Before I get to the details of what fat fast is and how to do it, I should mention that this is a tweaked

version of the original. One difference is the decreased minimum intake of fat and the second is the
reduced number of meals a day. Both of these are explained in this post and are just optional - it will
be up to you which path you choose.

For your convenience, I have also created a PDF version of this guide that you can download here!

The Fat Fast is not a new concept, it has been around for many years. The first proponent of using fat
fast to break through a weight loss plateau or "reset" a cheat day was Dr Robert Atkins himself in his
best-selling book Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution.

In 2013 Dana Carpender, the best-selling author of books about low-carb and ketogenic diets,
published her Fat Fast Cookbook. If you want to try fat fast, you should get her book. It contains 50
delicious and easy to prepare recipes, enough to stay away from boring monotonous meals! Keep in
mind that not all ingredients in her book are paleo-friendly and you may need to make small

adjustments to fit your needs.

What Is Fat Fast?

Although most of you probably know how the ketogenic diet works, I'll give you a quick overview
before I get to the fat fast itself. Ketogenic and other low-carb diets have been around for a long time.
Most low-carbs diets, including the ketogenic diet, can are used for weight loss and offer numerous
health benefits. In fact, very low-carb ketogenic diets have been used to treat neurodegenerative
diseases such as epilepsy or Alzheimer's for decades. Currently, they are also shown to have
potential use in cancer treatment.

We have all been told that all calories are the same no matter where they come from. This advice has
been proven to be false and despite all the evidence, the guidelines still remain the same: "Exercise
more, eat less and focus on eating low-fat foods." Sadly, I keep seeing this piece of advice on most
packaged foods - just another reason to avoid them!

Here is the general rule that applies to the ketogenic diet: When you restrict carbohydrates to a
certain level (20-50 grams of net carbs), your body starts producing ketones and you enter ketosis
(ketosis is not the same as ketoacidosis which is dangerous).

Once you become fat-adapted, your body uses your fat stores and ketones for energy and you won't
need to eat extra protein to spare muscle mass. This doesn't mean you should avoid protein - your
protein intake should be adequate and based on your individual needs. Although your body still
needs some glucose, it can produce it on demand via gluconeogenesis.

Fat Fast is a type of fasting often recommended for those who are already keto-adapted and reach a
weight loss plateau. The idea is that you eat about 80-90% of your calories from fat while keeping
your calorie intake low, up to 1000-1200 kcal a day. This fast should be followed for no more
than 3-5 days. If you follow fat fast for a longer period, you run the risk of getting your body into
starvation mode, lose muscles and get deficient in essential nutrients.

When you go on a fat fast and you are already keto-adapted, your ketone level will likely get very high
(mine got as high as 3.2 mM). Because most of the energy (that is limited to 1000-1200 kcal) comes
from fats, your body enters lipolysis and starts using fat stores for energy.

Recent studies show that in terms of weight loss

and muscle sparing, "traditional" fat fast (90%
kcal from fat) doesn't seem to have more
benefits than a fast with less fat and more
protein. This doesn't mean that traditional fat fast
doesn't work. It only means that even if you eat
slightly more protein, you may achieve the same
or better results. Since protein is the most sating
macronutrient, it will help you keep hunger at
bay during the fast.

Here's a simple calculation: the

adequate protein intake from 1200 kcal
for an average person is about 15-20%
(or even more for physically active
people and those with less body fat and
more lean mass). Since you'll be eating ~ 5% or less calories from carbs on a fat fast,
you will be left with 75-80% of calories from fat. Not a big difference from the
"traditional" fat fast.

Studies from the 1950's and 1960's (first by Kekwick and Pawan, 1 later by Benoit 2 ) showed that
fat fast is best for fat loss and preserving muscle mass when comparing three diets (1000 kcal diet
with 90% fat vs. 1000 kcal diet with 90% protein vs. 1000 kcal diet with 90% carbohydrates). However,
these studies have been shown to be largely flawed. While Kekwick and Pawan admitted that
participants may have been cheating and the study was poorly controlled, Benoit's results seemed to
have been overrated. In his study from 1965, Dr. Benoit compared results achieved in obese
participants by putting them on a fat fast and on a complete fast. Interestingly, those following a fat
fast resulted in twice as much fat loss compared to those following a total fast during which they lost
more muscle mass and less body fat. In later reviews of this study, some experts pointed out that the
participants would have to have enormous energy expenditure to reach such weight loss results.

