With Keto diets and Intermittent Fasting both becoming popular forms of dieting for weight loss and overall health benefits, many are beginning to question which is better and what each involves. In broad physiological terms, the goal of the two methods is the same, but they often use different methods to get there.

Overall the goal of both Keto and Intermittent Fasting is to encourage your body to burn fat for energy instead of burning sugars. Many experts now agree that using the two together may help to promote further weight loss and be highly beneficial to your overall health. However, both Keto and Intermittent Fasting require a higher level of personal commitment than other diets, so it’s also about finding the best regime for your lifestyle.

What is Keto

Before you decide which diet to follow, it’s important to understand how both regimes should be followed and the biological processes that make them effective.

A Keto diet involves lowering your carbohydrate intake to below 50 grams of carbs per day and increasing your fat intake. Protein intake remains moderate. On a standard nutritional plan, your body is burning sugars (generated from carb intake) to burn energy and fuel your body. In Keto, the idea is to “train” your body to burn fat for energy instead.

By lowering carb intake and increasing fat intake, your body enters a state known as “ketosis.” This state of ketosis is reached when your body begins burning ketones (produced by fat intake).

Benefits of Keto

Some of the benefits of ketogenic diets can be:

• Weight loss
• Improved immune system
• Prevention of long term illnesses (e.g. diabetes)
• Improved heart health
• Higher energy levels
• Improved brain function
• Appetite regulation

Studies have shown that dieters following a ketogenic diet lost up to three times more weight than those on higher carb diets. These highly positive results in weight loss and the compatibility of Keto with clean living are what made the diet so popular.

Drawbacks of Keto

The only major drawback of Keto is that it’s usually not suitable for pregnant women or those with an existing Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Any other “drawbacks” you hear about Keto are usually just temporary side effects of making a drastic change to your nutritional intake.

These temporary side effects may include:

• Dehydration
• Headaches
• Leg cramps
• Bad breath
• Fatigue
• Drowsiness
• Reduced physical performance

Most people can quickly alleviate or prevent these side effects by:

• Drinking plenty of water and salting their food
• Introducing enough variation to their diet for proper micro nutrient intake
• Easing gradually into Keto

The Keto diet is highly compatible with a vegan lifestyle, especially because vegans are accustomed to making sure they keep their micro nutrient intake stable through varied sources of fats and proteins.

If you want to know more about getting started on a Keto diet, check out the handy infographic from Total Shape on Keto beginners which is super helpful.

What is Fasting?

While Keto is a nutritional plan focused on specific portion sizes of carbs, proteins, and fats, Intermittent Fasting is a pattern of eating. It does not restrict food types, but provides windows of time where it is acceptable to eat, and windows of time when you should fast.

Intermittent Fasting plans usually follow cyclical periods of eating and fasting, so there are lots of different fasting plans you can follow. For example:

• 16/8 – 16 hours of fasting followed by 8 hours where you can eat.
• Alternate day fasting (fasting for one day and resuming normal food consumption the next, and so on)
• Weekly fasting (fasting one day per week).

Like Keto, fasting promotes fat loss because it allows your body to reach a state where it starts to burn fat for energy instead of sugars.

Benefits of Fasting

Many of the benefits of Intermittent Fasting are similar (if not the same) to Keto. Benefits can include:

• Reduced risk of cancer
• Not food restrictive
• Body fat loss
• Reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes
• Healthier immune system
• Healthier heart
• Improves brain function

If you’re vegan, you may prefer Intermittent Fasting because it only dictates when you eat, not what you eat. So you can continue your preferred vegan diet as normal with added health benefits.

Drawbacks of Fasting

The only drawback of Intermittent Fasting is how it might fit in with your lifestyle. But the hours are flexible and there are plenty of plans to choose from, so it’s a mental barrier more than anything else. For example, if you like to socialize after work in the evening, simply choose a fasting plan and schedule that allows your socializing time to fit into your eating window.

Keto and Intermittent Fasting Together

You may prefer to choose one over the other due to medical conditions or lifestyle considerations. But combining Keto and Intermittent Fasting may produce the best results. It is also advisable when following a keto diet to perhaps adhere to it for a limited time and then switch back to a normal diet, to ensure you still take in a varied diet with all the different macro nutrients. When doing that remember when switching to do so gradually and not do an abrupt change.  

It’s thought that combining Keto and Intermittent Fasting can:

• Increase body fat loss
• Help maintain muscle during weight loss
• Boost energy levels further

The only thing standing in your way is the added pressure of combining two high-commitment regimes. So, why not start with one and then add the other later on? Don’t be afraid to try them out for a few months and see what you prefer and how you react to them. Some people like them some people don’t. The only way to find out is to try it, after you have done your research though!

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At this time of the year I’m frequently asked what the Ramadan training and eating plan is?

Due to limitations, for many, it is a time when they may experience either weight loss, weight gain and especially the dreaded muscle catabolism (breakdown).

But wait for a second, let’s look at the benefits of fasting.

