7 Tips To Get Into Ketosis
Ketosis is a normal metabolic process that provides several health benefits. During ketosis, your body converts fat into compounds known as ketones and begins using them as its main source of energy. Studies have found that diets that promote ketosis are highly beneficial for weight loss, due in part to their appetite-suppressing effects (1, 2). Emerging research suggests that ketosis may also be helpful for type 2 diabetes and neurological disorders, among other conditions (3, 4). That being said, achieving a state of ketosis can take some work and planning. It's not just as simple as cutting carbs. Here are 7 effective tips to get into ketosis. Eating a very low-carb diet is by far the most important factor in achieving ketosis. Normally, your cells use glucose, or sugar, as their main source of fuel. However, most of your cells can also use other fuel sources. This includes fatty acids, as well as ketones, which are also known as ketone bodies. Your body stores glucose in your liver and muscles in the form of glycogen. When carb intake is very low, glycogen stores are reduced and levels of the hormone insulin decline. This allows fatty acids to be released from fat stores in your body. Your liver converts some of these fatty acids into the ketone bodies acetone, acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate. These ketones can be used as fuel by portions of the brain (5, 6). The level of carb restriction needed to induce ketosis is somewhat individualized. Some people need to limit net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) to 20 grams per day, while others can achieve ketosis while eating twice this amount or more. For this reason, the Atkins diet specifies that carbs be restricted to 20 or fewer grams per day for two weeks to guarantee that ketosis is achieved. After this point, s Continue reading >>
Quick Start Keto
Low carbers know ketosis is the superhero of fat-burning. But what is ketosis? And how do you get into ketosis quickly? Keto FAQs and why it makes a difference in fat loss. 6 techniques to get into ketosis fast 3-Day rapid reach ketosis technique Try a few rapid keto techniques and eat specific low carb keto foods. Our quick start guide covers everything you need to reach ketosis fast. If carbs are limited to small amounts in your diet, your body relies on fat for energy. When you reach ketosis, fat burns rapidly and muscle tissue is spared. Why Does Keto Burn Fat Faster? To get into ketosis you’ll avoid sugar, leading to low insulin levels. Low insulin curbs hunger and accelerates fat-burning. Metabolizing fat and producing ketones burns more energy than metabolizing carbs. The result is a much higher calorie burn. How Do I Reach Ketosis? Ketosis happens when carbs are very low – usually when eating 20 to 50 grams of net carbs or less per day. (Carb grams from fiber are NOT counted in daily totals.) Everyone is different. Some low carbers must eat very low carb to reach ketosis. Typical Keto Ratio Getting into ketosis requires eating meals that are high in healthy fats and low in carbs. Protein grams should not exceed 20 % of total daily calories. Keto Calculator This free online keto calculator determines your ideal nutrient ratio for weight loss or maintenance during ketosis. The keto calculator recommends the optimum daily calories, fat, carb and protein amounts to help you get into ketosis – and meet your weight loss goal. How to Know You’re in Ketosis Keto Symptoms During keto, low carbers experience bursts of energy and heightened mood – just two of the big benefits of ketosis. Some dieters notice a temporary, sweet taste in the mouth or a mild, sweet b Continue reading >>
Complete Guide To Intermittent Fasting
Before I gave up grains, sugar and other foods which I used to believe were healthy (or at least not harmful), I had breakfast every single day. At least that's what all kinds of TV ads were claiming, promoting whole grains and cereals and other "healthy" breakfast options often loaded with sugar. Just the thought of skipping a meal made me feel guilty. Doing a full day fast seemed unnecessary and impossible to follow. But all this has just been part of the big high-carb, low-fat campaign. Myth #1: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. As you will learn in this post, nothing can be further from the truth. I rarely eat breakfast - that's the meal I skip almost every day. Myth #2: You have to eat regularly, ideally 5 small meals a day. Once you get keto-adapted and not depended on glucose, this will change. Since your insulin levels will not spike, you won't have the need to eat regularly or in small portions (apart from diabetics which I discuss later in this post). Myth #3: You need to eat most of your carbs for breakfast because that's when your body uses them most effectively. You should try to eat your carbs throughout the day and not just in one meal. Furthermore, since our body is in fat-burning state in the morning, eating carbs in the second half of the day is more beneficial for weight loss. Myth #4: Never exercise on an empty stomach. It's bad for your performance and you'll lose muscles instead of body fat. As described below, for most people Intermittent Fasting is ideal for maximising the benefits of exercise for several reasons. What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)? Compared to calorie restriction, IF is not restricted in calories - it simply limits your eating windows to just a few hours a day. In effect, you usually fast for 14-20 hours or even up Continue reading >>
