Fat Fasting: What it is, how it works (and why it’s awesome for travel)
When you live keto or carnivore, you learn one big truth fast: food freedom doesn’t mean eating all the time. It means your body runs so efficiently on fat that you can go hours—sometimes days—without feeling hungry. Fat fasting takes that to another level. It’s one of the most powerful tools for resetting hunger, tightening up fat adaptation, and staying sharp when travel throws everything else off.
What is Fat Fasting?
A fat fast is a short-term eating approach where most of your calories come from pure fats—think butter, cream, egg yolks, and coconut oil. Protein and carbs are kept low to keep your body in deep ketosis, forcing it to rely almost entirely on fat for fuel.
It’s not about starvation. You still eat, but the focus is entirely on giving your metabolism a clean burn—like running your car on premium fuel instead of a mix of random leftovers.
Most people do a fat fast for 1 to 3 days. It’s long enough to reset cravings and get back into ketosis if you’ve drifted out, but short enough that your body doesn’t feel deprived.
How It Works
When carbs are low and fat intake is high, your insulin levels stay down. That’s the key. Low insulin unlocks fat-burning, allowing your body to draw energy directly from stored fat.
Because you’re consuming mostly fat, your liver keeps producing ketones steadily. That steady stream of ketones fuels your brain and muscles without the usual dips that happen when you’re eating more protein or carbs.
The result? Clear focus, stable energy, and often a noticeable drop in water weight and inflammation. It’s a metabolic “clean slate.”
What You Can Eat
A typical fat fast includes:
- Butter coffee with heavy cream or MCT oil
- Egg yolks cooked in butter
- Cream cheese or mascarpone
- Fatty broths made with tallow or bone marrow
- Small servings of fatty fish or bacon (optional)
You’re aiming for around 1,000–1,200 calories per day, with about 80–90% of those calories from fat. It’s simple, rich, and surprisingly satisfying.
Why It’s Awesome for Travel
Travel can wreck even the best diet routines. Flights, hotel breakfasts, late dinners—they all pull you off track. Fat fasting is the perfect travel hack because it simplifies everything.
When you’re fat fasting, there’s no need to hunt for keto-friendly meals at every stop. You can carry what you need—a thermos of butter coffee, a few hard-boiled yolks, or small packets of MCT oil—and stay fueled without resorting to junk food or carbs.
It also kills jet lag hunger swings. Instead of snacking through airports, you stay in steady ketosis, letting your body adjust naturally to new time zones and meal schedules.
And because fat fasting keeps your digestion light, it helps avoid the bloat that comes with airplane food or hotel buffets. You feel leaner, clearer, and in control.
Tips for Doing It Right
- Stay hydrated. Salt and electrolytes are essential. Add a pinch of sea salt to your drinks or sip on bone broth.
- Don’t overthink it. Keep it simple—just fat, minimal protein, no carbs.
- End gently. After your fat fast, ease back into regular keto or carnivore meals. Eggs, meat, and tallow are a perfect bridge.
- Listen to your body. If you feel lightheaded or tired, add a bit more salt or a small portion of protein.
A Simple Reset, Anywhere
Fat fasting isn’t about punishment or pushing limits. It’s a reset button. When life—or travel—throws your eating off course, it helps you get back into deep ketosis fast, without stress or guesswork.
Whether you’re crossing time zones, sitting through conferences, or stuck in airports, fat fasting keeps you sharp, lean, and ready for anything.
Fat, travel, focus—simplified. That’s the keto way.
Attribution:
Photo by Sorin Gheorghita on Unsplash