KETO MEAL PLANE

Weight-loss one month into the ketogenic diet Seeman says for her patients, the average weight loss is 10-12 pounds the first month.

How It Works

The premise of the ketogenic diet for weight loss is that if you deprive the body of glucose—the main source of energy for all cells in the body, which is obtained by eating carbohydrate foods—an alternative fuel called ketones is produced from stored fat (thus, the term “keto”-genic). The brain demands the most glucose in a steady supply, about 120 grams daily, because it cannot store glucose. During fasting, or when very little carbohydrate is eaten, the body first pulls stored glucose from the liver and temporarily breaks down muscle to release glucose. If this continues for 3-4 days and stored glucose is fully depleted, blood levels of a hormone called insulin decrease, and the body begins to use fat as its primary fuel. The liver produces ketone bodies from fat, which can be used in the absence of glucose. [1]

When ketone bodies accumulate in the blood, this is called ketosis. Healthy individuals naturally experience mild ketosis during periods of fasting (e.g., sleeping overnight) and very strenuous exercise. Proponents of the ketogenic diet state that if the diet is carefully followed, blood levels of ketones should not reach a harmful level (known as “ketoacidosis”) as the brain will use ketones for fuel, and healthy individuals will typically produce enough insulin to prevent excessive ketones from forming. [2] How soon ketosis happens and the number of ketone bodies that accumulate in the blood is variable from person to person and depends on factors such as body fat percentage and resting metabolic rate.

The Diet

There is not one “standard” ketogenic diet with a specific ratio of macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat). The ketogenic diet typically reduces total carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams a day—less than the amount found in a medium plain bagel—and can be as low as 20 grams a day. Generally, popular ketogenic resources suggest an average of 70-80% fat from total daily calories, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein. For a 2000-calorie diet, this translates to about 165 grams fat, 40 grams carbohydrate, and 75 grams protein. The protein amount on the ketogenic diet is kept moderate in comparison with other low-carb high-protein diets, because eating too much protein can prevent ketosis. The amino acids in protein can be converted to glucose, so a ketogenic diet specifies enough protein to preserve lean body mass including muscle, but that will still cause ketosis.

Many versions of ketogenic diets exist, but all ban carb-rich foods. Some of these foods may be obvious: starches from both refined and whole grains like breads, cereals, pasta, rice, and cookies; potatoes, corn, and other starchy vegetables; and fruit juices. Some that may not be so obvious are beans, legumes, and most fruits. Most ketogenic plans allow foods high in saturated fat, such as fatty cuts of meat, processed meats, lard, and butter, as well as sources of unsaturated fats, such as nuts, seeds, avocados, plant oils, and oily fish. Depending on your source of information, ketogenic food lists may vary and even conflict.

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Eating fat to burn fat sounds crazy, right? But it makes sense to more people than ever—and not just overweight people struggling to lose weight. Bodybuilders, athletes, and everyday normal people are all lining up to follow the ketogenic diet, a high-fat, moderate-protein, carbohydrate-restricted diet designed to make the body burn fat for fuel.

But how does it work? Let's take a look and see if it's a fit for you.

Using Fats For Fuel

In a typical Western diet, carbohydrates constitute the majority of food intake, which means glucose is used as the primary energy source for the body. When the body doesn't use all that energy, some is converted to glycogen, which gets stored in the muscles and liver, and some is stored as fat.

The average human can only store about 2,000 kcals of glycogen but can store well over 25,000 kcals of fat. If your body runs on glucose, the only way to access the stored fuel in fat would be during periods of increased energy demand, such as during prolonged exercise, calorie-restriction, or fasting. This is the typical approach to fat loss, but is there a more efficient way to access those fat stores?

If a person is "fat-adapted," their body burns fat as a primary fuel instead of glycogen, and they would be primed to efficiently access that enormous reservoir of stored energy. This is precisely what the ketogenic diet is designed to do.

What Is A Ketogenic Diet?

Ketogenic diets are very high-fat, moderate-protein, carbohydrate-restricted diets. The exact macronutrient breakdown of the diet varies between individuals, but a general profile may reflect 70-75 percent fat, 15-20 percent protein, and only 5-10 percent carbohydrates. If you follow it to the letter, it can also end up being fairly low calorie, simply because it's hard to eat all that fat!

The main goal of a keto diet is to get your body into a keto-adapted state known as "ketosis." Keto-adaptation refers to the body's ability to use ketones—small lipid-derived molecules produced in the liver—and fatty acids instead of glucose as its primary energy sources.

The way this diet works all comes down to insulin. Dietary fat does not induce the same high levels of insulin secretion seen with carbohydrates. Therefore, when the body is relying less on glucose and more on fat for energy, insulin sensitivity actually increases. This allows the body to continue efficiently accessing fat stores for energy.

So, what are the main rules of keto? Just watch out for the carbs, right? Not exactly. Ketogenic diets are not the same as high-protein, carbohydrate-restricted diets. Many people use these terms interchangeably, but the diets differ quite a bit in their metabolism. If you're trying to reach ketosis, too much protein can actually keep you from getting there.

What Is A Ketogenic Diet?

Ketogenic diets are very high-fat, moderate-protein, carbohydrate-restricted diets. The exact macronutrient breakdown of the diet varies between individuals, but a general profile may reflect 70-75 percent fat, 15-20 percent protein, and only 5-10 percent carbohydrates. If you follow it to the letter, it can also end up being fairly low calorie, simply because it's hard to eat all that fat!

The main goal of a keto diet is to get your body into a keto-adapted state known as "ketosis." Keto-adaptation refers to the body's ability to use ketones—small lipid-derived molecules produced in the liver—and fatty acids instead of glucose as its primary energy sources.

The way this diet works all comes down to insulin. Dietary fat does not induce the same high levels of insulin secretion seen with carbohydrates. Therefore, when the body is relying less on glucose and more on fat for energy, insulin sensitivity actually increases. This allows the body to continue efficiently accessing fat stores for energy.

So, what are the main rules of keto? Just watch out for the carbs, right? Not exactly. Ketogenic diets are not the same as high-protein, carbohydrate-restricted diets. Many people use these terms interchangeably, but the diets differ quite a bit in their metabolism. If you're trying to reach ketosis, too much protein can actually keep you from getting there.

What Is The Keto Flu?

When adapting to a keto diet, it's not uncommon to feel a bit more fatigued and sluggish and have a tougher time getting through your workouts as your body adjusts to a low-carb lifestyle. It takes a few weeks to adapt, and it is this delay that often causes the so-called "keto flu." These effects are short-lived, however, and they typically pass within the first week or two.

Don't let the keto flu drag you down. Find the perfect mental-focus formula so you stay on top of your game as your body adapts.

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Ensuring proper calorie intake and electrolyte balance can drastically reduce those initial symptoms. One often-overlooked component is adequate sodium. Sufficient sodium levels can greatly improve symptoms and help mitigate those initial feelings of headaches, lethargy, and nausea.

Once you are keto-adapted, your energy levels return to normal and may even be higher than they were on a high-carb diet.

Can I Do Keto Long Term?

Contrary to the popular belief that certain systems can only use carbohydrates for energy, several major organs, including the brain, are able to adapt quite well to using ketones on a well-formulated high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. In fact, ketogenic diets are commonly prescribed for the management of epilepsy.

The body can also undergo numerous metabolic changes as a result of the keto diet. Adaptation to ketogenic diets has been linked with decreases in resting blood glucose, improved insulin sensitivity, lower triglycerides, and increases in HDL levels—all of which would be beneficial for improving heart health and for those with type 2 diabetes.

What Are The Athletic Benefits Of Being Keto-Adapted?

Ketogenic diets have become increasingly popular among athletes ranging from Olympic competitors to endurance runners—with good reason. Studies have shown that ketogenic diets induce numerous favorable metabolic and physiological changes, including weight loss, less oxidative stress, improved body composition, and reduced inflammation.

But what does the science surrounding ketogenic diets have to say about individuals looking to run faster or farther, jump higher, or improve other aspects of sports performance?

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