Keto Intermittent Fasting Meal Plan for Beginners

Start your healthy eating journey with our ultimate keto intermittent fasting meal plan for weight loss. This meal plan is a great introduction to the keto diet for beginners and includes 19 days of delicious low carb recipes. Easy dinner recipes, breakfast ideas, healthy snacks, lunch ideas and dessert recipes. Achieve your weight loss goals and start burning fat faster than ever before!

Introduction

Do you feel like you’ve been on a diet the majority of your adult life? Are you on a seafood diet – a diet in which you see food and then eat it? Perhaps you’ve been on a diet for about three weeks now, but all you’ve lost is three weeks of your life and that’s it.

Sound familiar?

If yes, don’t worry. Most people, myself included, have been there, done that, and got the t-shirt! There was one time that I really believed I didn’t need a personal trainer or dietician or anything like that; I just needed someone to follow me wherever I went and slap all that junk food out of my hands…I mean seriously, who can’t resist a kebab?

Jokes aside; dieting isn’t easy, and every day it seems like a new diet is getting some form of publicity. Whether it’s some crazy passing fad or something with a little more kudos, it doesn’t really matter because there are so many people out there desperate to lose weight and get healthy that they’re willing to do absolutely anything it takes to get to where they want to and need to be. Low-fat diets. High-protein diets. Plant-based diets. No-carb diets. Vegetarian diets. Egg-only diets. With so much focus on diets and dieting it’s no wonder so many people have trouble finding the right diet that suits them, their genetic makeup, lifestyle, and targets.

Here’s a thing you probably don’t want to hear. In fact, you probably won’t read it in any other diet-related book you buy, but I’ve never been one for mincing words, so I’m going to cut to the chase – dieting is hard. It’s really hard! There is no miracle. It takes time. And it actually requires you doing some serious work, which includes changing your eating habits and being more active (if you haven’t done so already!)

But this is how I see it all – dieting is hard, but so is being fat and unhealthy, so sometimes we’ve just got to choose the right ‘hard’ and get on with it.

Different people choose to go on diets for different reasons. Some may have reached an unhealthy weight and are pretty much forced into paying more attention to both their eating and activity (or lack of) habits. Others may play a sport and want to get into the best physical condition possible for imminent competitions or championships. Then there are those that believe they’d look better and feel better if they dropped a few pounds. The list goes on; there are endless reasons as to why a person may choose to take up a new way of eating, many of which are viable, and a few that are just plain questionable.

What Is The Keto Diet?

“Keep calm and eat bacon!” It’s my new favorite “Keep calm” meme.

You’re probably wondering what bacon has to do with the equation, and why the hell it’s being mentioned in a book about diets, fasting and weight loss.

So what’s the story?

Two words – ketogenic diet!

A ketogenic diet, AKA a keto diet, is essentially a really low-carb but high in fat diet, in which your body is forced into producing more ketones in the liver. It’s these ketones that are used for energy. The chances are you’ve at least heard of the keto diet, or perhaps you’ve heard it mentioned under one of its other guises, for example a low-carb diet, a low-carb high-fat diet, or simply the latter’s acronym the LCHF diet.

Firstly, before we get into the ins and outs of how the keto diet works, it’s important to understand the reason why most people put on weight in the first place is because of carbs – carbs are evil, protein and fat are not!

When you eat anything with a high carb content, your body immediately reacts and produces glucose and insulin. Because glucose is essentially the easiest molecule that your body can convert into energy, it’s considered to be the primary energy source, but even with its “primary” status, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best source of fuel. The insulin that’s secreted into your body is produced to help process the glucose in the bloodstream and deliver it to where it needs to go around your body.

When your body uses glucose as the number one source of energy, it also means that your fats aren’t needed. What happens to these fats? It’d be nice to think that they just disappear into nothingness because they’re useless, but unfortunately not. Instead the fat is stored around your body, and in a nutshell, this is what causes you to gain fat and weight.

On a high-carb diet, which the majority of Americans consume, the body will rely on glucose as its primary fuel. Unfortunately, this type of diet accounts for a huge part of an average American’s diet, which is mostly made up of refined carbs. The average American adult man consumes around 296 grams of carbs in a day with the average American woman consuming around 224 grams, so it’s no wonder that 39.6% of adults over the age of 20 in the US are considered to be clinically obese (Wang et al, 2008).

But when you reduce your carb intake, something magical happens – your body is induced into a fat-burning state called ketosis, but what is this?

In simple terms, ketosis is a natural bodily process that your body will initiate to help you survive when your food intake is lower than normal. Throughout this state, your body produces ketones, which are created when fats are broken down in your liver.

Getting your body into the metabolic state of ketosis is the end goal when following a well-maintained ketogenic diet. Instead of achieving ketosis through starvation of calories, you’re essentially doing it through a starvation of carbs.

You’ve got to give credit where credit is due – your body is awesome, as it’s incredibly adaptive when it comes to what you put inside it. When you take away those carbs and consume more fat, it then starts to burn those ketones as its main fuel source as opposed to burning glucose (Maalouf and Rho, 2009).

And when your body reaches its optimal ketone levels, you’ll begin to reap a plethora of health benefits, which includes fat loss and other physical and mental performance benefits.

The Ketogenic Diet – A Diet With More Benefits Than Drawbacks

I could write about the benefits of a keto diet until the cows come home – there are just too many to mention in detail. Weight loss is an obvious one, but did you know that following a low-carb high-fat diet also boosts your energy levels and even alleviates symptoms of some of the most common weight-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease? Read on to find out about these awesome benefits that are part and parcel of a keto diet.

Keto Final Thoughts

Here’s the thing... a keto diet can help you kick your ass into gear. It’s not a diet (I actually hate this word, but for arguments sake I’ll stick to what it’s referred to out there in the big bad world); instead it’s more of a lifestyle, a sustainable one that’s easy to stick to.

Adhering to a ketogenic diet, if followed correctly, can help you achieve your weight loss goals. What’s more, it also comes with extra-added health benefits, such as regulating blood sugar levels and helping to prevent some serious diseases such as certain types of cancers and Alzheimer’s.

It’s certainly not as restrictive as many other diets out there. And if you do your research, you’ll soon discover that it’s been around for years unlike many of these other passing diet trends. What’s more, and luckily for us, it can also include an impressive variety of delicious and nutritious foods that will allow you to remain below your net carb limits.

Introduction To Intermittent Fasting

One of my favorite cereals as a kid was Frosties. Do you remember them? They’re like cornflakes, but coated in a stupid amount of sugar. I also remember the TV ads well – Tony the Tiger told us repeatedly that breakfast was the most important meal of the day! My grandmother, who used to like shovelling food down us as kids, also used to use one of her favorite catchphrases “It’s the breakfast of champions” when she served us up a hearty plate of pancakes with the entire works.

It turns out that both Tony the Tiger and my beloved late grandmother were wrong, very wrong!

The above beliefs about breakfast have become commonplace and undisputedly accepted as fact!

