Metabolic Health

Here’s How to Get Fat Adapted Even If You Consume Some Carbs.

Remarkable benefits of a flexible metabolism and fat-adapted body and how to achieve them in five practical steps

The most impactful investment I have made for my metabolic and mental health has been in developing a flexible metabolism and making my body fat-adapted. By achieving this state, I have put my body in an optimal position to quickly burn stored fat and reduce the risk of muscle loss.

The process of becoming fat-adapted, also known as keto-adaptation, involves orienting your body to use dietary or stored fat as the primary fuel source instead of carbohydrates or stored glucose in the glycogen stores.

However, it is possible to use carbs and fats in different ratios by adjusting protein intake and entering mild ketosis to make the body fat adapted. You don’t need to follow a strict ketogenic diet, even if it makes the process more seamless.

Fat adaptation is a natural process. Humans survived difficult times such as famine when no food was available by being fat-adapted. This state is coded in our DNA. Our physiology evolved to use stored body fat as an energy source and create necessary blood glucose for organs when no food was available.

Through the mechanism of gluconeogenesis, the body can create the required blood glucose from abundant amino acids and even from the dietary fat and stored fat in the body. We only run out of this stored energy source if we have underlying health conditions, as the body regulates fat storage tightly.

Here’s why I wrote this story.

A mature-aged reader reached out to me on my website last year, requesting clarification on transforming himself into a fat-adapted state. In his own terms, he was in a desperate position and needed a step-by-step guide to make his body fat-adapted by gaining perspectives from my experience.

With his permission, I shared his correspondence in an article. The same reader approached me almost a year after and informed me that he lost significant visceral fat by keeping his muscle mass by making his body fat-adapted.

He even remains in mild ketosis now, even if he consumes some carbs in moderation. His mental health has also significantly improved, as he has been in an excellent mood with desired mental clarity lately.

This news was encouraging, and it prompted me to write this follow-up piece in response to readers asking me whether it is possible to become fat-adapted while consuming carbohydrates. The short answer is yes, but it depends on the specific circumstances that I explain in this story.

I have documented several cases of individuals who achieved ketosis and a fat-adapted state without following a strict ketogenic diet. One particularly inspiring example is detailed in the article titled Here’s How Amy Entered Ketosis without Following a Ketogenic Diet.

In this case, Amy entered ketosis by following a unique protocol that allowed her to incorporate a moderate amount of carbs into her diet without compromising her lifestyle.

However, if you are overeating carbs and proteins with minimal fat, then achieving ketosis and a fat-adapted body can be difficult, as excessive insulin release can prevent the body from tapping into fat stores.

An insulin-resistant body cannot be fat adapted. And without being insulin sensitive, it can be very difficult to gain a fat-adapted body. My goal is to provide as many options as possible to make the body insulin sensitive, metabolically flexible, and fat-adapted.

First, I’d like to introduce the concept of metabolic flexibility, as it is the critical success factor and the desired outcome of having a fat-adapted body in the first place.

Metabolic Flexibility

Metabolic flexibility is a crucial aspect of human physiology, referring to the ability of the body to efficiently utilize different energy sources based on the availability of nutrients and energy demands.

The regulation of metabolism is facilitated by various physiological mechanisms, such as insulin and the capacity of cells to utilize both glucose and fatty acids as fuel sources.

Various factors can affect metabolic flexibility, including genetics, diet, exercise, sleep, rest, and environmental influences.

Maintaining good metabolic flexibility is crucial for overall health, as it can help to prevent excess body fat accumulation and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Conversely, poor metabolic flexibility is linked to a range of health issues. To improve metabolic flexibility, we must adopt a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and practice efficient stress management.

Here Are the five steps to becoming fat-adapted.

1 — Consume adequate calories and adjust macro-nutrients.

We get our calories from three types of macronutrients. They are fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. While fats and carbs are the primary sources of energy, the purpose of protein is beyond energy.

Proteins are critical as building blocks for the growth and maintenance of our cells, tissues, and organs. Therefore, using protein as the primary energy source is not a good idea.

Fats and carbohydrates provide energy affecting metabolic hormones differently. For example, while carbs significantly trigger insulin spikes, fats have a minimal impact on this process. Therefore, using fats as a primary energy source can be more beneficial to keep the body insulin sensitive.

Consuming adequate calories is vital for health and well-being. Too many or too few calories can have different adverse effects. In terms of fat adaptation, adjusting macronutrients can be a helpful strategy. There are several options.

If you enjoy healthy fats like me or are carb-intolerant, a viable option is replacing carbs with healthy fats to maintain adequate calories by keeping the body insulin sensitive and remaining fat-adapted.

Fats are also necessary for some micronutrients to be effective. For example, vitamins D and A require some fat for synthesis. Some fats, such as Omega-3 Fatty Acids, are essential for brain health.

From my experience, reducing carbs and increasing healthy fats contributed to becoming fat-adapted faster. The more healthy fat I ate through a ketogenic diet, the more fat I lost. The main reason is fat has fewer effects in spiking insulin than carbs.

