THE KETOGENIC DIET

THE KETOGENIC DIET

What is a Ketogenic diet?

A Keto diet is well known for being a low carb diet, where the body produces ketones in the liver to be used as energy. It’s referred to as many different names – Ketogenic diet, low carb diet, low carb high fat (LCHF), etc.

When you eat something high in carbs, your body will produce glucose and insulin.

§  Glucose is the easiest molecule for your body to convert and use as energy so that it will be chosen over any other energy source.

§  Insulin is produced to process the glucose in your bloodstream by taking it around the body.

Since the glucose is being used as a primary energy, your fats are not needed and are therefore stored. Typically on a normal, higher carbohydrate diet, the body will use glucose as the main form of energy. By lowering the intake of carbs, the body is induced into a state known as ketosis.

What is Ketosis:

Ketosis is a natural process the body initiates to help us survive when food intake is low. During this state, we produce ketones, which are produced from the breakdown of fats in the liver.

The end goal of a properly maintained Keto diet is to force your body into this metabolic state. We don’t do this through starvation of calories but starvation of carbohydrates.

Our bodies are incredibly adaptive to what you put into it – when you overload it with fats and take away carbohydrates, it will begin to burn ketones as the primary energy source. Optimal ketone levels offer many health, weight loss, physical and mental performance benefits.

What are the benefits of a Keto diet?

There is a ton of hype surrounding the Ketogenic diet. Some researchers swear that it is the best diet for most people to be on, while others think it is just another fad diet.

To some degree, both sides of the spectrum are right. There isn’t one perfect diet for everyone or every condition, regardless of how many people “believe” in it. The Ketogenic diet is no exception to this rule.

However, the Ketogenic diet also has plenty of solid research backing up its benefits. In fact, it has been found to be better than most diets at helping people with:

• §  Epilepsy (Fits)
• §  Type 2 Diabetes
• §  Type 1 Diabetes
• §  High Blood Pressure
• §  Alzheimer’s disease
• §  Parkinson’s disease
• §  Chronic Inflammation
• §  High Blood Sugar Levels
• §  Obesity
• §  Heart Disease
• §  Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
• §  Fatty Liver Disease
• §  Cancer
• §  Migraines

Even if you are not at risk from any of these conditions, the Ketogenic diet can be helpful for you too. Some of the benefits that most people experience are:

§  Better brain function

§  A decrease in inflammation

§  An increase in energy

§  Improved body composition

What do I eat on a Keto diet?

What you eat depends on how fast you want to get into a ketogenic state. The more restrictive you are on your carbohydrates (less than 15g per day), the faster you will enter ketosis.

You want to keep your carbohydrates limited, coming mostly from vegetables, nuts, and dairy. Don’t eat any refined carbohydrates such as wheat (bread, pasta, cereals), starch (potatoes, beans, legumes) or fruit. The small exceptions to this are avocado, star fruit, and berries which can be consumed in moderation.

Do Not Eat

§  Grains – wheat, corn, rice, cereal, etc.

§  Sugar – honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.

§  Fruit – apples, bananas, oranges, etc.

§  Tubers – potato, yams, etc.

Do Eat

§  Meats – fish, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, etc.

§  Leafy Greens – spinach, kale, etc.

§  Above ground vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, etc.

§  High Fat Dairy – hard cheeses, high fat cream, butter, etc.

§  Nuts and seeds – macadamias, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.

§  Avocado and berries – raspberries, blackberries, and other low glycemic impact berries

§  Sweeteners – stevia, erythritol, monk fruit, and other low-carb sweeteners

§  Other fats – coconut oil, high-fat salad dressing, saturated fats, etc.

§  70% fats, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrate.

§  Typically, anywhere between 20-30g of net carbs is recommended for everyday dieting – but the lower you keep your carbohydrate intake and glucose levels, the better the overall results will be. If you’re doing keto for weight loss, it’s a good idea to keep track of both your total carbs and net carbs.

§  Protein should always be consumed as needed with fat filling in the remainder of the calories in your day.

§  You might be asking, “What’s a net carb?” It’s simple really! The net carbs are your total dietary carbohydrates, minus the total fiber. I recommend keeping total carbs below 35g and net carbs below 25g (ideally, below 20g).

If you’re finding yourself hungry throughout the day, you can snack on nuts, seeds, cheeses, or peanut butter to curb your appetite (though snacking can slow weight loss in the long term). Sometimes we can confuse the want to snack with the need of a meal.

How to reach ketosis?

1. Restrict carbohydrates
2. Restrict your protein intake
3. Stop worrying about fat
4. Drink water
5. Start fasting
6. Start exercising

Signs of Ketosis:

• Increased Urination
• Dry mouth
• Bad breath
• Reduced Hunger and Increased Energy

Types of Ketogenic diets:

§  Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD): This is the classic keto diet that everyone knows and does. 

§  Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): This is a variation where you eat SKD, but intake a small amount of fast-digesting carbs before a workout.

§  Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD): This is a variation of keto for bodybuilders and contest goers, generally giving one day a week to carb up and resupply glycogen stores.

Common Side Effects on a Keto Diet

• Cramps
• Constipation
• Heart palpitation
• Reduced physical performance

Less common side effects of Keto diet

• Breast feeding
• Hair loss
• Increased cholesterol
• Gallstones
• Indigestion
• Keto rash