An extract from a review of studies from 2006 on protein-sparing effects of very low-carb diets:

"Because of metabolic adaptations to prolonged changes in diet composition, the

results of such short-term studies cannot be applied to longer-term situations...
Although more long-term studies are needed before a firm conclusion can be drawn,
it appears, from most literature studied, that a VLCARB is, if anything, protective
against muscle protein catabolism during energy restriction, provided that it contains
adequate amounts of protein."

Keep in mind that prolonged calorie restriction with inadequate amount of protein can lead to
deficiencies, muscle mass loss and a decreased BMR. That's why you shouldn't do the fat fast for
more than 5 days. It's also important to mention that no study seems to take keto-adaptation / fatadaptation into consideration. The body works differently for sugar-burners and those who are fatadapted and the logical conclusion would be that fat-adapted people would lose less muscle mass
during a fat fast.

When to Consider the Fat Fast

Here are the rules for when to follow the fat fast:

If you are already keto-adapted. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for you, as your body is
not used to the ketogenic diet. If you are not keto-adapted, try following the ketogenic diet
for 3-4 weeks and only use the fat fast technique if you reach a weight loss plateau. You
can start by following my weekly diet plan here: 7-Day Grab & Go Keto/Paleo Diet Plan
If for any reason your weight is stalling for more than 2-3 weeks and you have eliminated
all the potential reasons. Make sure you check your keto ratio to eliminate the most obvious
reasons for weight stalling such as too many carbs, inadequate amount of protein, fats or
calories in your diet. You may want to try intermittent fasting (I'll talk about IF more in one of
my upcoming posts).
If you had a "cheat day" and would like to get back on track the next day. I would
personally not use the fat fast for this situation but it is up to you. I would just keep eating
healthy, low-carb foods from the day following your "cheat day" instead of giving my body
such a calorie shock.

How Do I follow Fat Fast? What Should I Eat?

Because most of your calories will come from fat, you have to make sure to include healthy fats such
as MUFA, Omega 3s and saturated fats. You can follow this guide I have created for fats and oils to
make the right choices.

The traditional Fat Fast guidelines advice is to eat 4-5 small meals a day, each about 200-250 kcal.
This is totally up to you. If you prefer to have 1-2 regular meals like I do, it's perfectly fine. You can
follow the fat fast for no more than 3-5 days.

Tips before you get started:

Ideally, you should take a multivitamin to make up for the missing micronutrients on a fat
fast.
Don't plan to do any extensive exercise on the days of fat fast. Don't plan doesn't mean
be inactive. You can always include light cardio (walking) or some strength training at home
(squats, press-ups, etc.) but you should take it easy and avoid prolonged exercise. I
personally didn't feel lack of energy or hunger and could easily incorporate some exercise
every day (either 30-60 minutes walking or 20-30 minutes strength training).
Get an app to help you track your diet or make sure you track whatever you eat on a
piece of paper. My iPad app has been designed specifically for low-carb, ketogenic &
paleo diets. This way you can easily keep track of your macros and calorie intake, both of
which are critical on a fat fast.

Many Small or Few Regular Meals? It's Up To You...

Traditional fat fast as defined by Dr Atkins in New Diet Revolution says you should be eating 4-5 small
meals throughout the day, each of them containing 200-250 kcal. However, what Ive learnt is that
once you get keto-adapted, you dont need to eat many small meals a day to stay sated. In fact,
it may be easier for you to just eat 1-2 regular meals rather than many small meals, especially if you
are used to intermittent fasting. Eating 1-2 large meals and having a long gap between meals (16-22
hours) is an example of intermittent fasting.

I rarely eat breakfast and often have my first meal round 1 pm. When I was doing the fat fast, I ate the

same number of meals Im used to (2 meals a

day plus 1-2 cups of coffee with cream). I just
increased the amount of fat to 80-90% and ate
no more than 1200 kcal. In fact, unless you are
hypoglycemic, you dont need to eat too often.
However, those of you who find it easier to have
several small meals, you can try all sorts of fat
bombs from my blog.

Keep in mind that eating just 1-2 meals instead

of 5 small is my approach and it may not be
suitable for everyone. I've tried the fat fast twice
(with 4-5 meals and 1-2 meals a day) just to
make sure all of these can be done and
experienced the same results on both plans.
However, I was struggling to follow the plan with
several small meals. I always wanted to eat more
than just a handful and my mind was thinking
about food.

Below is an overview of foods you can include on your fasting days. Plus here is a complete list of
suitable recipes that is updated regularly, making it easier and less boring for you to follow the fat fast!