Some people enjoy both carbs and fats and are more carb-tolerant as they have a metabolism to utilize carbs more efficiently.

Therefore, a viable option for these people is balancing fats and carbs in equal amounts without compromising their protein needs. Protein is not negotiable. We all need it in different amounts to stay healthy.

Some people enjoy carbs and dislike fats. There is a viable option for this group, but it is relatively strenuous. However, it is possible for some people if they are committed. These people cannot eat much fat, so they only consume very little for hormonal balance and mainly use carbs as a significant energy source.

The main factor in this option is to be very active in burning carbs timely. The solution is regular exercise and constant movement to keep the metabolism fast. I explain it in section #4.

In addition, increasing protein in each meal a little more can help to slow the digestion of carbs. The low-hanging fruit for this group is to stop snacking and sugary drinks.

Replacing sugary drinks with formulated ketone drinks in moderation and adding MCT oil in coffee or tea are other options for this group. However, people with underlying health conditions such as type I diabetes or other metabolic, mitochondrial, endocrine, or immune disorders must refrain from ketone drinks.

Remember that while carbohydrates are not essential for the body to survive in general, as necessary glucose for the bloodstream can be created via the gluconeogenesis process for healthy people, some healthy fats are essential. The body cannot produce some fats such as Omega-three fats (DHA and EPA).

2 — Skip meals or perform time-restricted eating.

After the diet, the next option is maintaining calories by skipping meals or performing time-restricted eating, which is also known as intermittent fasting.

Skipping a meal occasionally can be an excellent option for some people. However, regular time-restricted eating can be more sustainable. The most common intermittent fasting protocol is eating within eight hours and refraining from food for sixteen hours.

Some people practice fast-mimicking diets. I documented my perspective on fast-mimicking lifestyles in a previous article. Fast-mimicking diets are low calorie and low portion with specific food groups triggering the body to utilize fat as an energy source.

In these formulated diets, it is possible to eat carbs in moderation and still stay in ketosis. They are designed for metabolic flexibility and make the body fat adapt in the long term.

Time-restricted eating is not about calorie-cutting, even though some people use it for that purpose. The ultimate goal of time-restricted eating is consuming calories in a specific window to give the body a rest for a while.

When we cut calories at an extreme level, the body perceives it as starvation and hence starts using amino acids as an energy source, even from precious muscles. Therefore, we might lose valuable muscles.

However, when we consume adequate calories in a specific window, the body creates protective hormones such as growth hormones and signaling molecules such as ketones during the fasted state to protect against muscle loss.

While calorie-cutting reduces our metabolic rate, time-restricted eating improves it. I wish we could promote the remarkable health benefits of fasting better.

Intermittent fasting speeds up the creation of ketones. After fasting for 18 hours, ketone levels in my bloodstream can reach around two to three mmol/L. Blood glucose level can be around four mmol/L.

When we don’t consume food, especially carbs, and proteins, we don’t get excessive sugar in the bloodstream, preventing insulin spikes. Insulin resistance is the primary cause of fat gain and obesity. Conversely, insulin sensitivity is a viable solution to keeping a healthy body weight and composition.

3 — Optimize your hormones via healthy lifestyle choices.

Hormones are intricate and play a vital role in the body's functioning. Thus, understanding their importance is essential for optimizing health and well-being. Enhancing our hormonal intelligence can be a valuable investment in our overall well-being.

Metabolic hormones such as insulin, leptin, and ghrelin are particularly relevant in the context of fat-adaption. For example, when insulin levels are high, the body cannot access fat stores and relies primarily on glucose from the bloodstream and glycogen as a source of energy.

Leptin is a hormone that promotes feelings of fullness, while ghrelin stimulates hunger. If you have insulin and leptin resistance, it becomes challenging to access fat stores unless you significantly reduce your food intake.

Cortisol is another crucial hormone to consider when it comes to fat-adaption. This hormone helps manage stress, and when we are under a lot of physical or mental pressure, the body produces more cortisol to cope.

However, if cortisol levels are too high in the bloodstream, the body tends to use glucose as an energy source. Additionally, excessive cortisol levels can lead to sleep deprivation. Therefore, I needed to increase my magnesium intake to improve my sleep.

While insulin is an anabolic hormone that promotes the storage of fat and glucose, cortisol is a catabolic hormone that breaks down tissues to provide energy.

However, the catabolism induced by cortisol is not primarily for the purpose of accessing fat stores but rather for the utilization of glucose from organs such as the liver and muscles to increase the availability of blood glucose to the brain. When cortisol levels are too high, the body cannot use fat as an energy source.

Three lifestyle changes can significantly contribute to balancing metabolic hormones: customized nutrition, sleep quality, and moderate exercise. I covered nutrition in a previous section and will address exercise and sleep in subsequent sections.

4 — Keep the body moving and perform regular workouts.

Maintaining an active lifestyle is crucial for overall health and well-being. In addition to participating in structured exercise, engaging in physical activity throughout the day can help mobilize fat stores.