5 Day Water Fast Results (self Experiment)
I’m not a fan of cancer. The only people I’ve lost in memory – my grandfather and other close family – it was cancer that took them. NOT putting an end to the fun of life because of cancer has been a part of my plan since my early 20s. So after my discussion with Dr. Thomas Seyfried in episode 16 I was looking forward to put his 5 day water fast “cancer insurance policy” to work. As I read into the details to start planning my prolonged fast what I found convinced me even more this was something I had to do soon. Maybe what I discovered would inspire you to try a 5 day fast soon too? Fasting for Reasons Beyond Cancer Since getting bitten by a tick in Phuket, Thailand a few years ago I’ve been fighting some chronic health issues. I discovered that it’s probable that these are at least in some part due to lyme disease and babesiosis infections I only got documented earlier this year (and thus had never been treated for). It bears mentioning, since there’s a fair amount of non-rigorous and dubious material on the internet on the subject of lyme disease in particular, that this was documented via the IgM/ IgG labs, and met CDC criteria. What does this have to do with fasting? It comes down to this: Having a stronger immune system gives you a better chance of eliminating lyme. Since in cases like mine where it was not treated in the early stages it seems to be relatively tricky and long-winded to get rid of. I’ve made it a rule to collect and put into practice anything that improves the odds of a quicker recovery. And… fasting is a potential new tool to speed up recovery. Valter Longo, Director of the USC Longevity Institute, has published a large number of studies on fasting and caloric restriction and their application to treat disease and enhance agi Continue reading >>
The Perks Of Fasting, With None Of The Work
“If there’s a downside, it is kind of crazy tasting,” said Geoff Woo, the founder of HVMN, a Silicon Valley company that makes nootropics, or performance-enhancing supplements. We were in a conference room in The Atlantic’s office building, and he was bracing me for my trial run of his latest product. It was a small, clear vial labeled “Ketone,” a new type of energy drink his company is releasing this week. Its nutrition label says it contains 120 calories, but no carbs, no fat, and no protein. Instead, it’s all ketones, the chemical that Woo and his company are calling a “fourth food group.” He hopes the drink will allow people to reap the benefits of occasional fasting—high ketone levels inside the body—without actually having to not eat. I unscrewed the top and, college-days muscle memory kicking in, chugged it like a shot of Captain Morgan. It tasted like cough syrup that had been poured into a garbage bag and left in the sun. “Augh!” I cried. “I compare it to a combination of a liquor shot with nail-polish remover,” Woo said. Woo’s coworker, Brianna Stubbs, went to fetch me a glass of water. “We’ve done a lot of work to make it better,” she said. Within an hour, the drink was supposed to help improve my athletic performance by changing how my body burned energy during exercise. Some people also say it helps them feel more energetic and focused on their work. About 25 minutes after I drank Ketone, Woo and Stubbs pricked my finger to see if it was working. My blood sugar, which had verged on diabetic levels from some pineapple I had eaten that morning, was down to near-normal levels. Meanwhile, my ketones, which had been practically nonexistent before imbibing—measuring just 0.2 millimolar—had soared to 4.9. “It would have Continue reading >>
Tim Ferriss – 3 Day Fast Protocol Details – Get Into Ketosis Quicker And Easier
In Tim Ferriss’ new book Tools of Titans he puts forward a method to optimize the process of fasting. In his typical 80/20 style, he aims to get the most benefits, in the least amount of time. His recommended fast is conducted in a 3 day period, spanning Thursday evening to Sunday evening. 3-Day Fast Overview Stop eating Thursday night Friday morning go for a long walk to accelerate your transition into ketosis Friday and Saturday stay fasted, and consume moderate amounts of exogenous ketones and MCT oil (as needed), to give you a boost while you’re keto adapting. Sunday evening you break the fast. Here’s the process in more detail if you don’t have Tools of Titans to hand: Thursday Evening Eat a low carbohydrate dinner around 6pm. Make that the last meal of the day. Go to bed as normal. Friday Morning Drink some caffeine if needed, then get out the door and walk within 30 minutes of waking. Bring at least 1 litre of water, with some added salt (to prevent headaches/cramping), and sip as you walk. Walk for 3-4 hours(!). Filling up/buying more water as needed. Arrange phone calls for this time, to make the time productive. The idea behind the walk is that you use up your glycogen stores, forcing your body to move quicker into deep ketosis. The quicker you get into ketosis, the less time you spend feeling sub-optimal, and the less potential muscle wastage. Friday Day (post walk) Consume exogenous ketones or MCT oil 2-3 times throughout the day, where necessary. Tim primarily uses KetoCaNa & KetoForce as exogenous ketone sources. Both these products contain 11.7g of Beta-hydroxybuterate per serving, and each contain 16 servings. The key difference is that KetoForce is an unflavoured (alkaline) liquid. And KetoCaNa is an orange flavoured powder you can mix into wate Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Dieting And Intermittent Fasting – It Really Works!
