Keto + intermittent Fasting (5 consecutive days/week)?


(Mohanad Al Madi) #1

Hello everyone,

I’ve recently started keto and fasting. I’m doing 5 consecutive days strict 20/4 intermittent fasting combined with Keto and then a normal weekend with family and friends. I also work out moderately.

I feel that it’s a good schedule for me, as I can make this as a life style. But I’m not sure if it’s correct going back to normal on weekends in terms of health and weight loss. I appreciate your opinions.


(Carl Keller) #2

Hello and welcome Mohanad_Al-Madi.

I would say that 20/4 is fine as long as you are not struggling with hunger. If that is the case, it might better to work on getting control of your hunger first and then ease into restricted eating windows.

IF can be effortless and weight loss can come very quickly after you reach a fat-adapted state (4-8 weeks for most people). I’m not saying you can’t be successful with your current plan, just that if you are hungry all the time, it could be a struggle.


(Todd Batitis) #3

From the time I started doing IF back in June 2018 I have been doing 20:4 all but the rare day when I might do OMAD, 22:2 or 18:6 just due to what I have going on. My window is 2p-6p but if I go to the gym I might get home around 4 and maybe do 4-6 or 4-7 or just one big meal.

What your “normal” is would be different than others so it is hard to say how this might work for you. I know that on the rare times I have gone off track and ate at an Asian Buffet on the weekend, even just eating it as OMAD, the hit to my progress and ketosis/glucose was very noticeable.

Just some rambling info perspective…

I log all my food in MFP and entries for such things as buffets are purely speculative and I am sure that MOST who do them just don’t bother logging for that day. “Pig Out at the Asian Buffet” and it will say “2500 calories” or “Asian Buffet - 1-2 plates” and be 1500 calories but have no other info on carbs and such. So last time we went (roughly a month ago), I took pics of each plate and then matched it up and entered recipes if necessary. I had 4 plates of entree food, not heaping like I used to do and from what I have seen, 3-4 plates is pretty common if not more, as well as a dessert plate with a few small deserts (panna cotta, creme brule, brownie, rice crispy treat, small cake piece) as well as a bowl with 2 scoops of ice cream.

When all was said and done, it was just under 6000 calories, 622g of carbs, 281g protein and 283 fat. For me that was OMAD and it gave me perspective to how much MOST people are eating when they go there and add Breakfast and Dinner as well as snacks. :slight_smile:

The result for me on the meter was that my glucose was elevated for days. Normal for me is 60s to 70s - Now it was in the 90s and just over 100 for the first couple days even on eating keto. My blood ketones, which typically range in the 1.6-2.6 range daily, were in the 0.3-0.9 range for the first few days and then only slowly started creeping up the next couple days. It took me about a full week to get back to seeing ranges around 2.0.

So for me, would doing a 5 day IF be ok all the time and then just be “normal”? No. If I can family come visit I can still do 20:4 IF or simply do OMAD if it is a big meal out. For convenience I can open it up and do 18:6 to eat around lunchtime and have dinner later but as a regular thing I couldn’t do what you propose. That said, I know a lot of people who couldn’t do 20:4 either. Or even flinch at the thought of not eating for 12 hours for that matter LOL.