Exercise can support the development of a fat-adapted metabolism by increasing the body’s ability to use fat as a fuel source. Studies suggest that engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week can reduce the risk of metabolic disorders, particularly some cancers.

Resistance training and high-intensity interval training can be remarkably effective in this regard, as they can mimic the effects of fasting by increasing growth hormone, burning calories, lowering blood glucose and insulin levels, and promoting the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

However, we need to be careful with excessive training as these types of workouts, when done too much too frequently, can significantly increase oxidative stress, elevate cortisol, increase inflammation, and even cause injuries.

To maximize the benefits of exercise and minimize the risk of injury, it is essential to gradually build strength, flexibility, and agility. It is also important to allow sufficient time for recovery between workouts and to consider adjusting calorie and protein intake based on the intensity of your training.

5 — Recover timely and manage stress properly with sleep.

The impact of stress on metabolism cannot be understated. If left unchecked, chronic stress, in combination with a sedentary lifestyle and malnutrition, can lead to an increase in visceral fat and muscle loss.

Fortunately, there is good news: restorative sleep can have a range of beneficial effects on metabolism and mental health.

It can improve the body’s ability to utilize sugar, increase insulin, and leptin sensitivity, boost the production of growth hormone, aid in detoxification, and enhance brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

Obtaining restorative sleep regularly can serve as an effective alternative to fasting in terms of these benefits. When we sleep well, we might experience reduced hunger and decreased food intake.

Additionally, adequate and restorative sleep can provide us with the motivation to exercise and improve our overall mood. To achieve these benefits, it is essential to establish good sleep hygiene and adhere to it.

If you experience sleep-related issues such as sleep deprivation or insomnia, you must seek professional guidance as soon as possible.

In a personal article titled “Here’s How I Corrected My Sleep Issues in 7 Steps and Reaped Many Health Benefits,” I detail my own experience with improving my sleep habits.”

Conclusions and Takeaways

Investing in a flexible metabolism and fat-adapted body has significantly improved my metabolic and mental health. It has enabled me to burn stored fat efficiently and maintain muscle mass. The transformation has benefited me in numerous ways.

The process of becoming fat-adapted involves orienting the body to use dietary or stored fat as the primary fuel source rather than carbohydrates or stored glucose in the glycogen stores.

Some of these alternative solutions might work for some people, and some might not. It depends on individuals and multiple factors. However, having numerous options is a great way to customize them based on our needs with support from qualified healthcare professionals.

It is worth noting that all of these options come with potential risks and side effects if not done correctly, such as the risk of stress and injuries from excessive high-intensity training.

The vital point is making these choices a habit after designing them carefully for our goals and needs with support from qualified professionals. When we reinforce our behavior and turn them into healthy lifestyle habits, we can address the risks of metabolic and mental health diseases.

For me, the most significant contributor to achieving a fat-adapted state has been ketosis. However, it is not necessary to be in deep ketosis at all times. Fast-mimicking lifestyle can allow for mild, intermittent periods of ketosis while still maintaining metabolic flexibility.

Deep ketosis may be necessary for those with certain medical conditions, such as seizures or metabolic cancer. While physical activity is essential in the process of fat loss, it is also crucial to consider the role of hormones and neurotransmitters that affect emotions.

I have provided five practical tips for regulating emotions and reducing chronic stress by understanding the principle of holistic health.

For carb lovers, the key point is to reduce your intake of processed and refined foods, as these types of foods can disrupt the balance of your metabolism and make it more difficult for your body to use fat as fuel.

If you are carb-intolerant like me, you might check my recent story that might give you valuable perspectives: My Battle with Carbs: Here’s How I Learned to Let Go of Anger and Take Control with Intellect and Intuition.

Key Takeaways from This Article

Here are a dozen practical takeaways that may offer new perspectives if you want to consider customizing your own solution and transitioning from a sugar-burning to a fat-burning metabolism.

1 — Consume adequate calories from your preferred macronutrients.

2 — Adjust macro-nutrients based on your needs and goals.

3 — Solve nutritional deficiencies with support from qualified healthcare professionals.

4 — Refrain from refined carbs and sugary beverages.

5 — Consume adequate healthy fats and bioavailable proteins.

6 — Skip meals or perform time-restricted eating.

7 — Consider fast-mimicking diets if they suit your needs.

8— Balance your hormones with healthy lifestyle choices.

9 — Keep the body moving and aim for 150 minutes of exercise weekly.

10— Rest the body, recover from the effects of previous exercises, and don’t attempt a new exercise session before full recovery.

11 — Get adequate and restorative sleep daily.

12 — Lower your stress, regulate your emotions, and develop meaningful connections with others.

When we get fat-adapted, we don’t have to count calories, do fad diets, waste our money on expensive supplements, or do relentless workouts in gyms. Instead, the body does its jobs naturally and elegantly by design.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.

Petechiae, ALS, Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and urinary track disorders.

I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:

Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients.

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