While the keto diet is a diet and intermittent fasting is an eating pattern, both strategies have been praised for their ability to help individuals shed pounds and improve metabolic health. I’ll tell you the characteristics of each approach and how you can effectively go about your weight loss journey possibly combining these two paths.

The Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate diet designed to shift the body’s primary fuel source from carbohydrates to fats (mainly your stored body fat). The body enters a metabolic state called ketosis by significantly reducing carb intake (maximum 50 grams per day). In ketosis, the liver converts fats into ketones, which become the main energy source for the body.

This works as well as carbohydrates being your energy source and fats even have more energy per gram than carbs, 9 calories and 4 calories respectively.

There isn’t usually a specific eating pattern when on keto, but it’s typically best to consume 2 – 3 meals a day, the less being better for you.

People can see great results with this diet, especially if they keep their meals below 3. By doing this diet properly, your fat loss can skyrocket, whether belly or thigh fat.

Struggles people may face

The average person consumes 225 to 325 grams of carbs daily, which makes 50 grams of carbs from the keto diet look minuscule. So since people’s bodies may not be used to fewer carbs, it may give them a so-called “keto flu” in which you may experience dizziness and fatigue, but fortunately this usually only lasts for less than a week.

Even if they don’t, they may get cravings for carbs since the average person consumes more refined carbs which causes spikes in blood sugar, and causes you to crave more. But clearly, the keto diet requires discipline.

Surprisingly, some even worry about not getting enough nutrients. This shouldn’t be an issue as many foods aren’t carbs containing various nutrients, like nuts, seeds, cruciferous vegetables and animal protein like eggs.

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting requires you to eat in a small set window daily. It doesn’t prescribe specific foods but focuses on when you should eat them, hence why it isn’t a diet but rather an eating pattern. Common fasting methods include the 16/8 method (16 hours of fasting with an 8-hour eating window) and the 20/4 method (20 hours of fasting with a 4-hour eating window).

The smaller the eating window, the greater the benefits, as your body will have to use its fat stores as energy to survive, resulting in fat loss.

Fasting requires a ton of discipline, and since you’re only eating a few meals due to the small eating window (usually 2 or fewer), you must ensure those meals are nutrient-dense, so you don’t become nutrient deficient.

So this can even help you to consume less junk food as since you prioritise whole foods like animal protein and healthy fats in the few meals you eat, you won’t have room for any other junk food.

It can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and promote cellular repair processes like autophagy, which removes damaged cells.

Struggles people may face

In the beginning, fasting will be tough. The average person eats three meals a day, and since you have a smaller eating window, you’ll only have time to consume 2 meals. Even then, most people consume 2 snacks daily between meals, meaning most people eat 5 times a day, compared to 2 times you should eat when intermittent fasting.

It’s ok to fall off an intermittent fast when in a social event, like a party, but being able to bounce back onto your routine matters the most.

Keto and fasting go hand in hand

Imagine being able to switch your energy source from carbs to your stored fat, and securing that switch by fasting, which forces your body to survive by burning its fat stores. You can achieve this with keto and intermittent fasting. Here’s why keto and intermittent fasting are a pair for fat loss, rather than individual routes:

• Fasting abstains you from spiking your insulin (the fat-storing hormone) too much when you eat too frequently
  • Having low carbs prevents a rapid spike in your insulin when you eat, preventing you from cravings and making it less likely for you to eat again
• Fasting forces your body to use its fat stores as energy
  • To solidify this, consuming less carbs forces your body to switch its fuel source from carbs to fats (ketones)
• You elevate your energy levels when you consume less carbs (especially refined ones in the morning)
  • Fasting prevents you from eating constantly (and eating sugary foods) which can crash your energy levels

So, you can maximise the fat you lose by combining both methods. It prevents hyperinsulinemia which is caused by constant eating and snacking, and that prevents fat gain. Fasting only excels the benefits by forcing your body to burn its fat stores as energy. You’ll eventually get used to this routine, and although the beginning is hard to maintain, as you go on, it’ll get easier and easier and soon become second nature to you.

Diet examples

Here’s an example of the 18/6 and 20/4 intermittent fasting diets across two days:

• 18/6 intermittent fasting
  • Day 1
    • Meal 1(12:00pm): 3-Egg Vegetable Omelette
    • Meal 2(3:30pm): Roasted Potatoes with Tuna & Avocado
    • Meal 3(7:40pm): Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry
  • Day 2
    • Meal 1(12:00pm): Berry yoghurt bowl
    • Meal 2(3:30pm): Lasagne
    • Meal 3(7:40pm): Egg fried rice
• 20/4 intermittent fasting
  • Day 1
    • Meal 1(12:00pm): 3-Egg Vegetable Omelette
    • Meal 2(4:00 pm): Grilled Chicken with Steamed Vegetables
  • Day 2
    • Meal 1(12:00pm): Avocado and egg rice cakes
    • Meal 2 (4:00pm): Cheesy Spinach and Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers