What Is Speed Keto?

There are always new diets and fads coming into existence, and one of the latest is speed keto. This diet is a lot like the regular keto diet, but there are some key differences. The main difference between speed keto and regular keto is that speed keto also includes intermittent fasting.

If you want to learn more about speed keto and whether it’s for you, read on. We will be covering everything you need to know about this new kind of diet.

Speed keto combines the regular keto diet with intermittent fasting. The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that has been around for years. In this diet, you avoid all carbohydrates and focus on eating foods that are high in protein, fiber, and of course, fat.

This is done with the aim of reaching ketosis, a metabolic state where the body burns fat to create energy. Depending on how strict you are with this diet, you can allow yourself a set amount of carbohydrates every day.

There are four primary types of keto diets:

SKD (Standard Ketogenic Diet) – a very low-carb diet with high fat and moderate protein. Typically, food on this diet will contain only 10% carbs, 70% fat, and 20% protein.

CKD (Cyclical Ketogenic Diet) – a diet with higher carb refeeds. For example, you follow the keto diet for 5 days, then have 2 high-carb days afterward, continuing the cycle.

TKD (Targeted Ketogenic Diet) – is a diet that allows you to add some carbs to your workouts.

High Protein Ketogenic Diet – a diet similar to the standard keto diet, but the percentages are switched to 5% carbs, 60% fat, and 35% protein.

In speed keto, you can still choose to follow your preferred keto diet. However, because intermittent fasting is added, you should be cautious when choosing.

Intermittent fasting refers to a type of diet where you are only allowed to eat during set hours of the day. For example, some people choose to only eat between 10 am and 6 pm.

There are a variety of times, which should be chosen depending on your and how well your body reacts to the process.

Some intermittent fasting options include:

16/8 – fast for 16 hours, eat in an 8-hour window
14/10 – fast for 14 hours, eat in a 10-hour window
12/12 – fast for 12 hours, eat in a 12-hour window
5:2 – fast for two days of the week, eat regularly for the other 5
Alternate day fasting – alternate between fasting and having regular meals
Weekly 24-hour fast – known as the eat-stop-eat method, you fast for a full 24 hours one day a week, having no food during this fasting period. During this time, you can drink calorie-free drinks, tea, coffee, and water.

The Benefits Of Speed Keto

There are a number of benefits to trying speed keto. We will go through them below:

The transition into ketosis is faster – a normal keto diet will take you between 3-5 days to reach ketosis. In the speed keto diet, this time is cut down to just 1-2 days. This is because you are putting your body through long fasts. Doing this aids your body in burning through all the carbs you have stored, and switching to ketosis much faster.

Weight loss – keto mixed with intermittent fasting is a recipe for aiding weight loss, as it is impossible to overeat. This means that fat stores will be burnt very quickly, and you will lose weight.

Anti-inflammatory effects – there are a number of studies that have shown that ketosis reduces inflammation (see articles 1, 2, or 3 for more). Ketones are known to be less inflammatory than glucose, which is why inflammation is reduced on a keto diet. Intermittent fasting has also been shown to reduce inflammation.

The Disadvantages Of Speed Keto

As with any kind of diet or fad, there are also a number of potential dangers and disadvantages to be wary of. These are as follows:

Building muscle is difficult – anyone who is looking to build muscle would find it incredibly difficult to do so on a speed keto diet. This is because eating the required amount of proteins in a single meal, even if it is large, is difficult to do. As such, a less restricting diet plan would be more suitable for muscle-building.

You put yourself at risk of nutrient deficiencies – it’s difficult to get all the nutrients your body requires to stay healthy in a single meal, no matter the size. Because of this, a speed keto diet can easily lead to nutrient deficiencies, especially if you intend to stick with it in the long term.

Might promote an unhealthy relationship with food – any restrictive diet has the potential to do this. A macronutrient is being cut from the diet, and you are fasting for long periods of time. This can lead you to develop a bad relationship with food that can lead to a number of mental and physical problems down the line. As such, a professional should always be consulted before starting this type of diet.

The diet may be unsuitable for you – restrictive diets are incredibly difficult to follow, especially in the long term. Not only that but anyone with medical conditions is not recommended to attempt restricting diets unless specifically suggested by a medical professional.

Potentially more severe “keto-flu” symptoms – this is a common issue for anyone starting keto, and symptoms are likely to be more intense on the speed keto diet.

Conclusion

The speed keto diet is a diet that companies the regular keto diet of your choice and intermittent fasting. While this combination is likely to lead to reaching ketosis faster and subsequently losing weight, it is not without risks. Building muscle is more difficult on this diet, and it may not be suitable for everyone.

If you want to try the speed keto diet, it is always worth talking to a medical professional first and ensuring that you are in good health. Be careful with any kind of diet, and never try to push yourself too far, or you can do damage to your body.