Hoda Kotb explains how she’s doing intermittent fasting- 16/8 routine.
What exactly is 16/8 intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting (IF) itself is simply eating within a certain daily window of time and fasting outside of that window.
There are several different types of intermittent fasting but the16/8 method is typically the most common.
Those who partake in IF often describe their routine by breaking up 24 hours into when they are consuming food versus when they are not. For example, the number of hours fasted followed by the eating window hours.
So, 16/8 fasting means eating within a window of eight hours each day — such as from 12pm to 8pm — and not eating during the remaining 16 hours.
The windows can vary based on the individual. Someone might only eat within a six-hour window (18/6) or four-hour window (20/4).
Intermittent Fasting and Ketosis
One of the best things about fasting is that it can help get us into that sweet metabolic state of fat burning faster — that sweet state of ketosis.
The two are related for three reasons:
For our bodies to get into ketosis, we must be fasting in some sense — either by not eating any food at all or by keeping carbs extremely low. When we’re in ketosis, it means the body is breaking down fat for energy.
Since IF obviously involves fasting, it can help our bodies deplete glucose stores at a faster rate and speed up the process of running on fat.
Many people who start a ketogenic diet will begin by fasting to help them enter ketosis more quickly.
So, is 16/8 intermittent fasting guaranteed to get you into ketosis? Well, not exactly.
There are a few potential issues that can prevent you from getting into a fully fat burning, ketogenic state.
Concerns About the 16/8 Window
While intermittent fasting alone is still great, some issues can arise when it’s combined with a non-ketogenic diet. When following a higher carb-based diet, once the fasting window ends, the body switches back to glucose-burning mode and bumps you out of ketosis (if you were in ketosis at all).
If we go from eating a “normal” amount of carbs to shifting our carbs to very low, it can take around two days for the body to even enter ketosis.
That means if you’re eating whatever you want during the eight-hour window, you might not be giving your body enough time to get into ketosis at all.
(And remember, it’s always smart to test your ketone levels to be sure you’re in ketosis.)
However, there is a way to remedy this and increase your chances of entering and staying in ketosis — that is, simply following a ketogenic diet.
So, how can the ketogenic diet be used along with intermittent fasting to help you get into ketosis faster and keep you there longer?