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Fat Fast: Your Guide to This High-Fat Diet Plan
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Fat fasting has been a popular way to lose weight. You can eat high-fat foods on this diet, but is it actually healthy? Read our comprehensive guide on the fat fast, including potential health benefits, risks, and a list of what you can eat during fat fasting.
Some people try new weight loss programs all the time.
There are many diets and tips out there that could blast the fat away. One of these includes fat fasting, which might sound like a strange weight loss technique. Eating high-fat foods is similar to the keto diet, except it’s more about being in a calorie deficit.
Fat fasting could be the key to avoiding those horrible weight loss plateaus throughout your journey. Pushing your body into ketosis has been scientifically proven to eliminate stubborn body fat. But how does the fat fast work, and why should you choose this fast?
Just keep on reading our guide to find out more.
What Is a Fat Fast?
A fat fast is a high-fat, low-carb diet that promotes easy weight loss. Consuming fatty foods is meant to push your body into ketosis – a metabolic state that burns fat for energy. You can easily shed a few pounds while eating several nutritious meals a day.
Fat fasting is a type of weight loss diet that affects your metabolism. Depriving the body of carbs pushes it into the ketosis state after a few days. During this time, your liver produces ketone bodies – chemicals that are used as an efficient energy source instead of glycogen stores.
People usually try fat fasting when they want to lose weight quickly and safely. Regular low-calorie diets might show slower results, especially for those with a slow metabolic rate. This is why fat fasting and the ketogenic diet have become popular methods in recent years.
How Does a Fat Fast Help to Burn Fat?
Fat fasting encourages your body to burn hidden fat stores. This is because you’re in a state of ketosis that requires fat for energy. You’ll be eating more high-fat foods and fewer carb-rich meals to sustain weight loss and see noticeable results over time.
Not many people know that fats are stored more easily than carbohydrates. They will encourage your fat cells to use the energy and distribute it to important organs and muscles. In the long term, following a low-carb diet can prevent stubborn weight loss plateaus from happening.
Also, consuming dietary fat keeps you full, as fat contains 9 calories per gram, and carbs contain 4 calories per gram. You don’t need to bulk up your meals during a fat fast, especially since greater satiety leads to fewer snacks, binge eating episodes, and dreaded hunger pangs.
Fat is known to regulate blood sugar and slow the release of glucose. Your bloodstream can manage the glucose content and stop it from spiking or crashing. One study found that normal blood sugar levels reduce sugar cravings and the urge to binge eat junk food.
You can follow a fat fast by eating 4–5 meals a day with 200–250 calories roughly in each high-fat meal. Another way is to consume 3 regular meals but increase the fat content. The standard ketogenic diet requires people to get 70–80% of their total daily calories from fat.
5 Benefits of Fat Fasting
There are many benefits that derive from this type of weight loss method. You can try fat fasting to improve your heart health or reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Many people enjoy the noticeable weight loss, but losing stubborn fat isn’t the only great thing about eating high-fat meals.
Here are some health benefits of a fat fast:
#1 Supports weight loss
One of the main reasons why people fat fast is because it promotes weight loss. You’re encouraging the body to use reserved fat stores for energy. Plus, you will naturally eat fewer calories since fat-rich foods slow down digestion and make you feel full after dense meals.
#2 Boosts ketosis
Not consuming so many carbs can push you into a state of ketosis. Your blood has a higher concentration of ketones that produce more frequently due to the lack of glucose. Some benefits of this metabolic switch include weight loss, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.
#3 May improve heart health
A fat fast can cause significant improvements to your heart. One study proves that low-carb diets decrease the risk of heart and metabolic disease. This is because high-fat foods, like eggs and avocados, are packed with essential nutrients that protect your cardiovascular functions.
#4 Could protect brain function
People who follow a low-carb diet have better brain health compared to those following a normal diet. Research shows that the human brain needs 20% of the body’s energy. It gets this important energy from metabolizing either glucose or ketone bodies produced on the keto diet.
#5 Reduces bad cholesterol
You can experience a reduction in LDL cholesterol when following the fat fast. This is because you’re cutting out high-carb foods that contain saturated fat, sugar, and preservatives. Plus, the fat fast and ketogenic diets can both encourage you to eat better nutrient-dense foods.
2 Possible Side Effects of Fat Fasting
There are bound to be side effects with any weight loss strategy. Not everyone can eat high-fat foods or avoid carbohydrates for a long amount of time. If you experience side effects when following this diet plan, stop fat fasting completely and return to your normal eating plan quickly.
Below are some side effects to consider before trying the fat fast:
#1 Keto flu symptoms
Fat fasting can naturally push you into ketosis. This metabolic state triggers a range of keto flu symptoms like headaches, constipation, muscle weakness, fatigue, and diarrhea. Feeling sluggish on a fat fast could put you off exercising regularly or continuing the high-fat diet.