I’ve been combining ketogenic dieting and intermittent fasting for quite some time now. Two weeks ago a colleague of mine, who is trying to lose weight herself, put me up to a challenge. Starting on Friday the 15th of January, we both had until Friday the 19th of February to lose as much weight as possible and whoever has lost the most by then wins $50. The rules are: Weight loss must be safe, ie. healthy eating, low calories and moderate exercise. No going days on end without food and trying to exercise for hours every day. If neither of us lose at least 5kg by the end date, neither of us win. Important afternote: I ended the challenge losing a whopping 7.2kg (15.8 lb) of FAT (a total loss of over 10kg when counting the initial 3kg of water weight lost before starting the competition). I did this entirely through ketosis fasting. Read on if you want to lose weight as fast and easily as I did! My Secret Weapon As I have a trip to Japan coming up shortly after the end date and had wanted to lose a lot of weight before then anyway (I gained 5kg in 3 weeks last time I was in Japan!), I accepted the challenge. We’re now 2 weeks and 1 day into the challenge and I’d like to share my results, as well as some weight loss tips I’ve learnt in these short 2 weeks. Ketogenic Dieting and Intermittent Fasting really works! Of all the people in the world, it was my gastro-enterologist who introduced me to “the 5-2 diet“. For those who don’t know what the 5-2 diet is, it’s basically a form of intermittent fasting where you eat normally for 5 days, and eat 1/4 of your usual target daily energy expenditure on 2 days. Using the TDEE calculator I just linked, I found that for weight maintenance (neither losing nor gaining weight) I would need to consume (note: consume. Not Continue reading >>
How To Follow A Cyclic Ketogenic Diet
There is a ton of information floating around the internet on fasting and ketogenic diets. What is lacking is the fundamental explanation of why it is so powerful and more advanced techniques to take it to the next level. I’m going to break down the science and show you how to follow a cyclic ketogenic diet in a way that is best for your body. It seems that so much of the information available is one size fits all. Something you quickly learn as a clinician, however, is that no such thing exists. That’s why I created this article to help as many people as possible find that sweet spot where they can feel amazing following a ketogenic diet while avoiding common downfalls. Cyclical Ketogenic Philosophy While a strict ketogenic diet was all the rage at first, people began to pick up on negative effects of long-term carb restriction. While a strict ketogenic diet still has its place for special cases, we are starting to realize that a cyclic ketogenic diet tends to give us the best of both worlds. The cyclical ketogenic diet is based off of the feast or famine cycle. This is exactly what it sounds like, you go into a fasted (famine) state for a period of time, followed by a feasting period. This cycle is similar to the kind of eating pattern our foraging and hunting ancestors would have followed as a natural consequence of their lifestyles. Consequently, it seems like this kind of cycle has many great benefits for health and vitality. Famine Fasting is simply the time you spend not eating. Modern day, since we have an abundance of food all the time, fasting is used as a way to mimic a state of famine. When we fast, we are essentially sending our bodies a signal that food is scarce. As a result, our incredible bodies make physiological adaptations that allow us to surviv Continue reading >>
Intermittent Fasting On A Keto Diet
Intermittent Fasting, or “IF”, is a relatively new craze that is used as a supplement to your diet. It revolves around the timing of your food intake, and can have some benefits in the long run. There are quite a few people misinformed on fasting, so we’ll clear that up and explain how intermittent fasting can be useful. On your ketogenic journey, it’s important to know that your success is not only dictated by eating enough fat and protein and restricting carbs. When you eat, how often you eat, and how much you eat have a substantial impact on your health and function as well. If your results have plateaued or you are thinking of starting a ketogenic diet, this article will provide you with a way to lose more fat and improve energy levels called intermittent fasting. If you need to learn how to calculate your macros, visit our Keto Calculator. Fasting isn’t required to lose weight on a ketogenic diet. If it doesn’t work for you, then do not force yourself to fast. Restricting yourself unrealistically is pointless – it’s not worth it if it makes you unhappy. There are 2 basic terms we need to understand here first: feeding and fasting. Your body is in a feeding state when you are eating your food, and you are in a fasting state when you are between your meals. The Approach Skipped meals. This is when you skip over a meal to induce extra time of fasting. Usually people choose breakfast, but others prefer to skip lunch. Eating windows. Usually this condenses your entire macronutrient intake between a 4 and 7 hour window. The rest of the time you are in a fasting state. 