Confession! For 2020 I am committing myself to a wellness journey, and part of that journey includes losing unwanted pounds that in my opinion holds me back from being my best self.
I typically do not share content around fitness and different types of diets unless specifically related to hair but I am curious about the reaction I will get if I share a bit more about what I have learned within this space.
Ok so on to the topic at hand, I am sure many of you have heard about intermittent fasting and the Ketogenic diet but in case you haven’t here are some quick definitions for both.
Ketogenic diet
Put simply this is a diet that is focused on good fats and tons of vegetables with minimal protein. It is not a high protein diet like most people think, but it completely eliminates carbs. Personally, I have the most success with keto when I increase vegetable intake, watch my protein portions and incorporate healthy fats like olive oil, salmon, MCT oil, and avocado.
Intermittent fasting
How you choose to do intermittent fasting is completely up to you but, essentially you fast for an extended period of time (for example 16 hours) and you eat within a specific eating window (4-8 hours after you fast). For example, a 16:8 protocol means you would end your day with dinner at 7 PM and start your fast, you would not eat again until 11 AM the following day. You would then eat between 11 AM and 7 PM and start all over again. I prefer to fast for 16 hours and then eat for 8 hours but, you can adjust the fast however you see fit.
What I did
So randomly a few weeks ago I decided to start eating keto again, after a few birthday celebrations and nights eating out I was NOT feeling great. (I also had not worked out for a while)
I am the girl who loves carbs (bread, cakes, sweet shit) but will feel super sick and blah after consecutive days of eating “whatever I want”. I started Keto on a Monday and decided to incorporate intermittent fasting on Wednesday starting the fast 7 PM Wednesday night. (For each of those days I also incorporated workouts)
Prior to the fast, I had already lost 3 pounds of water weight and by the following Wednesday, I was down 7 more pounds. (Literally one pound per day combined with workouts)
Total 13 pounds! yea, life was good…..
If you are thinking about losing a couple of pounds and you have permission from your doctor to try these methods I totally endorse combining Keto, Intermittent fasting and working out.
Meaning, you would intermittent fast 16:8 or for whatever protocol you choose and when its time to eat, do not just eat anything, eat from a keto menu.
Sample menu: What I ate in a day
11 AM – Breakfast
2 sunny side up eggs
2 slices of bacon
half an avocado
2 PM Lunch
Salad – Loads of veggies and roasted chicken (one serving based on your macros)
7 PM Dinner
Cabbage
Salmon
Avocado
Snacks? – Not really, I try not to snack but if I absolutely need a snack I have pumpkin seeds and almonds on hand for a quick pick me up.
If you want to learn a little bit more about combining Keto and Intermittent fasting I would suggest doing some research on your own just to make sure this lifestyle will work for you. One of the people I learned a ton about Keto and fasting from is Thomas DeLauer, watch below:
Question(s) for you all, are you on a wellness journey? Do you want to see more fitness and wellness content from us? Comment below!