"Small" Meals: Here is a selection of small meals you can have if you opt for
4-5 meals a day, each ~ 200-250 kcal.

%
Fat

kcal

92

65

Strawberry Cheesecake Fat Bombs

90

67

2 oz / 60g olives

96

82

Other Fat Bombs, all sorts of fat bombs from my blog (values per piece)

9095

100150

Coffee with 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream (or coconut milk)

95

109

Low-Carb Cappuccino (dairy-free)

90

113

2 oz / 60g cream cheese

86

138

1 oz / 30g extra dark chocolate (85% cocoa solids)

77

150

Easy 3-ingredient fat bombs (coconut oil, cocoa powder and stevia) - simply
follow the recipe for my Chocolate Coconut Candies and only use the 3
ingredients listed above

1 oz coconut butter (= blended coconut meat, not the same as coconut oil)

91

159

Home-made Coconut & Pecan Butter, 1 tbsp

79

151

1 oz / 30g almonds

78

163

Deviled eggs: 1 large hard-boiled egg, 1 tbsp mayo seasoned with salt and
pepper

85

182

1 oz / 30g walnuts

87

185

2 tbsp full-fat cream cheese rolled in 1 oz of ham

79

186

1 oz almond butter

82

188

Smoked salmon & cream cheese rolls: 2 oz / 60g smoked salmon, 3 oz / 85g
cream cheese

75

189

2 oz / 60g full-fat cheese such as brie

75

189

1 oz / 30g macadamia nuts

93

203

1 oz / 30g of macadamia nut butter with 1 oz / 30g celery stalk

92

209

100

234

81

239

85

256

Broccoli Cheese Pie

72

258

Spiced Coconut Chips

93

259

Easy Avocado Salad: medium avocado (3.5 oz / 100g) mashed with 1 tbsp
mayonnaise (home-made if possible) and seasoned with salt

94

272

84

292

95

297

%
Fat

kcal

Scrambled eggs: 2 large scrambled eggs with 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp cream
cheese

80

323

Cheese-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

76

334

Low-Carb Thin Crust White Pizza

73

352

Shamrock Eggs with Braised Spinach

75

360

Keto Mexican Rice

74

385

Egg & Celeriac Nests

74

397

Brussels Sprout and Bacon Hash

72

400

Poached eggs with Hollandaise: 2 poached eggs with one serving of Hollandaise
sauce

83

417

Delicious & Simple Chocolate Mousse

88

435

Strawberry & Rhubarb Parfait

89

448

2 tbsp coconut oil. Yes, if you can eat coconut oil just like this, spoon some right
into your mouth!
3 large slices / 3 oz bacon
Buttered spinach: 1 cup spinach (5.5 oz / 156g) cooked in 2 tbsp cream and 1
tbsp butter seasoned with salt

Fish & mayo tacos: 2 oz / 60g mackerel, salmon or sardines (cooked or tinned)
with 2 tbsp mayo served on 1-2 small lettuce leaves and seasoned with salt
1 oz / 30g roasted pecans in 1 tbsp ghee, butter or coconut oil with a pinch of salt
"Regular" Meals: Here is a selection of small meals you can have if you opt
for 2-3 meals a day, each ~ 400-700 kcal.

Grilled Halloumi With Strawberry & Cucumber Salsa

76

449

Keto Vegan "Zoodles"

86

449

Ultimate Keto Coffee

85

474

All Day Keto Breakfast

78

489

Keto Mexican Chocolate Shake

91

503

Ultimate Bacon Hash (without the orange juice)

80

521

Avocado & salmon salad: 2 oz / 60g smoked or cooked salmon with 2 oz / 60g
cream cheese, 1 tbsp mayo and 1 tbsp finely chopped spring onion or chives on
top of one avocado (7.1 oz / 200g) seasoned with salt

82

526

Paleo Greek Meatballs aka Soutzoukakia

72

539

BBQ Pork Ribs

71

586

Quick Tzatziki from cup sour cream (4.1 oz / 120g), 3 oz / 85g grated
cucumber, 1 clove mashed garlic, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1
tsp freshly chopped dill and salt

90

539

Shirataki noodles with bacon & cheese sauce: 1 packet, 7.1 oz / 200g shirataki
noodles, drained and fried on 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil with 2 slices bacon (2 oz
/ 60 g), 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream, 1 oz / 30g grated cheddar cheese and salt)

87

604

Paleo Stuffed Avocado

78

633

79

639

Quick Beef Rag with "Zoodles"