I even remember a dietician telling my wife after her first pregnancy “If you want to lose weight, it’s important to start your day off with a healthy breakfast! This way you’ll fire up that metabolism early on in the day!” The dietician quickly followed with “And if you want to really accelerate your weight loss, eat six smaller meals continuously throughout the day to make sure you keep your metabolism fired up!”

With advice like that, it’s no wonder we’ve all been led to believe that breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day when it comes to losing weight and reaching optimal health levels.

Now it’s time for me to set the record straight and honestly say with my hand on my heart that there’s way more to the story than what you’ve actually been told.

Did you know that there’s a great deal of research that states that skipping breakfast can help you reach your maximum human performance, improve both your mental and physical health, maximize muscle retention, and lose body fat at the same time?

I know – skipping a meal – God forbid, my grandmother would have a fit if she were still alive and understood that I was even thinking about such a think, let alone writing about it in a book that will be read by thousands.

After six months of successfully following a ketogenic diet, I decided to throw intermittent fasting (IF) into the mix, and I’ve skipped breakfast ever since, and I certainly never plan to go back!

When combined, a ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting are like a superpower, especially if you’ve been struggling with your weight for the majority of your adult life or if you’re at risk of developing or having diabetes.

The world of intermittent fasting is admittedly hard to navigate in the beginning. But if truth be told, it’s about knowing how to actually make it work for you and your lifestyle. It needs to depend on a number of factors, such as when you work, when you exercise, when you prepare meals for the rest of the family…you get my drift!

But while intermittent fasting is a huge boost to your weight loss and health goals, it’s also important to remember that it is just a piece of the puzzle or bigger picture, as it will only work really well when you eat healthily and become more active.

What The Hell Is Intermittent Fasting?

Excellent question!

Intermittent fasting may have only recently gained coverage and more popularity in the keto, weight loss, and athletics communities, but it’s certainly not a new phenomenon! In fact, it dates back to the early 1900s when it was used therapeutically to treat a variety of conditions including obesity, diabetes and epilepsy. In short, intermittent fasting has historically been a part of human life for many years. Today, it’s used predominantly to boost weight loss and has been popularized by many celebs. As well as weight-loss, intermittent fasting also improves brain function and helps prevent some cancers (Klempel et al,. 2012).

The History Of Intermittent Fasting

Unlike traditional dieting, fasting is relatively easy and unambiguous. People have always done this. And you’ve probably done it too, albeit unconsciously, when you skip either breakfast or dinner when you’re too busy or running late.

If we go back to our caveman ancestors, it’s clear that this way of living has been done for thousands of years, as they would often be in a state of fasting while they hunted their next meal.

After the period of the hunter-gatherers, agriculture came, which was quickly followed by civilization. But even still, there were times in which food was scarce or the seasons abruptly changed, and fasting was still very much present. During that time all people, from the nobles to the peasants, stored grains and cured meats in preparation for the harsh winters. Then, because of the lack of irrigation systems, there was also famine due to the lack of rain, and as a result people were forced to fast to make their stored goods last as long as possible.

With civilization came religions, many of which included a period of fasting to show their devotion to whichever God or Gods they believed in. For example, Hindus refer to fasting as “Vaasa”, which they strictly observe throughout special festivals to demonstrate their penance or to honor their Gods. Islam is very similar with their Ramadan celebrations, when it’s forbidden to eat and drink during certain times of the day. Fasting is even evident in Catholicism in the six-week lead up to Easter during Lent.

Many people mistake intermittent fasting as a type of diet, which it isn’t. It’s better explained as a dieting pattern or making that conscious choice to miss certain meals. When you purposefully make the choice to fast then feast with intermittent fasting, you usually consume all your calories during a set window.

There are a few different types of intermittent fasting, and sometimes you’ve got to play around with it to see what works for you, because like dieting, it’s not one size fits all!

Types of Intermittent Fasting

How Does Intermittent Fasting Work?

Through cutting out just one meal, even if your other two meals are slightly bigger portions than normal, you are consuming fewer calories in a week.

But this isn’t the full picture, because as I’ve stressed time and time again, not all calories are created equal, therefore it’s sometimes the timing of your meals that influence your body’s reactions.

Intermittent fasting can also give you that extra necessary boost, as your body works in a different way when you “feast” compared to when you “fast”. After you’ve eaten a meal, your body spends a couple of hours processing it and burning what it can for energy. Depending on what you have eaten will depend on what type of energy your body taps into. If you’ve eaten carbs or sugar, your body will automatically hit that up for a boost of energy, as this is the body’s default source of energy. However, if you’ve been following a low-carb high-fat diet like a ketogenic one, you will have depleted your glucose stores, which will then force your body to tap into another source of energy, your fat.

During a fasting period, your body also won’t have much glucose to rely on for energy. Again, your body will then turn to your fat stores for fuel. Essentially, you burn fat, and in short, you will also lose it.

It’s a similar story when you work out during a fasted state. Because you don’t have that ready supply of glycogen or glucose to tap into you’re ultimately forcing your body to adapt and take energy from its only available source, i.e. that fat that has been stored in your cells.

Did you know that you could also lose weight during your sleep while intermittent fasting? I know, amazing, right? While you sleep, your glycogen, which is the starch stored in your liver and muscles, is depleted. It’s exhausted even more when you train in a fasted state, which will also improve your insulin sensitivity.

What does this mean?

When you’ve worked out and then eat to break your fast, the food will be stored more efficiently. During this time, the food that you’ve eaten will be used up in a few different ways. It will either be converted into glycogen or stored in your muscles or alternatively, it’ll be immediately burned off for energy to facilitate the recovery process.

If you compare the above to a “normal” day (i.e. a day without doing any intermittent fasting) and you have normal insulin sensitivity levels, all the carbs and food you eat will likely result in full glycogen stores and glucose in the bloodstream, which also means that it’s more likely that it will all get stored as fat.

If you’re still not convinced, the following may be enough to sway you. During a fasted state (which includes the time when you sleep and the time after a period of fasting) the growth hormone increases. And when you combine this growth hormone with your lower insulin production and better insulin sensitivity, you’re pretty much readying your body for some amazing results when it comes to fat loss, muscle growth and muscle definition.

For those of you who want a trimmed down non-scientific version, intermittent fasting trains your body to use the food you eat a lot more efficiently. As a result, you’ll teach it to burn fat for fuel when you rob it from calories.

The Truth About Eating Those Small Meals

I can pretty much guarantee that almost every diet book out there that’s a non-keto one mentions at least one time that you need to eat a number of smaller meals throughout the day. The lucky number seems to be “6”!

There are a few reasons why these books suggest eating 6 small meals…

When you eat any meal, your body burns calories to process it. So, theoretically, when you’re ‘constantly’ eating these smaller meals, you keep on burning those extra calories throughout the day. It’d be safe to assume that you are essentially firing up your metabolism to its optimal levels…

WRONG!

It doesn’t matter if you consume 2000 calories spread evenly throughout the day that have been broken down into smaller meals or 2000 calories in a smaller eating window…your body is still going to burn exactly the same amount of calories processing it all. The notion of “keep that metabolism well stoked” is all well and good, but the reality is it doesn’t really make any difference.