#2 Blood sugar fluctuations
Suddenly changing your diet may cause blood sugar fluctuations. People with diabetes should be aware of this before turning to high-fat foods. To ensure you stay healthy, consult with a doctor about potential diet options and how you can regulate your blood sugar safely.
What Are the Differences Between Fat and Traditional Fasting?
One huge difference between these fasting types is the eating pattern. A fat fast means you’re only eating regular high-fat meals, while traditional fasting is about your schedule. People usually give themselves a small time frame to eat food throughout the day.
Classic intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between fasting and normal eating periods. This method focuses more on the times you eat rather than the diet itself. During the fasting windows, your body stimulates the fat-burning state to keep everything functioning.
A common schedule is a time-restricted fast. You may normally eat from 12 PM to 8 PM and fast outside of that time period. Those who are fasting tend to consume 0 calories by sticking to water, black coffee, or plain tea, as these beverages won’t slow down your metabolism.
On the other hand, following the fat fast means you’ll have a normal eating schedule. The only thing that changes is what you eat to achieve the fat-fasting technique. In this case, you’ll consume healthy fat-rich foods like macadamia nut butter, cream cheese, or coconut oil.
There are some people who combine intermittent fasting and the ketogenic diet. This could help you lose more water, weight, and fat. Consuming healthy fats while limiting your daily eating schedule further encourages your body to burn calories and speed up the metabolic rate.
Just make sure to test traditional fasting and the fat-fast diet on their own first. Breaking through a weight loss plateau requires time and dedication. For some, intermittent fasting might not work at all, while others struggle to eat healthy fats just to lose some stubborn weight quickly.
What Should I Eat While Fat Fasting?
You should eat certain foods that are high in fats and low in carbs. This ensures your body can maintain ketosis and lose stubborn weight. Aim to eat more non-starchy green vegetables and whole fruits, too, as these delicious foods can boost your long-term health in the process.
Consider speaking to a registered dietitian if you’re unsure about what to eat. These health professionals know all about overcoming a weight loss plateau. Plus, you could ask more questions about trying the keto diet and increasing your protein intake at the same time.
If you can, eat high-fat meats and whole products. The keto diet has similar rules in terms of the good fats you should consume daily. By studying our list beforehand, you’ll know exactly how to achieve fat loss and what foods will fuel your body with the most important nutrients.
Here are some foods you can eat during a fat fast:
- Avocado
- Nut butter
- Coconut oil
- Salmon
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Butter oil
- Tuna
- Brussels sprouts
- Olives
- Herring
- Almonds
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Berries
- Sardines
- Lean beef
- Pecans
- Duck
- Coconuts
- High-fat dairy products
FAQs
Yes, fat fasting can be safe when used as a short-term weight loss method. Eating high-fat foods for too long might increase the risk of vitamin or mineral deficiencies. You should try this type of fat fast for one week to see if it helps and extend the duration when needed.
A fat fast can be healthy for those who want to lose a substantial amount of weight. Being in ketosis helps the body to get rid of visceral fat – a type of fat that encourages heart disease. Just remember that this is a short-term diet that shouldn’t be followed for months and months.
A Word From RD
Losing weight is all about eating the right food and exercising regularly. You need to follow a balanced diet if you want to lose that stubborn belly fat. Some people enjoy going for morning walks, or simple treadmill runs to burn calories and generally feel fitter in their everyday lives.
One other important thing to note is that you need to drink water. Men need 12 cups of water a day, and women need 9 cups to function properly. Consuming enough water can flush out unwanted fat cells and increase calorie burning while you’re eating high-fat foods.
A fat fast can be a challenging diet for beginners. This is because you suddenly have to cut out carbohydrates and high-protein foods. You can do a test run by trying this strict diet for a few days, but if you don’t feel well after a while, stop fat fasting and try something else.
Remember that fat fasting isn’t supposed to make you ill. No diet should damage your health or cause long-term complications during weight loss. Consider trying the ketogenic diet for similar results, as you can still eat high-fat foods but with more protein and fiber-based meals.
For those who have any health conditions, speak to your doctor before trying this fat-fast technique. Certain people may not be well enough to eat high-fat foods. A medical professional would recommend suitable diets that promote weight loss and keep you in a calorie deficit.
Conclusion
So, what is fat fasting?
Fat fasting means you will eat high-fat foods for a short amount of time. This is supposed to kickstart ketosis and encourage your body to burn fat. Some benefits include weight loss and reduced water weight, but it’s important to only follow a fat fast for 6 weeks maximum.
Always consult with your doctor first if you have any health concerns or questions.
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