73

645

Avocado & mackerel salad: 2 oz / 60g mackerel with 2 oz / 60g cream cheese
and 1 tbsp mayo on top of one avocado (7.1 oz / 200g) seasoned with salt

86

689

Pumpkin & Beef Saute

73

762

Keto Omelet Wrap

78

765

Herbed Omelet

81

719

Salmon with Creamy Spinach & Hollandaise Sauce

81

813

Buttered spinach with salmon: cup spinach (2.8 oz / 78g) cooked in 2 tbsp
butter seasoned with salt and topped with a small salmon fillet (4.4 oz / 125g)
cooked on 1 tablespoon of butter or coconut oil and topped with 2 tbsp of homemade pesto - Paleo Avocado Pesto or Red Pesto

3-Day Meal Plan (85-90% fat):

I've tried the fat fast twice and I'll be sharing my progress details as well as my meal plan (Update:
you can find my experiment here). For now, here are two sample meal plans I created using the
KetoDiet iPad app. These meal plans are designed for those who prefer to eat 2-3 regular meals. The
first one is higher in fat (85-90% calories from fat), while the second is lower in fat (75-80% calories
from fat) and higher in protein (15-20% calories from protein). If you don't drink coffee, substitute it
with tea or a few nuts of your choice.

Day 1
Coffee with 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream or coconut milk (94% fat, 112 kcal) and 2 oz /
60g of macadamia nuts (93% fat, 203 kcal)
Buttered Spinach with Salmon: cup spinach (2.8 oz / 78g) cooked in 2 tbsp butter
seasoned with salt and topped with a small salmon fillet (4.4 oz / 125g) cooked on 1
tablespoon of butter or coconut oil and topped with 2 tbsp of home-made pesto (Paleo
Avocado Pesto or Red Pesto) (79% fat, 639 kcal)

Total daily values: Total carbs: 14.8 g, Fiber: 8.8 g, Net carbs: 6.1 g, Protein: 36.6 g,
Fat: 113 g, Calories: 1182 kcal, Magnesium: 307 mg (77% RDA), Potassium: 1347
mg (67% EMR), 86% calories from fat

Day 2
Ultimate Keto Coffee (85% fat, 474 kcal)
Avocado & salmon salad: 2 oz / 60g smoked or cooked salmon with 2 oz / 60g cream
cheese, 1 tbsp home-made mayo and 1 tbsp finely chopped spring onion or chives on top
of one avocado (7.1 oz / 200g) seasoned with salt (82% fat, 526 kcal)

Total daily values: Total carbs: 23.7 g, Fiber: 14.8 g, Net carbs: 8.9 g, Protein: 33.8
g, Fat: 105 g, Calories: 1114 kcal, Magnesium: 284 mg (71% RDA), Potassium: 1562
mg (78% EMR), 85% calories from fat

Day 3
Delicious & Simple Chocolate Mousse - use coconut milk, soured cream or whipped cream
(88% fat, 435 kcal)
1 oz of macadamia nuts (93% fat, 203 kcal)
Keto Vegan "Zoodles" (86% fat, 449 kcal)

Total daily values: Total carbs: 38.3 g, Fiber: 20.5 g, Net carbs: 17.9 g, Protein: 15
g, Fat: 109 g, Calories: 1101 kcal, Magnesium: 198 mg (50% RDA), Potassium: 1924
mg (96% EMR), 88% calories from fat

3-Day Meal Plan (75-80% fat):

Day 1
Coffee with 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream or coconut milk (94% fat, 112 kcal)
Keto Mexican Rice (75% fat, 385 kcal)
Paleo Stuffed Avocado (78% fat, 633 kcal)

Total daily values: Total carbs: 30.4 g, Fiber: 17.7 g, Net carbs: 12.7 g, Protein: 45.6
g, Fat: 95.2 g, Calories: 1132 kcal, Magnesium: 259 mg (65% RDA), Potassium:
2368 mg (118% EMR), 79% calories from fat

Day 2
1 oz / 30 g almonds, roasted or raw (78% fat, 172 kcal)

All Day Keto Breakfast (78% fat, 489 kcal)

Paleo Greek Meatballs aka Soutzoukakia (72% fat, 539 kcal)

Total daily values: Total carbs: 34.8 g, Fiber: 17.9 g, Net carbs: 16.9 g, Protein: 54.5
g, Fat: 98 g, Calories: 1200 kcal, Magnesium: 228 mg (57% RDA), Potassium: 2608
mg (130% EMR), 76% calories from fat