24-48 hour cleanse. This is where you go into extended fasting periods, and do not eat for 1-2 days. I don’t recommend that you go straight for a 1-2 day fast, but begin by restricting you Continue reading >>
The Amazing Changes Intermittent Fasting Does To Your Body And Brain
Stars like Beyonce and Hugh Jackman have spoken out about following intermittent fasting plans to get in shape. How does intermittent fasting work? We spoke with one of the leading neuroscientists in this field, Mark Mattson at the National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, to learn more. Following is a transcript of the video. How long has it been since you last ate? People who fast intermittently often eat within an 8-hour block, leaving 16 hours of fasting in between. During that 16-hour stretch, their bodies undergo an important change that sets them apart from non-fasters. Here's how it works. When you eat, you store some of that energy in the liver as glycogen. But after 10-12 hours of not eating, your glycogen reserves will be extremely low. As a result, you may feel more irritable than normal, a term scientists call "hangry." The upside is — with little glycogen left — fat cells in your body release fats into your bloodstream. The fat cells head straight to your liver, where they're converted to energy for your body and brain. So, you are literally burning fat to survive. Blood samples show that people who had fasted for 12-24 hours experienced a 60% increase in energy from fat, with the biggest change occurring after 18 hours. This is the benefit to intermittent fasting because it puts you in a state called ketosis. And it's why researchers think intermittent fasting could be the key to a longer, healthier life. The process of burning fat releases chemicals called ketones. In the brain, ketones trigger the release of an important molecule called BDNF. BDNF helps build and strengthen neurons and neural connections in areas of the brain responsible for learning and memory. Which could explain why a boost in ketone production has been shown to im Continue reading >>
Cycling In And Out Of Nutritional Ketosis Is Recommended
Fitness Disclaimer: The information contained in this site is for educational purposes only. Vigorous high-intensity exercise is not safe or suitable for everyone. You should consult a physician before beginning a new diet or exercise program and discontinue exercise immediately and consult your physician if you experience pain, dizziness, or discomfort. The results, if any, from the exercises may vary from person-to-person. Engaging in any exercise or fitness program involves the risk of injury. Mercola.com or our panel of fitness experts shall not be liable for any claims for injuries or damages resulting from or connected with the use of this site. Specific questions about your fitness condition cannot be answered without first establishing a trainer-client relationship. Low-fat, high-carb diets prevent healthy mitochondrial function, thereby contributing to chronic diseases such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimers, cancer and more Studies suggest low-carb, high-fat diets and eating less frequently may be the answer to the obesity epidemic. The benefits of this type of diet is the primary focus of my book Fat for Fuel, and my complementary online course When your body is able to burn fat for fuel, your liver creates water-soluble fats called ketones that burn far more efficiently than carbs, thus creating far less damaging reactive oxygen species and secondary free radicals Multiday water fasting activates autophagy, allowing your body to clean itself out, and triggers the regeneration of stem cells. Having as little as 200 or 300 calories a day is enough to abort the autophagy process Fasting has been shown to trigger the regeneration of the pancreas in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics a testament to the regenerative power unleashed in your body Continue reading >>
The 90-day Ketogenic Diet & Intermittent Fasting Experiment: How Does Itwork?
