose. Here are some potential health benefits of the keto diet:

• Weight loss: The keto diet can help you feel less hungry, which may lead to eating less food and losing weight. It can also help you lose belly fat while maintaining lean mass.
• Increased energy: The keto diet delivers your body’s energy needs in a way that reduces inflammation and improves brain function.
• Improved focus: Research suggests your brain works more efficiently on ketones (produced when your body breaks down fat) than on glucose.
• Treatment of chronic illnesses: The keto diet may help treat and manage diseases such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, autism, brain cancers, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome.
• Lower risk of cardiovascular disease: The keto diet may lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease by lowering your blood pressure, improving your "good" HDL cholesterol levels, and lowering your triglycerides.

However, it's important to note that the keto diet can be difficult to follow and may produce side effects like "keto" breath, constipation, and even more serious issues like high cholesterol and low bone density. It's not recommended as a long-term weight loss solution and should be done under the supervision of a healthcare professional.

Weight loss

The keto diet is a popular choice for those looking to lose weight. The high-fat, low-carb approach can lead to significant weight loss within a relatively short period of time. Here's what you need to know about using keto for weight loss:

How Keto Causes Weight Loss

The keto diet helps reduce weight in three main ways:

• Fat Burning: The keto diet places the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of glucose. This means you'll be utilising your stored body fat as fuel.
• Appetite Suppression: The high-fat intake on a keto diet helps you feel more satisfied and full, reducing your overall calorie consumption.
• Reduced Cravings: By stabilising blood sugar levels, the keto diet can reduce cravings for sugary and carb-heavy foods.

Here's what you can expect in terms of weight loss during the first week and beyond:

• First Week: In the initial week of the keto diet, you can expect a rapid drop in weight, typically between 2-10 pounds. However, this is primarily due to the loss of water weight, not fat.
• Short to Medium-Term: After the first week, weight loss will occur at a steadier pace, averaging around 1-2 pounds per week. This is when your body enters fat-burning mode and starts utilising stored body fat.
• Long-Term: As you approach your goal weight, weight loss will slow down. You may experience weeks with little to no weight loss, followed by a more significant drop.

Maximising Weight Loss

To maximise your weight loss on the keto diet:

• Calculate Your Macros: Use a keto calculator to determine your ideal intake of carbs, proteins, and fats based on your body composition and goals.
• Stay in Ketosis: Track your ketone levels to ensure you're in ketosis and burning fat. Avoid hidden carbs and excessive dairy, as these can impact ketosis.
• Eat Clean Keto: Focus on nutritious, whole foods like avocado oil, leafy greens, wild fish, and grass-fed beef. Avoid processed meats and cheese.
• Increase Physical Activity: Incorporate more movement into your daily routine, such as taking walks or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Manage Calorie Intake: While it's challenging to overeat on keto, it's still possible to consume too many calories. Monitor your portion sizes and track your calorie intake if needed.
• Manage Stress and Sleep: Chronic stress and lack of sleep can impact weight loss. Practice stress management techniques and aim for adequate sleep.

Remember, everyone's weight loss journey is unique, and factors like health, body composition, and individual metabolism will influence your results. Stay consistent, focus on your progress, and make adjustments as needed.

High-fat, low-carb food options

A ketogenic diet involves consuming a very low amount of carbohydrates and replacing them with fats. This puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it becomes more efficient at burning fat for energy.

Meat and Fish

Meat and fish are great sources of protein and healthy fats. Examples include red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, turkey, salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel.

Eggs

Pastured or omega-3 whole eggs are a good option.

Dairy

Full-fat dairy products such as butter, grass-fed butter, heavy cream, cheese (especially unprocessed varieties like cheddar, goat, cream, blue, or mozzarella), and full-fat Greek yogurt are recommended.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Good choices include almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Healthy Oils

Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil are recommended.

Low-carb Vegetables

Most vegetables are low in carbs, especially leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. Some options include broccoli, eggplant, green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, asparagus, kale, bell peppers, and arugula.

Avocados

Avocados are a great source of healthy fats and can be eaten as a whole fruit or made into guacamole.

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate with at least 70-85% cocoa content is a tasty treat that fits into a keto diet.

Side effects

The keto diet has been linked to a range of side effects, which can vary in severity and duration. One of the most well-known is the "keto flu", a collection of flu-like symptoms that can occur when starting the diet, as the body adapts to a new way of eating with very few carbohydrates. This can include fatigue, nausea, dizziness, headaches, and muscle soreness, and usually lasts a few days to a few weeks.

There are also potential long-term health risks associated with the keto diet. As the diet restricts many nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, it can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. There may also be an increased risk of heart disease due to higher consumption of saturated fats. Other possible long-term side effects include:

• Hepatic steatosis (fatty liver)
• Hypoproteinemia (low levels of protein in the blood)
• Kidney stones
• Low bone density
• High cholesterol
• Irregular menstrual cycles
• Sleep issues

The keto diet can also lead to yo-yo dieting, as it is very restrictive and can be challenging to follow long-term. This can have negative effects on the body, and there is a lack of long-term studies on the health impacts of this type of dieting.

It is important to note that the keto diet may not be suitable for everyone, especially those with certain health conditions. Anyone considering starting the keto diet should consult with a healthcare professional first to ensure it is safe for them.

Long-term risks

The ketogenic diet, or keto, has gained popularity over the last decade due to its ability to promote quick weight loss. However, there are several long-term risks associated with the diet that you should be aware of before starting:

Nutrient Deficiency

On the keto diet, adherents may curtail or eliminate fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes while increasing consumption of animal products. This can lead to deficiencies in thiamin, folate, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium. These deficiencies can cause a host of health issues such as constipation, heart palpitations, extreme fatigue, muscle twitches, cramps, apathy, and high blood pressure. Even when dieters focus on nutrient-dense foods, a ketogenic diet is reported to have multiple micronutrient shortfalls, often lacking in vitamin K, linolenic acid, and most water-soluble vitamins.

Liver Problems

With so much fat to metabolize, the keto diet could make any existing liver conditions worse.

Kidney Problems

The keto diet may overload the kidneys and worsen long-term internal damage for those living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The diet also significantly increases the occurrence of kidney stones.

Constipation

The keto diet is low in fibrous foods like grains and legumes, which can lead to constipation.

Fuzzy Thinking and Mood Swings

The brain works best when its energy source is sugar from healthy carbohydrates. Low-carb diets like keto may cause confusion and irritability.

Heart Disease

The keto diet is associated with an increase in "bad" LDL cholesterol, which is linked to heart disease.

Cancer

The typical keto diet includes foods that are known to cause colon cancer, such as red meat and processed meat.

Alzheimer's Disease

The high intake of saturated fat on the keto diet is strongly associated with the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Diabetes

The keto diet is particularly dangerous for people who are pregnant or may become pregnant, as low-carbohydrate diets are linked to birth defects and gestational diabetes.

Overall, the long-term risks of the keto diet can be severe, and it is important to consult a doctor or dietitian before starting this or any other diet.

Frequently asked questions