Secondly, another argument supporting smaller meals throughout the day is (which to be fair kind of makes sense) you’re going to be less likely to overeat or nibble.

BUT, once you get to grips with what the keto diet is all about and educate yourself about intermittent fasting and the types of foods you should and shouldn’t be eating, you’ll be able to take more of a control over what you eat. In all honesty, eating six times in a day can be very prohibitive, as it requires a lot more effort. My argument against it is that if you’re having six smallish meals, it’s also likely you’ll never really feel full, which means there’s a higher chance that you’ll consume extra calories when you snack.

Even though the “six meals-a-day” theory has a few apparent logical principles, it only really works for those that find portion control challenging.

Let’s go back to our cavemen ancestor days again. If we had lived in that time and needed to eat every three hours or so, we’d have had serious issues. There’s no way that caveman Frank was pulling out his portable sundial X times a day so he could consume his carefully portioned meals.

Caveman Frank ate when he was able to. He had to deal with long stints of not eating. Him and his caveman friends didn’t have refrigeration; in fact, they didn’t have a way of storing food at all. They didn’t die of starvation. Their bodies adapted. And guess what? They were still able to function to their full potential and have enough energy to head outdoors into the harsh environment and conditions and hunt and catch new food.

Why Intermittent Fasting? What’s The Fuss?

One of my answers to people who ask “Why do you do you fast? Are you religious?” is “Because it can work for your goals!”

It’s a no-brainer that restricting your calories plays an integral role in weight loss. But here’s the thing – when you fast, you’re making this caloric restriction a walk in the park, especially if you use your sleeping period as a time to fast. When done correctly, a healthy person, can experience consistent weight loss. Here are some other reasons why intermittent fasting is the way forward!

Why Everyone Needs Intermittent Fasting In Their Lives

We’re all crazy busy. Really, is there anyone out there that has time to prepare X amount of meals to eat every 3 hours? If you are one of these people, I take my hat off to you.

When you fast, you only really need to think about the food that you’re going to consume in your eating window. Let’s face it – we’re all so busy and life often gets in the way, so only having to think about what you’re going to eat in a shorter amount of time is one less decision you’re going to have make on a daily basis. Eating fewer meals in a window instead of those birdfeed-like ones throughout the day will also mean you can sit back and enjoy bigger portioned meals. You won’t have to worry about hunger, because you’ll have eaten enough and you’ll feel satiated. And, guess what? You’ll still have eaten fewer calories than normal.

At the end of the day, IF doesn’t need that much time to prepare. It’ll also probably cost you less. Instead of having to buy food and prepare six individual meals every day, you only need to make two. Rather than having to stop whatever it is you’re doing six times throughout the day, you’ll only need to do it twice. And if you’re like me, who hates any type of housework (I’m sure my better half would vouch for this), you’ll only need to wash the dishes twice in a day…you get what I’m saying – IF is more convenient and cheaper!

There are also the health benefits of IF that can’t be overlooked. It promotes growth hormone secretion and insulin sensitivity, two essential things for fat loss and muscle gain. So imagine the results when combining IF with a ketogenic diet?

As well as weight loss, IF can help improve your brain health. I for sure have become way more alert, and I’m able to concentrate much better than before, which is something that I’ve always struggled with while following different ways of eating, mostly because I spent the majority of my time feeling hungry and thinking about food while trying to stifle the sounds of my rumbling gut. Better focus is one thing, but like a ketogenic diet, IF also helps positively counteract serious cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s.

Intermittent Fasting – The Good

The Other Side Of IF

In my own personal experiences with IF, I haven’t actually experienced any negative side effects, but I have known a few that have struggled, but when I say this, I mean very few.

I know when I first started out on this journey, one of my biggest concerns, like most others, was the thought that IF would lead to me having zero energy, reduced focus (which I really couldn’t afford), and that feeling of “Oh shit! I’m starving!” All of these things could potentially push you over the edge beyond the realms of no return. I recall spending a good part of most mornings in the beginning feeling miserable because the idea of not eating in the morning made me panic. “How am I possibly going to get through today?” was a question that often frequented my mind. Obviously, those obsessive thoughts also had a bit of a knock-on effect, and I began thinking about the effect it would have on my work – “Am I going to be even able to hack a morning let alone an entire freaking day?” Isn’t it funny how thoughts can control your mind sometimes; the truth was I’d never been a massive breakfast eater in the first place, so why it was bothering me so much is beyond me.

Here’s the thing, and it’s pretty logical – any drastic change in your diet or eating pattern is going to be a little disruptive at first, and initially, that transition from having the freedom of eating when you want to doing intermittent fasting may shock your system massively, but if you give it a good chance (at least a few days to a week), your body will soon adapt and learn how to operate just as effectively as it did previously.

I typically fast for a period of 16 hours a day. I do it without any problems. But if you feel like you could eat your left arm off or that your brain’s in danger of imploding, read on to find out why it’s worth sticking to intermittent fasting!

Studies have shown that intermittent fasting improves cognitive performance. It makes you more alert and you can get through more in a day. For me, it was the productivity aspect of it all that really surprised me – who thought that you could not eat and actually get more shit done?

It also helps with another kind of performance – athletic performance. Following a keto diet improves endurance and your overall physical ability, and when combined with intermittent fasting, it’s taken to a whole new level!

You’ll even find that you sleep better. Your body’s clock resets, and you’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep without any interruption, which of course will also enhance your weight loss efforts.

“So why do I get so grumpy and lazy when I skip breakfast?”

This is a common question! This is not based on science, but in my opinion it has a lot to do with your past eating habits. If you’re the type of person that’s always eaten every three hours or so, and you usually eat something immediately after you wake up, your body and brain will learn this method of eating and come to expect being fed on a regular basis. So, if you eat breakfast religiously, it’s natural that your body is just going to expect more food as soon as you wake up in the morning.

It’s a case of having to retrain your body and teach it not to expect food first thing in the morning or at other times of the day. At first it will be challenging, I’m not going to lie, but as soon you start getting used to it, those side effects are going to become less and less. What’s more, ghrelin, one of your hormones that are responsible for making you hungry, is at its lowest levels in the morning. It then continues to decrease after a couple more hours of refraining from food (ie. fasting). Therefore, after some time, those annoying pangs of hunger that continue to tell you to “EAT THE BUN” will eventually pass naturally.

The grumpiness will also go. Give it a few days for your body to adjust and you’ll actually see that you become more energized than ever! And once you get over the not eating in the morning and the hunger subsides, those feelings of “hangry” will also go.

While I would recommend anyone giving intermittent fasting a shot, it’s important to also understand that it’s not a cure-all method. Just because you’ve skipped breakfast and fasted until lunch it doesn’t mean that it’s OK to consume 3,000+ calories of chocolate and other bad stuff for lunch and dinner. If you do this, you will not lose weight. In fact, you will still continue to put it on!

