The Keto Diet and Intermittent Fasting have been two diets that have grown in popularity in the last couple of years and most people in the fitness and nutrition world have very strong opinions about them. I actually don’t, and here’s why..
There is some good to keto and fasting..
First and foremost, there’s a lot of research that shows benefits to the ketosis diet. It can seriously lower inflamation in the body. This is crucial to some health issues and it can help balance blood sugar, which can help fight diabetes. Second, it gets people paying attention to what they eat, and if done correctly, they start eating more meats and veggies. That is never a bad thing.
As for intermittent fasting, or IF, it’s been shown to help improve hormone function and digestive health in some people. This gets people paying attention and eating in a caloric deficit, both of which help with fat loss.
It would be irresponsible of me to say I am completely against them.
But I use them sparingly, and one other thing MUST take priority.
I’ve had clients who have done keto and loved it. They felt really in control, it helped them lose fat and get some other health issues under control. I’ve also heard of people losing weight, then bouncing back as soon as they stopped eating keto. This is where I take issue.
If you choose to do it, it’s likely not going to be forever so you need to LEARN and PLAN bringing carbs back in. Yes, your body can store more of them as fat so you could benefit from working with someone who is experienced in this department. There needs to be a plan.
Here’s where I take issue..
My issue is that it can be very restrictive. There are a lot of foods that can bring you out of ketosis and those foods become off limits and over time, cause you to think they are “bad.” No food is bad or good, but some foods are in alignment with your goals and others aren’t.
If you can do keto and look at things pragmatically, then it may be a good option for you. But if it causes you to view foods as bad or off limits, it’s not creating a healthy relationship with food. Or even worse, if you do eat those “bad” foods, how will it make you feel about yourself? Are you now also “bad?” This is not healthy.
Same with fasting. Let’s say you eat outside of your 8 hour window.. how does that make you feel about yourself? If you feel guilty, then you are creating an unhealthy relationship with food. Or are you using this “window” of eating as your rationale to not eat much when truly you are scared to eat more than 1000 calories a day? Or do you have enough time to get in the calories you truly need during your eating window?
Keto or fasting can both be great tools for fat loss and improving your health, but not if they come at the cost of ruining or harming your relationship with food and your body.
When I set a client up on her clean eating meal plan I always consider these things. I help each client prioritize her relationship with food and her body when it comes to eating. If you guilt yourself into only eating 6 hours a day or make yourself afraid to eat the occasional bagel, you are not likely to have long term success.
What I am actually a fan of..
After we prioritize the healthy relationship with food, we then look at calories, micro and macro nutrients. If one of these eating protocols is something that you enjoy, we can explore that, but not at the cost of your mental health.
I’m not necessarily for keto or fasting.. I am FOR helping my clients eat in a way that aligns with their goals, helps them feel great and sets them up for long term success.
Do you need with a clean eating meal plan?
A plan that will help you get lean, look great and feel great?
A plan that will improve your relationship with food and your body?
Let’s work together!
Sign up for 1:1 nutrition coaching at commit2fitcoaching.com
Your Coach,
Kyra