1. Fat is more readily used for energy which aids weight loss. This action also reduces cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
2. Restores insulin sensitivity and nutrient partitioning.
3. Higher growth hormone output.
4. Enhanced detoxification.
5. Improved mental discipline.
6. An opportunity to focus on higher and better priorities.

Below are a list of ideas that you may find useful when it comes to fasting and Ramadan.

IDEOLOGY:

Ramadan is a time to focus inwards. You definitely should not be training 6 times per week or stuffing yourself at night. Neither should your mind be overly occupied with diet, training or your physique.

Ideally, these should take a back seat and doing just enough to maintain your shape. The only diet and training goal during Ramadan is the “minimum stimulus” to preserve lean muscle mass, strength and prevent excessive weight gain.

But at the end of the day, it all lies in the balance. Don’t overindulge in foods and completely avoid exercise during Ramadan. The hard truth of the matter is that you can lose that great body you have, in a month, if you do nothing.

INTENSITY:

Treat the month as a deload. Therefore, reduce workouts to 30-40 minutes, 4-5 times per week and decrease your exercise weights by 30-40%. This prevents muscle atrophy, regression in performance and a total crash of your metabolism.

I prefer low to moderate volume and low intensity training. One should steer clear from excessive cardio. Deliberately creating a further calorie deficit is a recipe for fatigue.

TIMES:

The best times to train would either be:

• After Taraweeh salaah.
• Or an hour before Iftaar.

They both have differing benefits.

• Training before Iftaar provides an opportunity to lose those stubborn extra kg’s, as you are in a state of “ketosis”. This means your body uses stored fat for energy. (If you train before Iftar, train at a lower weight loads, as you will not be optimally hydrated and fueled).
• Training after Taraweeh also burns extra calories and stimulates metabolic processes. The hydration and additional calories however allows for a stronger, easier workout.

Remember, our bodies react differently so explore what times works best for you. Ensure sufficient sleep before Suhoor. This allows your muscles to recover.

SUPPLEMENTATION:

If you’re dreading the thought of losing your hard-earned gains, supplement with:

1. Comprehensive multi-nutrient
2. Vitamin c
3. Whey protein
4. Casein protein
5. BCAA’s
6. Glutamine
7. HMB
8. Omega 3
9. Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine is particularly important as it reduces cortisol (acatabolic hormone) which is produced whilst fasting. It also makes you feel loads better!

Eat healthy, with the express purpose of giving your body the nutrients it needs to endure fasting.

*Tip: Start reducing your caffeine intake (coffee, tea, energy drinks) a week before fasting. Alternatively delay your morning caffeine intake to noon. This reduces the risk of headaches when Ramadan begins.

Start small, but dream big. One day at a time, take steps in the direction you desire to move towards. Will you get there in a day? No. In a week? Not likely. In a few months? Maybe. Point is, it takes time to progress. So put your blinkers on, work hard, stay focused and achieve it! #deathbyconditioning

A post shared by Mohseen Patel (@mozza_patel) on Apr 11, 2018 at 9:43am PDT

DIET:

Maintain a prudent diet of the right kind (selection) and right amounts (quantity) of carbohydrates which will provide energy. If you choose to eat lean red meat, ensure you consume it 4,5 – 5 hours before bed time to counteract any digestive problems. And lastly, good fats such as nuts and avocado to maintain healthy brain and body function.

It is rather easy to overeat and overindulge when you sacrifice food and drink for an entire day, so keep an eye on what you eat and how much you eat. Consume in healthy moderation!

Hydration is a critical but a forgotten aspect during Ramadan. Drinking enough water is vital to aid digestion, avoid constipation and dehydration.

By viewing Ramadan as an extended deload and using it to recover and restore anabolic signaling, you can increase your training volume and intensity in the weeks after Ramadan.

That’s leaves us with how should we resume training after Ramadan?

Because of the calorie restriction one has undergone, it is a fantastic opportunity to gain some size and strength in the few weeks following Eid.

Research shows that gradually increasing calories and training volume after a period of fasting creates a positive metabolic and optimal hormonal environment. This is ideal for muscle and strength gains, as well as the potential for fat loss.

Life is about balance. Find the right balance between nutrition, fitness and spirituality. With this combination you’ll achieve great results no matter the month. Enjoy Ramadan this year, maximize the spiritual benefits, and use these guidelines to help steer you, when it comes to training and diet.

Ramadan Mubarak.

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It is almost time once again for the holy month of Ramadan, where many Muslims perform a fast each day during that time. If you are not too sure how to balance your fasting with your training, or what the ideal foods to eat would be, then this booklet is perfect for you.

We have put together a short hand book, written by Neelam Effendi and Mohseen Patel, both whom are Muslim personal/online trainers. They have both very kindly written articles about managing your training and diet through Ramadan, which are both still online here. But now with the handbook you can download it, read it whenever you like and distribute it to whoever you think could benefit from it.

The book is great to have and to use as a reference each year when you begin your fast, to refresh your memory and to stay healthy during this spiritual time. 

Download the handbook by clicking HERE.

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The post The Workout Handbook | Training And Diet During Ramadan appeared first on FitNish.com.