Fasting on Keto is Our Letter F

What’s the first thing we learn as children?  Our ABC’s.  So, we thought it would be a fun idea to do the ABC’s of keto!  This blog series looks at some of the main ideas and the not-so-main ideas of keto as we work our way through the alphabet.  The next one in our series is: F is for fasting on keto.

What Is Fasting?

Fasting is about controlling when you eat.  You take a significant break from eating and spend the majority of your time fasting.  We naturally fast when we sleep.  This is why it’s called “breakfast” or “breaking our fast.”  So normally we fast for about 8 hours and eat for 16 hours.  Fasting tips that schedule on its head.  During times of fasting, you typically only take in zero calorie drinks such as water or unsweetened, no milk coffee and tea.  When you are scheduled to eat, you take in the amount of food you normally would for the entire day within that allotted time frame.  So, if you normally eat 2000 calories you would do that within that eating window.

Time Restricted Fasting on Keto

What’s really important here is not how long you can go without eating.  Rather, it’s being consistent.  Find a fasting schedule that works with your life.  Some people start out with simply a 12:12 schedule.  They fast for twelve hours and then eat for twelve hours.  You won’t likely see a lot of changes with that schedule, but it’s a good way to get started.

Probably most commonly, people fast 16 hours and eat for eight.  This is the schedule Bill and I like when we fast.  We don’t eat from 6 pm to 10pm.  Our time frame to eat our calories is the 8 hours between 10 am and 6 pm.  It works best for our work schedules and we find it easy to do.  Basically, you’re just skipping breakfast time.

Some people fast for 24 or 36 hours.  Others fast every other day.  We find that a bit too intense for us, but according to research, it does offer the most benefits.  Make sure you’re drinking water if you do this.  You don’t want your body to shut down.

Benefits of Fasting on Keto

Fasting and keto really compliment each other well.  The benefits of keto accelerate the benefits of fasting.  The top benefit we have found is that we aren’t hungry.  On carb-based diets, you tend to eat every couple of hours because of the peaks and dips in blood sugar levels.  On keto, your blood sugar stays level so you don’t have those crashes.  You’re also taking in foods that keep you feeling full longer.  So, going without eating for 16 hours (especially when 8 of those include sleeping time) really isn’t a big deal.  It was something we could never have done before keto.

Fasting can help you get into ketosis.  Your body naturally goes into ketosis when you fast.  That’s how we survived for generations before we had constant access to food.  While taking on both keto and fasting at first can be a bit overwhelming, if you can handle it, you’ll get into ketosis faster and start seeing results faster.

Tips for Fasting on Keto

Start slowly and listen to your body.  Some hunger pains are normal and will often go away with water, tea, or coffee.  But, if you’re feeling faint or dizzy you may want to stop.  It’s not recommended to fast if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a history of eating disorders.  It’s also not recommended for children.  If you have a chronic condition, like diabetes, make sure you talk to a doctor before starting out on this adventure.

If you are taking supplements on keto, you may want to take them during the times you are eating.  Some vitamins and nutrients don’t absorb into your body well without food.  

Most of all, don’t skimp on calories.  This isn’t about skipping meals so you don’t take in as many calories – especially if you’re already doing keto.  Plan your meals so you are still getting the nutrients you need for your health.  If you usually take in 2000 calories, make sure you are still taking in the 2000 calories.  

A Final Thought

Bill and I tend to fast when we get back from vacations or have just been taking in too many sweeteners.  If we start feeling sluggish because we’ve been lazy around what we’re eating, we start fasting for a week or two.  Before we know it, we’re feeling energized again and ready to plan our next week’s meals!

Wendy