Many people have an addictive love-hate relationship with food. They may overeat, struggle with portion control or just eat everything and anything that’s bad for them. Even if this doesn’t really relate to you, I still recommend that you track your calories and your macros via an online app like MyFitnessPal. Apps like this one will help you stay on track and make sure you’re not overeating. In short, the idea of intermittent fasting is to consume fewer calories than normal, because at the end of the day you are skipping a meal every day.

Many people often wonder whether they should consult a doctor first before trying intermittent fasting. While it’s not 100% necessary, I’m of the mind that it’s always a good idea to let them know about any change in your diet or lifestyle. On the other hand, if you suffer from any kind of blood sugar regulation condition, such as diabetes or hypoglycaemia, you should check with either a doctor or dietician first.

Intermittent Fasting and Keto

When you eat fat and protein, your body is forced to adapt to operate on fat for its fuel as opposed to carbs. Restricting carbs and glucose will help your body convert its fat into ketones, and use then as its primary source of fuel – this process is known as ‘ketosis’, and there are two ways in which your body can enter this state. The first way is by eating to induce it (i.e. following a keto diet and eating foods low in carbs and high in natural healthy fats) and fasting. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that when you put the two together, it makes a formidable combination for easier weight loss.

When fasting, your body enters a state what is often referred to as a ‘fast period’. During this time, it doesn’t have any source of glucose energy available, and as a result, your liver starts breaking down its fat into ketones; therefore, fasting alone can trigger ketosis.

A lot of experts in the industry recommend fasting for a short period of time (24-36 hours) before starting a keto diet, as it often speeds up the transition, pushing your body into the highly metabolic state of ketosis. And, when you fast intermittently while your body is in ketosis, you can help maintain this state.

Personally, I love fasting, mostly because it’s so simple. I wake up, skip breakfast and then train while still in a fasted state. If you’ve ever visited my home or shadowed me at work, you’ll soon realize that my life is pretty hectic, even crazy, so doing this is just one less decision I have to make.

Keto and IF work really well together for a few reasons, however, the primary one is that following a strict keto eating plan can be quite challenging to start with, so every time you do eat, there’s a slim chance you might get it wrong and inadvertently consume foods that aren’t deemed keto friendly, and as a result, you’re knocked out of ketosis. Also, newbies following a keto diet are also often tempted to overeat; one because the food is so damn delicious and two, many people that start a keto eating plan have previously struggled with issues such as portion control, which basically means it’s one less chance that we could screw it all up.

This way of eating isn’t a one-size fits all. At the end of the day, it’s you who has to decide what works and what doesn’t work. Just skipping breakfast alone will most likely not be enough for you to become keto-adapted (when your body runs on ketones) alone, because your body will still have enough stored glucose left from your carb-filled previous meals. If you want to use fasting to enter the state of ketosis, you’ll need to fast for a longer period of time until all your glucose stores have been depleted. If you want to use intermittent fasting to help kickstart ketosis, it will have to be combined with an extremely low-carb ketogenic diet to deplete those stored carbs.

What’s my point?

Trust me, I do have one! The moral of the story here is that it’s important for you to trial different strategies to get into ketosis and figure out which one is going to work for you and more importantly fit into your lifestyle.

The Gender Debate – Does Intermittent Fasting Work Differently For Men and Women?

In short, YES!

Intermittent fasting does work differently for men and women. I know many women, my wife included, who swear by IF. But at the same time, I also know a few that it doesn’t agree with.

Recent studies have found that fasting, which is often prescribed as a safe intervention for medical purposes, can help women that suffer with weight-related health problems. Even when it hasn’t been prescribed, making this part of your lifestyle can benefit your health. However, a lot of these studies have included calorie-restriction to boost the weight-loss effects of fasting.

One of the major concerns for many women is the effect that IF might have on their menstrual cycle. But fasting, if done properly and safely (up to 72 hours) does not negatively affect a woman’s cycle despite the significant metabolic changes that occur in the body. However, there is one difference that women experience more in the early stages, and that is skewed sleeping patterns, which is caused by fasting inducing more cortisol (the stress hormone) in their body. But after a few weeks of sticking to a fasting program, these effects will level out and normal sleep patterns will resume. In saying this, this does not affect all women, and those women that have fasted or dieted in the past will be less likely to experience these effects the second or third times round.

There are a few cases in which a woman should not attempt IF. Firstly, the most obvious reason for not fasting is if you’re pregnant. An unborn baby needs constant feeding, and induced stress brought on by the extra cortisol may affect a foetus’ development.

Speaking of stress, if you’re chronically stressed, you should also not attempt IF. Not only does the cortisol increase the amount of stress in the body, it also causes you to worry more about your body and image. Therefore, in this case, it is advisable to ditch the diet, or at least intermittent fasting, until you’re in a good place mentally.

Anyone, men included, who’s ever had any kind of history of eating disorders should also avoid intermittent fasting. Unless you’ve received therapy and have fully recovered, going for longer periods of not eating could be trigger obsessive eating habits once again. If this is the case, chat with your doctor or psychologist to see fasting is a viable solution for your health concerns.

Finally, if you’ve never really dieted properly (crash diets in your teens don’t count) or exercised much, intermittent fasting for now probably isn’t the best idea. This is not to say that you can never do it, because in the near future, it will help you reach your goals. Trying to juggle and manage all of these new things at once could be a recipe for disaster and it’s more likely you’ll end up quitting out of frustration. Get your diet and exercise on point and then add IF to the mix a little bit later on down the line.

All in all, it would seem that men and women experience different things while intermittent fasting, mostly because of different hormonal makeups. But in saying this, one woman may experience one thing and another may not – the same goes for men. Basically, we’re all unique, and our bodies are different, so never compare your results to the person next you.

When you want to discus your health and the effects of diet and fasting with a doctor prior to starting, it’s always a good idea to seek out one who’s well versed in the protocols of intermittent fasting. Not all doctors are aware of the ins and outs of fasting, so when possible, find one in the know. He or she will most likely suggest you get some basic blood work done to see if you have any underlying problems that may negatively affect your fasting efforts or vice versa. Having your blood work done is also a good way to help you track your results, especially if you have problems with your blood sugar levels.

Intermittent Fasting and Ketosis – What’s the Relationship?

Intermittent fasting means that you have to only eat food within specific windows for feeding throughout the day and not consume any calories during the remaining hours outside these windows. Every single person, you included, whether they’re aware of it or not, fasts to some extent. For example, during the night while sleeping from the time you eat dinner until when you wake up in the morning to eat breakfast is a short period of fasting.

As I previously mentioned, there are a number of different approaches that people take when intermittent fasting. Some people prefer to fast for around 16 hours every day whereas others find it easier to fast on alternate days for 24 hours. In many cases it’s all related to what fits with your lifestyle.

But what’s the deal with IF and ketosis?

In short, intermittent fasting can put a person into ketosis considerably quicker. This is mainly because when you fast, your cells rapidly use up all of your glycogen stores, and as a result your body starts burning fat for fuel. This is why many people that follow a ketogenic diet often combine it with intermittent fasting to accelerate the process and get quicker results.

But what about when you successfully get your body into ketosis? What about when you finally become fat adapted and start burning fat for energy? Is it still worth consistently doing intermittent fasting then?

