Are intermittent fasting, keto, and HIIT workouts a safe way to lose weight?
There is absolutely no short answer to this unless you are a male and/or peri or post menopausal female. The complexity of the answer for women of childbearing years is due to their infradian rhythm. Without having a true understanding of each phase of your cycle you’re in, fasting and ketosis can put your adrenals in overdrive sending your cortisol levels through the roof which is why most women report feeling bursts of energy when they first start these types of diets. Over time this added stress can lead to inflammatory responses metabolically and even lead to autoimmune flare ups. It’s important to honor our physiology and biorhythms we innately have. If fasting is not something you’re willing to let go of, fast during your follicular phase for (what I personally would suggest) no longer than 12-16 hours.
Fasting benefits (if you fall under the category that will benefit from it. You and your health care provider can weigh the pros and cons out for yourself)
lowers inflammation in the body
lowers oxidative stress
when cutting back on the amount of food when we’re eating it can help with longevity
there have been studies that show that people that don’t eat from 6 pm and 7 am (13 hour fasting) is helpful in allowing our mitochondria to heal
gives our body the ability to get rid of damaged cells
autophagy kicks in past the 18+ hour window
Cancer cells like to feed off of glucose in the body. Our cells can adapt by using fat cells by going into ketosis rather than feeding off glucose. However, cancer cells cannot adapt as well in ketosis and have a harder time surviving which is why fasting is a technique that can be used to starve cancer cells and prevent them from metastasizing.
Fasting side effects for women of childbearing years:
worsen insulin sensitivity
increase brain fog
destabilize mood
shrink your ovaries
At this point in your life, your brain and ovaries are in constant communication to scan how your cortisol levels are in the body. Hair loss, missing periods, irregular periods, PMS, insulin resistance or sensitivity, ovarian cysts, PCOS, chronic fatigue, constant cold hands and feet, Hashimoto’s, infertility, the list goes on….can be from hormonal imbalances and estrogen dominance. Fasting will only add gasoline to that fire if not done strategically to support your natural ebb and flow of hormones.
✨ never medical advice✨
Always work with your health care provider when it comes to eliminating certain foods from your diet, and don’t blindly go into fasting without the support of a professional that can help you keep your blood sugar balanced.
