Fasting and the ketogenic diet have a very close relationship, so close that most of the time those who follow a low-carb diet also practice intermittent or prolonged fasting.
Let's recap. The goal of the keto diet is to encourage and maintain ketosis that occurs thanks to the burning of fat due to the restriction of carbohydrate intake, and fasting in turn causes the body's glycogen levels to be depleted, therefore that combining this diet with adequate digestive rest is the fastest route to ketosis . And it is precisely this metabolic state of ketosis that allows us to take advantage of all the benefits of a keto diet .
Now, how many hours does this fast have to be for it to fulfill its function?
TYPES OF INTERMITTENT FASTING
The most common way to have this type of diet is to prolong the overnight fast up to 16 hours, but it is not the only one. There are those who feel more comfortable in a ratio of 12/12 or 14/10 and others can even do fasts of 24 hours, 48 or more, the latter would be prolonged fasts.
BENEFITS OF FASTING
After 12 hours of fasting we begin to generate ketones, after 16 hours we enter deeper ketosis, after 24 hours autophagy begins and finally, after fasting for 48 hours we find a greater presence of growth hormone in the body and it rejuvenates us!
Without a doubt, the success of the keto diet is maximized when we combine it with intermittent fasting . You just have to set certain fasting times and then control your carbohydrate intake during meals.
BUT WHERE DO I START?
First of all, don't be in a hurry and keep in mind your starting point. Do you already take 12-hour breaks? If so, try extending it until 2 or 4 p.m., find the distribution that best suits you. And if, on the other hand, you still haven't reached 12 hours of overnight fasting, then start here, having dinner at 8 p.m. and having breakfast at 8 a.m., for example.
Remember that the most important thing is health, both physical and mental, so listening to the body and its sensations will be essential when combining both strategies.
Laia Puig, Dietician