In a few words, most definitely! Because as you’ve already learned there are so many other health benefits that come with fasting other than weight loss.

Keto Foods Guide

What Foods To Eat On a Keto Diet

Always Check Ingredients

When shopping for ketogenic foods, beware of foods that are labeled low-carb or keto-friendly. Don’t trust commercial products at face value, and read the list of ingredients provided on the label. There are always hidden ingredients that you really need to avoid. Packaged foods are usually unhealthy and don’t help to lose weight no matter what the label says.

These days, there are many products on the shelves labeled low fat, low carb, diet, ketogenic, etc; however, most of these have hidden ingredients that will harm you in the long run. Any food with artificial sweeteners, additives, alcohol, etc., should be avoided. Remember, you cannot replace real sugar with marketed fake sugar. Also, beware of labels since companies often lie to sell their products.

A Note on Food

During any diet, your best bet is to eat real, wholesome food and home-cooked meals. The more minimally processed your ingredients are, the better it is for you. Ideally, buy raw, fresh ingredients and nothing canned or labeled. Also, remember that it is a low-carb diet and not a no-carb diet, so you just need to keep the carbs to a minimum every day.

The diet does not have to be stressful for you. While following the keto diet, you can eat without staying hungry and still lose weight. If you follow the diet properly, it will have a very beneficial effect on your health and a positive impact on your life, as eating right is extremely important.

Remember, your goal is to consume high fat, moderate amounts of protein, and minimal carbs. This will help your body enter into a state of ketosis, thereby resulting in the production of ketone bodies. Your body will soon turn into a fat-burning machine, helping you achieve your goals.

Remember, fat is an essential macronutrient that plays a major role in the ketogenic diet, and it is not the fat that actually makes you fat! Here is an easy shopping list to help keep things simple when you go grocery shopping:

what foods you can't eat on a keto diet

By now, you should have a general idea of how the diet works. You probably want to get started and begin immediately, but first, you should clear out all non-ketogenic foods from your pantry or kitchen.

Get rid of any unhealthy processed and ready-to-eat foods. Before you go shopping, you can make a list of the foods that are ketogenic and non-ketogenic. It can actually be quite frustrating trying to figure out what to get rid of, so here is a quick guide:

Starting Keto & Intermittent Fasting

The worlds of Intermittent Fasting and Keto are minefields alone, let alone when combined, so it’s always a good idea to do some thorough research first. It’s imperative that you know how both of these ways of eating work in isolation (which should be OK now that you’ve read this awesome and thorough guide from top to bottom, inside and out) before combining the two to maximize your diet results.

Firstly, it’s got to be said that you should never attempt to try Intermittent Fasting during the first few weeks of following a very low-carb diet, such as the keto diet. You also shouldn’t fast when following the SAD (Standard American Diet).

Why?

You need to get fat-adapted before anything else. Being fat-adapted (or keto-adapted) basically means that your body has become accustomed to eating a low-carb high-fat diet and as a result, you have depleted all of your glycogen stores to burn fat for fuel instead. Mentally, you also need to get into the zone. You need to get used to eating low-carb, which can be a challenge in itself, especially if you are a dough-loving pizza freak like I used to be. Basically, you need to give yourself time, and if you do fall off the low-carb wagon from time to time, don’t beat yourself up.

As well as bidding adieu to your favorite pizzas, cakes and wheat-laden foods, you’ll also need to make sure that your body’s producing more ketones and fully utilizing them as a source of energy instead of glucose. To be blunt, if you go down the IF route right away, you’re likely to fail, as you’ll still be too glucose-dependent (i.e. addicted to carbs) and also too hungry to stick to it.

Doing your research is fine. God, I’m forever trawling the net and sifting through health journals to read up on the latest news and research in health and nutrition, especially when it comes to intermittent fasting and a ketogenic diet. But please be mindful.

There’s a ton of misinformation out there, so make sure you’re checking out credible sources and not a reading blogs that have been written by your everyday Joe and his or her experiences.

Whatever you read or hear, there’s one thing that will always be true, and that is that IF should be a natural process. In other words, you shouldn’t struggle to do it nor should you have to feel like you’re starving (a little bit of hunger is fine, but if you reach the point of feeling faint and lacking in energy, this is not OK). Make the process a gradual one. Yes, it may take a bit longer for you to benefit from it, but at least you’re going about it in a safe and responsible way.

I also think that you shouldn’t plan IF down to the letter. What I mean by this is you shouldn’t say I’m going to include intermittent fasting in the second week of following a ketogenic diet. It’s not all black and white, and what works for one person may not work for you. Instead, you’ve got to listen to your body. I know that sounds a bit new age, but it does have the best results when it’s done naturally. For me it took a few months to really get into it, and again, I just eased myself into it.

For example, when lunch rolled around and I found that I didn’t feel hungry, I’d just skip that meal, and save whatever I had for lunch for my dinner instead. Sometimes I’d also get home too late to eat anything, so again, in those cases, I just skipped dinner and went for a larger breakfast in the morning instead. I just went with it. When I wasn’t hungry or it was too late to eat, I didn’t eat. Gradually over time, I found myself consistently skipping a meal at the same time every day, which allowed me to work out my own fasting program and eating windows.

Some people do intermittent fasting Monday through Friday by skipping breakfasts and maybe even lunch. I tend to do it every day (weekends included), mainly because I’ve been doing it for so long now and my body has got into a rhythm. Also, fasting helps you to remain in ketosis, so when I fast, I don’t have to worry about inadvertently being kicked out of ketosis and trying to get back into it again.

Most of the time, I just have my first meal of the day between 1-3 pm, depending on what I’m doing and how hungry I am. I then have my second, and usually my last meal, 3-4 hours before going to bed to ensure I give my body enough time to digest the food properly and avoid any sleep disruptions.

As I’ve just mentioned, IF should be a natural process, and you should never try and force your body into restricting and depriving yourself of food. Such restrictions could lead to lead to one of two things – either falling into a dangerous trap of obsessive eating or falling off the diet wagon completely. If this sounds challenging, don’t worry, we’ve all been there. As soon as you become fat-adapted (i.e. when your body becomes used to using ketones for fuel, you’re going to feel less hungry), IF was a game changer for me, and it will be for you as well.

It’s important to remember that Bulletproof coffee, which is otherwise known as butter coffee (it tastes better than it sounds, trust me), will also break your fast. Contrary to popular belief, consuming black coffee with MCT oil or butter or both will not keep you in a fasted state. Basically, anything that has a caloric value will break the fast. If you prefer to have your BPC for breakfast in the morning to kick start your day, skip lunch and fast through to dinnertime instead.

I also can’t stress how important it is to keep yourself busy in the early days of your fasting. When you’re not busy, it’s so easy to eat out of boredom, and let’s face it we’re hardly going to reach for a salad when we’re bored. I’m speaking from experience of screwing up time and time again here – it’s much easier (it even seems more natural) to skip your meal when you’re busy. I’d also say don’t spend too much time by the kitchen (I’m sure my wife has something to say back to this!) Temptation is the root of all evil when you’re on a diet or trying to fast, so logically, surrounding yourself with food is just going to lead you astray.

