When to begin fasting

[rmkauff100]

I have just started KETO after many yrs of on and off the low carb diet. You could say I am TOFI. I am 5’2" and weigh 136 but my fat content is 37. I lost 3 pounds first week. Using Carb manager–a friend suggested a 30% deficit.
My questions:
When is the appropriate time to begin intermittant fasting? Before or after becoming fat-adapted?
What is the goal–to meet both protein and fat or to eat both proportionally so they line up on carb manager???
Thanks in advance

[KetoCancerMom]

First, Welcome!
Second, my starting weight was similar to yours, but a bit less - maybe 125ish. I’m not really sure because I started with post-pregnancy weight that was about 135. I’m also about 5’2", so very similar in that regard as well.

Third, NO calorie deficits, its just not needed.

I was eating about 150g of fat, 48-52g (sometimes a bit more) protein, and less than 20g of net carbs (carbs - fiber). As far as fasting, intermittent (IF) or longer, you should wait until you are fat adapted, unless it happens naturally before then. Fasting is not something to force, and it should be eased into.

I also want to say that my BMI is in the normal range 22, I think, but my body fat is high - around 30%, per a DEXA scan.

Just know that if you don’t have a lot of weight to lose it can come off slower. Be patient and forgiving, and it will happen.

Keto Is This Easy

Keto is this easy (aka Keto for beginners) Quick Version This is for Phase One—the starter phase. It’s still not complicated later, but this is the really easy-to-explain version which will help you no end. Eat under 20g of carbs a day (usually 20g net when starting, but for some people 20g total carbs works better). Don’t worry about the scale. All it tells you is weight, it tells you nothing about body composition, even the “smart” scales. Eat plenty of good food—fat and protein—whil…

[PaulL]

Using Carb manager–a friend suggested a 30% deficit.
My questions:
When is the appropriate time to begin intermittant fasting? Before or after becoming fat-adapted?

Okay, two thoughts: First, an intentional caloric deficit is not a good idea, since the body will respond by cutting back on metabolism and restrict access to the fat store, even on a low-carb diet. This is to preserve you through the apparent famine. Better to eat to satiety, and when the hormonal signaling involved gets straightened out, you are likely to find your appetite dropping significantly. This means that your caloric intake is adequate, and that the body is contributing to your energy expenditure out of its excess of stored fat.

People find it generally easier to wait for full fat-adaptation before attempting to fast. Not that you can’t fast before then, but the adaption period is stressful enough, so why add another stressor? The time to consider intentional fasting is when you notice it happening unintentionally; i.e., you find yourself skipping breakfast from lack of hunger, or you get too busy to remember to eat. At that point you should find it quite easy to fast.

In all cases, listen as closely as you can to your body.

[Anjellica]

Hi Robin, I can only echo re deficit, don’t concentrate on that, make sure your carbs are low and that protein is sufficient, then it is fat that should fill that gap. It is tough at first to accept that fat should be the major part of the diet but it works!
I started IF almost without noticing after a couple of months easily able to cope with 18/6 precisely because my carbs were in control and fat at 75% + most days. Now six months back into keto I have done several 26hr fasts (odd number but kept happening ) but am now on my first planned 48hr fast and feeling great at 29hrs.

This may well not be typical but it just my experience. Hope you enjoy settling into keto and it treats you as well as it does me

[rmkauff100]

Thank you everyone your replies. I am just seeing them for the first time. I have been following since September with the exception of 1 week break just last week. Have already returned to ketosis and lost the few pounds I gained in a few days. Down 11 pounds since the very start on 9/1/2019. Feel much better. I just purchased a Keto Mojo–hope to see healthy results.