Someone asked me recently if I did an egg fast while on keto. I’ll be honest, the thought of eating eggs for every meal kind of turns my stomach. I like eggs okay, but once in a while is good. I don’t want them morning, noon, and night. But, apparently, egg fasts are often associated with keto, so I decided to find out more about them and pass on what I learn. What are they? How do they work? Are they safe? Are they an important part of a keto diet? What have I been missing?
What Is An Egg Fast?
This is a stricter version of the keto diet. Yep – I said stricter, as in more strict. The egg fast was first developed by blogger Jimmy Moore (from Livin La Vida Low Carb). Usually people use it to kick-start a keto diet or to overcome a weight loss stall for those already on keto. Typically, it lasts 3-5 days.
It allows a very select number of ingredients each day. Eggs, of course, are the main part of every meal. You can also have some full-fat cheese, butter, and high-quality oils (such as MCT or extra virgin olive oil). And, you can have zero-carb, unsweetened drinks, such as water (ohh, fun), coffee, or tea. Some articles I read said you couldn’t have heavy cream in your coffee, which would be an automatic out for me. Others say as long as it’s heavy cream (i.e. whipping cream) that’s okay.
The Rules
Oh, does this plan have rules! You should eat a total of 6 eggs every day. Eat one egg-based meal within half an hour of waking up. You need to eat an egg-based meal every 3-5 hours, whether you’re hungry or not. 15 grams (1 tablespoon) of healthy fat goes with each egg. You should also have ½ – 1 ounce of full-fat cheese with every egg you eat. Restrict spices, seasonings, and condiments as much as possible. Don’t use any sugar alcohols, and don’t eat 3 hours before bed.
Phew! That’s a lot to remember. How many ways can you cook eggs? Articles I’ve read suggest omelets, deviled eggs, fried eggs and cheese, egg salad, cheese crisps, and cloud bread. But, because of the restricted amount of ingredients, you can’t include much else in those meals. For example, I enjoy a good taco skillet. But, I can’t have the ground beef, salsa, chili powder, or sour cream I enjoy with it.
Getting Off an Egg Fast
So, one of the issues with a fast is that you do them and then as soon as you go off them, you gain back all the weight you lost. You will likely gain back a pound or two, but if you follow these guidelines, you can limit the gains.
For two days after your egg fast, eat 1-2 meals a day that are still egg-based. Many writers describe having eggs for breakfast and lunch, and then having a regular keto dinner.
After the two days of gradually getting back to the normal keto way of eating, make sure you do a very clean version. This means focusing on whole foods and strictly limiting any sugar alcohols. Let your body enjoy the cleansing it just went through.
The Risks
So, like anything, there are potential risks to an egg fast. If you do it longer than 3-5 days, your body will miss the vitamins and nutrients it needs. Eggs are great, but they don’t have all the necessary components for your body to function. Five days is about the maximum you can get away with, unless your doctor suggests something different.
There are several obvious risks. If you have an egg sensitivity or allergy, this is not for you. It saddens me that all the articles I read felt the need to write that. Also, if you are a vegan, this fast is not an option. Also, if you have a history of eating disorders, this level of restriction may be triggering for you.
Even if you are already on keto, this egg fast may produce signs of the keto flu. Make sure you get lots of water and electrolytes into you.
My Thoughts On An Egg Fast
I make light of this, but if it works for you, great. For me, the thought of having eggs more than once a week makes me nauseous. This one is not for me. But, if you feel that you need a kick-start to your eating, it’s certainly an option for a short-term fix. I thought about doing it for 3 days while I was writing this, but I just can’t bring myself to commit. No coffee with cream for 3 days? No one wants to see that!
Wendy