Another thing to be aware of is that despite all its positives, IF may not (and probably won’t) solve all your problems. Yes, it can potentially help you to lose weight and improve your life expectancy, but it’s not a solution for everything – it’s just a piece in the larger puzzle that will help you to get where you want to be and smash your targets.

There are a number of other factors that can affect your results. Your stress levels, getting enough sleep, your diet, and taking regular exercise are just a few important factors that you need to think about when trying to lose weight and get healthy.

IF, as much as I bang on about how amazing it is, isn’t for everyone. People that have or have had eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia should never try intermittent fasting until they’re mentally and physically healthy. People with type-1 diabetes should also avoid it, and if you’ve got type-2 diabetes, you should consult a medical practitioner first, as your drugs may need adjusting. Also, women, who’re pregnant or nursing, should also avoid fasting.

To Eat That Or Not Eat That?

For some time now I’ve been working on a number of recipes (with the help of my lovely wife) and meal plans that combine intermittent fasting and a ketogenic diet. While I always skip breakfast, because I find sleeping is a great way to add to my fast, I appreciate that this doesn’t fit into everyone’s lifestyles, which is why you can choose which meal to miss. This is perhaps one of the greatest things about intermittent fasting – it’s so flexible, and it can usually fit in with even the most complicated of daily schedules.

I’ve drawn up a 28-day diet plan to help you gradually work your way towards including intermittent fasting into your life in conjunction with a healthy ketogenic diet. Bear in mind the first few days doesn’t include fasting, as I mentioned previously it’s important to ease your way into it to ensure you get the results you’re looking for.

Also, it’s important to remember that this diet plan is not set in stone. If you feel like you’re not ready to include intermittent fasting into your program during the second week, don’t do it. Instead continue following a ketogenic diet and focusing on the macros until you feel like you’re ready to start skipping meals.

What’s more, for the sake of easy planning I’ve started my eating plan to begin at the start of the week on a Monday. Again, if this doesn’t fit into your schedule or life, start it on a different day, say on a Thursday or a Saturday. For me personally, I find Mondays a lot easier, because it offers you a sense of starting afresh, but that’s just me.

Starting Keto: The First 5 Days

You will likely experience a few side effects when starting the keto diet, especially in the first 5 days. Your body has to adapt to the new fat-burning state of ketosis, so these side effects are normal and should pass after a few days.

Knowledge is power, and understanding why these side effects happen and how to manage them is crucial to your success. You'll be able to minimize the effects and are far less likely to give up on a diet.

The good news is your body enters the state of ketosis quite quickly. Once in ketosis, most side effects will disappear once your body adapts to burning fat for energy.

Please remember to ALWAYS seek medical advice before starting a new diet.

Keto Intermittent Fasting Meal Plan

Stage 1 of our keto diet is where we start severely restricting our carbohydrate intake. This stage takes place over the first 5 days and is where we will force our bodies into ketosis. Strictly follow the recipes, and make sure you don't consume any extra carbs.

Stage 2 of our keto diet starts after our bodies are in ketosis. We can lighten up on the restrictions but still keep carb intake low. This stage takes place over the next 2 weeks of the diet and is when you will start to experience the incredible benefits, including weight loss!

Stage 1: Week 1 (Days 1-5)

Now you're ready to start the keto diet, you'll be glad to know that our meal plan is very simple. Make the recipes listed for each day, but feel free to substitute meals for ones you like more than others.

The snacks are optional, depending on your hunger and calorie intake. For more information about calories, read our keto calories guide. It has a macro and calorie calculator which will tell you how many calories to consume based on your goals for weight loss.

Each recipe tells you how many servings you should consume, and each day lists the total calories and net carbs for that day. Customize for your own goals.

Pick your preferred style of fasting and allocate the meals to it so that it works for you. For example, if you were using a 16/8 fasting protocol with 8 pm to 12 pm fasting, your schedule may look like this:

16/8 Intermittent Fasting Keto Schedule

• 7:00 AM - Wake up, coffee/tea with no sugar or milk.
• 11:00 AM - Breakfast
• 1:00 PM - Snack
• 3:00 PM - Lunch
• 5:00 PM - Snack
• 7:00 PM - Dinner
• 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM - 16 hours fasting

Stage 2: Week 2 (Days 6-12)

Congratulations! You’ve made it through Stage 1’s first 5 days. You’ll find that the recipes for the next 2 weeks are perhaps a little more balanced in the macros. Have fun with it. Follow the recipes as is, or mix and match if you like. Make the ones you like again and skip the ones you don’t.

Stage 2: Week 3 (Days 13-19)

OK, so now you should be getting a good hang of it, and I am sure, if you followed the diet to a ’T,’ you would have seen results by now. So, let’s hope this keeps you motivated to try the recipes we have for you in week 3.

Full Snack List

• Snowball Cookies
• Vanilla Custard
• Roasted Cabbage Steaks
• Maple Wrapped Bacon Carrots
• Coconut Cookies
• Chocolate Ganache
• Goat Cheese Croquettes
• Feta Stuffed Mushrooms
• Almond Flour Orange Cake
• Carrot Cake Bars
• Chocolate Cupcakes
• Halloumi Fries
• Foudjou Cheese Pots

Questions & Answers

Are you thinking of giving intermittent fasting with a ketogenic diet a shot but don’t know where to start? Have you recently started intermittent fasting, but all you seem to be able to think about is your next meal? Are you struggling to get through your fasting window without feeling noticeable hunger, fatigue, brain fog, or shakiness? Here are a few of the most common frequently asked questions people ask to try and troubleshoot their fasting and ketogenic diet problems.

Intermittent Fasting For The Win!

Intermittent Fasting, Celebs and Hollywood

There have been so many fad diets that have come into fashion and quickly gone out again. Various low-fat diets, the Master Cleanse, and the controversial Grapefruit Diet are just a few that come to mind.

In the last few years, there’s been another way of eating that’s gained a considerable amount of popularity, and that’s intermittent fasting. Like I said before, this is more of a lifestyle choice and not a diet, which makes it more sustainable and easier to stick to, and the fact that a number of celebs have also endorsed intermittent fasting as a way of life has also helped bring intermittent fasting to the forefront.

Hugh Jackman and his rock hard abs and the dramatic weight loss of Jimmy Kimmel are proof that this type of eating does deliver awesome results if you stick to it.

Hugh Jackman

There’s no denying that Jackman puts in some serious hours into his training sessions at the gym. How else is he going to remain in that enviable superhero form? But it’s not just the gym that’s helped him get into top form, he also credits intermittent fasting to helping him slim down and get lean.

While Jackman trained for X-Men: Days of Future Past, he strictly followed the 16:8 intermittent fasting plan where he only consumed calories during an 8-hour window while fasting for the remaining 16 hours. In a few different interviews Jackman has made reference to how following an intermittent eating plan makes him feel so much better both mentally and physically, and how it’s even helped improve his sleep, which is something that’s 100% necessary when putting in the long hours like he does.