The 90-Day Ketogenic Diet & Intermittent Fasting Experiment: How Does ItWork? For the next 3 months, I decided to eat +160g of fat a day. Why would I do something this stupid, you ask? Because I am trying to get into the best shape of my life while increasing longevity. Most of my life I have tried to find ways to optimize my bodys potential. Because of this, I have had the opportunity of trying numerous diets and training styles claiming to be the best. If you have spent any time looking for a diet program on the internet, you know exactly what I am talking about. Every few years theres some new miracle health secret being discussed or marketed all over social media sites like Facebook and Reddit. These fads even infiltrate top-level health forums and have fitness gurus swearing they are the answer to your prayers. The ketogenic diet, however, is different. It has changed my life, and it deserves your attention. Not only has it helped me reduce my body fat and improved my cholesterol levels, but it also helped me feel more energetic in my day-to-day life and reduced my joint pain. The ketogenic diet is a low-carb/high-fat diet that has been gaining popularity in recent years because of its very specific approach to controlling ones weight. The ketogenic diet certainly isnt a one-size-fits-all solution, no diet is. However, since it has done wonders on my body, I am compelled to share more about it. Because I had a lot of friends asking me about how I got in such great shape and why I looked/felt so healthy, I decided to perform an experiment and show others how this diet/lifestyle works. Providing a guide of sorts so other may test it out for themselves. I also received a lot of pushback from friends who thought what I am doing is unhealthy. I decided to do this study Continue reading >>
Water Fasting Ketosis Is Where The Fat Burn Heaven Begins
In this guide, you will learn everything you need to know about water fasting ketosis. I'll explain how water fasting can help you reach your absolute highest possible fat burn rates, which is easily the single biggest benefit of ketosis. You'll also see the science on how long it actually takes before you can enter ketosis during a water fast. You'll also learn about one of the most dangerous problems of water fasting ketosis. I'll also tell you why it is a very good idea to avoid one of the most common mistakes people make once they already reach ketosis during a water fast. Now that you know what you're getting yourself into, here's a quick overview of everything that's covered in this guide: The single biggest benefit of water fasting ketosis Simply put, ketosis is a state where you get to enjoy your absolutely highest possible fat burn rates. If you're on your regular diet, your body can draw energy from a couple of different sources (so not just from your body fat reserves). Those other, non-fat energy sources are the main reason why your fat burn rates stay on the low end, even if you start eating less food. But during a water fast, because you're eating no food at all, those other energy sources in your body will be completely wiped out after a while. Once that happens, your body will enter full ketosis, and in that state of full ketosis, your body will have no choice but to rely almost exclusively on your body fat reserves. With no other energy sources available, ketosis will trigger some pretty amazing fat burn rates in your body. Water fasting is one of the fastest ways to reach that state of super high fat burn. And a lot of people do a water fast just for this reason. There's only one problem with reaching ketosis through water fasting. PRO TIP: A different Continue reading >>
Effects Of Fasting Ketosis | Allaboutfasting
Understanding ketosis and muscle loss during fasting. The process of ketosis is one of the physiological effects of fasting in which the brain (and some other bodily processes) uses ketones produced from fatty tissues as a fuel instead of the usual glucose. This is called "muscle sparing". When glucose isn't readily available via the diet (in the form of carbohydrates) and the glycogen stores in the liver become depleted, the body could break down muscle to get it. But ketosis is an adaptation that will spare muscle during times of shortage by instead breaking down fat stores and manufacturing ketones for brain fuel. It is said this state is attained at approximately 48 hours of a water fast for women and closer to 72 hours for men. The effects of fasting ketosis became a more popular and controversial subject about 10 years ago due to low-carb, high-protein dieters relying on it long-term to "burn the fat". Recent iterations of these "ketogenic diets" are fine-tuning fat to protein to carb ratios. Where ketosis was once considered a "crisis response" of the body and fine only for short durations, there are some diet doctors who now contend ketones are an acceptable alternative fuel, produced and used by the body any time glucose is scarce, which can happen even in non-fasting, non-dieting individuals, such as during intense exercise or during sleep. They are considering it a natural metabolic process where ketone production and use fluctuates constantly in response to the body's needs. What is so controversial about the dieters' use of ketosis is the long term, artificially produced, use of it. Over long periods of time, their high-protein diet produces excess protein by-products that become a strain on the kidneys to eliminate. Ketosis also creates a mild acidosis of Continue reading >>
Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting: Lose Fat, Build Muscle, Stay Focused & Feel Great
If you want to lose fat and improve your health as fast as possible, without feeling mentally slow, it’s hard to beat Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting. Here’s an overview of the protocol, which I lay out in more detail in my new NYT bestseller The Bulletproof Diet. Plain intermittent fasting has become popular in biohacker circles because it shows tremendous promise for fat loss, preventing cancer, building muscle, and increasing resilience. The most popular site that covers plain intermittent fasting is Leangains.com. It’s totally worth a visit. The basic idea behind plain intermittent fasting is to eat all of your daily food in a shortened period (8 hours in the case of Lean Gains) and fast the rest of the time. For reasons we will get into below, this tells your body to simultaneously build muscle and burn fat. It really works. The problem is not everyone does well with fasting. If you’re a busy entrepreneur or even a student who needs to be in a high performance state all day, dealing with hunger can be a distraction. It’s much worse for those with an impaired metabolism (i.e. the people who need to lose weight). If you have more than 30 pounds of extra fat or if you’re facing diabetes, it can be hard to skip meals and still get things done. As explained in The Bulletproof Diet book, Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting is an easy biohack that changes that and makes it possible to lose fat and build muscle faster than plain intermittent fasting… without feeling hungry or tired. Introducing Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting Bulletproof Fasting is the same as intermittent fasting, except you consume a cup of Bulletproof Coffee in the morning. The healthy fats from grass-fed butter and Brain Octane Oil give you a stable current of energy that sustains you thro Continue reading >>
