I'm experimenting with IF/keto at the moment, mainly to see if it helps put on lean muscle. For context, I've also been eating relatively clean (low carb, high protein/fibre) for years now.

I take all the internet commentary about low insulin levels (etc) with a grain of salt. I just don't know enough about endocrinology or the current state of research.

That being said, higher carbohydrate intake causes a noticeable spike in how hungry I feel. If I have a moderately carb-heavy dinner (50-100g), I'm ravenous when I wake up, and mentally I'm a lot fuzzier.

Then, like clockwork, they both disappear around 3pm, which I assume coincides with the switch over from metabolizing glycogen to fatty acids.

If I keep carbs under 20g, I'm fine from the moment I wake up. I have mild sensations of hunger later in the day, but nothing like the pangs I get on the higher carb diet.

This seems to be well documented, and most people on the keto diet report similar experiences.

Do you think this hormonal response has no impact on weight loss (or, for that matter, muscle gain)?