Terry Crews

Terry Crews, who is an ex-NFL player, has followed intermittent eating plans for a number of years. Like Jackman, Crew follows the 16:8 intermittent fasting plan and usually has his first meal of the day at around 2 PM. He then will eat his other meals before 10 PM. Crew still continues to work out despite retiring from NFL, and typically works out in the morning in a fasted state. He also drinks amino acid drinks and bulletproof coffee to help with ketone production when he wants to cut weight.

Crediting intermittent fasting for helping him stay in top shape, he claims that he can feel and see the difference after following the plan for just a few weeks. And just like me, he states that he hasn’t been in such a good way physically since he was 22.

Jennifer Metcalfe

Metcalfe is a household name in the UK and endorses intermittent fasting on a regular basis. She follows the 5:2 eating plan, which is when you eat between 500 and 600 calories in a day twice a week.

Looking svelte and radiant, she often shines on the red carpet, however she’s always advocated that she doesn’t starve herself in the name of beauty. With high energy levels and weight loss, Metcalfe has gained more confidence, which has encouraged her to work out regularly at the gym.

Justin Theroux

His enviable chiselled physique isn’t God’s gift, but a combination of rigorous workouts, cutting out sugar, and intermittent fasting.

Jennifer Aniston’s ex has said that he never follows diets and stays away from them as much as possible, but intermittent fasting, which he agrees isn’t a diet, works. When he needs to cut weight or quickly get in shape, he steps up his intermittent fasting game, usually fasting for 12-16 hours per day throughout the night. He also adds amino acids at night, which he finds to work.

Chris Hemsworth

Famous for his buff body as the Marvel superhero Thor, Chris Hemsworth had to dramatically cut weight and slim down for his 2013 Hollywood role in the movie In the Heart of the Sea, which he achieved by practising the 5:2 intermittent fasting plan and eating only 600 calories two days a week while still working out.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Over the years, the esteemed British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, has had to change his physical form numerous time to fit in with the various roles he’s had, such as the buff superhero Doctor Strange to the leaner Sherlock Holmes. To slim down for his Sherlock Holmes role, Cumberbatch used a 5:2 intermittent fasting plan, which meant that for two days a week he was only able to consume 500 calories or less.

Jennifer Lopez

J-Lo’s curves and rock-hard abs are the envy of most women and even men. Since her rise to fame back in the 90’s I’ve watched Lopez evolve into this gorgeous health and fitness goddess.

Known to be a bit of a gym bunny, Lopez also follows the 16:8 intermittent fasting plan to help maintain her lean figure. She also jumps on and off the Keto train quite a bit, but as a rule, she completely steers clear of any kind of processed foods and sugar.

Miranda Kerr

Supermodel and a Victoria Secret’s angel, Miranda Kerr is famous for her trim physique and toned look.

Like many others, she often succumbs to junk food binges, but generally speaking she follows the 5:2 fasting plan to help her lose and maintain a healthy weight without putting her body under too much pressure while working miracles.

How To Meal Plan

Abs are definitely made in the kitchen, which is why it’s so important to crack the eating part when trying to lose weight with intermittent fasting. This is where meal planning takes center stage.

Firstly, it’s necessary to fast for at least 16 hours to get into that fasted state to jumpstart your body. I suggest eating all of your meals within a 6-8 hour window. To maximize your results, avoid eating 3-4 hours after waking up. Your last meal should also be approximately 3-4 hours prior to you going to sleep. When you skip your morning meal (i.e. breakfast), you’re forcing your body to tap into its fat stores to energize itself as opposed to burning food energy.

You also need to consider how you break your fast. This is done when you eat the first meal of the day. I recommend keeping your first meal to a modest size, because when you break a fast with a bigger one, you ultimately shift it from being in a sympathetic mode to a para-sympathetic one, which in turn will shut off that fat burning mode you’re aiming for. Breaking your fast with a big meal will also leave you feeling lethargic and tired.

Also, I’ve found, from my own personal experience, that having a bigger midday/afternoon meal isn’t that effective if you want to limit your hunger. It’s quite likely that you’ll also be consuming these first meals from your desk at work, so you need to think about preparing foods that are not only quick and easy, but also easy to transport and store. Salads, small stir-fries, and soups are often my go-to lunches. Come winter, I love meal-prepping, as making huge batches of soup will allow me to cover a number of meals, which cuts down on my food prep time.

One thing about meal prepping that you need to bear in mind is that there’s no right or wrong way of doing it. Basically, it’s all about what works bests for you and your lifestyle. Also, forget the meal prep blogs you’ve ready – it’s totally unnecessary to spend your entire Sunday prepping and cooking to get it all done. Over the years, I’ve managed to get my meal prepping down to a fine art, and now it usually takes me as little as half an hour to plan and prep my meals.

First and foremost, you’ve got to figure out the best meal prep method for you, and this will mostly depend on your schedule, type of meals that you prefer prepping ahead of time, and your cooking style. The following are a few different meal prep combinations that I’ve experimented with.

Step 1: Determine Your Method

Make-ahead Meals

This method of meal planning might work for you if you’re crazy busy and have very little time to plan and prepare meals throughout the week. Planning and pre-cooking complete healthy keto-friendly meals ahead of time that can be later reheated makes for quick and easy weekly lunches and meals. When I follow this method, it’s usually with either a soup or a casserole, which are also even easier if you have a slow cooker that you can just throw everything into the pot in the morning and forget about it until its cooked. Seriously, cooking has never been easier, and hand on heart, I completely recommend purchasing a slow cooker if you haven’t already got one – they’re life changers.

Batch Cooking and Freezing

As the name suggests, this is simply preparing multiple batches of one recipe that can be later divided into portions and frozen for single meals in the weeks to come. For example, when you make your favorite keto chilli recipe, double or even triple the recipe, and then separate into meals that can be used in the following months. Decide what you want to eat for your evening meal in the morning, pull it out of the freezer and let it defrost while you’re at work.

Individually Portioned Meals

When you’ve got a specific health goal like weight loss, having individually portioned meals on hand will help you not reach for any unhealthy convenient foods. I often prepare a number of grab-and-go meals and snacks that I keep stocked in my fridge such as Mason jar salads and chia pudding.

Ready-to-cook Ingredients

Perhaps a more controversial way of cooking, but I totally advocate it, as I know how time-consuming meal prepping can be when you lead a hectic life. These ready-to-cook ingredients (think pre-chopped bell pepper and shredded cheese) are perfect if you prefer to cook your meals right before you serve and eat them. I’ll often buy chopped vegetables (and even frozen vegetables) to save time. You too will soon discover that this way of preparing food can be extremely helpful on a busy weeknight when you’ve got a ton of other commitments.

Step 2: Make A Meal Plan

After you’ve determined the way in which you want to prep your meals, spend around 10 minutes or so making a simple game plan that will help you stay on track and keep you organised. The following are a few things that you should think about when writing a menu or a meal prep plan.

Pick Meals to Prepare

Are you looking for a way of streamlining your routine? If so, think about preparing a few make-ahead meals that you can easily reheat once you return from work in the evening.

