While chatting with a gal over in our Lazy Keto Girl group on Facebook, it occurred to me that it might be a good idea to talk about getting started with intermittent fasting and keto at the same time. If you have thyroid issues, you probably have other metabolic issues as well. Personally, insulin resistance has crept up in my life as well as gallbladder issues.
To begin with becoming keto adapted before you try adding intermittent fasting might be a good idea. Keto adaptation takes a minute. Your body needs to transition into fat burning mode. I could give you the “science-y” explanation, but instead I am going to give you a basic understanding of the process.
How To Transition To Fat Burning
Like most women in the US you are probably used to eating lots of carbs in your diet. After all the food pyramid recommends the majority of our diet come from fruits, vegetables and grains. They couldn’t be giving worse advice! I am convinced that the guidelines recommending avoiding fat accounts for much of the gallbladder surgery that occurs! Proper thyroid function relies on our gallbladders functioning properly!
In the beginning of keto adaption your body needs to get rid of glycogen stores. This can happen with exercise, fasting or carb intake restriction. While you are doing this your body isn’t ramped up to make ketones yet. It is the most difficult period of the whole process. On the good news side, however, you do lose a bunch of water. Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon! Even a little bit can make that scale move positively. Positive scale movement always motivates me.
Intermittent Fasting and Keto Insulin Sensitivity
Because the keto diet lowers insulin levels and increases insulin sensitivity, it allows excess fluid to be released. Once glycogen runs out, your liver will start producing ketones. As some of these get excreted in urine, it makes measuring them with a “keto stick” a reliable indicator that you are at least producing ketones. Thus begins the stage of keto adaptation. As your brain becomes adapted to the availability of ketones to burn you will feel better. Your mental clarity will also heighten.
Getting Into Ketosis
As mentioned before there are three ways to get into ketosis; fasting, exercise and restricting carbs. You can combine all three. However, in my world view the balance between keeping my adrenal glands happy and maintaining ketosis is a fine line. I chose mild exercise, like walking, and yoga and extreme carb restriction. By extreme I mean count the total carbs you take in, not the net carbs.
Over exercising actually can be counter productive, especially in hypothyroid women. It causes stress on your body. Which in turn stimulates an adrenal response like cortisol. Thus signaling your body to increase insulin and store fat. Insulin is the fat storage hormone. Every time you eat anything other than straight fat, your body tells the pancreas to release insulin.
Intermittent Fasting And Keto Diet Adapted
Now that you are keto adapted, incorporating intermittent fasting can help you get better results. Most of the people I respect in the keto world suggest starting with a 12 hour fast. Combine that with a 12 hour eating window. During your eating window choose keto friendly foods. As it becomes easier for you to go longer between meals, try cutting out breakfast. This will stretch your fast to 16 hours or so.
As an easy way to ween off eating in the morning drink coffee with cream, ripple half n half, and/or butter or MCT oil. Blending these in creates a creamy concoction. So yummy you will look forward to it every day. Doing this you are actually consuming some fat calories for energy. A stubborn metabolism, like mine,might require choosing to only drinking black coffee in the morning.
What Supplements For Hypothyroid Weigh Loss Help?
For intermittent fasting and keto diet with hypothyroidism and insulin resistance I take the following supplements. (Please do not misconstrue this as medical advice. These simply work best for me and what I chose to take.) Purchasing through these links does provide me with a small commission. It will not affect your price.
Adrenal/Sleep
Trace MineralsORGANIC INDIA Ashwagandha
MagnesiumDiaplex – GallbladderLivaplex – Liver & GallbladderVitamin D3 5,000 IUSuper B ComplexSelenium 200 mcgPerfect Keto Protein Powder
Also don’t forget to grab your Keto Basics guide. This should help you get started on the right foot.
