Intermittent Fasting vs Ketogenic Diet: Which One Helps You Lose Weight Faster?

You will most likely see intermittent fasting and ketogenic diet once you research the trendiest strategies to lose weight fast apart from using weight-loss drugs. Both weight-loss strategies have gained popularity with claims of being highly effective, but do you wonder which one is more effective for your weight-loss goals?

Intermittent fasting means limiting your food intake within a specific period, otherwise called an eating window. A ketogenic diet, on the other hand, is a way of eating that mimics fasting involving the consumption of a high-fat, low-carb diet. Here’s a rundown of what is involved in each method and practical steps to lose weight naturally and permanently.

How Does Intermittent Fasting Work?

This method involves eating within a specific time interval. This method focuses on when you can eat instead of what you can eat. There are three main types of intermittent fasting:

• 16:8 method: This is also called time-restricted intermittent fasting. It entails fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window daily (i.e., eating only within 8 hours daily). The majority of fasting is done at night, so it doesn’t pose too much of a challenge to stick to.
• Alternate day intermittent fasting: This involves alternating between days when you fast and eat only a small amount of food and days when you eat without restriction.
• Periodic fasting: In this, you can fast for as long as 24 hours, followed by normal eating within a specific time. Another example of periodic fasting is the 5:2 method, where you eat for 5 days in a week and then fast for 2 days.

What Is a Ketogenic Diet?

This is based on eating mostly high-fat foods and foods low in carbohydrates. When you go on a keto diet, your body goes into a state of ketosis. This means the accumulation of ketone bodies in the blood due to a lack of glucose (which you lack since your diet is low in carbs). Thus, in the absence of glucose due to a low-carb diet, your body switches over to using stored fats as its primary fuel source. When your body is in ketosis, you break down fatty acids from fat tissues, leading to fat burning and weight loss without exercise.

Which Approach Is Better for Weight Loss?

When you reduce carbohydrate intake in a ketogenic diet, you produce ketones from your fat tissues. Also, intermittent fasting can help you lose weight fast by leading to the production of ketones, but at the same time, you don’t induce the production of a hormone called gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP hormone). This hormone is responsible for regulating blood sugar levels and nutrient balance (enhancing the release of insulin). 

Therefore, the answer to the question is this: It depends on your weight loss goals. Preferably, a combination of the two methods is ideal, as both have unique benefits for your healthy weight loss journey. For instance, you can start with a narrow eating window of 8-10 hours a day, reduce carb intake, and increase protein and fats in your diet. You can even add treat days to reduce the feeling of deprivation and gradually reduce your eating window with time. This will help you sustain weight loss rather than going on a strict starvation diet and falling back into binge eating.

Both intermittent fasting and ketogenic diet can lead to weight loss and are not extreme weight loss methods. However, overnight intermittent fasting (starting early in the evening and ending with breakfast) is the winner for both natural weight loss and long-term health benefits.

How to Achieve Ultimate Weight Loss Goals

The following tips will help you understand how to lose weight naturally and permanently:

• Eat healthy and whole foods: Reduce the urge to snack when you are hungry. This is because most snacks contain empty calories, which makes you add weight without knowing.
• Get regular physical exercise and manage your stress levels.
• Use a natural weight-loss pill: Incorporate a weight-loss supplement like NATURE’SFIELD SURESLIM FAT BURNER into your daily routine. Coupled with other tips, you’re on your way to losing weight naturally.

There is no best diet for everyone, as nutritional needs are majorly unique. Remember that food is not your enemy, rather, what you eat and the quantity can become your adversary. Therefore, if you’re looking to lose weight, reducing your calorie intake is the first step. This doesn’t mean starving yourself or cutting out all the foods you enjoy. Adopt lifestyle changes, achieve a healthy relationship with food, and use NATURE’SFIELD SURESLIM FAT BURNER for sustainable weight loss and to attain a healthier and happier version of yourself.