Write a Menu

When you plan your weekly menu, stick to some tried and tested recipes that you’ve made a few times before. Keep your recipe experimentation to the weekends when you have more time, because it’s when you keep things in the kitchen simple that you’ll save the time you’re desperate to save.

I also recommend building your menu around what’s in season, as this is where you’ll get the best taste and value. For example, come fall time I’m all over the butternut squash recipes. Tray-roasted seasonal keto-friendly vegetables are also amazing, and even easier to cook if you’ve bought them pre-chopped and prepared.

Schedule your Meal Prep Times

It’s necessary to specifically set aside allocated times to do the prepping. Think about prepping your meals on the same day you do your weekly grocery shop.

OK, so it may not be totally feasible to prep let’s say 5 meals in one hour, but you may be able to pre-prepare certain ingredients for other recipes you plan to cook later on in the week.

Step 3: Stock and Shop

Now that you’ve got your weekly menu planned, it’s time to write your shopping list. But before you go crazy at the grocery store or with your online shopping, take an inventory of what you already have in your kitchen.

Stock Up On Those Staples

Stocking up your pantry with a variety of staples, such as dried herbs, spices, and canned goods like tomatoes, coconut cream, tuna and salmon will simplify your meal prepping.

Also some freezer-friendly foods, such as bacon, sausages and frozen vegetables can help transform meals in minutes.

Make a more Effective Shopping List

I build my shopping lists based on my grocery store layout, as this will help you navigate your way around the store in more time. It’s also beneficial to keep a running list of the food that you often use throughout a week when meal prepping, such as olive oil, butter, and onions, so you can simply add these to your next shopping list when necessary.

Stock Up on Containers

When embarking on meal prepping, it’s important to check what you’ve got and what you need in terms of storage containers. Depending on the way you decide to meal prep, you’re going to need an array of food storage containers that range from lidded glass and plastic containers to zip-lock freezer-friendly bags.

Step 4: Prepare and Store

Now it’s time to start prepping your meals. Here are a few tips to bear in mind before you start laboring away and chopping.

Use Your Time Wisely

Start with the food that needs the longest cooking times. Make sure you always preheat your oven (when using) and prepare those ingredients that you’re going to cook first.

If you’re preparing more than one meal at once and discover that two or more recipes call for the same ingredients, such as chopped onion and bell peppers, prepare them for both recipes at the same time, and then simply split them as necessary.

Take Storage Life Into Consideration

Chopped raw vegetables such as bell peppers and onions will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator when stored in proper airtight containers. If you’re prepping the more heartier vegetables such as squash, cauliflower and broccoli, these will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. When it comes to your salad greens, such as lettuce and spinach, they can remain fresh for up to a week if they’ve been thoroughly washed, dried, and refrigerated. Pre-cooked vegetables and any dishes containing meat and poultry need to be consumed within 3 days.

Freeze

There are some foods, such as chilli, casseroles, and soups that freeze really well. During those crazy weeks when you have very little time to prepare and cook, there’s nothing more satisfying than pulling out one of your ready-to-eat meals from the freezer.

I always label my frozen meals with what they are and the date I prepared them, so I know when I have to consume them by. As a rule, consume all your prepped frozen meals between 3 and 6 months.

Food For Intermittent Fasting

Really it depends on whether you’re combining a ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting or not as to what you buy, as whole grains like quinoa and bulgur and boiled potatoes are acceptable while following just a fasting plan, but they’re not keto-friendly foods. The most important thing to remember is that you need to avoid processed foods as much as possible for both ways of eating and eliminate sugar in all its guises. It’s also essential that you consume plenty of filtered water throughout the day.

When you’re not eating, it’s still essential to remain hydrated. The amount of water that a person should drink in a day will vary depending on their size and amount of exercise they do. However, it’s easy to tell whether you’re getting enough water or not, as your urine should always be a pale yellow color. When it’s a darker yellow, this shows that you’re dehydrated, which can result in you suffering from headaches and fatigue. If you can’t bear water, try adding a squeeze of lemon juice to it or a mint leave with a slice of cucumber to make it tastier.

Final Remarks

You may or may not be surprised to learn that since I’ve incorporated intermittent fasting into my daily eating habits I’ve managed to not only drop weight, but also increase my muscle mass as well. I’ve also managed to increase my explosiveness when it comes to training, and a few months back I even set a personal best for running, which given my age and my previous sporting achievements when I was younger is pretty damn amazing if I say so myself! I still work out on a regular basis, mainly because I love it, but I’ve also been able to cut down on my training time and still maintain my results.

In other words, I’m a hell of a lot stronger than I once was, I’m also leaner, and I’m much more explosive despite going to the gym as much and eating less. More importantly, I’ve also been able to rid myself of that pre-diabetic label that was looming over me.

By now, hopefully you’ve realized that intermittent fasting (with or without a ketogenic diet) isn’t dangerous if done properly. It’s not bad if you skip breakfast on a daily basis and not consuming food for 16-hour periods on a daily basis won’t kill you.

Intermittent fasting is not a diet. It’s a totally legit way of living, and if done properly, and with practice, it’s easy to implement into your everyday life, and let’s not forget the ton of health benefits that come with it.

What’s more, and perhaps most importantly, fasting intermittently is one of the easiest methods there is to get rid of your body’s bad weight while keeping your good weight, as this way of eating requires minimal behavioral changes. For me, this is the most important thing, because it means that IF falls into the category of “easy enough that you’re actually going to do it, but significant enough that it’s actually going to make a difference!”

Yes, the fat loss is great, but don’t forget that there are so many other benefits that come with intermittent fasting. Fasting this way makes your days simpler and less complicated, it improves your life expectancy by reducing the risk of some dangerous health conditions from heart disease to Alzheimer’s, and it improves your cognitive abilities as well.

Intermittent fasting is also so much easier than following a regimented diet. The number one reason why the majority of diets fail has nothing to do with switching to consuming the wrong foods; it’s mainly because we don’t follow the said diet over a long enough period of time. It’s not really got anything to do with nutrition; instead, it’s related to behavioral change problems.

This is why intermittent fasting kicks ass. It’s just so easy to incorporate into your everyday life once you overcome the idea that you have to eat all the time.

There’s no doubt about it that the majority of us, at some point in our lives, have attempted or at least contemplated going on some type of diet. When we finally find a diet that is appealing, we think it’s going to be a walk in the park. However, when we get into the nuts and bolts of it, it suddenly gets tough.

Intermittent fasting on the other hand is more difficult to fathom, especially when you have to listen to other people’s incredulous opinions when they say “I could never do it!” But once you get going, it’s a breeze. There are fewer worries about what you need to eat, it’s liberating, and what you spend on food is also usually less. And, better still, you’re not especially hungry. What I’m trying to say is that it’s hard to get over the idea that depriving yourself of food for some time, but once you start the regimen, it’s super easy. In my opinion, the fact that intermittent fasting is so incredibly easy is enough of a reason to give it a shot. This certainly is one way of eating that offers a wide variety of health benefits without you having to make some huge lifestyle adjustments.