Day 3
Coffee with 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream or coconut milk (94% fat, 112 kcal)
Brussels Sprout and Bacon Hash (72% fat, 400 kcal)
Quick Beef Rag with "Zoodles" (73% fat, 645 kcal)

Total daily values: Total carbs: 20.7 g, Fiber: 7.1 g, Net carbs: 13.6 g, Protein: 58.6
g, Fat: 94.4 g, Calories: 1158 kcal, Magnesium: 249 mg (62% RDA), Potassium:
2195 mg (109% EMR), 75% calories from fat

Fat Fast FAQ

Is fat fast suitable for everyone?
As mentioned above, fat fast is suitable for breaking through a weight loss plateau and those who are
already keto-adapted. If you attempt to do a fat fast without being used to a LCHF (low-carb, high-fat)
diet, you will make your life difficult. Make sure you follow a low-carb diet for at least 4 weeks before
you try a fat fast.

Keep in mind that fat fast is quite extreme and if you have any medical conditions
such as diabetes, you have to inform your doctor and only follow the fat fast
under his medical supervision. It is very likely that with any dietary changes, you

medication dose may need to be adjusted. This recommendation applies to all

dietary changes, especially if you start following a low-carb diet that is very different
to what most people have been used to (based on the Standard Dietary Guidelines).

If you are hypoglycemic, you will likely have to eat more small meals a day (traditional Atkins
approach) and avoid eating irregularly.

Is it safe to follow fat fast for more than 5 days?

Although studies by Kekwick and Pawan and then by Benoit showed no negative side effects on a 10day fat fast, they have proven to have many flaws and the results are therefore unreliable. The main
reason you don't want to do fat fast for longer is the increasing risk of muscle mass and deficiencies
during prolonged periods. It's better to be safe than sorry and for this reason, I'd personally follow the
fat fast for up to 5 days, as originally recommended by Dr Atkins. Some resources say that fat fasting
for longer (e.g. 10 days) is dangerous but I haven't found any supporting evidence to these claims.

What if I'm hungry?

Fat is calorie-dense and when you eat 1000-1200 kcal from fat, you'll realise it's not a lot of food. It's
still better than doing a complete fast but you may feel hungry, at least during the first 1-2 days. If you
are not keto-adapted, don't do the fat fast. You will feel hungry with no energy and most likely will
develop symptoms of "keto-flu".

Drink loads of water, tea and some coffee and if

you have to, avoid all sweeteners, including
low-carb. Even low-carb / zero-carb sweeteners
may trigger cravings in some people. If you are
one of them, avoid using sweet fat bombs during
this fast.

Most people find it easier to eat 4-5 smaller

meals a day while others (including me) prefer
to eat 1-2 regular meals. Make sure you don no
exceed the 1200 kcal limit. When it comes to fat

percentage per day, it's up to you. As mentioned above in the first part of this post, adding some
protein seems to do no harm. Do not add more carbs. If you eat less than 80% fat, make sure it is
compensated with protein, not carbs.

Do I gain all the weight back?

After you complete your fat fast, you should go back to your previous way of eating (low-carb, whole
foods). Don't expect to keep all the weight off. Although you will probably gain some of the weight
back, you should be able to keep a few pounds off. The weight gain doesn't necessarily mean you
gain body fat. When you lose weight on a fat fast, part of it is because your digestive system gets
"empty" and you also lose water.

If you follow a 3-day fat fast, you should lose 4-8 pounds and gain up to 40-50% back. If you follow a
5-day fat fast, the weight loss could be even larger, up to 6-10 pounds and again gaining up to 4050% back. The fat loss depends on your current weight and body fat percentage. In general, people
with more weight and higher body fat percentage lose more fat than those with just a few extra
pounds.

Can I do fat fast without dairy?

Yes, you can. Use coconut milk / creamed coconut milk instead of cream and cheese and ghee, lard
or coconut oil instead of butter. You can also use mayonnaise instead of cream cheese in some of the
suggested recipes. Although I didn't follow a dairy-free fat fast, I was naturally avoiding too much
dairy and included foods rich in micronutrients (avocado, nuts, eggs, spinach, etc.)

1. Kekwick, A., and Pawan, L.S., Calorie Intake in Relation to Body Weight Changes in the
Obese, Lancet, 1956 and Metabolic Study in Human Obesity with Isocaloric Diets High in
Fat, Protein and Carbohydrate, Metabolism, 1957

2. Benoit, F.L. et al., Changes in body Composition During Weight Reduction in Obesity:
Balance Studies Comparing Effects of Fasting and a Ketogenic Diet, Annals of Internal
Medicine, 1965